Bejeeber

I think the above advice from Dan sounds right on, to the point of practically being a no brainer. For a chronic. My feeling is that it's a little trickier decision for an incredibly lucky (well compared to a chronic!) episodic CH'er such as Shahooty and myself though. I know from personal experience that when an episodic finds himself in the middle of a raging peak episode without having done any effective busting, riding it out with a conventional preventative and O2 for aborting breakthrough hits can potentially work out OK, as long as it's then followed by a serious plan for switching to busting any future episodes before they begin, swearing off the toxic drugs. No guarantee that because this worked out for me (I was actually able to prevent or abort all of my hits with meds and O2 while I rode my episode out) it will be a good route for any other given individual, but there is a precedent. For the record, I did shun prednisone on my last medicated episode, and I used 1/2 dose trex injections to abort any hits that O2 wouldn't shut down.

Oh - I was starting to wonder whether this was the father or the son version of Dr. Kudrow, thanks for clearing that up.

GOOD WORK Shahooty! O2, an optimask, and an appointment with Kudrow - excellent!!! Some folks who have to make do with a rebreather mask for a night will tape over the holes and just alternate it on for inhale, off for exhale. I wouldn't be surprised if Kudrow isn't one of the very best CH docs out there. The way I understand it he's a CH sufferer himself (!) Trivia tidbit: he also happens to be Lisa Kudrow's dad.Â

I figure that NatGeo will likely have much more incentive to play it straight and tell it like it is: desperate people with the world's most severe pain, finding surprising relief from hallucinogens after exhausting the medical options. Wouldn't that be a more compelling NatGeo story than making something up about "look at these whiners tripping". Plus NatGeo is known to have some above average ethics, standards and credibilty, right? I know I like their magazines in the doc's office. 8-)

That is unfortunately a very common prednisone story right there. And what the above responders said about O2! Especially since once you get it reliably aborting attacks it can provide good cover for detoxing from the meds as you prepare to really effectively bust. So if I were you I would follow up immediately with getting the welding O2, and get right on ordering a good regulator and mask (if there are none available in your area). I remember Ron mentioning that "Harbor Freight" stores (I think it was) carry them, but I don't actually know what those stores are As far as any imitrex injections you use in the meantime, hopefully you are (or will be) deploying the very effective partial dose method, which really enables you to stretch those doses. Here's the link if you haven't seen it: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/imitrex.html We know your desperation all too well shahooty, but hang in there - it looks like things could get significantly better for you pretty soon.

Oh yeah I agree with the water thing too - And my wife and I both swear we can really tell a difference with leg cramps'n junk when we drink elctrloyte water, especially after exercising. We like good 'ol good cheap Dasani, although the minerals added (magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride) are officially just there for taste.

Very helpful answers Les - thanks!

Yes I've had the leg cramps and the restless legs. This tends to be a symptom of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium oxide is cheap and crude and it works for some people. Not me. Makes it worse for me. I need a magnesium citrate or chelate. So you may have to do a little experimentation there - maybe it's the form of magnesium you're taking that's complicating things, or maybe you need to adjust your magnesium to calcium ratio? Unfortunately for us combo supplements tend to contain more calcium than magnesium and next thing you know, crampville USA. It might be a matter of just adding some extra magnesium pills to your current supplement to counterbalance all that calcium. Taking magnesium and calcium in a 4 to 1 ratio or so (mostly magnesium) after dinner or before bed could really do the trick. If not you should probably try a different form. Here's to some crampless, rested legs for you TripleT. 8-)

Well last I heard kaboom, next in line after Lee Ann is actually Hipshot's O2 tank with boobs, so I'm afraid we all may be outa luck. :'( I heard that when Bonkers learned that Hipshot would take the boobed O2 tank over him he was weeping uncontrollably for a month straight. Crossing any lines yet?

I'm also guessing that it wouldn't be wise - I think that crosses the line, depicting you engaging in a whole other level of illegality that shouldn't be flaunted. I also think it's BS that showing you getting a present in the mail is a big part part of the story, and in her misguided zeal she's carelessly trying to insist on something that could bring a s**tstorm of trouble. If a picture is worth a thousand words then they can get a picture of you saying that an angel came to your aid. 8-) Devil on my shoulder: "On the other hand....maybe no law enforcement agency has any desire to prosecute someone effectively treating their worst pain known to mankind......?" Angel on shoulder: "Not worth the risk!"

