alleyoop

Now I can update my file with the latest edition! Lee, it really is well written. Thanks Mates!! BB

From an old ch.com post: On 12-Jul-05, at 6:26 PM, Linda Howell wrote: Powdered Ginger? After all this time I thought IÂ’d heard of everything out there, but this is a first for me. I wonder if someone could briefly fill me in. Pinky you said it was pretty good at treating a low-level CH and even though my success with the seeds is astounding to me, IÂ’m still getting those low-level ones as well as shadows. IÂ’d sure like to hear more if anyone has the time to tell me about this. Thanks. Linda I've mentioned this several times on clusterheadaches. com over the years. For some reason, very few people have commented on it. I came across it in a book on migraines years and years ago. Apparently it's a pretty well-known thing among migraineurs. For some even just drinking ginger ale or eating gingersnap cookies helps. I found that eating fresh ginger root isn't as effective (and it's a lot more of a pain in the butt shredding and dicing it besides) so I stick with the powdered ginger. Health food stores and bulk food places usually have tons of the stuff and it's not that expensive. If you just buy those little spice jars you'll pay through the nose for it. Dosing is simplicity itself -- mix up half a teaspoon of the powdered ginger in some water and glom it down. You'll have to rinse out the glass and drink that as well since the powder doesn't actually dissolve, it just gets suspended in the water. I guess you could just eat the powder directly when it comes right down to it, but I find this method the most convenient. If after ten or fifteen minutes you feel no effect, take another half teaspoon. In my case I have found that if a full teaspoon doesn't work, taking more does no good, but you may be different. I find the effects last between two and four hours, so I usually keep a fair bit of it on hand. Half a teaspoon isn't much, but it adds up over a week if you're taking it four or five times a day. As I say, it does nothing whatsoever once you get to the higher Kip levels, but it's far and away the best thing I've ever come across for handling shadows and low Kip level attacks. As good as Imitrex, actually -- within its limitations. Of course, as with EVERY other medication in our arsenal, it may not work for everyone. But if it works for you as well as it does for me you'll find it nothing short of miraculous. The Chinese claim all sorts of other health benefits from eating ginger on a regular basis but I can't vouch for those -- I only ever use it during the ramp-up and ramp-down of my CH cycles. I have no idea WHY it works. No idea of the pharmacology behind it. I just know it has worked for me ever since I started taking it. pinky

I was taught not to feed the wild animals, but ............. Dan, how many times does this make that Ron has found some excuse to stand you up? Makes you wonder if he has something to hide.... ;D ;D ;D

Welcome Brian to our little board, but, of course, sorry you had the need to turn to us. Ask all the questions you want. I'm quite sure you'll find this group more knowledgeable than most. Doggone Jeebs, I was having so much fun reading all of the accolades that you guys were directing at me ;D BobW -- rightfully of course ! But I am the Bob that Brian referred to. Sorry I had to burst ya'lls bubble! ;D ;D ;D You guys do as you always do, and look out for Brian. He will be in Vegas to thank each of you personally. BobB

Hi Larry, and welcome to our little board. I'm sorry to hear how rough this year has been for you, but you are definitely not alone. This past year has been rough on many of us, including me. But the good news is that through education and advocating for oneself, many of us have found that we can actually live life again, mostly without fear of CH. Oh, and when CH does rear its ugly head, we have alternatives to turn to that are almost magical in the relief they provide. I think you will find some good stories from this gang, and I look forward to working with you. Bob Bowling

FANTASTIC JOB CHRIS!!!! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif] It certainly has that 'professional feel' to it. BB

tucker, Unfortunately, many believe (and I think there's some medical evidence to support) that sumatriptan, though it is really good at relieving the present pain, actually causes rebounds that can be worse. You will get through this. Just keep plenty of oxygen on hand and try to get to it when you feel the first twinge. I know a lot of us are in denial when we feel that first little inkling of an impending attack, but we have to pay attention and react quickly to get the best chance of an abort. Also unfortunately, buying shrooms off of the street can be risky business. Maybe you have a guardian angel out there somewhere. Your best bet for the long term though, is to start your own little pharming project. Hang in there my friend, BB

Mrsg, I can't even imagine playing with the deck you've been dealt. I am in awe of how you have been dealing with lil guy's epilepsy and getting slammed as you have with clusters! Good on you, and so happy to hear you're finally getting some relief. BB

Glad she seems to be out of the woods Kage. She is very fortunate, as many of us are, to have a supporter like you. Thank you for all the updates, BB

Hey tucker, it happens to all of us at times -- don't beat yourself up over it. Just restart your 5 day detox. You might be pleasantly surprised; hopefully the hits were post dose hits, and you will see improvement soon.

Leslie, I think you should start your posts with: EX-SMOKER. After all, that's what you are. Purple, I have long felt that there is a connection. I once asked Dr Andrew Sewell about this. But I think I used the wrong term. I mentioned that I thought most clusterheads have "addictive personalities", to which he replied, "There is no such thing as an 'addictive personality'. I would have pursued it further but we were in mid-day Chicago traffic trying to get to the airport, reading a map. So I dropped the conversation. But I have always felt that there is a connection between CH and ...... shall we say ... a tendency to use alcohol and drugs, including tobacco. This perception actually came from watching clusterheads interact at a CB conference. No doubt but that a large percentage of us enjoy alcohol and cigarettes. This may even have something to do with the fact that so many of us hate to dose because of the side effects. As was pointed out in another thread, LSD has been shown effective in the treatment of alcoholism. Could it be that some of us subconsciously fight the natural effects of psychedelics, and thus do not enjoy tripping? Anyway, you have gotten on to a topic that has always seemed relevant and fascinated me. Maybe start a new thread? :-?

Great news! Thanks Kagemorou.

