Recently began Pete Batcheller's (Batch) Vitamin D3 Regimen

[Abyss5150]

Wussupper ClusterBusters!?

          First off, I'd like to apologize in advance for my terrible wring as I know i'll be all over the place   I'm a long time sufferer of Migraines since 2005.  I was retired from the AirForce in 2010 for Migraines w/aura after failed treatment(s) via Military doctors, civilian Neurologists and until I was ultimately passed onto a pain management doctor.  Prior to going to pain management, the doctor & Neurologist tried a slew of different medications, to include multiple triptans, blood pressure and psych meds to no avail.  Nothing was helping and my quality of life suffered tremendously.  The pain management doctor began treating me with opioids and I truly believe those pills caused my migraine w/aura to mutate into devastating cluster headaches.  In addition to the opioids, I was working night-shift, 5pm to 5am, not getting any sun, sleep and wasn't eating well.  I went from being 180lbs all the way down to 134lbs at my worst. My current wife is a bomb cook and got me back up to 170lbs at one point.  As of today, I'm 160lbs.  I've been chronic with clusters since at least 2016-2017 and they've progressively gotten worse.  I recently stumbled upon Batch's Vitamin D3 Regimen and recalled that my doctor told me multiple times that I was vitamin D deficient, but didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal and told me to "just get a vitamin d supplement from GNC".  I did get a vitamin d supplement, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference in my levels nor the cluster headaches I was getting seemingly every single day, often multiple times per day, along with waking me up in the middle of the night.  I haven't been to the doctor since 2017 and quit all medications the doctors were giving me.  My clusters actually lessened a lot when I quit taking all the meds.  In addition, I haven't been able to drink much alcohol for the past few years because every single time I drink even one single beer, I'm guaranteed to get a cluster.  After coming across Batch's regimen and watching the recent interview he did, I decided to give it a try.  I began the regimen on 25July2022 knowing I'd be flying to Florida to get married on the 31st.  I began with 50,000IU daily for approx. 12 days, along with all the suggested cofactors and then went into the maintenance phase last week where I switched from the 50,000IU D3 capsules to the nano D3 emulsion.  I didn't have a cluster until the 31st (the night of my wedding), but I did drink a shot of TaKillYa and a glass of champagne.  My appetite came back with a vengeance and I felt better than I have in a long time!.  I kept to the regimen and didn't have another cluster for quite a few more days (which has NEVER happened.)  I even drank a couple beers on the 5th and 6th of August and didn't get a cluster!  Amazing!  Last week (during maint. phase) while laying in bed I felt the beast coming on with a slight tingle behind my right eye.  I knew it was coming, but when it did, the pain was oddly almost a soft knock that was nowhere near what I usually get.  I get them behind my right eye every time; I can sometimes even shove my finger between my skull and my eyeball where I can feel the blood pumping and smashing against what feels like a nerve from hell. If i get my finger or a frozen water bottle in the perfect spot, I've dulled the pain until the cluster subsides. Most of the time the attempts are futile, but I still perform said ritual religiously.  The next day the same thing happened except the pain was much worse.   I was starting to get discouraged when I decided to go back over the regimen and molest the internet for more info.  I rewatched the video and noticed that it was recommended to take up to 100,000IU via D3 capsules and also 40,000IU nano liquid.  I also heard Batch say that you should hold 1/2 a dropper of the nano liquid under your tongue and/or swish it around your mouth for at least 4 minutes. I was apparently doing it wrong.  I was only taking 50,000IU daily during the loading period and when I switched to the maintenance phase, I was only taking 1/4 of a dropper of the nano emulsion and I only held it in my mouth for about 30 seconds. I'm pretty sure my 25-OH levels dropped during the maintenance phase do to me not fully understanding the how the regimen should be approached for someone chronic like me.  A couple days ago I began taking 100,000IU D3 capsules and 40,000IU nano liquid in hopes my levels will get back to where I can remain pain free.   I began the regimen without consulting my doctor but made an appointment to get my 25-OH and PTH levels checked.  I saw the doctor today and she scoffed at me when I showed her Batch's regimen.  She told me there's no way D3 would "cure" my ailment and she recommends I go back to see a Neurologist because medications have advanced and suggested some sort of monthly injection.  I told her that I just want her to order the tests requested and that I'd follow up w/her in a month if this regimen didn't work.  Before she let me go, she asked if I wanted her to prescribe me some vitamin D.  I said sure and when I picked up the meds, it was 50,000IU of vitamin d2, not d3 as Batch recommends.  From what I understand, D2 is a pharmaceutical and D3 is naturally occurring; not the same at all.  I took the lab test today and hope to get my results soon.  I was able to go on my medial/hospital app and see my prior vitamin D lab test results.  They are pretty old, from 2012-2017, but as Batch predicted my levels were severely low.  Despite recommended medical/privacy concerns, I've attached those results below.  I don't know if Batch @xxx is around and can get with me to help me navigate this regimen?  I'll post the results of my latest vitamin D test within the next couple days when I receive them.  Overall I must say that I'm very optimistic about Batch's regimen and have high hopes it'll work!  I appreciate all who took the time to read my story.   

