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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Odd oxygen reaction....I think
        
(Message started by: henzey on Jan 31^st, 2004, 9:20am)

Title: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by henzey on Jan 31^st, 2004, 9:20am

It appears that I have unfortunately transitioned to being somewhat chronic sufferer....thanks to hormonal changes or other unidentified issues. >:( I was having minor shadows during the day and one or two real clusters at night, but have not had enough time for my preventatives to kick in so my neuro prescribed oxygen which I had used in the past at the end of episodes in the past. So, last night when I got my usual cluster at 11 p.m., I tried the oxygen and it worked great in 8 minutes. Was so thrilled.....but then....it was like my body decided it just had to HAVE the oxygen and about every 2.5 hours I had to get up and use it to abort a headache. Up until that point, I had not had any headaches after midnight, but now I am having them every 2.5 hours unless I take Zomig. Has anyone had this effect with O2 before?? It may just be that my episode is just getting much worse, but this sudden increase is rather coincidental. What do you long-time experts think???

Title: Re: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by ClusterChuck on Jan 31^st, 2004, 9:39am

First and foremost, what makes you think that you are chronic? In order to be classified as chronic, you need to go 12 months with less than 2 weeks (together) painfree.

Second, oxygen. How long are you on the oxygen? You should be on it for ten to fifteen minutes after the headache stops, to prevent a return of your hit. Possibly this is what you are experiencing? The total time on the oxygen should not exceed 20 minutes.

The reation that you describe is not one that I have ever heard of, which does not mean that it cannot happen.

Glad to hear that the O2 is cutting the beast down, and I hope the above helps you.

Good luck, and keep us informed.

Chuck

EDIT: By the way, relax, don't let the condition rule your life. Modify your lifstyle as required, but do not let it rule you! You are the boss! Your attitude has a tremendous effect on how you can live with the beast.

Title: Re: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by t_h_b on Jan 31^st, 2004, 10:13am

Henzey, could you be having some sort of rebound headache?

Hope you get this figured out soon.

Chronic here, from the start, so no comment on the "typical" transition from episodic to chronic. I would be interested in hearing about some experiences with that and would especially like to hear about somebody who went from chronic to episodic.

Is there such a thing? (Fingers crossed.)

Title: Re: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by henzey on Jan 31^st, 2004, 10:14am

Hey, I look forward to meeting you today...by the way, I have been unable to log into my office emails and need to get Deb's street address again. Can you please have her send this to me by CH.com mailbox since my regular email system seems to be down?
The doctor tells me that he think I am semi-chronic, but hey, I am willing to be convinced otherwise. I am having just 5 days of remisson between periods but it has not been 12 months of this yet...thank god.
As to the usage of the oxygen, I had looked at various postings and it seemed that folks had suggested that you should only use what it took to knock it out. So, mine appeared to be gone in 8-10 minutes. However, it definitely was back in about 2 to 2.5 hours. So, it seems like I need to try staying on longer to keep the beast away for a longer period of time. I will give that a shot tonight. One other point, my tank only goes up to 8 liters...not 10-12 as some of you have recommended. Could that be a major issue?

Title: Re: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by ave on Jan 31^st, 2004, 10:46am

Well, considering I had these headaches every two hours on the dot, without the benefit of O2 (or any other treatment) I would NOT call them rebound headaches - which usually are caused by the medication which O2 isn't. I would not be so fast in ascribing the worsening to O2.

You are talking hormone changes - I never had clusters till after the change of life. (Before I "only" had migraines).
After menopause clusters started in, so if you are in the right age group (or are using hormone supplements or something) it is much more likely to be a change in type of your episodes, and not O2.

And I agree, you are not chronic (yet) so be of good cheer.

Title: Re: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by henzey on Jan 31^st, 2004, 11:10am

Thanks Ave and C Chuck for the encouraging news. I am seeing my OB/GYN soon as I think that I am having signs of the "change" and that has triggered a WHOLE lot of these problems....chills, more frequent periods, etc. I plan to try Chuck's suggestion about staying on the O2 longer each time and then second option, taking some Zomig or Flova right before bedtime. I can sleep pretty well with Zomig and I undersand that Flova is not bad either. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the encouragement when I have had such an discouraging night. You folks are the best! I am so happy to be meeting the Raleigh area clusterheads today!

Title: Re: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by duck_soup on Feb 1^st, 2004, 1:41am

henzey,
I use the O2 as my first choice, but sometimes it works and sometimes the CH won't be denied. I've also had occasions where I've woken up, used O2 until I thought the thing was gone, then woken up again, sometimes several times during the course of the night. Most times these things end with me taking a shot of imitrex to kill the thing once and for all. The O2 also seems to be much less effective when my cycle really gets cranked up. Don't know if you use imitrex, but try the half-shot tip. That worked for me especially at the beginning and end of my cycles when the CHs weren't as severe.

Best of luck,

Rick

Title: Re: Odd oxygen reaction....I think
Post by henzey on Feb 2^nd, 2004, 2:28pm

Thanks to all. I have not gotten to try using the O2 longer as my Dopeymax as finally kicked back in and, so far, no headaches in three days!!!! And last night slept like a baby....for the first time in five nights. Next night time cluster, though, I will try staying on the O2 longer (a full 15 min) and/or combining it with a Zomig (I sleep better with that than with Imitrex which wires me). However, I did hear from others that they do get dependent on the O2 and just cannot use it....I may well be one of those.