Spot on post Jeebs! Thanks.

Make those dreams reality mates!!! :) :) :) :) :)

Absolutely good advice CHf. But since I am the one whom most will think you are referring to when you mention people PM'ing you with harsh messages, I would greatly appreciate it if you would clear this up. Everything I have said has been in the open. I certainly have not PM'ed you or anyone else about this thread.

Way cool Denny!!! I am so happy for you guys! :) :) :)

CHf, the short answer is Yes. There are uncertainties that do apply, although not the same. Again, you have to look at the meds you are detoxing from and how they will affect the bust. For example: Using probably the two most prescribed drugs (off label) for CH, someone taking lithium should definitely wait 5 days because of the potential of a bad trip or worse. Whereas, someone taking verapamil only can get by without a detox period. But, I am not saying that verapamil does not interfere with busting. I myself (among others), feel it limits the efficacy. CHf, I know you are trying to help, but you just can't nail some of this stuff down to where one rule applies to every situation.

Obviously, I failed in trying to clarify the wait time between busts. I try to simply read these posts and let you guys work out the details. This time I felt that some were getting the wrong advice, so I felt the need to add my meager knowledge and experience to try and clarify. I have read every post in here too. It's my job. I have also read posts from the old Yahoo board where there was much more give and take than here. But it was different. It was a private board and we were all learning. This is not an exact science. We are all feeling our way. There are suggestions including the 5 day rule (recommendation), but there are always extenuating circumstances that need to be considered. That's all I was trying to say. You guys can cite Dr Sewell or anyone else. I am not disputing anyone else's word. I am simply trying to relate my experience and knowledge. I am obviously not very good at that. But I stand by what I've said, take it or leave it. I am sure that BobW can clarify all this. Maybe he will. Peace.

Oh yea, and one more thing about wait times between busting: Most of us have found that trying to stretch the time between doses works really well, especially with chronics or while in mid-cycle. You just have to listen to your head and try and dose at the right time. Just don't wait so long that the CH is able to regain a solid foothold. It takes a little trial and error, but eventually you'll get the hang of it. Dosing -- it's an evolving thing. :-?

Some of you guys and gals do a great job of getting information out to newcomers, and it is much appreciated by all. But there is no hard, fast rule when it comes to time between doses. I am not trying to upstage anyone here. It's just that there are a lot of variables to consider.  While the thinking behind the 5 day recommendation is to avoid wasting more time by having to wait another 5 days after busting in less than 5, there are still a lot of extenuating circumstances to consider. For example, most who make it to these boards are in pretty bad shape by the time they find their way here. The dosing recommendations are admittedly on the low side for safety reasons. So sometimes a person's first bust will be ineffective because of taking too light of a dose. Another variable to consider is when people are unable to bust except in certain time periods due to a lot of things including work. This consideration is not nearly as critical when using seeds since the side effects are so negligible. Yet these reasons and more have to be considered. Some have tried the SPUT and 'sip method's. This almost flies in the face of conventional wisdom, yet some who did not respond well to conventional busting, have had good success with these methods. Someone mentioned doubling up on recreational doses to achieve the same effects. I can tell you from personal experience that this works. Back in the day (I won't say how many days ;D), I can remember taking LSD on a Friday night, and then doubling up the next night and was able to achieve pretty much the same results. So, all I'm saying is that there is no hard and fast rule that will apply to every situation. They are all different, just as we are all different. It all really depends on individual circumstances and I would also say metabolism, though there is no documented or conclusive evidence out there that I know of that would back this up. What I can say anecdotally from about 7 years of reading clusterbuster posts, is that 5 days is the recommended time to wait between doses. But that is not set in stone. There are a number of people who have dosed in less time successfully, including me. I hope this clears up some of the confusion, instead of making it worse. LOL You're doing a good job guys and gals!! :) Carry on...

tucker, if I'm reading this right, you are taking diltiazem to lower your blood pressure, and not off-label for CH. [highlight] If that is so, then I would not stop taking it without first talking to your GP.[/highlight] CHf is right about the a calcium channel blocker being a contraindication with the D3 regimen. Adding calcium with a calcium channel blocker will negate the effects of the blood pressure med. Because I was deficient in D3, my GP put me on high doses of D3 months ago. I added calcium because of the recommendations of Batch on the whole D3 regimen. When I brought up to my GP the fact that I take verapamil off-label for CH, he told me the same thing Batch suggested - to separate the doses by at least 8 hrs. But this did not work with me, and as soon as I added the calcium, my CH immediately took a turn for the worse even though I was separating the doses. It was a no-brainer for me - I stopped taking the calcium, and my CH calmed down. What I'm trying to say is if you are taking diltiazem for blood pressure, do not stop without first talking to your doc. And if you want to do the D3 , I would leave the calcium out as long as you are taking a calcium channel blocker. As to the valerian root, I am assuming that you are taking it as a sedative to help with sleep. It may be fine, I really don't know that much about it. But, just a suggestion, you might want to swap melatonin for the valerian root. I hope all this makes sense, as I sometimes have a hard time getting my point across.

Great post Ron. There are exceptions to every rule.

I modified your post for you CHF. I think that should do it. (Don't know why you guys are not getting the "modify" button. Maybe FunGuy will chime in.)

Uh, I don't think that would be such a good idea, as it would be a red flag to the gas dealer. Most will not knowingly sell welding oxygen for medical use. In all my years on these boards, I have never heard of anyone dying from oxygen use - whether medical or welding 02. > About the only problem I have ever heard expressed is getting a dry throat from heavy use, and that is easily fixed by using a humidifier or 'bubbler' that attaches to your medical regulator. That's what I use, and I have been using welder's 02 for 7-8 yrs now with zero problems.

Kewl!!! That could be what's happening to me. :) Thanks cluster.