Brew

I've found that sipping ice water in between hits off the DV is the best compromise.

Um, blood vessels during an attack actually dilate - sometimes up to 20 times their regular size. The idea is to get them constrict back to their normal size.

Yep. Lots of folks, myself included.

You'll get his bill at the end of the month. ;D

You need to move, dude.

Yeah, the e-cig thing is just an idea. Not a recommendation.

Yes, exactly. Short for "electronic cigarette."

Nicotine is a vaso-constrictor. Maybe that has something to do with it. Have you considered an e-cigarette?

You may not have to set a date, according to the Mayan calendar. Seriously, I only have one true friend in this world. It is my bride, whom I've known since I was 5 years old, and who has been my wife for what is now our 30th year. She doesn't have to say a word to me. All I need to do is look in her eyes and I know how painful my ending it would be for her. Because I know how painful it would be for me if the shoe were on the other foot. I keep pushin' for her. Because of the joy she has brought me, and I for her. I'll let God decide when my time has come. Or the Mayans.

I've never had a TNF level measured, but I'll ask next time. He might consider it pointless since I have no baseline, but he wouldn't be put off by the busting question (he's a long ponytail kinda guy).

Who were you responding to?

I take a bi-weekly injection of a drug designed to suppress my body's overproduction of TNF. It's called Enbrel. It was originally designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but has also gained favor amongst dermatologists for treating certain types of psoriasis. The condition I'm being treated for is called Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Mine is an off-label use. The symptoms are chronic, large, infected cysts and abscesses. Mine are in the perineal area, but others get them on the scalp, back of the neck, under the breasts, and in the armpits. When it's chronic, like it has been for me since my teenage years, life can be one huge pain in the ass, all the time. Use of this TNF-suppressing biologic drug has reduced the duration and intensity of the boils I get by about 75%. It's expensive, but it has made as much impact on my quality of life as busting has.

Yeah, this has been a bit of a nuisance. I haven't had an ear infection since I was a kid.

I'm on Zithromax myself right now for an ear infection. Just maintenance dosed last weekend, started the antibiotic on Wed. It does stay in your system actively for 5 days after your last dose.

Knock it out of the park, dude.

One of the things most of us learn over time is that hyper-oxygenating our blood, in whatever form that takes (either breathing pure O2 or merely hyperventilating room air), is one of the keys to a quick abort. Might I be so bold as to suggest that you try to consciously NOT curl up in a ball when being attacked? It doesn't make for good breathing technique as you are physically reducing your lung capacity. Try to either stand or sit upright in a rigid chair.

Ditto what the good Lieutenant says. Fungus prevents them for a good number of months at a time, and when I get the reminder that it's time to take a preventative dose (ramped up shadows and small, short-lived, low intensity hits), energy drinks and O2 for 5 minutes dispatch them nicely.

You need one that has as much caffeine as a strong cup of coffee (80-120mg) and 1000mg of taurine. Slam it at the first sign of onset. ETA: Pure oxygen at 25 liters per minute through a non-rebreather apparatus will abort an attack for me in 4-5 minutes. But you MUST get on it right away.

She doesn't frequent this board, so I'll tell her you said so.

Here are links to a couple more:

Yep, they sure have. Or so she says.

Bingo. Once you start to experience a hit-free life, taking meds every few weeks or months with NO side effects (other than the mild euphoria you experience for a few hours while busting), you'll really start to see the depth of truth in your statement.

Ron - You should be able to check your e-mail quickly and painlessly through any computer that has an internet connection: www.mail2web.com

Goo goo g' joob.

Also, be attuned to your heart rhythms if you're going to use energy drinks that contain taurine while taking verapamil. Both act as calcium channel blockers and can start to mess with the ol' ticker when taken together. When I was taking verapamil, I always limited myself to one (large) energy drink every 24 hours. Edited to add: Now that busting has left me virtually pain-free for about 18 months, I drink as many or few energy drinks as I like. Still get occasional shadows, and a can of NOS will get rid of them in no time.