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Title: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 secs Post by Xenoz on Jul 17th, 2007, 8:46pm Red Bull works for me as the first part of my abortive ritual - I slam a Red Bull then get on the Oxygen as fast as possible. However, it's hard to "slam" a Red Bull - not so much because of the taste (the taste is almost my friend now), but because of the fizz. Even if I drink it as fast as I can (which can take up to two minutes), my stomach is upset by the fizz and I end up burping a lot. We all know that every second counts from onset to using as many abortive methods as possible. But I simply cannot chug a fizzy drink. And I can't get on the oxygen until I'm done with the Red Bull. Here's what I do now as preparation (ie, not during an attack). I pour a can of Red Bull into a clean, empty 1/2 liter plastic bottle. It will be about 1/2 or 2/3 full depending on the size can you're using. Then I squeeze the bottle to get all the air out, close it and shake it vigorously. I let it sit for a few minutes to let the froth die down, then repeat the process. Then I put it back in the fridge. I have several of these bottles ready at any time. The result? Easily "slammable" mostly flat Red Bull in an easy-to-drink-from bottle, ready for an attack. It actually tastes better mostly flat in my opinion too. This method beats having open cans of Red Bull sitting in the fridge waiting to be spilled, or dealing with bitter burps and stomach upset while inhaling oxygen. Also, drinking it from a bottle is easier than from the can. When I feel the slightest twinge (day or night), I can now take out a bottle (or two if necessary) of mostly flat Red Bull and drink it down in under 15 seconds. Using this simple method really helped me (abort rate for daytime attacks is near 100%, for nighttime attacks is about 60% and climbing), and since I learned about using Red Bull from this site, I had to share this simple tip I discovered, and hope it will be useful for people like me who can't chug fizzy stuff from a can! If you try this tip and it helps you (or have an even better method), please respond to this message so other readers have a larger consensus to go by. -Xenoz PS: I only use Red Bull as an abortive, and not as a continual preventative throughout the day. Maybe I'm wrong, but I fear that too much taurine (or a continual ingestion of taurine) may lessen its vasoconstrictive effects during abortive use over time. PPS: Thanks to clusterheadaches.com for maintaining this invaluable forum, from which I have learned greatly and because of which I have suffered less. I really appreciate all the time taken by the webmasters, moderators and posters to help make everyone's cycles a little easier to bear! |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Rosybabe on Jul 17th, 2007, 8:49pm Thanks for the tip! I already leave open cans of coke in the fridge because I get bubbles out of my nose when I drink it and it feels horrible!! ;;D |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Xenoz on Jul 17th, 2007, 9:47pm You know it just occurred to me... Carbonated beverages contain, of course, carbon dioxide. Which is exactly what we don't need more of during an attack. While drinking a carbonated beverage, I'm sure some of the CO2 is inhaled, and although I'm no expert, I assume it's possible that it could be absorbed somewhat by the mouth, throat and stomach while drinking. So perhaps mostly flattening any carbonated beverage (Red Bull, Coke, etc) might be a good idea just to reduce CO2 absorption? -Xenoz |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Rosybabe on Jul 17th, 2007, 9:56pm me don't know [smiley=huh.gif] but now that I think a little more about it, it should work the same way as alcoholic drinks, it gets into your body the moment you put it in your mouth and all the way down and goes up to your brain.... |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by sandie99 on Jul 18th, 2007, 4:04am Thanks for the tip! :) I have been wondering if opened energy drinks still work, but that answered my question, thank you. :) Good to know that when I see bigger cans in some special offer, I can get them (the size I use now is 250ml). ;;D Red Bull and its equivalents help me with the beast and I always love to hear that it helps others, too. :) PF days, Sanna |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by MR_FLOOR on Jul 18th, 2007, 5:36am I prefer Monster but the cans are 16 oz I can slam 1 down pretty quick I never timed myself but it's fast enough to do the trick. Dave |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Xenoz on Jul 19th, 2007, 6:01am I have been finding that Red Bull is also useful after 15-20 minutes of Oxygen if the attack has been thwarted but a shadow remains. Upon waking, I'll slam a Red Bull (flattened, which makes it so much easier for me) and get on oxygen for 15 - 20 minutes. After this, sometimes, I am PF (yay!) Occasionally it only works partly (so I will slam another Red Bull, exercise vigorously, go for a walk, go back to