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Topic: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did (Read 906 times) |
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Dave
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2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« on: May 27th, 2007, 2:26pm » |
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After my last brutal CH cycle, I made major changes. I have not had a CH in 2 years since.
These are the changes I made. Feel free to debate, theorize, refute it all, or whatever. I'm just reporting what worked for me, and I have to assume that I am not biologically unique completely.
(1) Eliminate all forms of caffeine in any quantity
That means no coffee, no tea, no chocolate, no caffeinated soda. It also means no decaf, which is low caffeine but not caffeine free. It also means no green tea, white tea, or decaf tea, which are low in caffeine but not caffeine free.
If I smoked, I would have to quit. Nicotine is an alkaloid stimulant similar to caffeine.
Herbal teas are OK. White chocolate is OK.
(2) Excercise regularly
At least 4X per week, mixing up aerobic and strength training.
(3) Sleep on non-cluster side
My right side is my cluster side. I sleep on my left side and sometimes on my back, but never on my right side.
(4) Take it easy on the salt.
I don't avoid salt, but I avoid too much of it. Movie theatre popcorn is the worst.
It's really as simple as that.
I haven't had coffee in two years, and I am certain that if I grabbed a cup of coffee right now the CH's would come roaring right back. But I'm not willing to test it out.
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Grandma_Sweet_Boy
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #1 on: May 27th, 2007, 3:06pm » |
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 'nuff said.
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ClusterChris
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #2 on: May 27th, 2007, 4:07pm » |
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I really hope that is what did it for ya, but before my last cycle, I went 2 years pain free and made no changes whatsoever. My personal opinion is that we can't really change these things, they come and go as they please. I gave up on trying to alter things in life I enjoy just to stop the bastard because I just end up depriving myself of the things I like plus get hit with the ch's. I truley hope your pf period carries on, just thought I'd give ya my take on it all! Looks like I just beat another cycle myself! Had 3 beers last night and still haven't even felt a shadow! WOOHOO!
Cheers
Chris
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vietvet2tours
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #3 on: May 27th, 2007, 4:07pm » |
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Kill em all let God sort em out
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Dave
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #4 on: May 27th, 2007, 4:16pm » |
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on May 27th, 2007, 4:07pm, ClusterChris wrote:I really hope that is what did it for ya, but before my last cycle, I went 2 years pain free and made no changes whatsoever. My personal opinion is that we can't really change these things, they come and go as they please.
Cheers
Chris |
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Well, I'll let you know how it's going after three years...
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andrewjb
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #5 on: May 27th, 2007, 5:57pm » |
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 , rock on dave. but make no mistake the thingy [t w a t ] will re-visit, stay calm, breath deep " n ", rock on. andrew.
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| « Last Edit: May 27th, 2007, 5:58pm by andrewjb » |
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UN solved
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #6 on: May 27th, 2007, 7:15pm » |
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Glad to hear that changes in your diet and lifestyle has helped your migraines.
PFWishes
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JeffB
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #7 on: May 27th, 2007, 9:07pm » |
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I knew that friggin movie popcorn had something to do with my pain. Thanks dude, you just changed my life. Out with the meds AND the popcorn!!!!!!!!!!
You're the best dude, and you've made it soo simple. What the hell were we all thinking.
Can I still masterbate? It would be a real bitch not thinking about Queen Elizabeth every night before bed!
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" It's been my experience that people who have no vices have very little virtues."
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Linda_Howell
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Salt hasdRe: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #8 on: May 27th, 2007, 9:32pm » |
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You guys are so cruel...but I was LMAO!!!!!
Dave, please read all the links to the left of here.
Really.
Education is really our ally here and if you educate yourself a little more you will see the error in your thinking.
sleeping on the non cluster side? 
Caffiene is a vasoconstrictor (shhh...we need that)
Salt has nothing to do with a deformed hypothalmus.
excersize is alway good.
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George_J
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #9 on: May 28th, 2007, 12:53am » |
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Well, Dave, I went three years between each of my last three cycles. Didn't do anything special except get older.
I recommend it.
Best,
George
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Ah! The foreigners put on such airs
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It all comes to light in the sheer
Debonair.
(Ellen)
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sandie99
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #10 on: May 28th, 2007, 4:55am » |
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Dave,
I'm so glad that you've found what works for you. That is wonderful.
Now, when I look at your list, it's what my life looked like. I gave up candy and soft drinks, I've never smoked, I have never had that much alcohol (2 glasses of wine/champagne a year is a lot for me), I avoid salt and spicey food, I work out in a way or another EVERY DAY (I do yoga, pilates, walk long walks).
Yet having done all that I still got hit, a lot. When my chronic ch turned into some PF time, that just happened. Then it came back and now I'm episodic.
I'm not trying to drag your optimism down, absolutely not! I'm Miss Optimistic here. I just want you to be prepared just in case the beast will make its return, it can do that.
And the funny thing is that when it does, it can alter all the things you know about it: I used to drink a lot of coca-cola when my ch begun. Then I cut caffeine out complitely and now, funnily, it is energy drinks (with caffeine and taurine) which keep the beast at bay! Go figure...
