|
||||
|
Title: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jun 27th, 2004, 11:15am Hi all After careful planning, with the help from people here and clusterbusters of course, I was was able to take my first dosage of alternative medication today. I sourced 30g of fresh mushrooms via the internet (thanks flash) and made a 12g tea which I consumed over a 30 minute period. The well-documented side effects weren't exactly pleasant but were manageable - I still feel a little 'fuzzy' so sorry if this goes off-track a bit. I took the medication when I was shadowing and the shadow appeard to be aborted after 20 minutes. The whole 'experience' lasted about 4 hours and then the shadow returned after 15 minutes and went full-blown (K 4/5) which I aborted with O2. Incidentally, this attack was about an hour after its normal scheduled time. I'm now waiting to see what happens with the night time attack(s). So, 2 questions if you don't mind. Should I wait and see what happens before dosing again (I've read it can get worse before it gets better and I know about the door-shutting thing), and if I do have to dose again, will the mushrooms I still have left in the fridge be effective in 5 days time? Thanks in anticipation -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by forgetfulnot on Jun 27th, 2004, 1:35pm Sorry to be short but, yes, yes ;;D Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Jun 27th, 2004, 9:37pm on 06/27/04 at 13:35:08, forgetfulnot wrote:
It always takes fewer words to speak the truth than to lie or make something up. ;-) Days 4 and 5 after the dose will tell you the most about how effective the first dose was....and they will wait for you. good luck....ask any questions that come up... PF |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jun 29th, 2004, 3:30am Thanks for the brevity (and honesty). Had a single wake-me-up humdinger the night of dosing, but PF all day yesterday :) Still feel a bit fuzzy though. Will report back after day 4/5. Thanks again -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by miapet on Jun 29th, 2004, 5:15pm We believe . . .*smiles* *positive light and energy* D/miapet |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 2nd, 2004, 7:25am Thanks D/Miapet - I've been reading of your success and long may it continue. So its been 5 days since I first dosed.Prior to dosing I was a chronic averaging 2 hits a day. Since dosing - Day 1: 2 hits as standard Day 2: PF Day 3: 1 hit Day 4: 1 mild hit Day 5: nothing yet So somethings working. The day 4 hit (yesterday)was weird. Only a K 3/4 but at 10.30pm. I checked my ha diary and that was a first in my book. So to the experts. Should I dose again or leave it a while? Thanks as ever -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by D on Jul 2nd, 2004, 10:21am Lee, thanks! We're going for the continued success too *g* *YAY* We're glad you're seeing improvements in your h/a!!! keep up with your h/a journal, it is the key to how well you are doing. .they really tell the story for us! As for when to dose . . .I'm the jump in with both feet member of our household *L* . . .but the wonderful support we received from clusterbusters kept me reigned in *L* . . .They kept telling me things like: He's doing better, give things time to settle down *smiles* . and you know what?? They were right!!! *g* Anyway . . .*happy dances* enjoy the blissful days and nights *smiles* *positive light and energy* D/miapet EDIT: oops!! hahahaha, I'm logged in on D's name *L* . .it's me . .mia *L* |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Jul 2nd, 2004, 10:27am on 07/02/04 at 07:25:41, LeeS wrote:
Well..... 1. It is possible they will just continue to fade away from the one dose. 2. It is possible you will need another dose. 3. Today may give you a better idea of whether you'll need another dose. 4. Taking another dose might return you to something close to the cluster activity you described over the 5 days following dose number 1. That wouldn't necessarily indicate a bad thing. Just that you might still get some activity and I didn't want you to think you'd messed up by taking a 2nd dose. That all said....I'd wait to see how today goes. If you get a hit that seems to be stronger or longer than day 4, I'd dose again, maybe with a little less than the first. 10g fresh? If todays activity is less and they continue to fade away....then you can donate those remaining shrooms to charity. ;;D If they haven't gone away and have sort of leveled off, I'd dose again before the shrooms go bad. Keep an eye on them. I know there isn't a definative answer there but I hope it helps a little. PF |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 2nd, 2004, 11:21am Thanks for your support miapet 8) Thanks PF. Today still no hit - just missed my 'normal' 3.00pm hit. Wondering if I'll get the 'abnormal' 10.30pm one again tonight?Think i'll wait and see what happens tonight and over the weekend (I'd rather not dose again at all- didn't enjoy it one bit - but I've gone this far so WTF). Feelin positive anyway. I'll buy some more shrooms if these go off (realise how lucky we are over here)but if anyone is in W London and needs em, i'll donate ;). Might even buy some of those philosophers stones if i do need to - can you mix and match these things? Thanks -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Jul 2nd, 2004, 12:26pm on 07/02/04 at 11:21:28, LeeS wrote:
Sure, they can be mixed and matched but I would advise against it at this point. There are differences in strengths from one to another species and there can be differences in strengths from one batch to the next of even the same species. You're better off staying with what you have, and "know" so you can make adjustments. If these were to go bad and you needed to prder more, I'd stay with the same type you have. psilocybin/gram should still be relatively close so you can adjust up or down on the next dose strength. Once a cycle has been broken and you're just looking to supply your next maintenance dose, you can try different flavours. Good Luck...Hopefully you'll be celebrating a weekend of freedom and independance just like us americans. PF |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 2nd, 2004, 1:38pm Oh shit, forgot about July 4th - sorry.Hope you all have a good one. Sound info again PF thanks - you deserve a bloody medal. Difficult to express this but I know theres something good happening in my head, like the beast is withering away, just dragging his claws a little bit, but he can't get a grip. As we say over here - funny ole game innit. Actually i'm looking forward to the weekend which is normally a badder than bad time for me. -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flash on Jul 3rd, 2004, 8:02am Wait and see. If the headaches get worse then dose again. You are at the critical point, they are either going to clear up altogether or get worse. Have you tried the skullcap? This makes things much more pleasant. Although the general consensus is to go for light medium sided doses, I personally find that even very small doses are effective... and I've been using hallucinogenics to treat CH for 11 years. Until recently the general concensus was to hit it hard, and keep on hitting it until it went away. I disagreed with that approach. Recently people have realised that using the treatment in that way causes ~5 days upset to the CH, where everything is pretty much up in the air. Continued hard dosing week after week just prolonges the time it takes to kill the CH. If I recall correctly PF fell victem to that a couple of years back. I have had relief from as little as the equivalent of 0.5g dried. I now suspect that it may be possible to treat CH with even smaller doses (but unless my CH breaks through I won't get a chance to test this). The treatment usually does me 15 months. Now this is the wierd thing, and it contradicts most of what I've recently posted on the mechanisms of CH and this treatment. You see my episodes still arrive bang on schedule, only most of them I don't feel. The one I am in right now arrived slap bang on time during the 15th month. I know from experience that had it arrived after the 15th month I'd have experienced full on CH. However as it stands all I've had for the last 2 weeks is shadows, going up to max kip 2 a couple of times for a short time period. So according to my actual experience the CH episodes are not postponed by the treatment, they do in fact continue to fall slap bang on their usual dates. It's just that the treatment provides some sort of umbrella cover, and my umbrella is good for 15 months. I suspect that dosing the equivalent of 0.25g dried in the morning, 8 hours later, and bedtime, every day during symtomatic times may be just as effective at terminating an episode. This is just a hunch though. Whatever you do, restrict your sleeping to 7 hours max until he CH stops. Hopefully the shrooms will turn you episodic, and that's much easier to treat and cope with. Although shrooms can't cure CH, they have a great record at turning chronics episodic. Flash |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by D on Jul 3rd, 2004, 9:04pm Re: Question one. If this testimonial is helpful…please accept it as a positive offering. I thoroughly understand how some sufferers categorically sweep aside the potential therapeutic value of psilocybin. If it had not been for the super support of ‘miapet’ the second dose would never have happened for me. She understands me better than any living human being on this planet, and she has an incredible grasp of the structure, dynamics, and sociological effects of clusterheadaches. This is my experience, my perception of the three doses of psilocybin treatment, I hope it is helpful. Dose # 1. No discontinuation of headaches for the first five days, (very discouraging for me)… in fact, anxiety set in with an overwhelming sense of doom. Miapet had to literally hand walk me into acceptance that each of us were unique and special, and that it might takes something more for mine. I had a couple days pain free, then wham, a day or two of more and so on until the next dose. Dose #2. Still no significant discontinuation of headache for the next five days (long excruciating days)… Then suddenly a few days of pain free with one or two days of mild k-4 – k-6 type onsets with oxygen as my only abortive. These headaches were way easier to deal with than what I was dealing with prior to psilocybin. (Then the pain free