Bonkers

Hard for me to see how Dr. Jurgens can make any conclusions based on data gathered from one patient but they're the experts so I must just not be seeing something. I think it could be very valuable - not just to the medical community but to each of us - to keep a headache journal, if for no other reason than being able to possibly predict up and down-swings so we could know optimum times to try to bust. I think we're going to start keeping one.

Wow!! Awesome post, damiano. I wish every CH sufferer in the world would read it.

You're a very lucky man, Brad. Thanks for sharing. I'm absolutely certain that the next one will be a boy. You can count on it. No question at all. Well... maybe the one after that. Ron

Very interesting thread over at CH.com. Especially Guiseppi's comment #19. http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1311012263/new Ron

We're in.

I think you're right, Jeebs; about the higher percentage here and about the reason for it. Our remedies though, have just been thrown up in the air for anybody who wants to, to try. There's been no division among those who have benefited between episodics and chronics. Maybe if we began doing just that, dividing those who have benefitted from any particular remedy into chronics and episodics, we'd see which remedies held the highest chances of success for either group before trying them.

Hi all, Virtually everything in the Clusterhead toolbox works better and longer for episodics than it does for chronics. I've been wondering if maybe we could have a thread devoted entirely to chronics. They comprise only about 1/10 of CH sufferers but their pain is constant, varying only in intensity throughout the night and day. Perhaps we should first have a poll so we could know who all of our members are that are chronic and then we could find what has been effective and what has not. Any other ideas? Ron

Siv, maybe you should just lock yourself in the bathroom all day and chain-smoke? ;D

Good job, Renee. You've been given very good advice, dh. The only thing I would add is that your husband should be free of virtually all headache medications for a minimum of 5 days prior to using any of the 'busting' methods described here. Read as much of the ClusterBuster Files as you're willing to and then ask us any questions you may have before trying any of these methods. Welcome. We're glad you're here. Ron

OF COURSE!!! Psilocybe spores are illegal in California, Georgia and Idaho. Not an insurmountable problem. Someone you know in another state can mail them to you. I live in California and that's what I did. Sorry 'bout that. Ron

Well, let's see now. You "tried HBWR years ago but it didn't seem to work." HBWR seeds are difficult to prepare. Most here use RC seeds instead; they're much easier to prepare and the dosage is easier to determine since instead of using 3 or 4 seeds of HBWR, you use 25-75 of RC. They're cheap, readily available via the internet and for some, are more effective than psilocybin. Psilocybe mushrooms are the battle weapon of choice for most folks here. THEY ARE ILLEGAL. But, they're easy to grow and the spores are available from several sources on the internet. The spores ARE NOT illegal except in 3 states (I can't remember which ones). LSD is difficult, but not impossible, to find. It just depends on where you live and who you know. There are lots of other things here that many, many people have found helpful. Please read (especially the ClusterBuster Files) and ask questions. You will find something or several things here that will help. I promise. Ron

I find the above puzzling. Just guessing here, but it sounds to me like one of our members supplied you with something - alternative TX - which you found to be effective against your CH. The two of you had some sort of falling out and your access to 'alternative TX' was cut off. Since you've found nothing else to be effective, renewed access to that material would be a good thing. Is that about right? I don't know if we can help. First off, we need to know what that material was. Then we need to know what other things you've tried that are mentioned here. If there's no possible way that anything else might work, we'll see if we can find a way for you to get some more of what did. Sound good? Welcome. Glad to have you aboard. Ron

Excellent advise, Lenny.

It could take even more than that. A lot more sometimes for chronics. Everybody reacts differently to this stuff. You gotta find your own way - and you will. You're doing fine, damiano.

