Cluster Dave

If you want to send an email address there is a hide button. I can send you a photo of what I bought. Batch has reviewed what I have been taking. Dave

Hi Kate - here is a good starting point. Take daily. https://vitamindwiki.com/Cluster+headaches+substantially+reduced+by+10%2C000+IU+of+Vitamin+D+in+80+percent+of+people Dave

Here in Canada if I was caught with MM's would probably be a small fine and if a judge knew why I was taking them would probably be the smallest fine he could give, so not to concerned about that aspect of taking them. They work well for me on most cycles but once in a while a cycle comes along like the one I am in now and they don't work at all for me. So now I am going around in circles with prednisone and Almotriptan both of which are short term fixes which are not good. Still looking for another option, I started the D3 regime a week ago but so far has not helped. Have you tried the D3 regime ? Thanks Dave

Wow sorry to hear that, do the MM's help with the pain level and O2 take care of the rest ? Dave

I have added Benadryl about 10 times here and there but I have yet to notice any difference. Thanks Dave

Hi Spiny Glad to hear that the D3 regime is working for you as well as your other precautions. I am on day 6 of the regime hopefully it kicks in soon as I am still suffering. In the last 5 years MM's have helped me tremendously even though looking back 5 years ago and 2 years ago there is a cycle that comes up that nothing seems to help. Like the one I am in now which is the worst I have ever experienced and the longest lasting as well. Hopefully the D3 regime can help on this cycle. Still taking Almotriptan otherwise it would be one hit after another all night long. Thanks Dave

What is keeping you PF, mm's ? Thanks Dave

Has anyone ramped up on Verapamil and Triptans as opposed to Verapamil and Prednisone ? Thanks Dave

Wow Spiny and devonrex are you both chronic or episodic ? I took Almotriptan for the beast and Tegrotol for the TGN pain last night and it bought me a straight 4 hours of sleep. I am on my last week of vacation time before I head back to work so I have to get a handle on these, going to call the physician for Varapamil. At least get the prescription and have it on standby. Full on with the D3 regime with Batch, he has been fantastic in helping me. Hoping it helps before I have to try Varapamil and the dreaded prednisone. Dave

Last night I had a headache with extreme facial and trigeminal nerve pain that lasted for hours. Normally my cluster headaches last 40 minutes from start to finish then I get a break until the next on hits. Not this time though. Had to do 2 rounds of O2 before any relief where as usually 1 round of 10 minutes will provide relief. Has anyone heard of a cluster headache lasting hours, I haven't so there is more to this cycle, has anyone else come across headaches that last hours and if so what was the cause ? Thanks Dave

Wow thanks so much. Dave

Surprised me too. The good part is this morning as the prednisone is wearing off the medication headache and the cluster headaches have been good. Not expecting that to last long but I am getting a 4 hour break that I have not had for a long time. Wondering if the Imitrex that I took the night before (2 doses) I had anything to do with it. I started the prednisone the next day ?

Took 1 tablet 50mg headache started about an hour after and lasted 22 hours with cluster attacks on top of the medication headache. That was the day one of the seven day prednisone treatment but I am afraid to take the day 2 tablet. Maybe wait a day or two before starting. Would rather just have the cluster headache than both. Maybe need a day or two to cleans my system. Thanks Dave

Thanks SECauthentics - that is the link and image I took to the pharmacy and was following. D3 - 50,000 to be taken daily for one week to ramp up. Then back down to either 50,000 per week or 10,000 per day. Dave

Thanks Spiny - I think the confusion came with my terminology. I used the term ramping up and I meant that for ramping up on the D3 regime and the 50,000 IU daily for one week. Then back down to 10,000 IU daily. In the same post I was asking about verapamil since I have never tried it and thought since I will be on pred for a week might be a good time to try it. Yesterday and all night was bad. Started the prednisone at noon with 50mg. Had a headache for 22 hours. Prednisone headache with cluster headache and TGN pain poking through hourly. O2 took care of the cluster/TGN but the prednisone medication headache was continuous for 22 hours. Not sure whether or not to continue with the prednisone? Thanks Dave

Thanks FunTimes - wondering now if just ramping up on the D3 regime might be enough while on the one week pred ? Dave

No this time around for what I am calling the killer cycle the mm's did nothing, managed to get a couple 2.5g doses in and no difference. Hits coming every half hour all night like re-bound or slap back headaches that never end. Never had that before continuously. Thanks Dave

Thanks Spiny - last night tried Imitrex nasal spray. Each one (Max 2 ) only bought me maybe 2 hours of relief then back to hits and O2 every half hour. Last option picked up a weeks worth of Prednisone 50mg tablets. Verapamil- I have never taken but have heard lots about it on hear, maybe I should be ramping up on that while I am doing the one week Prednisone, your thoughts ? Started D3 regime yesterday got as close to what Batch has suggested only missing the K2. Thanks Dave

Thanks Kat - still have not been able to pin down why this cycle is so different than the others. I had my usual cycle in February which I used mm's to deal with. Mm's did the job, didn't abort the cycle, never does for me but made the attacks less frequent and less painful and manageable. Cycle lasted usual month and a half. The unusual part was to get hit again with another cycle about a month and a half later. Didn't expect another one for at least 8 months. And this one is the killer cycle. No idea why this one showed up or what triggered it or why its the worst one yet, but the mm's seemed to be no match for this one. Thanks Dave

Thanks DevonRex Spoke to a physician this morning, he said I can go to a lab and pay myself to have the blood work done for Serum level. I live in BC actually on Vancouver Island so Calgary is a ways away from me. Going to try ramping up on the D3 with O2 support and Imatrex when hits are out of control also have steroids as a final resort instead of ER. Appreciate your information, starting month 4 on this cycle which is a record for me so hopefully this will end soon or at least calm down enough where I can get 5 days med free and try mm's again. Thanks Dave

Thanks Spiny - I read further on that med and found the same that it was an old medication. I guess I was just hopeful because I didn't recognize the name. I will pick up some D3 from a different pharmacy today. And look for the other vitamins to go with it. Off the scale pain last night, on O2 every half hour. Options at that point were ER or steroids. Considering what the ER would do for me after hours of waiting they would probably give me steroids so I took a 50 mg prednisone and that helped get me through the night with O2. O2 every couple hours so better. Called physician today he suggested another round of prednisone which I don't want. Told him rather try Imitrex than that, he agreed if it helps. Steroids to be last option. He also said follow up with Neurologist and think about Botox which the Neurologist is pushing. I told him there is no medical proof Botox will help with clusters, your thoughts ? Thanks Dave

Thanks Kat - Amazon canada doesn't seem to have it, but I could probably get it off of Amazon.com but be pretty pricey that way. I'm in the worst cycle I have had in about 30 years, I don't think D3 will be quick enough to help me. Dave

Hi Spiny was just reading about ergotamine tartrate This medication is used to treat or prevent a certain type of headache (vascular headaches such as migraine headaches and cluster headaches). Ergotamine helps narrow widened blood vessels in the head, which reduces the throbbing effects of vascular headaches. Have you heard of this med ? Dave

Thanks Spiny - Several being 50 since all I could find was 1000 IU on the shelf. Not a quick solution for tonight. Almotriptan did by me a few days of relief but last night like you said they didn't work and possibility caused rebound headaches, hard to tell since I was at that level of getting hit the same amount anyways. The only help my GP has given was to set me up with a neurologist that his only suggestion was botox with might or might not work. Dave