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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Try Running Up a Hill
        
(Message started by: Odie on May 21^st, 2003, 8:11pm)

Title: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by Odie on May 21^st, 2003, 8:11pm

Years ago I didn't know what I was going to do and I thought I was going to go mad. I
stormed out of the house not knowing what I was going to do or where I was going to go.
I headed up the hill behind our house, walking hard and fast. It is a fairly long and fairly
steep hill. When I got to the top, I was all out of breath and stood there breathing hard,
waiting to catch my breath, when all of a sudden I realized the headache was gone! Now
everytime I get one (had them for the past three months and getting steadily worse), I
run up over the hill (walking hard and fast). When I reach the top, I am really suffering
from the exertion, but not from the headache. I think it is a substitute for the oxygen
tank, which I have not been able to acquire. Thankfully, I have walked all my life and
continue to walk several miles a day, putting me in good enough shape so that this cure
hasn't killed me yet.

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by Marc on May 21^st, 2003, 10:18pm

Hi Odie,

I'm just checking in to agree with your abortive method.

I get laughed at around here for saying it, but I can successfully abort 90-95% of my CH's this way - IF and only IF I do it before the pain ramps up. Once the pain sets in, there is no way I could do it.

Be well.

Marc

Title: run boy run
Post by rumplestiltskin on May 21^st, 2003, 10:48pm

My version is vigorous exercise while suckin on the O2.

If ya gotta dance...might as well dance hard.

Love
den

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by ave on May 22^nd, 2003, 2:43am

Marc, I didn't notice people who take on vigorous excercise to keep away the beast being laughed at...

I do know it works for more than the occasional clusterhead, but not for all.

When I was still unmedicated (and unshroomed) I choose the sitting-still-excercise. Anybody who has had invitations to dance by the beast can imagine the effort it takes to refuse to move.

I sit as still as I can, letting the pain wash through me. Afterwards I am sweating like a pig, but I feel so much better, having defeated the demon in one
of his purposes.

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by Roxy on May 22^nd, 2003, 8:37am

on 05/21/03 at 22:18:23, Marc wrote:

but I can successfully abort 90-95% of my CH's this way - IF and only IF I do it before the pain ramps up. Once the pain sets in, there is no way I could do it.

I agree with Marc. This works for me quite a bit, as long as it's done early.

ave....you are a strong lady. You have my respect.

Tracey

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by CJohnson on May 22^nd, 2003, 9:13am

I also manage to abort almost all of my attacks by running.

on 05/21/03 at 20:11:33, Odie wrote:

I think it is a substitute for the oxygentank, which I have not been able to acquire.

I said the same thing to my neurologist, and he did not think this was the case.

PFDANs
-Curtis

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by mwmnyc on May 24^th, 2003, 12:32pm

I once ran across the Brooklyn bridge in an effort to get home quickly to my O2 and found that the CH had gone by the time I had reached Manhattan. Now I jump on my exercise bike when I'm out of O2 (or at the beginning of a CH period, before the cannisters arrive) or want to ward off a minor headache. Also, I'm not certain, but it appears that exercise my reduce the period before a drug take effect- e.g. insert the caffergot, jump on the bike, and relief my come a bit more rapidly.
Good luck, everybody.

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by Charlie on May 24^th, 2003, 10:36pm

The thing is, I think it has the same effect as my circulatory technique. Blood is drawn away to muscles away from the vessel that gives us all the trouble...not much but just enough. Here is the technique by the way. It works too.

Dr. Wright's Circulatory Technique

This is not transcendental meditation, imagery, relaxation, or anything psychic. It's entirely physical and takes a lot of work and concentration. Give this method a good workout. It’s not a miracle, but it’s been helpful to many.

When I was diagnosed, my neurologist said to treat this as a vascular problem. I was told to concentrate on “redirecting” blood circulation in order to retard flow to the head. This is done by trying to “send” blood into the arms and hands or other extremities. When properly done, your hands will become warm and redder with increased circulation. I also found it easier to concentrate on one hand.

This relieves just slightly, the pressure on the affected vessel, which indirectly causes our pain. We all have this ability but it can be exhausting. I was often able shorten my attacks from about half an hour to no more than a few minutes. Sometimes, when awake, I could entirely abort the attack IF I KEPT AT IT. Often, I would suffer only minor discomfort instead of excruciating pain. Do not stop just because your hands are warm or redder. Keep this up until you are sure it's subsided. If you let up or lose concentration, it’s very hard to restart this process. It may take some time but when this works, the relief is almost immediate.

I learned this from the doctor in a few minutes. He simply told me to try to keep blood away from the head. He thought it easiest to concentrate on the arms and hands but any place that works for you is fine. He said to think of it as "filling your hands" with redirected blood. It’s important to keep at it THROUGH the pain. This will be difficult, but it’s the only way this technique will work. Don’t let up until you are sure the attack has ended.

This will not always work, but I think it will always have at least some effect on the severity and duration of the attacks. It can be useful between medications or while waiting for some other drug to take effect. All it takes is a little practice. It was fairly easy to learn and what I'm writing here is more than I got from the doctor, as I've drawn from my own experience.

When awakened in horrible pain, it’s very hard to focus, but I think it’s always worth a try. This costs nothing but hard work, is harmless, non-invasive, and it gives us a fighting chance.

I wish you the best of luck - Charlie Strand

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by Marc on May 30^th, 2003, 1:39am

Bump..

(hey, this method is whole lot cheaper than Trex and works for some of us!)

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by Bob P on May 30^th, 2003, 7:12am

Odie,
I'm betting you're the guy who posted in the Guestbook about running up the hill back in 1999. It is immediately before my entry. It prompted me to try exercise (I do squats, as many and as fast as I can) and abort an attack inside 10 minutes. Thanks for the tip.

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by CJohnson on May 30^th, 2003, 7:37am

Vigorous exercise increases the levels of serotonin in the brain very effectively. This may be the chief mechanism by which running and other kinds of vigorous exercise abort an attack.
Administration of pure oxygen in the proper manner reduces (normalizes) elevated calcitonin gene related peptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide levels. Sumatriptan also normalizes CGRP and VIP levels.
I have read (but not investigated) that oxygen levels in the brain are somehow related to serotonin levels.

PFDANs
-Curtis

Title: Re: Try Running Up a Hill
Post by abarks on Jun 3^rd, 2003, 7:09pm

During the second week of my current cluster, I was very successful in staving off the headaches by exercising at onset. I was headache-free for an entire week, but it quit working. I've been tied to Imitrex since then.

Good luck!