Bejeeber

I wish there was an absolute consensus on this but from what I've seen there isn't exactly. I'd say most headbangers frequenting the forum here seem to be buying into the 5 day rule, and some feel adamant about it. Then there are some rebels who are in the habit of questioning authority who have tried shorter durations - like 4 or even 3 days - and have reported some success. The idea that it could vary from individual to individual has been a recurring theme.

Having someone extremely close to you die suddenly - that has to be about one of the worst shocks to a person's system possible, so if any stress could trigger a CH cycle I would think that would be it right there. I imagine the person you just lost would really want to you to take care of yourself in this scenario, wouldn't they? So if you aren't doing this already, please, if for no other reason than in their honor, get back to being vigilant now with the D3 and everything else needed to beat the beast back down. Lord knows you have a plenty tough time right now without this damn CH. Extremely sorry to hear this has happened iPain.

As common as this appears to be, not all CH'ers have such a correlation for cycles. When my first CH cycles hit, they'd start back up every year plus 1 month for several years, then every year plus 2 months, etc. with remissions gradually expanding longer and longer, so I've probably had a cycle start up every single month of the calendar year by now.

Sweet. I dig me some man in the box too. Plus Alice Kramden is a most voonderbar name. 8-) To the moon indeed.

Intranasal ketamine....I think this first started blinking on my radar when hearing about it at the last CB conference. I happened to be sitting next to Ajax - he's been prescribed it by headache specialist Boston Headache Doc - and apparently it has saved his arse on more than one occasion. You very well may have to just keep on pounding us over the head about it Ricardo until it finally sinks in and we all really start looking into it seriously. Hmmm....not sure now whether that "pounding over the head" expression I just used was appropriate or not.Â

Now THAT is very encouraging. You're basically a busting mofo now Brad. ;D [smiley=thumbup.gif] Insert YEEHAW <here>.Â

I've done a heckuva lot of doctor bashing on the forums, but I'd like to officially pause and vigorously salute your childhood doc and your 1982 "O2" neuro, DM! Ow, I just jabbed myself in the eye when I was vigorously saluting - I hope that's not a CH trigger dammit.Â

From what I've seen it's not just here - that's just a pretty common profile for CH'ers period.

That was an entertaining story Purp (albeit all too often riveting in a horror story sort of fashion ). And now we have another CH veteran officially inducted into the 1980 club. Hey maybe we can have a dedicated 1980 table at the CB conference and have a special 1980 logo printed for our T Shirts.Â

Because of it's GMO-ness? Oops I wasn't supposed to get you started.Â

Well that truly was an excellent rundown on RC from CHf. [smiley=thumbup.gif] CHf is livin' proof indeed of how nice'n good human folk can actually be. And understood about the sore-head shadowed CH brain burn factor. Here's to a really successful next bust for you donkeytaco. Donkeytaco. Donkeytaco. Man I love that. And I'm vegetarian.Â

I had my remaining ones yanked when I was around 23, thinking my cuckoo attacks (CH but I didn't know it yet) could be caused by them. I was wrong, as have been a LOT LOT LOT of other CH'ers who've gone on fruitless tooth pulling quests.

Agreed with CHf. In fact there are those who find paper to be even more effective, and consider it the ultimate currently available busting material. Donkeytaco. Donkeytaco. That has a nice ring to it. Coolest name ever. 8-)

I like the sounda that!!  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

You are one intuitive SOB. Â [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Dammit. I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case indeed. I hope you can dig up some good info on how to tamper with it (remove syringe) anyway. I guess that shouldn't be too surprising since a dropped O2 cylinder can apparently be quite the missile, and they're probably on guard against the old boaty McSinky routine. I remember one O2 delivery guy telling me he thought nurses were generally lax in their handling of the cylinders, and he knew of one who had dropped one. The valve got knocked off and the cylinder shot all the way down the corridor, punched through the wall, then continued flying outside.Â

Some CH busters have reported success while remaining on their SSRI, so you may want to look into that a bit further...? Some do! Fingers crossed that your dad could be one of 'em.Â

PHEW. Thank gosh you made it through in style. [smiley=thumbup.gif] 8-)

Hi SJ, Not to my way of thinking, no. I think you're advising your dad well. A lot of us here who've been prescribed copious quantities of the usual drugs - with their notorious side effects and/or ineffectiveness - wish we would've known about busting during our first CH cycle and could've just gone a bustin' right from the get go. So my attitude is there's no time to bust like the present. Well in most cases that is - if someone believes they're in the last stages of an episodic cycle and the drugs and O2 are reasonably effective, that's not a great time to detox for busting IMO. Detoxing does tend to be one of the main hurdles, since many of the prescriptions (including Depakote I believe) will block the effects of busting, and need to be detoxed from for about 5 days or so before busting. Glad your dad has the O2 now, that's good stuff.Â

Hi MEA, I've viewed a lot of first hand reports and discussions on O2, but I'm afraid I still can't claim to be an absolute expert. That won't stop me from giving you my impressions though. When I've aborted wake up hits in high cycle only to have them keep coming back every hour, I've felt it's just more a case of the O2 continually "postponing" a hit until I stop trying to sleep, at which point the abort may hold. GOOD QUESTION. All I can tell you is that I've been there too with the 20-30 minute abort times, and hanging on the O2 after the abort at a lower LPM setting for about 10 min would probably be all I'd be up for doing. Not to mention I don't tend to exactly have an infinite O2 supply! Haven't tried it personally, but yep, some folks do report success with coffee plus taurine pill(s) or powder. I suppose it goes without saying you'd want the coffee pre-made and instantly ready to drink. If you're not already hitting up the O2 gurus for their input at at the sister site, I bet that could be worthwhile: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/wwwboard2/index.html Really hoping you can get better sleep/less hits tonight by hook or by crook! Speaking of which, are you hyperventilating high flow 100% O2, or using the most effective delivery method, a demand valve system? When aborts are taking a long while to kick in, I figure bumping up the LPM is worth a try - that is if you're currently at 25 LPM or below.

Hi MEA! A couple ways some CH'ers have been able to avoid the O2 rebounds are: 1) Stay on the O2 for a good awhile after the abort is complete. Some say 5 minutes, I've seen others recommend staying on it as long again as it took to abort. 2) Gulp an energy drink or shot right before hitting the O2. OK there appears to be an obvious conflict with actual SLEEPING there, but many a headbanger has reported somehow easily being able to go back to sleep afterwards. And here's a good guide to the D3 protocol (which has also been claimed to help the O2 work better through improved arterial PH): http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1314134804

Agreed, that definitely is a helpful site. I'll just try'n interject some second hand info that I've heard from BB, a resident medical marijuana expert here: Ingesting as opposed to smoking it is considered by many to be more effective for migraines. Please correct me if I'm wrong BB.Â

Ah yes, the Walking Bean Pole Society. ;D [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Extremely frustrating ups and downs indeed, and who could be blamed for some jaded cynicism at this point? BUT I still think you're right CHfather - long shot or not, I think we do gotta keep trying. It wouldn't be the first time a phoenix has risen from the ashes despite any odds. I'll do my contributing and liking, and I hope lots of us will swallow our (legit) reservations and give this a good shot, since the payoff of a successful effort would likely be mind bogglingly revolutionary for CH'ers young, old, fat, skinny, and BB.

YAY for Walgreen's pharmacist. Between your beefed up arsenal and the fact that your cycle is likely in it's last throes anyway, it's starting to look to me like you're going to have one great vacation. 8-) Bon Voyage Ripper. Â