day counting turned into a daily ritual for me… still counting, going on eight (8) weeks.) Dose #3. Anxiety raised its ugly head once again. My argument was: “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it…” No headaches after dosing…(it is now day three after this dose). To early to tell what to expect. I am just going to ride the tide on this one…and accept whatever the ultimate outcome is while continuing with the plan to see this through to the end. I firmly believe in this alternative treatment. Note: I have forgotten when precisely day one was??? You’d think I would at least make that day a personal holiday for myself!!! Maybe miapet remembers? Additionally it was about day four of pain free days after the second dose that I realized something was going on and it was for once in my favor. Hope that helps? Flash – Question? Your post made me ask miapet to sit down with me and help me understand something here. This is what I told her: “Maybe I should not say I am ‘no longer chronic’? Maybe I still am and my brain just does not know it? I cannot accept that, we have to have hope, I have to believe there is a way and I am no longer chronic.” Some sort of transmitter fires an impulse off to initiate the onset of headache, then in a millisecond flash (no pun intended) it is deflected, ricochets off into a void. I visualize this phenomenon much like a shield being raised in front of the various defensive areas of the brain. It does ‘feel’ as if there are half a dozen different shielding effects happening simultaneously, to me, all in millisecond flashes. (Mind you I am not complaining here, I do not care what it might be really doing, just do NOT stop!) Does this make sense to you? I am just curious. Peace and Positive Energy D Pain Free If savoring every morsel of this Pain free time Is wrong I am sorry I don’t care if I am right or wrong It may all be just a dream But gawd dammit Don’t anyone dare wake me… D copyright © 2004 |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 5th, 2004, 3:37am Thanks for all the support.Great poem D :) Flash, I was PF all day 5. I had a wake-me-up attack on day 6, but so mild that I didn't even get out of bed. But I thought WTF and dosed with just 5g (fresh) on day 7 with the help of the skullcap (good advice). So PF day 7 and day 8 apart from another piddly wake-me-up one which I can live with. Think I'll follow your advice about lower doses if it get worse and see what happens. By the way, to say I'm happy at the moment is an understatement. I enjoyed my weekend :) Thanks -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Filbert on Jul 5th, 2004, 3:45am Great news Lee! Long may it continue! Thanks for keeping the updates coming in. Please continue to post on how it's going. PFD Filbert |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Fatcat on Jul 5th, 2004, 8:32am Lee - Good for you, mate. I've got my fingers crossed for you too. I'm reading with immense interest because I want to try this myself. I'm currently on verapamil so I might wait for my next bout (if this one ends!). You said that you got your shrooms on the internet? Would you mind sending me a PM with details of where I can find shrooms and scullcap in the UK? Good luck! :) |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by miapet on Jul 5th, 2004, 10:49am Fatcat . .there are several threads about shrooms in the UK, Flash has been great about posting them . . .there are 'shroom markets' . .y'all are lucky to be able to buy them like that! *positive light and energy* miapet |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Fatcat on Jul 5th, 2004, 12:16pm Yeah, I heard that you can buy them at Camden. It's a traditional haunt for Londoners on Sundays. Thanks for the advice, I'll see what I can find on the site. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by firebrix on Jul 5th, 2004, 6:21pm I'm happy that you're happy Lee! Great news and thanks for the updates. Have fun! firebrix |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by miapet on Jul 5th, 2004, 9:07pm Lee . . .*WOOHOO* *happy dance* ....and long last the p/f!! *positive light and energy* miapet |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 6th, 2004, 4:02am Filbert, Fatcat, miapet, firebrix- thanks for your continued support. PF day 9 ;;D Check your IM Fatcat. -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 8th, 2004, 3:58am Not counting my chickens yet, but PF day 10 and day 11. Weird question: has anyone else noticed an enhancement of smell after dosing or is this just a coincidence? Thanks all -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flash on Jul 8th, 2004, 7:01am on 07/08/04 at 03:58:07, LeeS wrote:
I always smell... bad. Perhaps it's down to my choice of antipersperant. Keep the updates coming D - to answer your question, to the best of our knowledge the fact the shrooms have worked mean you are now episodic... for the time being. Try slowly streching out your maintenance dose AND gradually reduce the quantity of the maintenance dose. From experience there is always a small danger of a maintenance dose triggering a small episode. The likelihood of this drops away sharply once the dose comes down to level 1 and even a little below. I get away with the equivalent of 1/2g dried cubensis. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Giovanni on Jul 8th, 2004, 9:02am [smiley=thumbsup.gif] |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flounder on Jul 8th, 2004, 10:09am >:( :o ;;D WoooooHoooo! That's great LeeS, Keep us posted! |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 8th, 2004, 10:27am Quote:
