Sleeping suggestions or help please!?

[Zaid]

Hi fellow cluster sufferers! I am 30 and been suffering since I was about 22 although undiagnosed until about 26. Although I was diagnosed then, the doctors that I saw were somewhat uneducated about treatments and I have been unaware of many of the treatments until very recently. 

I am currently in the midst of a cycle and I have been taking sumatriptan fast release tablets which are working pretty well for me. But I have abused them due to not realising the possibility of rebound headaches and other side effects etc. So now I am avoiding sumatriptan unless I am desperate at work or something. I am in process of getting my hands on some oxygen hopefully this week. But I cannot take another night of being woken up the second I fall asleep with a CH. 

Does anyone have any suggestions to at home remedies or anything that can help until I get some oxygen? 

Thank you.

[spiny]

Yes, I have a few for you Zaid. Welcome by the way!! 

Cold - as in inhale from the AC vent on the car. It helps many. Some will take an ice cube and hold it on the soft palate on the CH side while it melts for relief. Some swear by a cold shower. Others by hot, with a cold rinse.

Sleep in a recliner with your head above your heart. I piled pillows all around and would just nod off. You wake sooner and the hits are not so bad. At least there I was assured of some sleep. 

Run a super hot 3-4"s of water in the tub and stick your feet into it or sit in it. As it cools, add more hot. I would apply a cool cloth to my head while doing this one and wind up in hot water to my waist by the time the hit passed. Sort of like opening up the blood vessels away from your head to reduce the flow to your head thingy. Release pressure for some. 

Caffeine!!! In coffee, energy drinks, whatever, just get some caffeine down. Always caffeine. I carry capsules of it and will take one or open one and toss the contents down if it hits hard and sudden. Chug a glass of water after.

I strongly encourage you to look into the D3 Regimen ASAP. It is easy over the counter vitamins and they really can prevent a cycle! I use the 'original' recipe version: https://vitamindwiki.com/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=7708

I am sure that others will be able to add to this short list! 

Pills are normally so slow working that CHers use a nasal spray or injection. Pills are really for Migraine. And as you have found. Too much can be its' own problem, be it pill, spray or shot. The stuff is really not good for you. 

ATB! 

[Zaid]

Thanks so much spiny!

There were a couple things I haven't heard about that you mentioned there one of which is caffeine! Interesting! And the vitamin D3 I have just read about in the last couple days for the first time so I will get onto that tomorrow.

I cant believe all these years I have looked on Google for treatments and came across things on webmd and similar sites which provided minimal info on effective treatments but somehow never thought to look for forums and seemed to have missed clusterbusters during my research. I am so stoked to have found this site, woohoo!

 

[CHfather]

A great list from spiny!  

You might find some useful info in this post: https://clusterbusters.org/forums/topic/6213-basic-non-busting-information/.

And take a look at the info you get when you click on "New Users - Please Read Here First" in the blue banner at the top of each page.  

[Zaid]

Thanks CHfather! And yes I have checked out the "new users" tab at the top. Just obviously difficult to source that treatment but it's on my list. 

Spiny's suggestion of caffeine and hot shower followed by cold rinse seemed to provide some relief this morning for my CH which was great.