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Unclebird
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I am new to clusterbusters site and it is an amazing feeling

knowing I'm not alone. I was cluster free for almost three years until a couple weeks ago.  Then the beast reared it's ugly head. This cycle has not been bad at all so far, with "only" one attack a day, starting at same time in the afternoon. I take imitrex spray and injections and it works very well for me 80% of the time. It has been so long since my last cycle that all my meds are expired by two years but they seem to work just fine. I don't have my O2 tanks but will be getting them back this week. I do have many questions. I have a CDL class A, and I am subject to random drug testing. I want to know if the MM or RC stuff can be detected on a piss test, which would ultimately cause me to loose my job?  This cycle, (as all of them are!) is especially bad timing because I just started a new job, and it is impossible to explain the situation to non-clusterhead bosses about these "little headaches".   I swear that just reading the threads on this site helps with the severity and duration of the attacks. Misery loves company for sure!  Thanks for any advice or support given. It's weird, but I don't even want the word cluster said around me when I am in remission for fear of returning into a cycle. Does anyone else feel that way?  And if so, do you still visit this site when you are out of a cycle?  I remember years ago I went to a neuro doc and he got me on the injections, but I didn't have another headache to be able to use them!!!!  It broke the cycle by just knowing there was hope of some sort of relief!  I am hoping that finding this site, and the new methods and coping mechanisms does the same for me this time!!  Thanks, birdman

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Hi Unclebird,

I shall proffer our standard greeting. Welcome to the site, sorry you have to be here.

I've been chronic 7+ years. I often wonder what it would be like to be episodic, to go months and years without an attack. And then WHAM! to come in cycle again.

Having been an active member here a couple of years, I do notice people come and go, then come back again when things turn bad. There are a handful of us that are pretty hard-core posters, all seasons. But many only come when the beast returns.

One analogy I use when explaining clusters to non-sufferers: Imagine having a muscle cramp, you know, one of those that come on really suddenly and make your calf feel like it is on fire. All the world stops. The only thing that exists is the pain in your leg, and nothing you do seems to help. It just has to run its course.

Now, take that memory of the muscle cramp and double the amount of pain. Now, double it again. And then, instead of it lasting 30 seconds, have it last 30 minutes. An hour. 2 hours. And lastly, relocate that pain from your large calf muscle, and condense it into your eyeball.

Now you have a semblance of what a cluster attack is like.

Also, never use the word 'headache'. I always call my 'cluster attacks'.

MG

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Welcome, U'bird!

I can't tell you with full assurance about the tests either.  The general thing we hear here is that standard testing won't catch these substances.  Someone else will tell you something much more definitive.

A few things you might consider:

The "vitamin D3" protocol that has helped a whole lot of people: https://www.clusterheadaches.com/cb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1314134804  Inexpensive, probably good for you, and often very effective.

Licorice root protocol, which some people swear by: https://www.clusterheadaches.com/cb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1298659068

Top-quality oxygen setup.  This would include a high-flow regulator and the mask specifically designed for CH.  People get faster aborts with this kind of setup.  You can read more in general at the CB Oxygen Page, which is under the black and white MENU tab on the left side of the page here.  You can order the mask here: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/khxc

In case you don't know this one -- an "energy drink" (Monster, RedBull, etc.) or "energy shot" (5-Hour Energy, 6 Hour Power, etc.) drunk at the first sign of an attack can significantly reduce the severity of an attack or even sometimes abort them.  Good if you're stuck without your O2, or in combination with O2.  Some people get similar results with a strong cup of coffee, but many find the energy drinks more effective.

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As CHfather stated Unclenird, busting substances are not included in a standard 9 panel drug screen.  The half life of busting substances is also very short so if you dosed on a Fri, it would clear your system by Monday!

I'll ditto MG's greeting, welcome to the community but sorry you have the need to be here!!  And BTW, I can think of at least 2 members who are also truckers.

