Bejeeber

Hi Paul, 1g sounds like a reasonable first dosage level to me, especially if this is your first mm experience. For those already familiar and comfy with mm, or in a particularly "desperate times call for desperate measures" situation, 1.5 to 2g is a common dosage level, one that l should note could induce some moderate to fairly strong tripping. From what other CH'ers have reported, it appears to me verapamil may hamper but not necessarily block mm effectiveness. Some have successfully busted while still on verapamil, enough that they could then go completely off the verapamil and finish knocking their cycle out with follow up bust(s).

Can't blame y'all at all for wanting to discontinue the topomax Renee - having to attempt to do a job requiring lots of detail work while on the notorious "dope-o-max" and it's infamous side effects of dumbing of the brain and killing of the memory sounds like a major, extremely unwelcome addition to the horror show. I can imagine your doc may be just trying the indo in order to rule out any hemicrania action..... People here have been able to bust while on Verap, including our pal Dan featured in this National Geographic segment airing internationally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFuL7pcShDk Good one, Fabac, and of course 100% agreed, even if I'm not personally as Star Wars-centric as the average bear. Hmmmm I think I may have just outed myself as having been Jellystone Park-centric as a child though.Â

You're rockin' it Fabac. Regarding past events, stress and that sorta krap, you're upcoming crop is being shown in studies (and personal accounts here such as mine) to potentially be a heckuva PTSD killer.Â

WOW. Cool. 8-)

I don't recall seeing cautions about D3 interacting badly with anything. There's an entire D3 regimen that many follow for CH: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1314134804 Prednisone on the other hand has been suspected as a busting blocker, and historically waiting 5 days after tapering off of predinisone has been suggested before busting (this was thrown into question just recently though when there was one reported case of a clusterhead successfully busting while still on pred). Here's hoping that your pred burst will at least give you a temporary break, with no roid rage side effect. If you notice personality changes with yourself while on it, keep in mind pred can do that.

If it comes down to what type of psilocybin mushrooms work for busting, word has it that all of them do, and any of them will do, hope that helps.Â

Thanks for the hedzup - I just went and gave the feller my endorsage.Â

Hi Darci, Glad you made it here, the place where so many end up who've tried everything else, only to wish they'd tried busting FIRST, because it is so effective and about a zillion times less toxic than prescription meds..  8-) Psilocybin. One powerful preventative indeed, IF you can get it. Many grow their own, but as an episodic starting a cycle, the timing could be better for you. :-? I've mentioned to a few here that some busters have ordered psilocybin truffles from the Netherlands online recently (they're legal there) with no customs issues, but I don't know how risky that might be. Milder Rivea Corymbosa (RC) seeds can be ordered online legally and legally possessed, so they are an alternative busting preventative available to everyone in the US. High flow 100% O2 as an abortive works WAY better than the low flow rebreather approach most commonly prescribed, so you'll want to check into that if you haven't already. Then there's the D3 regimen and stuff...... Stick around, keep pestering with questions until all are answered, and I bet you'll find yourself getting much better control over the CH than with those pesky pharmaceuticals so many of us have been through the ringer with. I'm agreed that the term "headache' should in no way be associated with this condition, and you'll never catch me referring to a cluster attack as a headache.

He's exploiting his tallness for photobombing.Â

Oh LORDY that is one of the most classic Hipshot photobbombings ever!! ;D Glad to see you got to hang with good 'ol Runaway Slim and Bob W's son too. 8-)

I've pondered this having to lie to get welding 02 thing, and I haven't tried it, but one idea was, if asked, say "I have a friend who needs 02 for welding", which as a stand alone statement is technically true for all of us (I bet everyone's friend Spiny here uses 02 for welding - well I know she uses it for a bad ass cutting torch anyway). I guess the trick would be in your mind to just say it as if you were starting a new line of conversation, not replying to a specific question.Â

