My Story

[Bigtime]

Hey all, 

Thought I'd finally give back and share after pillaging content and research for years. Thanks for all the help though out and I will do my best to stay active here. 

My Ch's are different now.

I'm 38. Been having CH's since I was 15. Diagnosed right away by a friends dad who was an ER doc. Text book episodic. Imitrex and vereprimil back then. Then injections, mostly just dealt with it. Every year Jan to April, 6-8 weeks, usually 1 a day maybe 2 if I was drinking. Always middle of the night, unless drinking. Puke and pass out was fairly standard, pain has always ranged from 5-10 with occasional shadows. Started smoking in my 20's and still do. Fast forward to 12 years or so ago when I came across the busters using MM. Didn't have to twist my arm. Had tons of connections so they were easy to get, all upright citizens. I managed to keep from getting my cycle pretty well with them. I think maybe 2 mid level cycles in 8 years. Busted a cycle twice. Or at least at onset. 

During one of those attacks I got an MRI, went to a neurologist, etc. More of the same. Vereprimil imitrex etc. Scoffing at my alternative medicine suggestions. I stopped using those meds after I learned the adverse effects with the MM. Never have I tried Oxygen, never got a prescription and was always too busy to deal. But that was this time that I should have started. I also started using Redbull's during an attack to some success / help. Also smoking a cig would give me that headrush and would dull or abort an attack occasionally. Started using H2O method then and still do with some results. Same with quick fitness. 25 pushups as fast as I can, stretch and breath hard for 5 min, do push ups again. Never enough to raise my core temp but enough to get the heart racing. That was then. 

Then remission for 5 years. I moved to California, started spending a lot of time in the ocean, doing yoga, eating well etc. all that text book cali stuff. So I contributed it to lifestyle change and stopped dosing MM. Which I had been doing every few months. Then they came back.

Its been 8 weeks now. In like a Lamb, scared the shit out of me. Now the lion is here and they are really scaring me.

They started Super mild, maybe 3-5's at most. Dosed right away with MM. Usually just micro dosing to have body high without visuals. Did that once. Had to travel and yes, flying is a trigger. Started D3 regimen. Micro dosed again a few times. Went 6 weeks with 2 or 3 days on and 2 or 3 days off. Maybe 1 or 2 a day, evening and then early morning. Then about 2 weeks ago they hit full force and have gotten worse, 7-10s. Back to puking. Since then I've upped the H2O intake, and have now eaten more MM every day for the past 3 days and will continue for a few more. Bought melatonin, benedryl, sinus busters, 5 hr energy, and will try the hot water tonight If I can. Been laying off the yeast / gluten and alcohol. 

So whats weird now is that Ive been getting one in the evening, dinner time or a bit later, realizing now its when I relax. Then they just don't stop at night. Like 3-4 a night with phantom in between but just enough for me to sleep until the next starts. The worst is always the last, anywhere from 5am to 7am it hits. Today's went for 1 hr 45. They were never like that before. Wondering or trying to remember if they get worse towards the end of the cycle?

I eat MM in the morning first thing at onset. In the lip. Empty stomach, with vitamin C packs and OJ. Chug the cold brew, Start the pushups and breathing, pacing, and a cig at first hint of a light at the end.

Hoping I can bust through this time. Or try and get an Oxygen script tomorrow. 

[urs Brasil]

Hi Bigtime, welcome. It seems you did very well until know. I'm super happy for you and thanks for contributing your story here on the board.

one thing I like asking you: This time, did the beast change in format? Same side, apearing exactly the same way as it did in the past or do you notice any change?

 

thAnks

[Bigtime]

Thanks Urs, 

Everything was the same, same side, same areas of pain, only difference was the acuteness of the pain over the past couple weeks. Sharper less vice like and more searing, localized.

On an AMAZINGLY better note,  I had a pain free night and nothing this morning!

I upped my D3 yesterday to 15,000 mg, was my 3rd day of dosing MM, took 10mg melatonin, and 50mg of Benadryl. Also probably consumed at least 10 liters of H2O all day. 

Had some phantom pain around 10pm just before I took the Benadryl and Melatonin. Then I was out. 

Ill dose again MM later today when I get some work done. 

As for the D3. Ive been taking 600mg magnesium, omega fish oil's, 600mg calcium, 1000 mg lyposphric vitamin C, and my multi vitamin. 

Keep you posted. 

[urs Brasil]

Great
but I'm just wonder why do you take Melatonin? Just because you read about it here or do you suffer from sleep disorder? If so, since when? Since ever or just when in cycle.

Thanks

 

[Bigtime]

I don't ever take it. I can sleep through anything and never have a problem falling asleep. I read it here so I tried it yesterday for the the first time. 

With the beast being an exception to sleep. 

