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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> new member
        
(Message started by: jdadams86 on Mar 18^th, 2007, 12:24am)

Title: new member
Post by jdadams86 on Mar 18^th, 2007, 12:24am

hey everybody my name is Jordan, I am 20 years old living in oklahoma, but I was raised in philadelphia. I have had clusterheadaches for the past 5 years of my life. They always hit at the same time of year as well. I get anywhere from 1-4 weeks of them in early june, and 1-4 weeks of them during christmas(give or take a few weeks).

So pretty much twice a year. For the past year i have been unable to get my hands on imitrex due to lack of health insurance and/or cash. I used to use the nasal spray. I am currently employed and have insurance, and I would love to get my hands on some Oxygen.

Now I haven't had time to look this whole site over, I see recommendations from drinking alot of water to hyperventilating. I am curious though, if there are more natural ways of fighting CH's without all of the drugs? Has anybody here experienced great relief or prevention from natural medicine?

I read a great article saying that C-head patient's sleeping patterns get "thrown off", due to lack of certain drugs in the brain like melatonin or taurine. Melatonin and taurine help the body shutdown when it is time for bed. Are any of you restless out of CH season? Not ADHD, or ADD, but just can't sleep sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes? Ok well I just found this site and it sure beats myspace for right now.

chau
jordan

Title: Re: new member
Post by E-Double on Mar 18^th, 2007, 2:31am

Hiya Jordan,

Many find relief by utilizing melatonin.
6-9 mg about a 1/2 hour prior to bed was my magic bullet for warding off the night visits.
The daytime attacks still came but at least I was rested so it made life easier.

Good luck and get O2 asap!

E

Title: Re: new member
Post by georgej on Mar 18^th, 2007, 8:54am

Hello Jordan,

If you're interested in non-prescription forms of treatment, you may wish to consider trying magnesium and calcium supplements. For many of us, they seem to reduce the number of hits during a cycle.

Welcome.

Best wishes,

George

Title: Re: new member
Post by Brewcrew on Mar 18^th, 2007, 9:05am

Welcome, Jordan.

You might want to look into the use of kudzu as a preventative.

Best Regards,

Bill

Title: Re: new member
Post by nani on Mar 18^th, 2007, 11:39am

Hi Jordan. Welcome. Red Bull, and other energy drinks that contain taurine, can abort hits pretty well for many of us. At least for daytime attacks. You don't want to be up all night because of the "meds". You can also get your own oxygen, at a welders supply. Keep reading, there's lots of good info here.
pan free wishes, nani

Title: Re: new member
Post by Rosybabe on Mar 18^th, 2007, 12:15pm

HI Jordan!

Welcome aboard!

Have you tried Ice packs?, a double expresso works wonders!
If you have insurance, you need to see an specialist so he can put you on the right medication and maybe cut your cycles or make then even shorter.

Good Luck to you and PFDN!

Title: Re: new member
Post by chucknot on Mar 18^th, 2007, 10:44pm

Hi Jordan,
I am new too though I have had the site bookmarked and watched if for about 6 years. This is the right site and these are the folks for you they have a wealth of experience.

"Are any of you restless out of CH season? Not ADHD, or ADD, but just can't sleep sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes? Ok well I just found this site and it sure beats myspace for right now. "

As for that question, I have always had sleep problems from my earliest childhood memories. But I expect that is just a symptom of the trait that puts on this list and not the other way around- causal. It would make sense that some of us would be affected that way. I probably woke up somewhere between 5 and 10 times a night. As I have aged that has decreased and likely, some of it I just don't wake up enough to notice anymore. I was always lethargic relative to my siblings. It was not until I was in my 20's that I figured out "Duh, if you wake up all night then you have no energy during the day." And I thought I was lazy...go figure. :P

So, I am looking at the melatonin myself...give our sleep habits it might be a good ticket for us.

Please, go look at the recent Maxhalt ML 10 listing this month...some folks put some really nice ABC info in there for me and it gives me a better grasp for stratagy this go round. Not that I am that entirely obtuse, but there is such an ocean of info that I found it really helpful for them to down speak for me.