What the illustrious Dallas Denny said. Those RC seeds are legal to purchase and possess, and welding O2 (which is the same as medical O2) is widely used by CH'ers in the US. Also, some folks here have recently had success ordering psilocybin truffles from the Netherlands (the amount of associated legal risk involved is unknown to me though). Neither you nor your son are alone - I bet CHfather will relate to your situation, and he, as one of the most informed people on the planet regarding the practicalities of how to most effectively fight off CH, may even be along with some good ideas for you too. For right now today, your son could always try one of the instant "freebie" abortive methods. Forgive me, but I'm just going to copy/paste here from a post I made on that subject yesterday: --------------- Cold air therapy as an abortive can work. You have to catch it at onset though. RUN to the car, turn the car on and BLAST the air conditioner at it's coldest, put your nose right up to the super cold air coming out of the vent and breathe deeply, hyperventilate even. A resulting ice cream type headache sensation can be an indicator that you're on the right track. An abort can potentially be had in 10 min. or so. Adjuncts to this include holding ice cubes in the mouth pressed against the roof of the mouth on the CH side. For some exercise is a trigger (and actually cold air can be for some too, dangit). For the rest of us though, it can be an abortive. I'm talking a blast of super vigorous sprint 'til you drop sort of exercise (if this type of exertion doesn't present a health risk for the particular CH'er individual). ------------------ If your son were to down an energy drink or shot that contains plenty of both caffeine and taurine (such as 5 hour Energy, Red Bull, Monster) right before one of these abortive methods, his results may be all the better, as some CH'ers report being able to abort or lessen the severity of an attack with an energy shot/drink alone. You were smart to come here kmom - this is where people so often really turn a corner on their CH, sometimes through a supporter such as you.Â

At the conference there was mention of a CH study coming up where CH'er volunteers who are in cycle will have an attack induced with nitroglycerine. Then half of them will be given a placebo. I don't know that I could bring myself to volunteer for a study like that, but whoever does oughta be awarded several dozen congressional medals of honor IMO. Â

Hi Ted, glad to see you've been well advised. OK so your cycles are lengthening and so are your remissions. That is actually a fairly common pattern that can develop over the decades - many here (including myself) have reported the same phenomenon. If I were you I would consider busting in order to prevent future cycles altogether, plus for the remainder of this cycle go for that aforementioned high flow 100% welding O2 as a replacement abortive for the imitrex. Not that I'm as down as some are on imitrex when needed in a pinch for relatively short cycles such as yours. I too get zero side effects from imitrex, but that's certainly not the case with everyone. I personally feel it's unlikely your imitrex usage has caused you permanent harm or serious danger. For those "too late" wake up hits, one strategy is to have a forceful "I WILL wake up at the onset of any attack!" talk with yourself before bed, have a solid plan to bolt out of bed immediately upon awakening and hit the ground running, then have your most powerful abortive - a 3 mg injection - set up and ready to go for immediate use. Yes. Cold air therapy as an abortive can work for headbangers with your sort of profile. You have to catch it at onset though. RUN to the car, turn the car on and BLAST the air conditioner, put your nose right up to the super cold air coming out of the vent and breathe deeply, hyperventilate even. An abort can potentially be had in 10 min. or so. 8-) For some exercise is a trigger (and actually so is cold air, dangit). For the rest of us though, it can be an abortive. I'm talking a blast of super vigorous sprint 'til you drop exercise (if this type of exertion isn''t a health threat for the particular individual). Texas huh? Have you seen the internationally airing National Geographic segment about cluster busting featuring our Texan forum member Dan? here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFuL7pcShDk

Well it's a bit complex and multi-facted for my pea brain - I'm glad people are trying to figure out the "why" of CH, as I go into overload just with the "how" to snuff it (realizing though that why and how can be related!). So I'll just say that while there can appear to be a real correlation between meds and increasing severity/going chronic etc., I personally retain a wee bit of reservation there, especially when headbangers (understandably) suspect imitrex for worsening their CH. Ya see I go back to before the stone age, and had 13 or so years of episodic CH experience when there was no imitrex to be had. And danged if my cycles weren't getting longer and more severe during that pre-imitrex era. So far I also fit a certain, not uncommon CH profile where yes, over the decades cycles do extend and severity ramps up, but remissions also lengthen, despite pharmaceutical use, and eventual complete CH burnout is a real possibility. Remission times can expand exponentially, as mine have since having adopted heavy imitrex usage (prior to my successful busting). Granted, this is not the most common profile among members here, as there is a disproportionatley high percentage of chronics here compared to the general CH population, but I still have seen many members report this type of experience. Also, regarding stress and emotions as a cause for CH, yes penty of CH'ers have been afflicted since they were babies. Sleep: Man I was a good sleeper - I was like a pro! - up until around the time my CH started, approx. age 22.