Dallas Denny

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Hey uncBerd  :)

What they said.  8-) You just got replied to by 3 fabuliciously well informed types in a row, and when you're fortunate enough to have CHfather start dishing out info for you, rest assured there's always gold in them thar hyperlinks!

Plus,

I take imitrex spray and injections and it works very well for me 80% of the time.

Cool. Well 100% would be cooler, but just wanna verify that you're up to speed on the partial dose injection approach that revolutionizes the imitrex experience for many a headbanger:

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/imitrex.html

I don't even want the word cluster said around me when I am in remission for fear of returning into a cycle. Does anyone else feel that way? And if so, do you still visit this site when you are out of a cycle?

You're not alone with that superstition behavior. ;D Some of us continue to hang around when out of cycle, or when our family member CH'ers are out of cycle, but we're insane unusual in that regard.  :D

all my meds are expired by two years but they seem to work just fine.

Those meds are brand spankin' new by my standards! Yep the "official" expiration dates for imitrex are widely considered to be chock full of baloney.

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You know you hear about junkies and potheads being some of the most brilliant people when it comes to getting their High, or new and better ways to achieve what they are after. It's kind of like that with cluster heads as well, except we are after a normal, pain free day. I love all the advise and thanks for the welcome. I am addicted to reading this board!

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You know you hear about junkies and potheads being some of the most brilliant people when it comes to getting their High, or new and better ways to achieve what they are after. It's kind of like that with cluster heads as well, except we are after a normal, pain free day. 
For one adventure along the lines of what you're talking about here, you might want to keep your eyes on (and your fingers crossed for) this thread: https://www.clusterheadaches.com/cb/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1391355305
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Fantastic comments and advice guys.

Unclebird, When I found this site and made the decision to try busting, I had a few weeks to wait while I weened myself off of the rubbish doctor meds I was on at the time. I spent hours and hours reading this site. Especially the Clusterbuster Files section. Read that 3 or 4 times.

I'm one who needs to fully understand something before I dive in and try it. So all this background knowledge and advice was fantastic. I'm still often amazed that I'm now in a position to repay the favour and help others.

Busting isn't always (or often) a quick fix. Some people are lucky and get really quick results. Some of us have to work at it a bit longer. Considering I was getting 5 hits a day when I started busting, and now only get a few a week, I'm pretty amazed. Also, my migraines dropped from 40-60 a year to less than 10.

MG

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a muscle cramp....your calf on fire....nothing you do seems to help...

Well here I go again veering off on an off topic technicality, but I'm all too familiar with said leg cramps MG, and it turns out there really is stuff you can do about them.

Go pinch your philtrum. Jeez that sounds like some crude insult, but doing so can actually knock out a leg cramp toot sweet.

OK I only just now looked up learned what the cuckoo vertical groove area between the upper lip and nose is actually called (philtrum), but here's the deal - when that cramp hits, the 'ol philtrum is a super effective acupressure point, and when pinched it works great for most people for relieving the cramp within 5-10 seconds or so.

accu_41_3.jpg

"Location: Two-thirds of the way up from the upper lip to the nose. Benefits: This first-aid revival point has traditionally been used for cramps, fainting, and dizziness."

These cramps tend to be a symptom of a magnesium deficiency (which is common in CH'ers BTW). Potassium can be involved too. Personally I've found they can be prevented altogether with diet. It's the difference for me between waking up with raging cramps every night and zero cramps. Daily doses of organic celery and organic golden or russet potato skins, plus a dill pickle (all electrolyte rich stuff) can do the trick.

Has to be organic because synthetic fertilizers kill the soil and cause the leeching of it's minerals that would've otherwise been found in the food grown - possibly a reason some people are magnesium deficient to begin with.

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Welcome BIrdman I joined last summer after 14 yrs of dealing with the beast. This board helped me SO MUCH emotionally and physically to cope with the storm we face. I am currently pain free. I still read this board very often. These board has changed and saved many lives.