Title: Re: new member
Post by jdadams86 on Mar 19^th, 2007, 12:41am

Thanks everyone!!

This information is so wonderful! I am very glad to of come across this internet site.

The uh...oxygen. how much is it to get it from a welder supply store? Is it inexpensive? I would like to do that as soon as I have the funds in preperation for the summer. (this is usually the worst time I have them)

With the red bulls...do you down one at the onset of an attack? or do they even work during an attack? I haven't been able to find anything that works during an attack. Usually once I am in one, I just bend over n take it.

so those are some questions to everyone else. I am also checking out all of the other items and I am sure willing to give them all a try.

This week I am scheduling an appointment to find a doctor that knows what he is talking about. As big as a problem this is...most doctors just want to slap me with imitrex but don't want to study me and figure out why this is happening. It makes me very angry at them.

Thanks
Jordan

Title: Re: new member
Post by hikerguy on Mar 19^th, 2007, 7:34am

Hi Jordan,also people have found results with Indole ring hallucinogens...psilosybin..LSD..LSA..80%+for some just another option thats out there...good luck and try to get some o2 in the mean time....PFDAN....Chris

Title: Re: new member
Post by thebbz on Mar 19^th, 2007, 10:19am

:-X clusterbusters.com :-X
jb

Title: Re: new member
Post by ClusterChuck on Mar 19^th, 2007, 11:42am

Sorry to have to welcome you aboard, Jordan, but glad you found us drain bamaged freeks. LOL

One method that some have had success with, as an abortive, is just hyper ventilating. Do it until you feel dizzy, and even your fingers tingle. What it does is flood your body with excess oxygen, from the ambient air, and depletes your CO₂. It doesn't work as an abortive for every one, but some get results. It doesn't hurt or cost anything to try it.

Good luck with finding something that works for you!

Chuck

Title: Re: new member
Post by BarbaraD on Mar 19^th, 2007, 6:34pm

With the Red Bull -- at the first sign of a hit -- chug-a-lug a can. If you hit the O2 (10-15 liters a minute with a non-rebreathable mask) immediately it usually helps (nothing is 100% with CH).

Jonny can tell you about Welders O2. I just got a set up (had to go thru a whole new deal cause Iost some stuff when I moved). The whole thing cost $49 (2 tanks) and it's $12 to fill the tanks. My insurance doesn't cover it. Soon as I find my old set up I can send this back, but I thought that was cheap. And they deliver.

Melatonin at night will help you get some rest at night. Don't panic if it doesn't work for a couple of weeks - has to get in your system.

Read, read, read -- there's all kinds of things that have worked for people here. Give 'em a try.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: new member
Post by TonyG1 on Mar 19^th, 2007, 6:44pm

on 03/18/07 at 00:24:02, jdadams86 wrote:

Are any of you restless out of CH season? Not ADHD, or ADD, but just can't sleep sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes?

Hi Jordan! [smiley=wave.gif] Welcome aboard ! To your question, I always have trouble with the sleep thing (in or out of cycle) -- not a matter of going to sleep most of the time but more a matter of staying asleep.

Read, read, read on this board! There is a wealth of info here !

Wishing you many pain free days & nights !!

Best Regards,

T.

Title: Re: new member
Post by Gator on Mar 20^th, 2007, 8:26pm

Ant chukoa! That's Choctaw for Welcome (literally, come in). Sad to see another person afflicted with this, but glad you found your way here. I'm in Stillwater so if you ever get by this way, give me a holler and we'll grab a cuppa joe or something.

I use welding O2 and get mine from a Steel Supply house. I lease a K tank for $54 a year and get refills for about $22. I got a regulator from Mr. Happy here on ch.com and a Clustermasx.

Theoretically, at 15lpm for 15 minutes, a K tank will last you about 26 hits.

http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/pstc/backup/paraoxca.htm

With a Clustermasx, I've been able to get more than twice that. If O2 works for you, it is definitely worth the investment.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need any help with anything and I'll do what I can or point you in the right direction.

Mike