Ginger???

[alleyoop]

I know that many of you know about using ginger as an abortive for low level hits, but for those of you who don't, here is some advice posted by Pink Shark Mark back in '05:

"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

Also check out the new files that I posted on the "Clusterbuster Files" board.

bobb

[Mad6string]

Great info Bobb. Thanks

[davidj]

Sounds cool and why the heck not. Since my bust began lots of shadows and low level hits so off to the store to buy some ginger.

Thanks Bobb

David

[Imigrant]

Tried ginger powder three times now when the ache is approaching and it seems to work pretty well. It goes up to about kip 2-2,5 and then dissapears after a while, must be the ginger that does it. Will continue to try it out...

Thanks a lot Bobb 

[BillyJ]

CAUTION!!

If you have your gall badder be VERY careful about how much Ginger you use.If you have gall stones or any other gall bladder issues,I strongly urge you NOT to use ginger!

Yes,I found out the hard way,then later found the warning in the literature.

[alleyoop]

From Wikipedia:

"Ginger is contraindicated in people suffering from gallstones  as it promotes the production of bile."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger

Thanks BillyJ!

[davidj]

I had a small attack at 1 pm today and for "fun" i tried the ginger. I did 1/2 tsp with water and it didn't help much so after 15 minutes or so I did it again and bam, level 1.5 kip gone. I still prefer 02 but this would really be nice in a pinch if you can't get to it and it is a low level (beginning or end of cycle) attack or even for shadows maybe.

Thanks Bobb

[Guest]

Ginger tablets can be bought from most herbalists.

I have used them in the past with some degree of success, & it doesn't seem to interfere with our busting methods.

CArl...

[birdman]

But it sure does taste like hell!  Especially since it wont dissolve, just floats around.  Yuk!  We clusterheads will do anything for some relief.

[alleyoop]

birdman, try mixing the ginger with tepid water.  If the water is on the warm side, the ginger will dissolve or at least suspend.  Just knock it down quick!

bobb

[davidj]

what alleyoop said, I was able to dissolve most of it. I used an organic ginger powder that was very fine and I only had to add a tiny bit of water to finish it. I did use room temperature water so maybe that helped. As far as the taste and heat, I thought I was having bad Japanese food .

[Cassidy]

I used to drink a cup of hot ginger tea when I was feeling sick, not related to clusters.

Then years later I used powdered ginger in cool/cold water to abort a CH. It worked very well.

I crave ginger snaps at times, mainly when being bothered with shadows.

And when I want a treat I buy Reeds Ginger Ale. It has a real bite to it and is a great drink when you might ordinarily want a cold beer. Usually found in the organic department at the grocery store. Think Reed makes a ginger beer also, no alcohol. Sometimes the Red Bull is just too sweet and ginger ale is refreshing.

That's all I know about ginger.     Leslie