One more thing, Zip - I think you'll find that LSD, psilocybin, etc. are discussed openly here by members and moderators alike.

Hey zipzip, Sorry to hear about your chronic status, but hats off to your doctor for mentioning Sid (what an extreme rarity for me to say something positive about a doctor! ) I bet, like many other chronics here, you've tried every prescription pharmaceutical under the sun by now. Well you came to the right place, because these alternatives really work for the majority of those who've tried them. Hang tight, more dedicated, knowledgeable folks will undoubtedly be along to advise you. Meanwhile, I concur with jeff about the value of O2 as an abortive. Not the low liter flow with rebreather mask way of administering O2 that is still prescribed by doctors, but the newer, power user style of O2 that unlike that wimpy low flow baloney really works! here's the O2 info link if you haven't seen it yet: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/O2/index.html So you can order RC seeds legally right this moment and be trying them in a day or two. Or as far as what some of us consider to be a more powerful treatment - mushrooms - is concerned, the worst case scenario I can see for you there is that you could order spores (legally) and start growing them right away. Very pertinent links for all of this have been compiled into the *BUSTING INSTRUCTIONS* sticky topic in the section above the other other topics by our fabulous Dallas Denny. Here's the link for that: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1298051886 Welcome home Zipzip. 8-)

Les, this is a bit off topic, but I've noticed Ron and Michael reported mood elevation with licorice tincture use. I tried a bottle's worth and I found myself in a fiarly consistent, particularly good mood after awhile. Now that I'm off of it that happy sunshiney boost is going away. It could be coincidence of course, but I suspect the tincture is a factor here. So my questions are: 1) Is there any dose that you'd consider safe for continual use? 2) I'm one hypoglycemic SOB, and when I take it on an empty stomach (which = low blood sugar), it seems to perk my blood sugar up, followed by a pretty quick drop. I think I'd be better off taking it right before a meal or something. Anything wrong with taking it with food instead of on an empty stomach? Thanks.Â

Wow. Just wow wow wow. A whole PF week for you after your struggles is just incredible. Another beacon of light and hope that 2011 doesn't have to be all bad. One PF week for Ting, one great day brightener for CB kind.Â

I went and checked it out - that is a good, objective, and definitely helpful summary. Thanks CH Daddy-o! 8-)

I have to wonder of there'd be a more realistic chance of getting BOL FDA approved and prescribed by neurologists, and if putting the focus on raising awareness about BOL could be the most effective way to get this kind of relief to CH'ers in a mainstream sort of way? Plus if this BOL stuff really works it would have the tremendous benefit for so many of us of being non-hallucinogenic.

I share the enthusiasm of the others about O2. Have you been prescribed imitrex pill form? That's a common mistake made by doctors because they all too often don't know jack about CH. The pills are too slowwww acting. I personally don't experience side effects from imitrex (other than it prevents busting from working, and it costs a tremendou$ amount). The fast acting imitrex injections can really be relied upon to abort attacks - even the wake up hits - for the average CH'er. So one strategy is to go all out getting your O2 rigged up to be your first line abortive, and reserve imitrex injections for back up just in case. If you could strictly use O2 for aborts while preparing to bust, that would be ideal of course. If you're stuck with just pills and no O2 tonight, I've heard others besides Keith report that taking the imitrex pill before bed can prevent the night time hit.

Hi Narelle, It does my heart a whole lotta good to see you've connected with Dallas Denny. You really are in good company since there are many parents extremely concerned about their adult children who have come here after exhausting what the medical types have to offer, and have seen things really turn around as a result. Hats off to you for going the extra mile and then some to find relief for your daughter.

Several girls huh? I wonder if Cassanova might be a better forum name for you?

LOL - good stuff Dereksgirl - and glad to hear the lousy freeking cycle is over! ;D

OK so last time I checked, us human bums are warm blooded, and that means "Maintaining a relatively constant and warm body temperature independent of environmental temperature; homeothermic." So running a fever is different from taking a hot bath, and should have a different effect, right?

Cool. I emailed the site owner and suggested he update his cb.com links to include this message board (it looks like his links to cb.com are older and predated the message board).

Belated Happy B Day to the Oop oop oop oop Big Alley OOP.

Yes thanks mucho DD for being all Joe Proactive Guy and gittin' 'er done!

I didn't mean just eaten by itself! I meant sprinkling on food! ;D