 

[xxx]

Hey Abyss,

My bird dog alerts me when posts or PMs are made to me or about vitamin D3 here at Clusterbusters so I've read your post and assays for 25(OH)D3.  Off hand I'd say you're headed in the right direction given you were clearly vitamin D3 deficient.   The following chart from the study of CHers taking vitamin D3 and cofactors to control and prevent their CH tells the story.  I've been running this study continuously since December of 2011.  As you can see, you were clearly under the black baseline normal distribution curve on the left.

Just be careful with the loading dose of 100,000 IU/day of Bio-Tech D3-50 and 0.5 mL (40,000 IU/day) of the micro D3 taken sublingual (under the tongue) for 5 days.  My dear friend Henry Lahore who runs the VitaminDWiki.com web site calls this a "Cluster Balm"  as it totals 700,000 IU of vitamin D3.  In military parlance, this is a MOAB (Mother Of All Bombs) when taken as total loading dose. 

Accordingly, you need to use the Shoot - Look - Shoot -Look doctrine when loading with the Cluster Balm as it is very important to assess the effects of a loading dose like this before loading any further.  In short you load for five days using the Cluster Balm then drop back to a maintenance dose of 50,000 IU to 100,000 IU per week, while waiting for a week to 10 days for your 25(OH)D3 to equalize, then see your PCP for lab assays of your serum 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH to assess the situation and its effects on your calcium homeostasis.  If your 25(OH)D3 is still low < 80 ng/mL and serum calcium is still within its normal reference range, load again then test.  See your PCP for these assays and have her specify the following from Quest Diagnostics in her lab orders:

25(OH)D3 - She should order the Quest Diagnostic assay method called the QuestAssureD™ 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (D2, D3).  Test Code 92888, CPT Code: 82306.  This LC-MS/MS assay method can measure serum 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 up to 512 ng/mL

https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/92888/questassured-25-hydroxyvitamin-d-d2-d3?cc=MASTER

The lab order must specify this assay by Name and Test Code as Quest has other assays for 25(OH)D3.

She should also specify the Quest Diagnostics serum calcium and PTH (Parathyroid Hormone) assays as:

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Intact and Total Calcium, Test Code: 8837, CPT Codes: 83970, 82310.

https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/8837/pth-intact-and-calcium?cc=MASTER

These three assays taken in concert, provide a very good assessment of your calcium homeostasis in action.

Regarding the warning on your lab results that reads:  "Values > 80 ng/mL may be associated with toxicity"  Don't believe it.

This is BS and a clear case of Big Pharma propaganda to discourage people from taking higher doses of vitamin D3.  I'm a 1944 model and I've run my 25(OH)D3 more than three times this high up to 273 ng/mL yet I'm still here in good working order and good health with no hypercalcemia, a.k.a., Vitamin D Intoxication/Toxicity as indicated in the following 5-year chart of my assays for serum 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH.

Regarding your doctors scoffing at vitamin D3 therapy.  This is understandable and not her fault.  She was short sheeted in medical school with a curiculum devoid of nutritional medicine.  As Big Pharma and their paid political hacks in Big Government fund most medical schools with lavish grants (using our tax dollars), they're taught there's a pill for every ill. 

In general, 9 out of 10 pharmaceutical treatments address only the symptoms, not the cause of a disorder.  And when these treatments have side effects, Big Pharma has another pharmaceutical to treat the side effects.  It's no wonder that most people over 50 are actually suffering from polypharmacy - Simultaneous use of too many pharmaceuticals.

That said, I'm not a doctor.  I don't diagnose, prescribe or treat people.  I'm just are retired old Navy fighter pilot.  What I do is provide information outreach with the best available information on the benefits of good health and a strong immune system made possible by taking optimum doses of vitamin D3 and its cofactors.  What CHers and Migraineurs do with this information is up to them and their PCP.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

 

 

 

 

[Abyss5150]

Thank you sooooooo much for the response Batch!  I Got my results this morning.  It's pretty high, but I have been reloading at 140,000IU for the past 4 days.  Should I go back to the maintenance phase?  Also, should I stick with the Nano dropper for the maint. dose or is it OK to just take one 50,000IU capsule?  

[xxx]

Hey Abyss.

Howz the head?  Are you CH pain free?  We don't know your actual 25(OH)D3 serum concentration as the assay method used by your present lab tops out at a maximum measurement of 140 ng/mL.  Even it it's 150 to 160 ng/mL it is just fine and no worry.

Have your PCP write the next set of lab orders for Quest Diagnostics nearest your home and the QuestAssurD (D2, D3) assay method that measures combined D2, D3 up to 512 ng/mL.  That said, your PTH looks about right, but we still need your serum calcium assay to make sure it is still within its normal reference range.  One more day loading at 140, 000 should be okay then drop back to 100,000 IU/week with the Bio-Tech D3-50 (Save the Micro D3 for loading) and wait 10 days for another round of assays for your serum 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH.  We need all three of these assays to get a better understanding of your situation.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Edited August 19, 2022 by xxx

[Abyss5150]

Thank you for the rapid response.   So far so good!   I'm back on the maintenance phase as of today.  I'll keep the post updated.