Ricardo

I agree. This isn't about whether or not I'm right. Lots of times I'm wrong and I have no problem with people telling me that I am. To me, the real point is just how important it is to have accurate information available on this site, and that the atmosphere on this site is conducive to new ideas that might fly in the face of even "our" conventional wisdom. I guess one of the main reasons I've been prickly is because I've tried this all before and felt like I was practically chased off the board because I was saying things nobody wanted to hear. I got used to the idea that people aren't going to like what I have to say a lot of times. That's OK to me. I very much value the community and support that I can get from this board, but it seems more important that I get information out there, regardless of playing nice so that I can have circles and circles of conversations that lead no where (and end up with people getting pissy with me anyway)--in some ways I feel like I've gotten to the point where I feel I dread the idea of posting shit because I'm about to tell people that I like and care about that they are wrong. I can try and do it gently, but in my experience that has never worked, I still piss people off. It gets old and tiresome, and leads me to the shortcut of "eventually I'm going to post this and people aren't going to like it." I can try and pussyfoot around the situation, draw it out and make it take 3 days worth of back and forth posting, but the end always seems the same--I get the information on the board that I feel is useful, and I piss at least a couple people off. So what's the point? Same end result, it's just a question of "am I going to spend three days trying to keep everybody happy" when the end result seems to be the same whether I'm spending days or minutes on a post. I got used to the idea that I might not be making friends on here. To me, the more important thing is that I have come across a lot of information, and at this point I feel like I have a moral obligation to share it, regardless of whether it angers people or ruffles peoples feathers. All I ask is that if we have different opinions on something, let me know why you feel that way. I do not feel like this is a lot to ask.  I feel like over and over, whenever I am throwing out an idea that doesn't go with our usual ideas that have been written on this board, nobody will even touch it. Nobody wants to change anything, but nobody wants to answer any of my questions. When I ask things like "what do you mean by this..." or "where did you get your source for this information, can I see it?" kinda thing, the questions get completely ignored. I am completely open to people contradicting what I say, but I want to see some evidence. And as we all should be dedicated to finding the truth of our situation, I think we should all demand that the info that is put on here is backed up with science. I know that a lot of this science is unknown at this point and I think it's OK to say "we don't know" But when I ask question after question and all I'm asking for is to have people back up their info, or at the very least let people know where they got there info, and very clearly seperate things into "This is a fact", here's the backup info...from "This is an opinion" and this is why our opinion is this way, and have the whole thing essentially ignored... I challenge any one of you members to tell me truthfully that if you asked a question more than once that you thought was important, only to have everyone, even the moderator that you are conversing with, completely ignore 95% of the questions asked--tell me you wouldn't get pissy too. I also think it's important when a member comes and says "this isn't true, and I have all the medical abstracts and information to back up what I say" to either bring out evidence that shows what they are saying to be not true, or explore the idea that what we have written might be wrong. Whether it's me or any other buster. EVEN if it pisses us off.  My intention is in no way to anger people or cause strife. I'm sorry but I feel like I am at a loss as to how to go about what I feel like I need to do on this message board. I've tried the PM thing with moderators with no real positive outcome...I've tried pussyfooting around situations in attempts to keep the peace. I feel like I've tried all the ways that I know of confronting information that is wrong without stepping on toes, but it has never worked. I am always open to suggestions. -Ricardo

And I respect you for that. I would feel the same way. But then, after I had time for my anger to dissipate, I would ask, "Does he have a point?"