 

[urs Brasil]

yep, so if you do not suffer from sleep disorder, there is no reason to take them at all for sure. Flying international crossing time zones melatonin can make the difference yes, but not every time, everybody. Flight-crews and so fort do know well about it, normally

[Bigtime]

So, No need to take the Melatonin to keep me more in sleep if the beast is trying to pop though at night? Seems like the slightest thing to wake me up ie: to piss, would start the beast to come through. 

 

[urs Brasil]

I think melatonin being far to weak, too much easy for the beast getting through. Benzo's to I guess. In my opinion the beast even could make a dead mean walking again. Bud this is my experience others may chime in having different experiences or even tools. So far I didn't notice anything keeping us sleeping...

[CHfather]

Well, here's the thing.  It's not melatonin's effects as a sleep aid that lead to it being recommended.   It's not to try to help you sleep through an attack.  When people are in CH cycles, their melatonin levels are low.  And melatonin is related to the regulation of the hypothalamus, which is considered by many to have a role in CH.  And in some studies and many reports, melatonin reduces CH attacks.  So it's the chain of logic about its possible physiological relationship to CH, supported by some actual research and experience, that's behind the recommendation of melatonin.

[urs Brasil]

great, thanks CHfather. Now I remember having read Melatonin being relevant but it was not in my mind. In the past I've used Melatonin for its original purpose, putting me to sleep. It was difficult to get here in Brazil eq. ordering from the USA, waiting ages to come and so fort. Glad you having always on open eye

ps: a quit look on the internet ... yes it makes sense now why using melatonin in order to lower attack frequency. Made a note and will come back on this hopefully soon.

@Bigtime, sorry for this one missing, go on getting Melatonin. No side effects are known our body does produce this...

[Bejeeber]

Bigtime, very sorry to hear the CH came back, but glad at least you got an encouraging break with the PF night and morning - hoping that can continue!

There's always the temptation to read your own experience into someone else's - well it's tempting for me to do so anyway, but I can say I had a good number of successes preventing entire cycles with the same vitamin m, only to find at one point it was no longer busting my CH as expected. 

The next time a cycle reared up I was fortunate to be able to try vitamin L, and it did work, a successful CH bust. For what it's worth....

Also, along with switching up the busting substance, I imagine I might consider a re-think of the daily micro dosing approach in favor of more macro-level doses with several days in-between.

[Bigtime]

Bejeeber, super thanks for that. 

Your totally right, I get hopeful but am constantly let down with progress this round. Best to step out of my box / comfort zone. Especially on the good days. 

I think the Melatonin and 15000mg of D3 regimin is helping, but I'm not in the clear.  Shadows and a low level this evening that lasted a good 40min. 

Yes, I know in the back of my head that I should Macro rather than Micro. Its just finding the time with Work and kid around. I have enough for 5 Macro days. May start tomorrow and If I have to dose in the evening and stay up late then it is what it is. 

Question, When you got some vitamin L, did you just one tab one day? Or multiple days? 

I've been looking into farming for myself and I reached out to my farmer back in NY where I used to get them. He of course gave me some pointers, info on books, and dvds to get going, but he also reminded me we talked about smoking DMT. I know there has been talk about it and heard of it working for one. Plus side, is its instant effect and that its done in 10 min. Down side is you're literally not a part of this world or reality for 10 min. 

[Bejeeber]

Vitamin L - I personally went the .75 tab route, 3 times to knock it out. Not sure if there is even any consistency of potency with tabs from various batches though?

I know at one point some busters were doing a thing when familiarizing themselves with new tabs where they'd try a half, and if they weren't feeling it enough an hour later, up it another half.

And there's a long history of course with macro doses, where it's considered most effective to wait days (some say 5) between doses.

Understood how with work and kid, etc. it can be genuinely challenging to find a time for a macro dose. I'm not kidding you, I've been toying with the idea of putting in a semi all nighter vitamin L bust tonight with my last remaining paper, as the 'ol beast suddenly is making some loud noises about wanting to come barging back onto the scene unfashionably early. 

[urs Brasil]

Same here, Vitamin L&D3 but no melatonin at the moment. I really struggle weather or not about effects of D3 regime at the moment I'm out of cycle. Never the less, D3 regime using the first time, results a nice but roller-coaster like so I'll stay with it and locking forward getting more proven results in the next months or so.
Other health issues I'm dealing with interfere/take profit out of D3 regime.

As it is very much true D3 regime can't show up with negative side effects, in respect of the complexity of CH and so fort, I'll stay with it and try to keep things as basic/easy as possible not hoping from one thing to another (not proven by this site) getting lost confused in the woods.

Totally agree switching Vitamin M to Vitamin L and vise versa if the current one starts to fail. I think this is a great thing about having 2 confirmed tools for busting.

 

[Pixie-elf]

Melatonin is responsible for inhibiting this stuff.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostaglandin_E2

Super important for us.

Here's a little more about it!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9694402

It does all kinds of good things, so it helps in the long term.