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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Oxygen tips needed
        
(Message started by: billyjoe on May 20^th, 2007, 11:02am)

Title: Oxygen tips needed
Post by billyjoe on May 20^th, 2007, 11:02am

Hi All,
Getting a bit frustrated here. I cannot think of any other ailment (CH) who’s preferred treatment (O2) is so ill defined and has such varied success. I’m sure it has a lot to do with the apparatus and its’ application, as well as the nature of the ailment and how it responds to abortive treatment. I have noticed the following:

1)Many people swear by Oxygen
2)Many people have mixed results with Oxygen
3)Many people don’t know how to use it to its’ most effectiveness.

The Oxygen Info link on this site is a good start for the basics but the tips are scattered throughout the message boards. If they are somewhere else, please let me know. As a new O2 user, I am trying to write down the tips as I know them. I would appreciate any corrections or additions to this list. Perhaps, we can refine this list and get it added to the “Oxygen Info” link on the main page. Maybe someday, even a doctor may know how to prescribe this :)

1) Get a Clustermasx
2) Hit the O2 hard and fast. Don’t wait, don’t second guess. This means 15 lpm, in a fairly heavy breathing manner. Hyperventilating for extreme pain?
3) Stay at this level for 15 to 20 minutes or until pain has stopped.
4) If pain has stopped, continue for 5 to 10 minutes while decreasing the flow rate. This is thought to reduce the chance of a reoccurrence.
5) If pain has not stopped, decision time. Either wait for 15 minutes and try again or take an alternative medicine. For many, 1.5, 2, 3, or 6 mg of Imitrex works. Use as little Imitrex as possible; you will pay for it the next day.

Thanks,
Bill

Title: Re: Oxygen tips needed
Post by pattik on May 20^th, 2007, 11:49am

Here is a link to an earlier thread by ClusterChuck which gets revived from time to time. It may have a few more tips for you.
http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=meds;action=display;num=1142748998

Title: Re: Oxygen tips needed
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on May 20^th, 2007, 12:51pm

on 05/20/07 at 11:02:50, billyjoe wrote:

Hi All,

1) Get a Clustermasx
2) Hit the O2 hard and fast. Don’t wait, don’t second guess. This means 15 lpm, in a fairly heavy breathing manner. Hyperventilating for extreme pain?
3) Stay at this level for 15 to 20 minutes or until pain has stopped.
4) If pain has stopped, continue for 5 to 10 minutes while decreasing the flow rate. This is thought to reduce the chance of a reoccurrence.
5) If pain has not stopped, decision time. Either wait for 15 minutes and try again or take an alternative medicine. For many, 1.5, 2, 3, or 6 mg of Imitrex works. Use as little Imitrex as possible; you will pay for it the next day.

Thanks,
Bill

Hi Billy,
Sorry you have confusion regarding the O2. It is actually defined pretty well and well documented.

Your list of 1 through 5 looks pretty good, but keep in mind, technique and results do vary. The only thing I would say is about #5. I do not stop the O2 until the CH has gone. I think the max time on O2 is 20 minutes at a sitting due to O2 saturation in the body and due to extreme dryness in the lungs. I would huff the PURE O2 at 15 lpm for 10 minutes.......and then, while still huffing the O2, make your decision as to whether it is working and go from there.
Sometimes for me, the CH is stubborn and goes away very slowly while on the O2. It can take several minutes to go back down the kip scale......but if it takes me 10 minutes to go from a kip 8 to a kip 6, I still call that a win.

Also, while i am waiting, cold on the eye/head/face is a big help. My tap water is glacial run off, so its pretty damn cold. You might need to use ice or refrigerated water.

PF wishes
BMonee

PS. btw, I dont know if hyperventilating helps, but when you only get 15 litres of air per minute, this is not nearly enough air for me to hyperventilate. It is very important that you get pure 100% O2.

Title: Re: Oxygen tips needed
Post by billyjoe on May 20^th, 2007, 3:04pm

Thanks All. Hopefully I'll do better when my Clustermasx arrives.

Bill

Title: Re: Oxygen tips needed
Post by billyjoe on May 23^rd, 2007, 10:55am

This is what I was looking for :

http://www.ouch-us.org/medications/oxygen/O2_CH_Abortive_v2r7_Final.pdf