Thanks to everybody that has put in the time and effort on this website, I know nobody gets paid for this, and it has to be a lot of work. Unfortunately, I'm going to rain on everybody's parade (again). I've been resistant to post this, because it doesn't seem like everybody wants to hear it (or as someone PM'ed me "making what seems like a reasonable but unconventional assertion, and being treated like the guy who brought the skunk to the picnic.") but oh well. I see information that is not really accurate and I point it out. So kill me. There is a lot of talk on "Tryptamines", but "Tryptamines" are a general term used for a class of drugs, not all of them will help you with your clusters. Melatonin, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, and bufotenin are examples of tryptamines that are not going to help you at all in the typical "busting" way. I'm sure that there are more that will help and probably even more that won't, but I find it hard to believe that we are just throwing statements out like "Do not use tryptamines if you are pregnant, they can cause miscarriage. Do not use tryptamines if you suffer from or are prone to mental illness. Take tryptamines only in the proper mind set and physical setting. Tryptamines have physiological effects. Tryptamines are illegal." This might seem like small potatoes, but I would think that it's not that unlikely that someone's going to read "Tryptamines", look it up on wikipedia and read the whole huge list of tryptamines (something I would recommend the next time we update our page) and say "wow, melatonin is going to give me a miscariage?" or "I can bust with Zolmitriptan?" or "I've had a mental illness, Melatonin and Imitrex can make set me off?" And when talking about how the hallucinogens actually work..."Some ideas seem to center on the way tryptamines constrict blood vessels"          Like some ideas twenty years ago? We don’t know that any of the other popular illegal, recreational drugs are helpful for clusters. Now and then someone shows up on a discussion board claiming some drug or one herb or another is helpful. In most cases these claims don’t pan out (this goes for legal herbals and prescription drugs as well). A few have stood the test of time and use by clusterheads - as the tryptamines have, and kudzu, for example. So far as we know, none of the other popular illegal drugs are any help for clusters. This goes for methamphetamine, ketamine, phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust), dextromethorphan, salvinorin-A (salvia) and whatever the abused drug of the month happens to be. So are we supposed to just ignore Dr. Sewells post on Ketamine trials for cluster headache that came to the conclusion that "All cluster headache patients had complete resolution of their ongoing cluster episodes", or NeoCat's experiences (I believe that the IV ketamine therapy has successfully interrupted the current cluster episode), or Bushman's experiences (4 days later ive been totally pain free), or my experiences (for the first time in almost 10 years I have gotten 3 weeks of just shadows more than once) Ketamine should not be in any way lumped together with Salvia or methamphetamine. I'm sure I've already posted enough about our LSA seeds info being inaccurate.... I was also surprised to find that the SSRI's are listed as something that might interfere with a bust, but the danger of getting serotonin syndrome by combining hallucinogens with them is not mentioned. Of particular concern should be that many times SSRI's will make the hallucinogens seem much less potent, but this doesn't necessarily equate to "less serotonin in your brain". In other words, it can make it seem like a good idea to take huge doses in order to get an effect from them, which will put you at an even higher risk of serotonin syndrome. There is more that I disagree with, but I'll just stop there. What I will stress is that I think it is very important that in order to be taken seriously as a group, we have accurate information available. I know for me, when I see info on a site that is not accurate, I just stop paying attention to that site. -Ricardo

Here's another good link that I must have found when I was shrooming, cause I found it in my bookmarks and don't really remember it It looks awesome, and it's available in paperback OR as free download. Enjoy 8-) -Ricardo http://www.amazon.com/Psychedelic-Information-Theory-Shamanism-Reason/dp/1453760172 http://psychedelic-information-theory.com/Download

I have had almost the same experience. I think the only thing that is different with me is that I wouldn't call it a "great" abortive for myself, although at one point it seemed to be. It seems to me like the ganja is very particular with people with clusters. Some people it helps, some it doesn't effect their clusters at all, and some have immediate trigger of their clusters. Just one more strange aspect of this disorder... And I'm not going to tell anyone what to do, but I would be damn careful with the home made Dilaudid/Stadol concotion.....(whatever that means) I know many pharmaceutical company's will give you a discount on meds if your insurance won't cover it, and I know in the Northeast US Stop and Shop grocery stores you can buy generic Imitrex for really damn cheap...But the biggest thing I would encourage you to do is to fight those bastard insurance company's until they give you what you need. Appeal every denial, get on the phone with them and ask them specifically what is needed to get it covered, then work with your doc to make it happen. I know insurance company's really love to deny everything, but I find it hard to believe that they will deny you with a diagnosis of cluster headache--these are the meds that are used for it. Then again, I have at times been unpleasantly surprised with the length that insurance company's will go to save a buck. Bastards. If I was just a wee bit more of an asshole I would wish a cluster on them. -Ricardo