Lots of PF days to all,
Sanna
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CH happends, Live anyway! PF days to us all!
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MR_FLOOR
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #11 on: May 28th, 2007, 5:17am » |
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Quote:| When my chronic ch turned into some PF time, that just happened. Then it came back and now I'm episodic. |
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You were chronic and now your episodic Sandie.Is that common I knew it happened the other way but never knew it happened that way.
Dave
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| « Last Edit: May 28th, 2007, 5:20am by MR_FLOOR » |
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burnt-toast
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #12 on: May 28th, 2007, 9:07am » |
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2 years, no CH's - this is what I did - If it's CH, you're most likely enjoying a great remission.
You've made some good lifestyle choices. Making these choice may be a good thing but I don't believe they're the reason you've gone into remission.
Ergotamine + Caffeine - Caffergot is an old CH abortive and even preventative in some cases. High caffeine drinks are commonly reported to abort attacks. The realationship between CH attacks and caffeine as a potential trigger and also as abortive/preventative therapy is confusing. It would seem to indicate that CH is not a true vascular disorder and this seems further evidenced in scans showing excessive Hypothalamus activity in CH sufferers that is not present in other recurring conditions that are true vascular disorders.
My last two Neuro.'s recommended quitting smoking for to general health benefit. However they also strongly pointed out that their patients that had done so had not experienced relief from CH.
Excercising regularly is good for all of us, I don't do the gym thing - don't have to - but when I relax after my most vigorous work days - I've become accoustomed to experinecing a series of nasty attacks. I'm only kidding here but maybe I should stop exercising entirely?
Sleeping on my right (cluster side) is indeed a bad decision. I learned early on that it was nearly guaranteed to trigger an attack. At least for me this is good advise.
Lithium Carbonate is part of a drug combo that provides me with effective relief - Lithium Carbonate can be dangerous if fluid/sodium levels drop and result in Lithium Intixication, so I don't have much choice here when sweating heavily - I have to keep fluid/sodium levels up. Now here's the rub - If for some reason I don't maintain fluid/sodium levels my lithium levels should increase and although dangerous provide more relief. But just the opposite has proven to be true - low fluid/sodium levels will result in attacks.
I hope that you and every suffer experiencing remissions enjoys a miraculous lifelong one. It would be nice if a lifestyle change could trigger a remission in every suffer but I haven't the slightest confidence that lifestyle has much to do with the start or stop of CH or the beginning or end of a cycle in eposodic sufferers.
Tom
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Sandy_C
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #13 on: May 28th, 2007, 11:38am » |
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Dave, I'm happy that these lifestyle changes are working for you. I'm somewhat skeptical though, because many of us episodics do have lengthy remissions between cycles. Personally, my remissions are 18 to 24 months of glorious PF time.
I drink coffee moderately (3 cups max daily), I drink iced tea in the afternoons every day (when in cycle, Red Bull is my friend). I'm not a chocoholic, but I do love a really rich, creamy piece of fudge now and then. I smoke, I don't exercise much at all (borderline handicapped now - can't be on my feet more than 10 minutes without severe pain in my leg), I sleep on all sides, back, front, right, left, whether in or out of cycle - doesn't seem to make a difference to me, and you will never convince me to give up my movie butter/salt popcorn. It ain't popcorn any other way! 
I'm not trying to debunk your theory, but, as others have said, if you truely have CH, the beast will return sooner or later. Keep your guard up, keep your defenses ready.
Good luck,
Sandy
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Jonny
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #14 on: May 28th, 2007, 11:51am » |
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on May 28th, 2007, 9:07am, burnt-toast wrote:| [b]You've made some good lifestyle choices. Making these choice may be a good thing but I don't believe they're the reason you've gone into remission. |
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You got that right, Tom!
After 31 years chronic my CH went away for 14 months, I never once thought they were gone for good.
Enjoy your PF time, Dave!
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Charlotte
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #15 on: May 28th, 2007, 3:29pm » |
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I am glad you're having a long period of pf time.
Whenever I hit the slam portion of end of cycles, I thought something I was doing caused it, and when I hit remissions, same thing. However, now I know that the beast does what it wants, when it wants, and we are just fortunate if something helps.
Good luck,
Charlotte
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seasonalboomer
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #16 on: May 28th, 2007, 8:33pm » |
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Good for you Dave.
I wish that would do it for me too, but it won't.
I hope you never get one again and appreciate your sharing your story. But, I wish it were that easy.
So roll on dude.
Scott
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Re: 2 years, no CH's - this is what I did
« Reply #17 on: May 28th, 2007, 9:08pm » |
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Dave, I too am thrilled that you have been PF.
As for your lifestyle changes in my 22 years of daily chronic I have tried every thing you mentioned and yes at the same time!
When I and many others first were welcomed by the beast we were treated with the standard migraine regimen which includes all the things you changed plus no pickled food, no red wine and on and on. Didn't work!!!
Here's hoping you never get another visit .......Tim
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