oxygen, etc) Occasionally it doesn't work at all (time to decide whether or not to suffer it out or use Imitrex, my last resort, which never fails but leaves me feeling soupy, lethargic, tight and achy the next day - I will use the nasal spray if I have a clear nostril, the injection if not - injection works faster but leaves me feeling worse the next day.) But occasionally after Red Bull/O2, I am left with a faint shadow - one I am afraid to go back to sleep with. What I have been doing in this case is slowly drinking a Red Bull over 10 minutes, which I have found works very well in reducing or erasing the shadow most of the time. -Xenoz |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Wayne on Jul 19th, 2007, 8:56am on 07/19/07 at 06:01:19, Xenoz wrote:
Hey Xenoz I found a way of dealing with that shadow, I take a Migril (This medicine contains three active ingredients, ergotamine tartrate, cyclizine hydrochloride and caffeine citrate. It is used for the relief of an acute migraine attack. The cause of migraine is not fully understood but it appears the widening of blood vessels in the brain. This may involve the chemical serotonin. Ergotamine temporarily constricts blood vessels around the skull and throughout the body. It is most effective if taken at the first sign of a migraine attack) .with the Redbull, Redbull leads the charge and takes care of the main hit and gives the migril a chance to work and take care of the shadows, rebounds etc. This has been 100% successfull for me so far and the single tablet is much cheaper than 2 or 3 Redbulls. Cheers, Wayne |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by DennisM1045 on Jul 19th, 2007, 10:04am Wayne, Is Migril sold in the US under a different name? Is it OTC or by Rx only? -Dennis- |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Brewcrew on Jul 19th, 2007, 10:12am Those little bubbles are actually my friends. Carbonated beverages are actually absorbed quicker through the stomach lining. Why do you think a scotch drinker will often have his first one with soda if he's looking to get drunk fast? I'd rather burp into my O2 mask a couple of times if it means being done with the pain a minute or two sooner. Just my opinion - your mileage may vary. |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Guiseppi on Jul 19th, 2007, 10:33am It might be their version of cafergot. I'm one of the weird ones that oxygen will stop a hit for, but within 20 minutes of shutting off the 02 I get slammed again. If I stay with just the 02, over a period of 3-4 attacks it will eventually overpower the 02 and kick my butt. Now when I get a hit I pop 1-2 cafergot, my understanding of it is it's caffeine and erggotamine,(sp?), then start the 02. The 02 beats it down, the cafergot buys me 12-18 hours. Might be an option for you, it's considered an "old school" ch med. Guiseppi |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Wayne on Jul 19th, 2007, 10:51am on 07/19/07 at 10:04:35, DennisM1045 wrote:
Dennis Its an OTC drug here in SA and I found the description on a UK website so it must be available in some form in the US although I wouldn't know by what name. Maybe your chemist can help if you take the description with. http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/healthfitness/health_advice/netdoctor/archive/100001665.html Cheers, Wayne |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by DennisM1045 on Jul 19th, 2007, 11:33am Thanks Wayne. Guiseppi, I just read through some of the warnings on Cafergot. Have you had any bad side effects from it? Thanks... -Dennis- |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Shedz on Jul 19th, 2007, 12:13pm Excellent tip Xenoz, cheers. Think my partner will like that one too, wont be burping so much as I dance around the house in the early hours ;) Peace and PFDAN's to ya chap. Paul. |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Guiseppi on Jul 19th, 2007, 12:21pm No I've been fortunate I guess. I'm left with a real "metallic?" taste in my mouth for several hours. I'm somewhat caffeine sensitive so I won't sleep for 6-8 hours after taking it, regardless of the time. (I've been known to rearrange my tool boxes at 3:00 am!!!) Other then that I haven't had any real problems. I only use it 10-12 times a cycle as my prevent, lithium, is pretty effective for me if I avoid my triggers. Guiseppi |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Xenoz on Jul 19th, 2007, 12:49pm Wayne - Migril sounds like the ticket - but doesn't seem to be available in the US so I'll try Guiseppi's remedy and get some cafergot (2 out of 3 ingredients) and see how that helps in conjunction with a Red Bull. Since one of my current preventatives is a constant flow of caffeine (to the tune of three pots of coffee sipped constantly throughout the day, and Red Bulls as needed for night attacks), I'm sure that replacing a bit of that coffee / Red Bull with cafergot won't be too much strain on my body. (I can chug up to two Red Bulls, get on O2, abort an attack and fall right back asleep.) Thinking of trying Monster instead