Wow. I just found the mother load of psychedelia... http://www.scribd.com/Projekt%20E%20012 -Ricardo

From everything I've read, it seems like psychedelics can make homicidal people more homicidal, but that's about it. And alcohol versus just about anything always ends up on the more dangerous side. I really loved when the UK's chairman of the Home Office's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs came out and said that Ecstasy was no more dangerous than riding horseback. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/4537874/Ecstasy-no-more-dangerous-than-horse-riding.html I also really love how you can take a lethal dose of water, but not psilocybin. Fug it lets make everything illegal -Ricardo

I recently came across this really cool 700 page write up of the second international conference on the use of LSD in Psychotherapy and Alcoholism, held in 1965. I have not gotten a chance to read all of it, but so far have read some pretty crazy stuff about John C. Lilly dosing dolphins and an interesting comparison of Psilocybin and Methysergide, not to mention Bol-148. http://www.scribd.com/doc/26114289/The-Second-International-Conference-on-the-Use-of-LSD-in-Psychotherapy-and-Alcoholism

Regardless of where it originally came from, I too was pretty surprised by the depth of the info covered. Good find nevertheless! -Ricardo

I've never really noticed much of a correlation with my clusters and my dreams...but here's a couple of cool dream facts... Indigenous Mexicans have what they call the "dream herb" (also know as Calea Zacatechichi), to help them have more vivid, lucid dreams. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calea_zacatechichi And both LSD and marijuana are known to help with lucid dreaming as well...Marijuana is well known for it's ability to stop you from remembering your dreams at all, and making them less vivid and real. (A good thing for people with nightmares) Less well known about it is that if you smoke it pretty heavy for a week or so, then stop, quite frequently you will have very strong lucid dreams. -Ricardo

Does anybody else out there have animals that freak out when you bust? Like go bug ass crazy? All my life when cats are around me when I'm tripping they've seemed to act...Well I guess they act like they are tripping too....When I told this to my wife when we were early in our relationship she blew it off as "I'm tripping so it seems like the cat is acting weird" or in other words, it's all in my head. Then I took a huge dose of mushrooms around her cat and watched him bug the fug out. Chasing things that weren't there, running around all crazy....And it happens every time, the more I take, the more both cats seem like they've been dosed. My wife is now more than convinced and thinks it's really strange. The only thing I can think of is phermones....maybe the cat is picking up on my sweat (which tends to pour out of me when I'm busting)...I wouldn't think this possible, but cats are notorious for being extremely sensitive to all sorts of drugs.... Or maybe the cats are psychic and my cosmic mushroom enhanced noggin is overtaking their pour little kitty brains... Thoughts anyone? -Ricardo

The only thing I can think of is when I was talking about Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas (or hippy crack if you've ever been to a festy ) Nitrous Oxide seemed to be really helpful for me--completely erased my cluster. Nitric Oxide, on the other hand is a completely different thing--it's a substance that is almost guaranteed to give you a cluster. I'm not really sure what they mean when they say "nitro boost".... So you feel like this drink has been helping you? All the Phenylethylamine ingredients are interesting..... -Ricardo

I've got blonde hair, always have. Not to be too much of a pessimist, but I highly doubt there is a connection with red hair and clusters. I think it's more likely that most of the people interested in this thread are going to be redheads, and we end up with a disproportionate amount of people saying I'm a red head and I have clusters. The biggest reason I find it hard to believe that clusters and redheads go together, is that researchers have been trying to find a common factor in clusters for a LONG time--and being a red head sticks out like not much else. I find it very hard to believe that if even MOST people, but not all, who have clusters were red heads, that it would not be noticed. -Ricardo

Although I have never heard of a non-hallucinogenic analog of Psilocybin, there are at least 2 pretty well known analogs, CEY-19 and CZ-74. Seems like the biggest difference is the length of the trip--these analogs seem to last a bit shorter, more like 3-6 hours. If we can ever convince the feds to let us have a real psychedelic substance (very doubtful)--these are what I would put my money on. http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/4_acetoxy_det/4_acetoxy_det_primer.shtml -Ricardo

