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Topic: Cold Air (Read 240 times) |
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JMO
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I've suffered through CH's for the past 20 years. I've been fortunate in that each cycle has been 18-24 months apart, with varying lengths (2 weeks to 4 months) and varying degrees of severity. Prior to my current cycle, my previous cycle was very severe, and lasted about 3 months. I started with Imitrex which was very helpful. But it was expensive, and I could only get about 3 weeks worth. My doctor then put me on O2, which was also successful, but was also expensive and extremely inconvenient.
So, this cycle, I went in search of a home remedy. Hoping by now that someone would have come up with a successful way to abort the attacks, I stumbled across this web-site. I tried hot water, cold water, ice on my head (and feet), and practically every other method I found posted here. When I was attempting the "water treatment", I carried a small plastic pitcher of ice water with me to bed as my headaches usually came around 3AM. At the onset of an attack one night, I started to pound down the water directly from the pitcher. Well, the water wasnt helping, but I noticed that as I was chugging the water, and breathing in with my face in the pitcher, the cold air was lessening the pain. So I refilled the pitcher with ice and just put my face in the pitcher with my nose just centimeters from the ice, breathing deeply. Breathing the cold air has aborted each attack within 10 to 15 minutes each time.
I'm not sure if anyone has attempted this before, but it has made a difference for me. I no longer dread going to sleep at night knowing that I will be awakened each night at 3am by a CH. I can just breathe the cold air and go back to sleep in a reasonable amount of time. I keep that little plastic pitcher of ice in the freezer all day, and just place it on my nightstand when I go to bed at night.
I hope this helps someone else out there!
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ave
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Nice new variety! Thanks for the tip.
If breathing over ice water does not help, try
getting in your car, starting the motor and putting on the airco.
Some here have had good results with that.
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Not4Hire
CH.com Alumnus
New Board Hall of Famer
...WAS PF since Oct.'02, but ...oh my...(CBusters)
Gender: 
Posts: 1190
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Re: Cold Air
« Reply #2 on: May 5th, 2002, 3:16pm » |
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Hey JMO...welcome to the asylum. Lots of info here-read up! I use only o2--can't afford meds like Imitrex and am not happy about the side effects I read about.
Two comments/observations: you say o2 is successful, but expensive and inconvenient. How much are you paying where you live and how are you buying and administering the gas? i.e. what size tank, what kind of mask are you using, etc. For sure , it's "inconvenient", but so is the Beast tapping on your shoulder at 3 a.m. If you're using a canula (nose tube), you're just pissin' in the wind. A non-rebreather mask is the only way to go. See the OUCH site for more detail.
Regarding cold air, there does seem to be benefits to this. My o2 comes pre-chilled because I live in a cold part of the country (Montana) but some people have rigged up tubing in their freezers or thru ice and it helps some. YMMV.
Thanks for your input, keep coming back, and I wish you PFDAN.
Best....Steve
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Mantra: This will NOT kill me...This will not KILL me... This will not kill ME...
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Greg_A
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JMO-- There were some recent post about cold air and other things that people try. I remember reading someone took a towel about the size of the opening on the freezer, cut a hole in it, stuck his head through it so he could breath the cold air. The towel would keep the rest of the cold air from escaping.
I havnt used the towel, but yes i have been known to stick my head in the ol freezer numerous times to breath the cold air. Seem to work most of the time. Although it didnt kill the pain it gave some relief.
I do the o2 all the time when i feel one coming on... the triptans work good but i dont want to risk the side affects if i dont have to. So i will only use those as last resort.
Like everyone else has said... there is no one thing that works for everyone to abort the attacks. You just gotta keep tryin different things till you find yours.
lata....
shut up not4hire....  o2 is the goods
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Linda T
New Board Old Timer
Gender: 
Posts: 440
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Re: Cold Air
« Reply #4 on: May 6th, 2002, 9:25pm » |
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Dear JMO: Glad you found something that works for you! I think it's really important to find that "coping mechanism". It really lessens the anticipation.
Wishing you all PFDAN always, Linda T
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What a long, strange trip it's been!
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