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BigCoffinHunter
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Home Remedies/Treatment
« on: Sep 12th, 2006, 7:57pm » |
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I'm sure this has been covered a hundred times, but what are everyone's favorite home (non Rx) treatments?
Iced Coffee....I pound at least two glasses when I wake up with one starting. This has killed the demon a few times for sure.
Melatonin...9 or 10mg a night. I honestly have no idea if it helps the CH or not, but it sure makes me sleep better. When I wake up with a hit, I take another one.
Red Bull...works about as good as the iced coffee for me. I haven't used it much since starting the Verapamil.
Hot showers...I used these in my last cycle in '03. Not sure they did much, think they helped distract by having the jets hit me all over the face.
St. John's wort...probably does nothing for the clusters, but helps keep me from being totally bummed out when I get them.
Ice...never did much for me, tends to annoy me more than anything else.
Recliner...I like to bury my face in my recliner and roll it back and forth during the worst kips.
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Nick8977
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #1 on: Sep 12th, 2006, 9:00pm » |
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Sounds like me.....I think that the Bulls are the best OTC med for these damn things. I also take Taurine and Magnesium supplements and since I started with those the severity of the CHs has dropped significantly.
And when I get hit and I am at home, usually I end up cleaning the house up. Keeps me busy I guess. Also if the CH aint that bad I might get online and play video games (with one eye shut) the game I play usually lasts 45-1 hour so it eats the CH time!
Regards
Nick
P.S. PF DAYS....................boy are they ever nice. AHHHHHHHHH
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TxBasslady
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #2 on: Sep 13th, 2006, 11:26pm » |
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A cup of tea works on a shadow for me.
Kudzu was the greatest thing I ever took. It totally changed my CH. Hits are not as severe...and last about 1/4 of the time they used too.
I used to use ice...but it became painful...LOL.
I take CoQ10, B-50 Complex, and a multivitamin.
I drink 2 cups of coffee every night about this time. Seems to keep the nightime visits at bay.
Funny you mentioned the "iced" coffee. I worked with a lady years ago and that was her favorite drink. I haven't come across anyone since...who likes "iced" coffee.
Good luck...pf vibes,
Jean
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MJ
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #3 on: Sep 14th, 2006, 12:25am » |
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Push-ups
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MJ
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BigCoffinHunter
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #4 on: Sep 14th, 2006, 8:24am » |
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I keep the iced coffee because I can just grab the jug and pour a couple glasses. Trying to assemble a pot of coffee when you're getting a hit is no fun! Plus that usually leads to coffee grounds all over the kitchen.
I think the cold helps too. When I was pounding the iced coffee a couple mornings ago, I could feel that 'cold ice cream headache' sensation kicking in, and then the CH broke. It doesn't work every time, but it's something.
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Jobette
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #5 on: Sep 14th, 2006, 11:52pm » |
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Big Hunter, if you are a husband, you are a good one, and if you are not you will make a good one. "Coffee grounds all over the kitchen" I think that I can make coffee in my sleep now. But coffee and red bull are my friends.
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Who gave cupid those flaming arrows, and why is he shooting them into my right eye?
Where is his love?
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sailpappy
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #6 on: Sep 15th, 2006, 2:46am » |
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 Ice bag when I can't get to the shower. cold water shower on the affected side! 35 years and still works the best for me! Pappy
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BigCoffinHunter
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #7 on: Sep 15th, 2006, 6:37am » |
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I think I may have changed my position on ice. I've used ice packs the last couple nights when I've gotten hit, and it does seem to help deal with the pain some. Lately my whole head has gotten very sore after a cluster hit, just touching the skin on that side feels like I was burned or something.
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chopmyheadoff
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #8 on: Sep 15th, 2006, 6:46am » |
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mine is a cross between the excercise theory and the masturbation thread -
ie give the missus a good seeing to !!
sorry - that was a bit crude
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George_J
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #9 on: Sep 16th, 2006, 2:42am » |
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9 mg melatonin a night in cycle, 3 mg out of cycle. Magnesium and calcium supplements both in and out of cycle.
I take a couple of aspirin every day as has been recommended for me as a blood thinner, instead of the usual 80 mg miniaspirin--I'm heterozygous for Factor V Leiden, so my blood is thicker than usual and clots more easily.
Other than a multivitamin, I take no other medications, either in cycle or out. I tried oxygen without success some years ago, but have since learned that it was not properly administered. I intend to give it another try next go-around.
Can't use ice or frozen vegetables on my headaches, since it causes a tremendous rebound with a massive shadow that lasts into the next day. I wish I could. Heat is worse. Exercise-wise, I'm pretty active. I do Taekwondo, and walk a lot. Lots of hiking. Moderate exercise is pretty good, but I had one of the worst hits I ever had in my life after a day of hard work laying sod in the sun. So I'm careful about it when I'm in cycle.
I intend to try the energy-drink thing next time I'm in cycle.