Below is a most recent quote from Hollywood Dan Hipshot on the subject - I think it's highly pertinent, and if I was considering a nerve block I know I'd be looking into the facet thing: "Occipital Facet Blocks DO work for me 100%. Months of relief. This is NOT a run of the mill occipital nerve block. I am sedated, strapped down and the shot is done under fleuroscopy. It is actually in the lower part of the neck. I highly recommend it. I can't explain it any other way, IT WORKS FOR ME" It came from this thread: https://www.clusterheadaches.com/cb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1405482794/11

I'm liking this infusion of new blood/new contributors we're seeing here post CB conference. 8-)

Hey Tim, I was there, didn't get a chance to meet you, but enjoyed your talk. [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Well John BeBee is a hero in so many ways to us clusterheads, so it's not exactly a surprise at all to hear how he rushed to your aid! AGREED. From what I've observed and experienced bumping up to higher flow can make the big 'ol difference. With 15 working for you sometimes, I bet the higher flow will REALLY work. 15 LPM, and even 25 LPM in high cycle, doesn't do jack for me, but 45 LPM does, so especially after seeing BB's O2 demo and talking to Dr McGeeney on the high flow subject, I'm thinking you'll be a prime candidate for the high stuff, you may want to consider a regulator that goes to 45 or so. 8-) That whole driving home experience sounds like something out of a movie - a very disturbing movie - between the 4 hits and the mind blowing close car crash encounter. Man it's great to have you on this forum now Michael. This is a genuine boon for us. I was glad big time to get a chance to talk to both you and your ma , and get some some of your insight on the hemp oil CBD subject.

HATE the thought of you being hit while driving home LadyLÂ , but agreed with all your sentiments about the conference.Â

Well she sure sounds like someone who is really nice, concerned and well intientioned, that's for sure. If she can go ahead and order some spores, then next time she brings over some cookies, also drop off a dozen grams of cracker dry mm, that would be a super sweet gesture. ;D Or best yet, she could ask around among friends and locate some pre-grown mm right away.Â

Color my previous "no" as definitely 100% WRONG now, thank gawsh. There is forward motion again with BOL-148, as revealed on 9/20/2014 at the clusterbusters conference. There will be the formality of toxicity tests, then a plan for initial trials in Europe. My impression was that "if lucky" the program to bring it to market it could take 5 years or so. No ironclad guarantees were issued regarding whether the efforts would ultimately be fruitful. Sorry I didn't retain more info about it, but I believe there is to be an announcement this monday 9/22/14 at http://www.savanthwp.com// The same company is working on a non-hallucinogenic version of ibogaine: http://www.savanthwp.com/SFBusinessTimes_Jan2013.pdf The only downside to me about any of this is that animal trials will be involved. Sorry, but IMO that is completely unnecessary and uncalled for with BOL-148 (it may be required by the FDA though....?)

Day 2: LORDY, 'twas as inspiring as all git out! Bob Wold mentioned in closing 4 of his favorite things that had transpired. 2 of those that I remember are these announcements: Personal note: I was fortunate to connect with a whole lotta CH'ers and supporters and am beyond grateful for that experience. Undoubtedly there are rowdy headbanging conference folk doing it up with some saturday night revelry as I type this. 8-)

OK, well let's add Racer1 onto the long list of luminaries who've had to cancel at the last minute, DANG. Fortunately it's still record attendance, and day 1 has been great and energizing. Well it was for those not on the receiving end of some CH hits, as THREE people in close proximity to me were as I sat during presentations. Dr. McGeeney says the potential new treatment for CH he's most excited about is the anti-CGRP antibodies that pharma is racing to develop. Well that's the way I remember that part anyway - anyone please correct anything I may have mangled there. BB subbed for Bill on the O2 breakout and did a fantastic job. Here's one idea I got from it - staying on 4-6 LPM with a nasal canula, and sleeping with it on, after a high flow abort of a high cycle wakeup hit, can potentially keep that next hit from coming back an hour or so later. I didn't notice anyone stepping in for Racer1 in the photo snapping dept. This up to the minute update from your conference correspondent BloggerMcJeebs.Â

Hi Formby, I just have a couple quick thoughts as I'm at my iPad before I have to bolt out the door here: RC (rivea corymbosa) seeds can potentially bust CH but without the kind of psychedelic tripping concerns associated with mushrooms. When o2 stops working, upgrading to higher flow, 100% O2 usually gets it working again! There's a specific vit D3 regimen that even skeptical ol me has to admit can be surprisingly effective for some. Are the attacks coming on both sides, but trading off, one side at a time? If they hit both sides at one time, well there are other conditions with a CH like intensity (and as far as I know, may be concurrent with CH) that may respond to other treatments. Hang in here, you've come to the right place.