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Thanks all for the welcome. This cycle has turned pretty bad. Two-three a day and imitrex isn't working like it used to. Had to leave work today because of a 2 hour attack and now in the middle of my second today. Can't refill imitrex till tomorrow. Just screamed at my 7 year old like it was his fault and that kills me. I have an appointment Friday with neurologist. Hope he isn't a quack. Anyone here in Denver, CO area?

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U'bird, I hope your Friday appointment turns out to be valuable.  There are, of course, plenty of things conventional medicine can throw at cluster headaches, and sometimes some of them work.  That would bevery  good.

In the meantime . . . In you first post you said you were going to be getting O2 last week.  Did that happen?  Have you taken steps to upgrade a basic O2 system--O2ptimask, higher-lpm regulator?  Have you started the D3, or maybe licorice root, or tried the energy drinks that were suggested above?

And, given Denny's comments about testing, have you considered buying some seeds -- legal to purchase, legal to possess -- to be ready to try busting if you decide to (or finding other substances)?

Hoping that whatever a doc might prescribe on Friday will help, but also suggesting that there are other things you can be doing that might serve you well in addition to that.

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I have not been able to get the O2 yet. It is sad to say, but I was very unprepared for this cluster. I was PF for years until moving from NC to CO. Altitude and less O2 in the air brought the demon on with vengeance!  I used to have an awesome set up, but couldn't justify the monthly cost of maintaining it when I was PF for months. I have tried the energy drinks and was able to abort a couple times, so I am glad for that advice. I am ready to bust and have looked into getting RC. I have been taking d3 for a week now with no real conclusive results. I am open to ANY advice from fellow sufferers!  I can't stand getting advice from others though!  Don't know how many times I was told that I should not be drinking the energy drink if I have a headache!  Grrrrrr!  Or told to lay down

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Hello all. I have never posted here (I don't think?) before. I was a member of another site 4 years ago when I had my last cycle, but can't remember which one it is. That's not important, since it seems everyone is here (or there) to help.

My first attack was in 2002, then 2006, then 2010, and I'm afraid I'm about to get attacked again. Knock on wood, it hasn't happened yet.

I wanted to offer some friendly advice to birdman. Without other remedies, and as inappropriate as this may sound, and I'm not trying to be perverted... before I found O2 was my best remedy, believe it or not, masturbation was an instant remedy.

I'm only posting for the purpose of helping. It may not work for some, as others have responded to this in the past saying it did not help. But I know for me, it worked 95% of the time. It does something to the brain neurologically, and is effective.

Nice to meet everyone, and hopefully I'm not that frequent of a visitor in the next few months, but it's out of my hands. Thanks for helping out CH's in general, no one knows what we go through.

Mike

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U'bird.  Just four thoughts. (1) There are energy drinks and energy drinks.  Glad you're sometimes getting good results with what you're using.  Some have more caffeine and taurine than others, and for some people the higher-caff ones have more consistently good results. Monster makes some high-powered ones, as I recall. You might check some labels and see if you can step up, if you want to.  (2) You're probably hoping now that your doc will prescribe O2 on Friday.  We have found a shockingly large number of neuros who don't, or even won't, prescribe it.  It might be good to go to your appointment prepared with a printout of the JAMA article on O2.  You can find a link to that in the CB Oxygen Page under the black and white MENU tab on the left side of this page.  (3) There's a list of docs recommended by people with CH here: https://clusterbusters.org/?page_id=455. The Colorado list is pretty short.  These of course aren't the only good docs, but if you don't like yours, maybe there's an alternative there.  (4) Are you doing any of the heavy D3 loading that Batch recommends for those who are just starting? (I guess what I'm asking here is whether you're working from the latest guidance provided by Batch, which is at the link I provided up above.)

PF wishes!

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I am trying the d3 approach from batches update. I have had a script for O2 before, so if I don't get one on Friday I will be calling my old doc. I am curious about when I am supposed to masturbate.  First sign of attack?  As much as possible throughout the day? During an attack? 

I have been using Amp energy drinks but will definitely be looking at labels now. 

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