of Red Bull - has 2,000mg of taurine vs 1,000 for Red Bull. Worth a shot! BrewCrew - I never knew that CO2 actually sped absorption - is that for everything or just for liquor? In any case, the "semi-flattened" Red Bull is still a bit fizzy - not dead flat - just easier to drink in a rush. My biggest hangup with the fizziness is that it takes me longer to down the Red Bull before I can get on the oxygen, and that extra minute sooner seems to be helping me. Got three attacks last night and one this morning about an hour after waking - aborted all within 30 minutes, none got severe. Usually I have at least one I can't keep a grip on, so my success ratio is climbing. And it must be noted I'm currently doing a rapid (and body-wracking) taper from prednisone - was on 60mg 8 days ago (and had been for 2 weeks), am down to 10mg today, so I would expect my attacks to be getting more severe - I figure if I'm able to abort these things right now it may get easier after I'm tapered off. I'll never use prednisone again. Verapamil does nothing for me (during my last cycle when I tried it, it made me majorly depressed and lethargic and I found it harder to deal with the headaches which continued getting more and more severe, tapered off it after 3 weeks of no success), and I'm not willing to try lithium or other long-term Rx's, so it's not like I'm coming off prednisone onto something else. Detoxing... Waiting for seeds. -Xenoz |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Rosybabe on Jul 19th, 2007, 12:56pm caution! caution! caution! If you take cafergot you have to wait 24 hrs before you can have any triptans!! (imitrex, zomig, etc) and viceversa :o. now about the side effects of cafergot, I do get lots of cramps on my legs when in cycle and taking cafergot but after the cycle is over and I do not take anymore cafergot I don't get any more cramps. tummy gets a little rough but hell that is better than having a hit no? |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Xenoz on Jul 19th, 2007, 2:24pm Rosybabe, Thank you for the warning! I'd rather have the option of Imitrex when all else fails... And since I'm currently crampy and achy all over (especially the calves) from prednisone taper / withdrawal - I couldn't handle adding more crampiness anywhere! Since my abort success rate is getting so high with Red Bull / Oxygen alone (100% x 4 last night), maybe I'm best sticking with what's working! If I can go for two whole nights without needing Imitrex I will be very pleased with my progress! Again, thanks for sharing this, as I would never have thought there was any reason not to combine them - I suppose it has to do with the ergotamine? How does the ergotamine and Imitrex conflict? Appreciate it. -Xenoz |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Rosybabe on Jul 19th, 2007, 2:39pm I read it in the panflet that comes with the meds but I do not know what I did with it, anyway I found this warnings online and you can read them.. http://www.drugs.com/cdi/cafergot.html it is a very good medicine and cheap but yes it does comes with side effects and some are no so pleasant. |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Brewcrew on Jul 19th, 2007, 4:25pm on 07/19/07 at 12:49:09, Xenoz wrote:
I find it perplexing that you will use Imitrex and other abortives, yet you're not willing to give lithium a try? First of all, the serum levels you must achieve to act as a prophylaxis against headache are about half what a bi-polar patient needs. Second of all, as long as you don't reach toxic levels, the side effects are next to nil. I hope the seeds work for you, but don't be so quick to poo-poo other treatments. Lithium is the only thing I take right now, and it works like a charm. |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Xenoz on Jul 19th, 2007, 6:13pm on 07/19/07 at 16:25:45, Brewcrew wrote:
Hi Brewcrew, It was my horrible experience with verapamil that makes me fear trying any other long-term remedies. My job and business (high-tech IT) requires me to be highly alert and focused on highly complex code development. The clusters alone do quite a number on my focus, and slow me down significantly. The verapamil deadened my mind to such a degree that I became terribly and increasingly depressed and unable to think straight, resulting in the near-loss of my business itself. Since that was the only difference in medication for that cycle vs other cycles, I can conclude with a good degree of certainty that it was the verapamil that nearly did me in. That particular cycle also lasted nearly 4 months, whereas my typical cycle lasts about 2 1/2 months, so it's possible that the verapamil may have extended it, although I can't be certain. However, verapamil works very well for some CHers, and many people have few or no side effects whatsoever. In the same way, lithium works very well for a lot of CHers - but I can't risk trying it for fear of a similar negative psychological response. Also, caffeine (amongst many other thtings) can increase the possibility of side effects with lithium, and caffeine is my second