I think the caffeine is great and all, but no one has any clue what any of the other funny stuff is going to do...I mean who knows what "toothed club moss aerial parts" or "Vinpocetine" is going to do for you? And aspartic acid, what "aspartame" is broken down into, is also known as an "excitotoxin" and is usually talked about in the same sentence as glutamate--as a possible trigger of headaches, seizures, and all sorts of bad stuff. I was actually just reading a forum where people were talking about aspartic acid as a supplement, where one person was claiming it triggered his clusters. My take on the whole thing--don't take a supplement unless you have a general idea of what it's doing. Even if 1 or 2 or 8 of these things is helping you, 1 or 2 or 8 might not, making it very hard to sort out what does what, what helps and what hurts. Even with the energy drinks I feel this way. I've always thought it a better idea to take a taurine supplement with some strong coffee or even straight caffeine. I find it very hard to believe that all that high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and all the poisonous junk they put in those things is going to help any of us. Just my 2 cents. -Ricardo http://flowingvisions.ecrater.com/c/1428008/caffeine

Good idea, they are extremely similar in molecular structure...I remember reading a while back that Psilocybin is so similar to serotonin that once it is in the bloodstream you can not tell the difference. (not 100% sure on this fact, I'll try and find a link for you) Another thing that you can show is the molecular structures of serotonin, psilocybin, sumatriptan, and DMT (dimethyltryptamine). DMT, one of the strongest hallucinogens known to man is a natural product of our brain, and I have always found it interesting that sumatriptan is essentially DMT with a sulfur molecule added on to it, where-as Psilocybin is DMT with a phosphorous molecule added. http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/show_molecule.php?i=dmt/dmt_3d.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sumatriptan-3D-balls.png http://www.erowid.org/plants/show_molecule.php?i=mushrooms/psilocybin_3d.jpg -Ricardo

I think this is an awesome idea...The problem is, nobody knows how or why psilocybin makes you hallucinate, and nobody knows how it makes our ch go away. If you're just looking into theory... Many researchers will tell you that hallucinations happen when a certain serotonin receptor is hit, the 5ht2a receptor. But as many researchers have pointed out (and many many more have ignored ) there are drugs that hit this same receptor that do not cause hallucinations. I'm pretty sure we've recently even seen studies calling into question how much the hypothalamus is involved... Again, I think it's a great idea, and I'm not trying to talk you out of doing it--hell just the fact that this is a mystery of medical science can be intriguing in itself...but be prepared for a lot of conflicting evidence and a good bit of research. I might be able to help more if you have specific questions. -Ricardo

Good article! http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-playing-field/201012/animals-psychedelics-survival-the-trippiest -Ricardo

If I think back on the last 5 years, I think this past year has been my best.

Thoughts I had: Most stores sell seeds with a fungicide on them that you really don't want to ingest...Always look for it specified that they are untreated seeds. As far as both Morning Glory and Hawaiian Baby Woodrose--only certain varieties are active. With Morning Glory, I know the Heavenly Blue, Pearly Gates, and Flying Saucers strains are active. I don't know much about the HBWR strains.   Purple--what you say about the LSA LSH conversion is right on. Nobody really knows what is going for sure, I have never seen any lab work showing an actual conversion of LSA to LSH. All I can really say is that I have had very different experiences depending on if I have taken my seeds with water compared to with peppermint tea or alcohol. The straight seeds and water were VERY sedating, I was kinda amazed by how hard it has knocked me down, actually. When I've added peppermint or alcohol, it has kept me awake and felt much trippier. The reason I included the quote about the fresh seeds, is that there is a theory (that I believe) that fresh seeds contain more LSH than LSA, and over time the seeds convert into almost all LSA. If you are looking for a sedating trip (LSA), it would seem you might NOT want fresh seeds. We have no idea if the LSH is more effective than LSA, (or even effective at all for that matter) for busting at this point. It has seemed so for me, but I do not know many that have tried it. -Ricardo