Since I'm episodic and my cycles have become consistently farther and farther apart with the passage of time (from six months apart to 3 years apart), I'm very reluctant to try prescription medications that may or may not mess with the mechanisms of these things. I did the prescription route years ago with many different pain medications, Periactin, Sansert, and Caffergot. None of them were effective, and Sansert actively made them worse. I'm aware that the triptans are now available, and some better preventives--but again, I'm reluctant to use them for fear of messing things up. I can live with them now, but I'm not sure if I could live as well with chronic CH or with cycles that returned to the six-weeks-on, six-months-off pattern I used to have.
Best wishes,
George
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Ah! The foreigners put on such airs
Wearing the tangerine suits
And their harlequin eyes.
The pain they inspire
Draws in harmonica melodies
And the feathers of birds
Which flame up at their touch.
It all comes to light in the sheer
Debonair.
(Ellen)
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TxBasslady
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #10 on: Sep 17th, 2006, 12:42am » |
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on Sep 15th, 2006, 6:37am, BigCoffinHunter wrote:| I think I may have changed my position on ice. I've used ice packs the last couple nights when I've gotten hit, and it does seem to help deal with the pain some. Lately my whole head has gotten very sore after a cluster hit, just touching the skin on that side feels like I was burned or something. |
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It helped me too. My problem was that after a while of using the icey cold...I decided if I put it directly on my right eye, it would be better. Big mistake for me...I swear there were times I felt I had damaged my eye. The extreme cold and the pressure I used holding that ice on my eye was not the best idea I've ever had..LOL.
One good idea...if you haven't tried it...put an ice pak..or cold cloth...on the back of your neck during a hit. It had a soothing effect for me.
Jean
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How lucky I am... to have known someone who was so hard to say goodbye too.
Take a kid fishin
www.takemefishin.org
I adopted a Vietnam POW/MIA from El Paso, Texas!
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wam
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #11 on: Sep 17th, 2006, 8:41pm » |
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I experimented with a home remedy that went bad.I thought that during a CH attack if I ate ice cream really really fast that the "brain freeze" that comes with it would kill or knock out the cluster or freeze the pain for that matter.WRONG!!!!!!!!!!Not only did it NOT help but made the CH go to a KIP 15!!!!No joke,the pain intensified to a level I never experienced before.I will never do that again!!!!I can laugh about it now,but back then was was freightful.  
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lskilly
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #12 on: Sep 19th, 2006, 3:06pm » |
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Dont laugh to hard at these...
Ice cube wrapped in a paper towel. Applied to the cluster side. I rub it along my nose an accoss the top of my eyes to my ear.
Popcicle or ice cube rubbed against the roof of my mouth on the cluster side. Or thumb pressed hard against the roof of my mouth.
I have tried just about anything I can find because I am allergic to most meds. Right now it's back to Bio feedback to see if I can block the pain like I did 8 years ago.
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| « Last Edit: Sep 19th, 2006, 3:07pm by lskilly » |
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seasonalboomer
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #13 on: Sep 19th, 2006, 3:10pm » |
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on Sep 19th, 2006, 3:06pm, lskilly wrote:Dont laugh to hard at these...
Ice cube wrapped in a paper towel. Applied to the cluster side. I rub it along my nose an accoss the top of my eyes to my ear.
Popcicle or ice cube rubbed against the roof of my mouth on the cluster side. Or thumb pressed hard against the roof of my mouth.
I have tried just about anything I can find because I am allergic to most meds. Right now it's back to Bio feedback to see if I can block the pain like I did 8 years ago. |
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have you had the opportunity to try O2 (pure oxygen) at 10-15 lpm using a non-rebreather mask?
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Richr8
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #14 on: Sep 19th, 2006, 4:27pm » |
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on Sep 12th, 2006, 7:57pm, BigCoffinHunter wrote:
Melatonin...9 or 10mg a night. I honestly have no idea if it helps the CH or not, but it sure makes me sleep better. When I wake up with a hit, I take another one.
Good one for me.
Recliner...I like to bury my face in my recliner and roll it back and forth during the worst kips.
[color=red]Yeah! The rocking part.[/red]
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Looking forward to this year so I can try out some of your other favs.
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| « Last Edit: Sep 19th, 2006, 4:29pm by Richr8 » |
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pf wishes,
Rich
...because yesterday is history and you never know what tomorrow will bring.
"Med free"- A few seeds and lots of O2-LG but not great.
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Melissa
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #15 on: Sep 19th, 2006, 10:02pm » |
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It seems to change for me every cycle...
Things I have done in the past are hot showers (with the tub filled AND shower going at the same time sitting down), cold packs, Dramamine, super hot & strong coffee, doing dishes in almost scalding hot water while rocking side to side with my head tilted back & eyes closed, hitting my head with the palm of my hand repeatedly (sometimes still do that), O2, Kudzu (those two are my fav. since last cycle), smoking (I've been quit for almost 2 years now but it would keep my kips from getting too high. I seemed to be able to ride out a lot of attacks when I was still smoking).
