Red Bull works - I am amazed!

[Mike33]

Hi everyone, I'm a long time lurker here. I'm 55 and have been suffering from Cluster Headaches for almost 20 years. I typically enter a new cycle every two years or so and they tend to last for 6 to 10 weeks.

I am currently in my third week of a new cycle. I usually use Sumatriptan (100 MGs) to deal with category 10 attacks and just got my new prescription yesterday but am a little hesitant to use it because during my last cycle I think I may have overused it and made my cycle even worse and longer.

I have never used oxygen but I am trying to get that now. In the meantime, like the rest of you, I would be willing to try anything to end an attack.

In recent years, I have seen that some people have had success with Red Bull but I never tried it. I have never even had one before as energy drinks just aren't my thing, but last night I bought a few of the small/standard size cans at a gas station thinking I had nothing to lose.

When I got up today, I had a shadow pain in my left sinus but it wasn't that bad. I figured it would pass within 10 minutes. I was wrong. In the span of about five minutes it escalated to a full-on attack. Pain level 10.

I grabbed the Sumatriptan I just got and was going to take one but something in the back of my mind said - Try the Red Bull first.

I opened a can and drank it all down in three gulps.

About ten minutes later - ZERO PAIN.

I am absolutely amazed. It was as effective as Sumatriptan and worked more than twice as fast. I wish I had tried this years ago.

I realize that not everyone has the same success with each method, but I wanted to post this to let others know in case they want to try Red Bull as an alternative. I am positively stunned at how effective it was for me.

Wishing you all a pain-free future.

All the best.

- Mike

[CHfather]

It's great that you got that relief, Mike.  Do not let it lull you into letting up on getting oxygen!  For a lot of people, the effectiveness of energy beverages tends to decline with multiple uses. (Incidentally, the smaller "energy shots," such as 5-Hour Energy, are easier to get down fast and have as much of the CH-fighting ingredients as the larger drinks (more of those ingredients, actually).  Also, at least one person here has had success with V-8 energy drinks, which might be a touch healthier.)

Many people would be surprised that your triptan pill helps at all (it is reasoned that they take too long to get into the bloodstream).  If your attacks are predictable, some people will take the pill before the attack hits.

There are a lot of other things I think you might benefit from knowing. The D3 regimen, for exampIe, and busting.  I think you might benefit from reading this: Basic non-busting information - ClusterBuster Files - ClusterBusters

 

[Shaun brearley]

O2 is the life saver, 

[FunTimes]

I use the 5hr smaller size to help hold the cluster off until I can get to my oxygen tanks. it will sometimes abort a very mild one if I drink it soon enough in the onset of the cluster. 

Oxygen is the cleanest and best option for aborting a cluster as long as you get the o2 kit and a regulator that will allow you to maximize your intake.