D'oh! I am a complete ass! I should have mentioned in my email that I was trying specifically to get info to post on our CB page...And I understand completely why you would want these correspondences private. I think I just got too excited at that fact that you even wrote back and jumped the gun before thinking. I'm going to edit the post so it says a bit less specific info. Major, major apologies, I won't be so dumb in the future... -Ricardo

Stupid Fuggers! The fact that Nitro will trigger a cluster is one of the simplest, oldest, most basic info on clusters there is!  If you ever end up in that situation again I would stress to them that it WILL, not might, but WILL set you off on the most painful condition known to man and they better have a hell of a lot of drugs to give you for it! Remind them that the biggest headache is going to come to THEM when you get their ass fired for medical incompetence for brushing your concerns off as "it gives everyone a headache" Grrr.... Sorry you had to go through that...Glad your heart is OKÂ

Renee, I really feel for you, and admire your strength and courage. Regardless of the clusters, In this society I'm sure it isn't easy coming to terms with all you have taken on. All of us deal with enough variables in trying to treat our clusters, it must not be easy trying to figure this all out on top of the hormones. You obviously are a smart, strong person, and I'm sure this will all get figured out. -Ricardo And like Jerry said--get on top of that O2! If the Doc can't move fast enough you can always go for the welders O2...

My take: I and the beast are one. I must control my beast, just as I must control myself. It does not surprise me that I am part beast, it has always been part of my nature, the part that needs to be tamed. You look at lion taming, there is two ways to it. You can try and make the lion be good, mostly by force and violence--but that always leaves a beast that will ruin you as soon as you turn your back. The other option is to acknowledge the lion, or beast, as a true form worth respect and awe, and to find out why the beast is such a beast. Find out what it needs, and give it respect and love. When I talk of my beast, I am in no way just talking clusters. Maybe that's just me.

I don't think it has to be. Admittedly, I feel like depression and how you look at the world is probably somewhat determined through genetics and how you were raised...My wife was just commenting on how some people see the glass as half full, where as I seem to see it as overflowing. My therapist was just commenting on how surprised he was that I was NOT depressed. Don't get me wrong, I definitely have my moments...And when I'm down, I'm REALLY down. I'm sure it helps that 5 years ago I was living with my parents, no job, no license, having grand mal seizures at least every 2 or 3 months or so and Doctors were telling me that I was going to be like that forever. On top of that, I had clusters that were at least as bad as I have right now. In a whirlwind, everything changed--Now I own a business, got married, bought a house, no seizures, hell I could go on and on...The bottom line that I got out of my situation was that it all happened for a reason. If those things had not happened I am 100% sure, my business as I know it would not exist, I would never have met my wife, we would not have bought our house, on and on...All the amazing things that I am most grateful for have happened as a direct result of me having grand mal seizures that no doctor could help me with. Since then I have learned to look for the light in the little places and know 100% that if I let my life lead me to the places it wants to, I will achieve greatness in my life (I think that means something different to everyone--to me it just means being happy and contributing positivity to others lives and situations) If I struggle. or if life is beating me over the head with something, I know I need to step back and look for little bits (or sometimes huge mother fugging epiphanies) of wisdow, and above all have patience--knowing that my whole life has been full of strange coincidences that seem to interact in ways that make life profound and great. I think one of the best lessons I've learned in my short life happened while I was on a large dose of mushrooms, trying to cross a river. The water was crystal clear, I could see exactly how I should get across--but every time I went to walk I found the current had different plans, threatening to send me on my ass. I easily extrapolated this to just about everything in life. Plan your path, but know the current is going to take you somewhere else. If you force it, you just end up on your ass. But if you very gently, with the confidence that the Universe is going to do you right, guide your foot on your intended path, making sure that at the same time you let the river take you where it wants, you end up on the other side just fine. I don't know what these clusters are trying to teach me, but I am willing to listen. -Ricardo P.S. As I said, I really do think that most likely depression is mediated at least somewhat through genetics (and through food allergies like gluten and dairy, but that's another story ) There are people that no matter what, are still depressed, or at least find it a struggle not to be. That's when I recommend drugs like Ketamine, Scopolamine and Psychedelics. Unlike most traditional anti-depressants, they actually seem to work http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17015814 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20636166