I'm not in cycle....yet, but am currently taking Taurine supplements that I think are keeping my shadows from erupting. I know that something is coming, I just don't know when. 
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lskilly
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #16 on: Sep 20th, 2006, 6:51pm » |
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I tried O2 years ago It did nothing for me then. I talked to my Dr. about it but he didnt think it would help now if it didnt help then.
Thanks
Skilly
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Melissa
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #17 on: Sep 20th, 2006, 7:10pm » |
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on Sep 20th, 2006, 6:51pm, lskilly wrote:I tried O2 years ago It did nothing for me then. I talked to my Dr. about it but he didnt think it would help now if it didnt help then.
Thanks
Skilly |
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Just because O2 failed you in a past cycle does not mean it won't work again ESPECIALLY using a Clustermasx. : http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~tritech2/clusterx/index.html My last cycle was proof that it can work again.
It's cheaper than prescription medication, has no side effects and it's effective. What have you got to lose by trying it again??
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| « Last Edit: Sep 20th, 2006, 7:10pm by Melissa » |
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clusterwife
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #18 on: Sep 27th, 2006, 3:30pm » |
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My hubby swears that yelling helps to get rid of the beast. I have ear plugs when he chooses this method.
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seasonalboomer
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #19 on: Sep 27th, 2006, 3:37pm » |
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on Sep 27th, 2006, 3:30pm, clusterwife wrote:| My hubby swears that yelling helps to get rid of the beast. I have ear plugs when he chooses this method. |
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While sometimes outsbursts, moaning, and crying seem almost unavoidable I would never choose to inflict that kind of an experience on my supporter as a choice. Tell your hubby to pipe down.....
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Margi
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #20 on: Sep 27th, 2006, 4:36pm » |
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Clusterwife, your hubby is escalating his blood pressure while he's yelling, too. THAT's making his attack more intense and last longer. You might want to point that out to him. My hubby learned that lesson the hard way and has taught himself to stay calm through attacks and just ride them out while he sits on the oxygen. It's DRASTICALLY reduced the length and intensity of attacks for him. Hardest lesson he's ever learned and I can tell it's so hard for him to maintain his calm but ... he's learned the alternative makes everything worse.
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lskilly
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #21 on: Sep 27th, 2006, 7:20pm » |
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Your right 02 cant hurt see if I can try it again.
Thanks
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tracyboo
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #22 on: Oct 3rd, 2006, 10:35pm » |
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on Sep 27th, 2006, 4:36pm, Margi wrote:| Clusterwife, your hubby is escalating his blood pressure while he's yelling, too. THAT's making his attack more intense and last longer. You might want to point that out to him. My hubby learned that lesson the hard way and has taught himself to stay calm through attacks and just ride them out while he sits on the oxygen. It's DRASTICALLY reduced the length and intensity of attacks for him. Hardest lesson he's ever learned and I can tell it's so hard for him to maintain his calm but ... he's learned the alternative makes everything worse. |
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I have tried explaining this to my hubby but he can't stop. He is very....let's just call it verbal while having an episode. That's part of the reason I'm thinking Oxygen wouldn't help him. God love him, but he can't keep him mouth shut long enough to inhale the O2...lol...
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BB
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #23 on: Oct 4th, 2006, 12:35am » |
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Give him the oxygen anyway.
I guarantee you that after shouting and inhaling pure cold oxygen through his throat long enough he wont have a voice left to shout !
Worked for my DH
Annette
PS: The oxygen will still work while going through his mouth and throat but its so cold and drying that he will soon learn to keep his mouth closed and breath through his nose.
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jon019
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Re: Home Remedies/Treatment
« Reply #24 on: Oct 4th, 2006, 1:00am » |
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Coffee, coffee, coffee, as hot as I can stand it. Triple strength before an expected hit and during (3 scoops in a single cup, boiled in the micro). Lately, Redbull (wonderful stuff, and I actually like the taste). I'm actually thinking chugging it cold is as much help as the drink itself as it seems to work faster than coffee.
Ice in any form is an annoyance, or worse. Hot shower on the affected side seems helpful in ramp up, not in an actual hit.
Previously have tried capsaicin ointment on temple. Seemed to work for a while, no longer. Even snorted cayenne powder up the nose (you will know desperation when you resort to this). Again, seemed to work for a while (even carried a little baggie of the stuff around), no longer helps.
Naproxen, again, seemed to help at one point, not jack now and the potential side effects scared me off.
Self hypnosis, or intense concentration on surrounding and limiting the pain is effective if I can work up the effort. So very rarely effective, mostly because concentration during a hit is a herculean effort.
Melatonin is working for the night hits.
I'm sure I am forgetting some. It's been 25 years now and I'll try most anything .
Regards
Jon
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