Bejeeber

I see lotsa people are trying licorice tincture. Let's do a poll! (Question: Has licorice tincture helped your CH?) If you or a cluster head you support have tried licorice tincture, please participate, whether the results were good, bad or inconclusive. It'd also be appreciated if you could comment in a post here with any helpful info such as what brand of tincture was tried, what your dosage was and for how many days, etc. THANKS!

Hey Jeffrey - I tend to hit a peak at around the one month mark myself. Sucks? Yes very much so. I'm with Kaboom 100% about ordering the seeds (while you continue to hunt for some shrooms). The seeds could be there in just a couple days. Have you tried chugging an energy drink at onset? Asking because some feel that it helps the O2 clinch the deal and keep re-attacks away longer. Also are you hyperventilating the O2 at a seriously high liter flow (in the 45 LPM range) with large reservoir bag, such as a retrofitted 40 gallon trash bag? That's the only way I can get an O2 abort at peak cycle. I see you're getting night hits. How about melatonin, 9 mg or more, up to 21 mg at bedtime? Some folks have very happily found it will prevent their night hits. If I can get an O2 abort in 10-15 minutes I consider it a fantastic success, but of course we all have differences in the nature of our attacks. It's the 3 to 4 hour long high kip hits that I particularly fear.

I agree with Jsmacks on the dosage. I've only consumed with citrus essence type sparkling water. it seemed like the carbonation and slight flavoring made it go down the hatch easy enough. 8-) It certainly kicked in fast.

Hi Eamon - I didn't notice this particular thread til now, but one way I would contrast mushrooms with Zomig is that a dose of mushrooms offers the possibility of knocking an entire episode out (especially if caught before it really starts), whereas a dose of Zomig may knock a single attack out. So I'm personally more enthused about the mushrooms - not that they don't have their potential drawback of an unpleasant trip. Here's one strategy I would consider: 1) RC or mushrooms as the first line preventative - dosing ASAP 2) O2 as a first line abortive 2) The Zomig you have on hand (or the possibly more effective imigran injections if you can get them) as a back up abortive if the O2 fails. Once you use these drugs though, keep in mind you should detox for days before any busting attempt.

Agreed that Ting is continuously looking out for the well being of others - when she isn't hunting them (snowball throwing kids) down. I don't know how either of you - Ting or Kaboom - do it, with the continuing chronic attacks, and routinely getting hit while busting even. For the definition of toughness in the dictionary, I think it could simply read "Ting/Kaboom". The dictionary folk should go ahead and use that for the definition of perseverance too! Y'all have earned tremendous admiration around here.Â

Hi Eamo, I think getting an appointment is worth looking into, but in any case, my bet is that you'll have to do some of your own configuring for the O2 set up. Doctors and medical supply places are just basically unaware of the optimum way to administer O2 for CH. So whether you get O2 tanks via a doctor prescription or from a welding supply place without prescription, here's the link that describes how to set stuff up: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/O2/index.html The widely recognized O2 guru known as Batch over at ch.com just posted some more O2 instructions in a discussion thread there. They're probably worth looking at too - just scroll down until you spy his typical gigantic font size. : http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1295724510 It's much easier to bust a cycle before it starts raging BTW, so if you are considering RC seeds or mushrooms for busting, and can get ahold of any, now would probably be the best time for that.

Hey Eamon, From what I've seen people report, results with energy drinks appear to vary just as much as other treatments for CH. Some people really can abort an attack with one. Energy drinks don't work THAT well for me personally, but I have been able to quash some mild to moderate shadows with one. Also, there's the potentially very valuable advantage of an energy drink helping the O2 to work better as DD mentioned, plus encouraging reports that it can help prevent rebounds after such an abort. 8-) Red Bull tastes fine to me, and although I didn't have any of the little concentrated shots handy during my last episode, that sounds like a good way to get one down in one quick gulp. This would be the optimum time for busting - before your episode goes full blown - BTW, if you're considering that route.

We got Ting and Kaboom both back on the boards now - at the same time - all is right with the world! ;D (Well except for that pesky CH thing. )

Double eggcellent. 8-) I too used to be able to abort with 8 LPM when I was your age and first tried O2 - you whippersnapper. ;D And now you'll know that if you stop seeing results you can go to a higher LPM. Wish I woulda known that when I was a whippersnapper.  ;D

Hey Potlimit, yeah I know what you're saying - as the cluster progresses the efficacy of the O2 and most everything else decreases for me too. When I hit peak cycle I find that hopping on the O2 right at onset and hyperventilating at 45 LPM with a big 'ol retrofitted 40 gallon trash bag reservoir already inflated and ready to go is the only way I can get an abort. Upgrading your regulator to a higher flow model (I use a flotec), hyperventilating and using a larger reservoir bag might be worth a try for you too?