I'll check 'em out, Les. Couldn't find any locally; went to the biggest health food store around here - Sprouts - only one of their clerks had even heard of it. Thanks for asking about Michael. He's as well as can be expected - considering. Ron

Danny, You keep practicing what? - being convincing when you tell people you DON'T like it? I'm not convinced. But I'm so grateful for what you did for us that I can't beat you up too bad for it. I'm glad you're my friend. Ron

The good people who grow a mushroom garden and share the bounty with others who need it but for one reason or another can't grow one of their own - we call those good people "angels." Being an angel is a good thing. Be an angel. Ron

Hi Les, Thanks for the new info. I'm sure many people will give your suggestions a try. We'd 1st like to try Cinquefoil. Is there an online vendor that you'd trust buying from? Thanks. Ron

Good to have you back, Tim. A lot of changes since your last visit. Read what's working for others here. 26 years is a long time w/out a PF day. Maybe you'll find something new here that'll change that. I hope so. Gotta admire your tenacity. We'll help in any way we can. Good luck! Ron

Congratulations, damiano! It's stories like yours that make the work we do here worthwhile. Thanks for sharing. Ron

Hi Manda, There's no way for you to be certain what's wrong with your head until an expert in these things tells you. Headaches are serious. You could have a tumor. You could have a blood vessel in your brain that's clogging up. It's important that you see a specialist as soon as possible and get an accurate diagnosis. In the meantime, make an appointment with whoever your primary doctor is as soon as you can. Tell the receptionist that you think you may have a brain tumor; it might get you in sooner. Tell the doctor your story and ask for a referral to a neurologist. If the neurologist is unsuccessful in quickly managing your headaches, ask him for a referral to a headache specialist. It's important that you get started on this tomorrow. Don't wait. If it turns out that you do have cluster headaches, return here before submitting to anything even remotely invasive or even filling a prescription. We may be able to help. Ron

Btw, I had never tried any type of intoxicant other than alcohol when, at around age 20 (I'm now 65), I took 750mcg of LSD. Needless to say, it provided the most profound experience of my life until then. I still remember it and wouldn't have missed it for the world.

In your post at the top of the page, you say that you took 1.4g and followed it with another gram 35 minutes later. That's 2.4g. Take 2.4g, all at once, this coming Friday. You could take it as soon as Wednesday. Just be sure to wait at least 5 days between doses to allow your receptors to clear. Wait another 5 days and take another 2.4g. unless you're PF. If you're not getting hit and not having shadows, don't take another dose until you are. When (if?) you get hit or start having shadows, unless it's been less than 5 days, dose again. The idea is to continue dosing at 5-day intervals until your PF times extend beyond the 5 days subsequent to dosing. With any luck, you should be able to extend your dosing intervals until you're only having to dose a couple of times per year. Make sense?

No reason to bust while you're PF. Regardless of the length of time since your last bust, so long as you're PF, don't take the psychedelic. Wait until you're getting shadows or are starting to get hit again. Then, ASAP! before it gets bad.

Hi Damiano, 1. Run your cursor over the grey 'menu' button at the top, left of this page, and 'click' on the 'CH.com Oxygen Page.' There, you'll learn all you need to about setting up your own oxygen hyperventilation system. It's neither difficult nor expensive and you'll be really glad you did. 2. Lucky you, not to have to break too many ties to medications. No reason to go back to any of them. Someone here, I can't remember who, said that "There's more to it than just eating a handful of mushrooms." It sounds like you did just that - successfully! Good for you. The 1st person to make the connection between psychedelics and CH (Flash) also did 'just that,' so you're in good company. However, we've made some improvements since then, so: 3. Take the mushrooms 3 times with a 5-day break between each. Take the same amount each time. 4. Expect the experience of your CH to change while you're busting: hits at different times than usual, harder and/or different kinds of hits, etc. This is normal and should be expected. 5. You'll begin to have lengthening periods of pain-free(PF) time. The idea is to lengthen those periods until CH is just a painful memory and you only need to bust a couple of times a year to remain PF. 6. Read as much as you can. The more you understand about your CH and the ways that have been developed to combat it, the more competent a 'buster' you'll become, the better you'll be able to explain the condition to others and the more help you'll be to those who share your affliction. Ron