best friend next to oxygen during a cycle. I do know that I have never had a problem nor any side effects with psychedelics - and managed to go into complete remission for two years and two months with a preventative dose (1/3 recreational dose 3 times per year) - more than twice as long as I have ever gone without a cycle since they started when I was 15. I think everyone is different inasmuch as some things work better for some people - for example, for general pain, Aleve is my wonder-drug. No other pain medication does anything for me (including Rx pain meds). Of course during a cycle I don't take Aleve - or any pain meds for that matter. Imitrex isn't my friend - it's my hit-man. It is my last resort if all else fails, and one I hate to use. It makes me feel horrible the next day, especially if I have to resort to the injection over the nasal spray. However, your point is valid and well taken - in general, just because one medication doesn't work doesn't mean a person shouldn't try another - but in my case with my verpamil experience, lithium or other long-term meds aren't worth the risk unless all else fails! -Xenoz |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by DennisM1045 on Jul 19th, 2007, 7:22pm Brewcrew, does lithium affect your ability to focus? If so, is this affect short term or long term? I have very similar fears as xenoz when it comes to side affects of meds and had to quit Neurontin for that reason. My Neuro suggests Lithium as the next line of defense but I remain wary. Thanks... -Dennis- |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Guiseppi on Jul 19th, 2007, 9:23pm I'm a lawman, have been for 27 years. I'm an episodic sufferer for the last 30 years. Two cycles a year, generally 8-12 weeks. My prevent is 1200 mg a day of lithium. For dosage comparisona I'm 47 years old, male, weigh about 190 pounds. The first week I go on it I feel slightly lethargic, nothing I can't overcome with a little extra coffee. (and you pee a lot!!!!) I've bounced from days to nights and back again while on lithium and haven't noticed any effect on my reactions or my judgement. Obviously, I let my beat partners know what's up....they were a little nervous about the e-tank I carry everywhere!!!!! They also watched me and never noticed any problems with my judgement or reactions compared to my "off drugs" time. I use imitrex only as a last resort cuz I hate the way it makes me feel for the 36 hours or so after I use it. Obviously everyone reacts differently to meds but lithium has been a sanity/life saver for me. Certainly worth a shot if you haven't found your magic "prevent" yet! Guiseppi |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Brewcrew on Jul 20th, 2007, 7:56am To Xenox and Dennis, I have very little time right now, so my answer has to be brief. I always had that feeling of sluggishness and inability to focus while taking both verapamil and neurontin. The neurontin did nothing for my CH, so I stopped taking it. The verapamil, however, in combination with lithium eliminated the CH. When it was time to start titrating off the meds, we started with the verapamil (at my request). Once off it, I started coming off the lithium, and sure as shit, the CH came back. So I went back on the lithium and poof - gone. Ever since then it's been just lithium (with a course or two of methysergide). No sluggishness, no constipation, and no CH. Mr. Verapamil and Little Elvis don't play well together (Mr. Verapamil is a bully in the bedroom and always knocks the shit out of Little Elvis), so this is the perfect solution for me. Maybe at some point the lithium will stop working and I'll have to go back on the verapamil, but I'm not looking forward to that day. For now, best thing for me is no CH with no side effects. But like I said, your mileage may vary. PF wishes to both of you, Bill |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by Guiseppi on Jul 20th, 2007, 10:22am Mr. Verapamil and Little Elvis don't play well together (Mr. Verapamil is a bully in the bedroom and always knocks the shit out of Little Elvis), Coffee on the keyboard and down the front of my clean shirt...for that you owe me Brew. ;;D I have NEVER heard that put quite so.....succinctly. Tried verapamil in the eraly 80's.......much younger and in my....ummm....prime......imagine my suprise when the drill sergeant...(my lovely bride)...said TENN HUTT!!!....and the private just rolled over and went to sleep......I'm with you Brew....that was no bueno!!!!! Guiseppi |
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Title: Re: Easy Tip: How anyone can slam Red Bull in 15 s Post by DennisM1045 on Jul 20th, 2007, 1:15pm Ya know, the one-eye'd General still reports for duty on this end. [smiley=guyflash.gif] Thank God! So Verapamil hasn't had any negative impact. Nerontin on the other hand pinned him to the mat (or at least the side of my leg. [smiley=hammer.gif] Thanks for the background guys. Guisseppi, I asked the question so you can send me your dry cleaning bill ;;D -Dennis- |
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