Yes please do report back, and best of luck with the 1.5 g - it just may do something significant for you. 8-) Hopefully you won't have to take any relpax before mushroom dosing for this sudden CH episode onset, so you don't have to be concerned about detoxing from the replax before mushroom dosing..... It would also be good to know if you have adopted the power user style of O2 use, with high liter flows - up to 45 LPM or so if necessary - and special non rebeather mask?

I agree about 1.5g of mushrooms being a good serious frontal assault. If you do go with seeds though, I would go for a dose of a good 50 or so for the first dose. I've done this on many occasions before bed, and usually experience one minute of nausea, no tripping (I was asleep though). 1.5g of mushrooms on the other hand can send me on a bit of a bonafide trip, but it is a more effective treatment for me so far than RC seeds. Glad you understand the side effect possibilities, since bad trips can be experienced on mushrooms, but the way I look at it, at least it is shorter than an LSD trip.

A sixpack of E for the V.A.! EGGCELLENT. If it works for you as expected, you'll probably wanna consider an M tank or 3 for the next delivery. 8-)

Yeah, what CHfather said - personally I don't bother arguing liter flow with whoever is writing the prescription because I know it's not only useless having a battle of facts with an unarmed idiot medical professional, but it could make them want to refuse to write it. I just take their moronic 7 LPM or whatever prescription, use it to get some oxygen, then proceed crank it to 45 LPM and abort some attacks!

Billy_the_kid, a veteran member over at the ch.com sister board, is an episodic who has just returned after a couple years. His topic over there is titled "Suffering cant last much longer.........Houston Tx". Sounds like he is in a seriously bad spot right now. He's also motivated regarding O2 and busting, and is requesting any assistance. I'm thinking that since some of us here are also members over there, we might be able to lend some advice to him - here's the link to his topic : http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1295845493 Thank you to the cb.com emergency responders. 8-)

I wonder if you could switch from trex to O2 as an abortive so you could detox enough days before the next dose, but still be able to abort any hits in the meantime? For some CH'ers at least, downing an energy drink right before hopping on the O2 at the onset of an attack is known to help the O2 become all the more effective, and if it was as effective for you as trex, then it sounds like it could be a solution. You could always have a 1/3Â to 1/2 dose trex injection ready to go as a backup just in case.....

We're jonesin' for the Ting! Let's hope that pesky computer gets repaired pronto!!

Hang around a bit and you'll find that there are a (small) percentage of CH'ers who can drink booze with no problem (I'm not one of them! I won't even sniff the stuff when in cycle). Nobody on this thread is a troll, we're all bruthas and sistas in this fight to slay the beast, so I say let's hang together and kick some beast booty (OK that's easy for me to say - I'm outa cycle right now, when the s***t is hitting the fan though, I've unfortunately been known to be a bit more erm....excitable).

f_bomb, that is an excellent user name under these circumstances! 8-) First off, have you tried stretching your imitrex doses as outlined in the imitrex tip? http://www.clusterheadaches.com/imitrex.html That's a real game changer for many CH'ers. Then there's the REAL game changer, which is using high flow, non rebreather oxygen as your frontline abortive. http://www.clusterheadaches.com/O2/index.html Then the REAL REAL real game changer - mushrooms and the like, I know you're already seriously looking into. 8-) Up to 6 hours? That is f-bombing BRUTAL. > :( I think my longest high intensity hits have been maybe 4 hours, and that was...well that was PLENTY.Â

Swiftlaw, regarding your imitrex use and not being able to get clean enough to have the shrooms work - I thoroughly understand why you feel the need to go to the imitrex. I've certainly been there and done that a zillion times myself. I feel that just to make sure though, I must ask if you've tried the newer, very improved method of oxygen use for aborting attacks? I'm talking about high liter flows, around 25 to 45 LPM, and a non rebreather mask. Here's more info if you haven't checked this out already: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/O2/index.html This power user style O2 sure can make a good substitute for imitrex, especially when you need to detox in order to bust. Regarding your "will i be able to make it through another cycle?" question - I realize that question was for Les, but IMO the the answer is a big YES, especially if you really dig in here and at ch.com for for info and advice on the latest and most effective ways to beat this beast back. You did it before - you can do it again!

Glad to see you're getting the O2 - hey if that's a demand valve sort of contraption that your paramedic friend is getting you, that could really be an excellent thing! (I'm just saying this because I know Joe/Giussepi got one from a paramedic. If it's just a regular old mask though and you have to get your own high flow regulator, oh well you'll be in the same minor league with most of the rest of us, including me. )

yes we're going to a party party yes we're going to a party party  [smiley=birthdays.gif] [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

Oh. There's a flag there. Doh. I clicked on the flag, looked around a little, and found it interesting that about BOL they say "(in stock, on request)".

Wow. So doctors are able to prescribe it in Germany? Imagine this somehow becoming available to CH'ers worldwide and here in the US in the near future- what a breakthrough it could be if it lives up to it's promise. I wouldn't blame you one iota for hopping a plane to Germany if you felt confident you could get some Dan.

That sounds like paradise found! Another report to put a big smile on lotsa people's faces - definitely including the Bejeeb's. ;D