Thanks guys.Promise I won't update daily. If I hit my 18 month remission record though, the bells will be ringing. -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 12th, 2004, 9:22am Day 12, 13, 14, and 15 all pain free ;;D |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by 1MajorPain on Jul 12th, 2004, 10:28am LeeS, Here's hoping you have many more pain free days! Major |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by montanabonny on Jul 12th, 2004, 10:01pm yes yes yes......It really works. Don't be discouraged if you relapse. I started off with tx @ every month, then 3 months, and now I can go 6-8 months (or longer, but not by my choice and the headaches usually return). Just remember to go slow (dose low), relax, and enjoy. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 14th, 2004, 7:38am Hi all - thanks for your continued support. I am extremely happy to report that as of today I have had my longest continous remission period for over 18 months (13 days - unlucky for some!). I suppose that I should start thinking about a maintenance dose at some stage? Any ideas would be most welcome. Thanks to all those who have enabled me to get this far. I am a new person :) -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flash on Jul 14th, 2004, 8:12am Wait till 3 months, unless you feel any shadows before then. It is important to keep the maintenance dose low, like in the order of 1/2g dried / 5g fresh cubensis. Maintenance doses occasionally stirs things up a little, and keeping them low helps avoid this. Assuming you reach 3 months, then shoot for 6 months next time. I'm up to 15 months. If you require more before 3 months, then try andslowly stretch out the intervals between doses - even by a week at a time. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 14th, 2004, 10:42am Many thanks Flash. I have marked my diary. Here's hoping for 3 months PF. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 15th, 2004, 3:50am Bugger. Got hit last night. I think the beast is adamant that I don't get past the old IHS classification of chronic. Has no one told him they've changed it?! Just hoping it was a passing shot as he leaves the building. Not a bad hit - whacked it quickly with O2 - and my head feels relatively clear today, but just a bit pissed off, as you'd expect. So back to the experts again. Sit it out for a bit or re-dose? Thanks in advance. -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flash on Jul 15th, 2004, 6:53am Aim to redose Sat evening with 1/2 the previous quantity. In the event that you don't get hit between now and then hang fire and see how next week goes. With chronics it's common place to have to dose frequently with small quantities in the beginning. Some people start off dosing weekly, the stetch things out over time. If you are starting with a 3-weekly dose then that's not a bad thing by any means. From experience this next dose (if required) will hold for at least 3-weeks, and probably longer. It may even finish the beast off. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 15th, 2004, 7:12am Thanks again Flash - all makes sense. Have ordered some more just in case. If they don't arrive in time I'll have to pop to my local 'deli'. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Filbert on Jul 15th, 2004, 7:24am Keeping fingers crossed Lee- hoping it's just a blip!! Filbert |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 15th, 2004, 12:04pm Thanks Filbert. I'm still feeling positive. No more hits today, and if I make it past Saturday, I'll buy you a beer. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by miapet on Jul 15th, 2004, 12:33pm Go Lee . . .Go Lee . . .Go Lee!!! You really sound like you're doing great. I know, that hit was an unwelcome reminder . . .hopefully it was just a 'rogue' h/a (in the words of a famous buster *g*) We're pulling for you! *positive light and energy* miapet |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 15th, 2004, 12:44pm Thanks miapet. Have a great holiday. Look after D, and your G'ma. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Jul 15th, 2004, 1:38pm on 07/15/04 at 12:04:52, LeeS wrote:
I wouldn't worry too much about one or two breaking through. This is fairly common. When the beast checks it out to see if all is well to reappear, and is reminded of what its up against, he usually goes away with a whimper. He sometimes likes to give us one last "I'll be back" from a safe distance, and runs to hide...like the coward he is. And if you buy Filbert a beer....(I heard that promise)..don't be buying yourself one just yet. No sense giving the beast any ammunition this early in the process. good luck...see you in a few days, expecting continued good news. Off to go fishing. PF |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 16th, 2004, 4:05am Thanks PF - Hope and think you're right. No noise from the beast yesterday. Enjoy the fishing 8) -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by pam s on Jul 18th, 2004, 12:34am on 07/16/04 at 04:05:10, LeeS wrote:
Congratulations! I just love reading True Mushroom Stories. Such suspense, you never know for sure how they are going to turn out -- but in the end good usually triumphs over evil. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 19th, 2004, 10:03am Yes Pam. It's a bit like one of those fly-on-the-wall documentaries. I've found that reading other people's experiences has been extremely useful for me in the past, so I'll continue here, at least in the short term. All day Thursday was indeed pain free, although the shadows were always lurking and the beast finally decided to raise his ugly head on Friday night. I'd ordered some more medication via the internet but it didn't arrive on time (still hasn't yet) so I popped to my local 'head' shop for a nosey. Customer service was excellent, however they didn't have any mexican cubensis, just thai and those philosopher's stones. I opted for the thai (to be on the safe side) and although I was pain free all day I made a 5g fresh brew that evening. An altogether much more enjoyable experience this time around and I have once again been pain free since. No doubt it'll be sod's law that I won't need my recent internet purchase, but I'll be more than happy living with that. Unfortunately that beer is suspended Filbert, but watch this space. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Fatcat on Jul 20th, 2004, 4:41am Lee mate, Just to let you know, I've got my fingers crossed for you too. Keep going! Couple of questions - I see that chronic sufferers often have to take regular doses to start with. Is this the same for ECH, or are ECH sufferers more likely to need just one dose? Second question - if you're using shrooms as a therapy, can you use imigran if attacks break thru? Joe |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 20th, 2004, 8:11am Hey Fatcat I'm still a relative newbie, but naturally I've done a load of 'research' and have been helped immensely by the guys and gals from clusterbusters. Have a look at the FAQs at clusterbusters, but as I see it: Quote:
A lot of ECH sufferers appear to be able to stop their cycle with just one (or two) doses. The key aspect for ECH is to attempt to prevent the bout from occuring in the first place i.e. by taking a preventative dose before your bout is due to start. CCH sufferers haven't got that choice, so it often takes a few doses for it to be totally effective - it takes longer to stop a bout than to prevent one. Both ECH and CCH sufferers also need 'maintenance' doses, but the time between doses varies by individual (but should be gradually extented over time). Quote:
It is advisable not to use any medication whilst dosing (apart from O2 to abort). I stopped mine two weeks prior to the first dose and have luckily been able to get away with O2 only, when the beast does break through. As I said, I'm no expert though. I'm sure Flash or PF and the team will put me right if this is a load of bollocks. Speak soon mate. -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 20th, 2004, 8:16am BTW, on the Imigran/Imitrex thing. Quite a few sufferers are experimenting with very low doses of psilocybin as an abortive. I've not tried this (yet) but shall be looking into it in more detail if the beast keeps reappearing. I'm sure the experts will give you more details when it becomes available. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Fatcat on Jul 20th, 2004, 12:26pm Yeah, that is interesting about shroom abortives. Can it work quickly enough? In case you can't tell, I'm really interested in trying shrooms at my next opportunity. As far as I know, I'm still ECH. But since first trying verapamil 2 years ago - which incidentally seems to be very effective for me at low doses - I've been on and off the stuff pretty frequently. I find it hard to tell whether I'm in a bout or not these days because the attacks rarely break through. For example, I had a massive hit in March, so started on verap. I remained on it throughout the spring but decided to reduce the dose by 60mg in June. Got hit with a mild attack about 2 weeks later so have gone back up to the normal level. I have no idea whether I'm in a new bout or whether I've never finished the old one! Hey ho - can't complain. I'm relatively pain free. I'd prefer to go into remission naturally and try shrooms next time. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 21st, 2004, 4:18am I think that the problem with verapamil is that it is sometimes very difficult to know when or if your bout is about to end, particularly if one's episodes are haphazard and don't follow 'traditional' circanual patterns. If you marry this with the hypothesis that both abortive and preventative medication may extend bouts amongst ECH sufferers, then rock and a hard place springs to mind. I wish you all the best with it Fatcat. All I can say at the moment is read, read and read again. There's loads of great stuff out there and if in doubt, post the question - I have always got a positive response here. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Fatcat on Jul 21st, 2004, 4:37am Thanks Lee. You know, I'd gone from annual bouts to remissions of 18 months, 2 years and then 3 years before I used verapamil. I can't help suspecting that it has a rebound effect. I'll keep reading. We'll have to sort out this meet soon. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 24th, 2004, 4:20am That beer's still on hold Fatcat. I managed to maintain a PF period of 5 days following my third dose, but with a bit of shadowing in between. Then got hit on Thursday night (the day after my internet purchase finally arrived) so having shadowed again most of the day yesterday I decided to do another small 5g fresh dose (stropharia cubensis). I'm determined to carry on until I can stretch out the dosing periods until I can at least be classified as episodic again. In summary, it has now been 28 days since my first dose. I have completed three further low level (5g fresh) doses following the initial higher dose (12 g fresh). Over this period, prior to dosing, I would have expected around 50 individual attacks, excluding shadowing. In actuality, I have had just 8 attacks over this time, and at very much lower Kip levels. I'm naturally hoping that this fourth dose will be the last for a while, but I shall continue with this treatment, which as you can see is not a 'cure' for me, but has at least in the short term made my life much more manageable. Thanks to all for your continued support. -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Jul 25th, 2004, 1:01am Thanks for the update Lee. Happy you've shown so much improvement but will be happier when you're able to forget how long ago the last attack happened. We'll be here PF |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by pam s on Jul 25th, 2004, 1:43am on 07/24/04 at 04:20:47, LeeS wrote:
That's really pretty amazing, Lee. Sounds like the beast is in death throes. I hope your persistence pays off big! Pam |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flash on Jul 25th, 2004, 7:56am Each 5g fresh dose contains roughly 3mg of psilocybin. To put that in context a small dose of aspirin or paracetomal would measure in at around 300mg - 100x larger by mass. So in total you have ingested about 17mg of psilocybin over the course of a few weeks. This has produced an 84% reduction in CH activity, and a substantial pain reduction in the remaining 16%. I know of no OTC or prescription drug that come close to matching that performance. Incidentally the 17mg of psilocybin over that time period is of negligible toxicity, and the occasionally unpleasant aspects of it's side effects have lasted no more than a few hours and are to all intents harmless. If you look for the story of Henk, that should provide some inspiration. Henk took a weekly dose for several months, before becoming 100% PF, during that interim he experienced only minor attacks like yours. After becoming PF his remission is STILL holding after more than 2 years (please correct me if I'm wrong). Henk was previously chronic. Flash |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Biker on Jul 25th, 2004, 9:37pm after reading all three pages on this subject, I find myself courious if shrooms would work for me. I have episodes. I was pf for nearly 2 years, but ch returned this past June. I have an appointment with the dr. in late August to get refills of verapamil and imitrex, and in the meantime, am emptying oxygen bottles at a rapid pace. I have not gone 24 hours without some sort of ch since the first of July. Hot days are worse than the cool days. Its been a bear of a month. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flounder on Jul 26th, 2004, 12:02am Biker, The success rate for this treatment is extremely high. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work for you. I haven't had to see my Neuro in over 4 years because of it. Check out www.clusterbusters.com Read up and ask questions! |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Jul 26th, 2004, 1:33am on 07/25/04 at 21:37:57, Biker wrote:
If you decide to try it, your best shot at a quick break would come before your begin Imitrex. Late august gives you enough time, if you start the process now, to try it without slowing down the process conventional meds offer later. PF |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Fatcat on Jul 26th, 2004, 12:14pm Flash - the info is really interesting and I've had a good look at Clusterbusters. This is something I'll be giving a go when the time is right (i'm trying to come off verapamil right now). Lee - thanks for the updates. Fingers still tightly crossed for you. Fatcat |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 26th, 2004, 2:09pm Cheers everyone and best of luck Biker, whatever you choose. I did the % calculations too Flash, pretty neat eh? I'll track down Henk's story for a bit of inspiration. I'm still thinking that maybe I'd have had even better results with slightly higher follow-up doses, but I shall continue with the advice from the experts. On that note Fatcat, talk to the experts about when it's likely to be best for you to dose bearing in mind your own particular situation. I know you're episodic, but I also realise this particular episode has been going on quite some time - I don't have any specific advice, but I'm sure others will help out. BTW, I've been PF again since Friday (after the fourth dose) - so that beer's back on the cards Fatcat (trouble is, I normally get hit whenever I mention a good run). If you don't hear from me, you know I'm OK :) Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Fatcat on Jul 27th, 2004, 7:57am Ha ha. Okey dokey, and thanks for the advice. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 28th, 2004, 3:51am Four days PF again and then I got hit last night >:( Should have kept my mouth shut. Still no Imigran for a month now though :) Think I'll sit tight and monitor until the weekend, unless anyone else would advise differently? Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Biker on Jul 28th, 2004, 11:03pm After all this reading (clusterbusters also), I am seriously considering giving this a try. Yesterday was right intollarable a couple of times, and shadows all day today. Sometimes, I dont want to sleep cause I know what is waiting. If I read correctly, I should wait till my next cycle is about to start???? I should be off all prevenatives???? Thats alot different than what the nueros and drs. tell me about their meds. I suppose experience is the best teacher, and y'all are more experienced than the folks who prescribe what the AMA says we can use. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Jul 29th, 2004, 12:29am on 07/28/04 at 23:03:51, Biker wrote:
You can start anytime you'd like. the vast majority use it to break a cycle the first time. IT does seem to work better (quicker and more effective with fewer doses) to prevent future cycles, but... Most people are convinced to try it the first time when they're actually experiencing the pain they are trying to stop. Others plan on waiting for the next cycle but aren't ready when the next one hits and by the time they're ready to go, they're at least somewhat into their cycle again, in need of a cycle breaker. Those of us that have broken cycles rarely are in a position to not be able to dose on a moments notice. You do need to get off most prevents and aborts for 5 days or so before dosing, (and stay off, especially the triptans after dosing) which is the deal breaker for some people. It's a tough thing to do that we all understand. on 07/28/04 at 23:03:51, Biker wrote:
I was always told to stay on my prevents between cycles. Sometimes I would and sometimes not, and never noticed a difference. When it was time for a cycle, it started no matter what I was taking at the time. I still believe that internet support groups like this, are made up of mostly very difficult cases. Maybe most here are in the top 10% of the worst cluster sufferers. Maybe the usual prevents and aborts help the majority of cluster patients much more effectively than many here. So, maybe the advice to stay on prevents, overall is good advice. Maybe 240mg of verapamil works for many people, with low side effects. OTHO, if this is true, that we here make up the worst case scenarios, then the success rate of mushrooms is even more incredible. Good luck whether you try them now, later or never. Where ever you find relief, may it be soon. PF Hang tight lee...try to stretch out the period between doses. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Jul 29th, 2004, 7:23am Quote:
-Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Biker on Aug 2nd, 2004, 8:52pm I have placed my order. Also ordered more oxygen. I have not used imitrex for awhile. Kinda wanting to save what I have for emergencys when Im away from the house. I know its gonna take time to get those things here, and more time to grow them. I have tried everything else I can think of. I suppose another month of head splitters wont be that bad if this works. At this point in time, I think I would try about anything. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by miapet on Aug 3rd, 2004, 1:42am woohoo lee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're back, and I've been reading like a maniac, trying to catch up!!! It really sounds as if you are doing great!!! Fatcat and Biker . .. .as PF said, whatever you choose to do, I hope you are p/f . . . . Lee . . .if we get a 'buster' reunion/conference, I can't wait to be able to meet all the 'busters' and see a roomful of p/f CHers *g* *positive light and energy* miapet |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by LeeS on Aug 3rd, 2004, 9:51am Best of luck with it biker. Thanks miapet and welcome back. Initially I got hit just the once after my fourth dose (mid-week) but then three hits all on Saturday (normally my worst time anyway) but all relatively minor - and all aborted quickly with O2. Following advice, I was going to up the next dosage to 10g (fresh) on Sunday, but decided to hold fire (just a feeling I had) and was pain free again up until last night (just another relatively mild wake me up one) which I can more than cope with. So my next dose (probably this weekend unless things get worse) will be at the higher level suggested, and I'm hoping this will be the last for a while. Cheers -Lee |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Biker on Aug 3rd, 2004, 5:19pm I am reading, and taking notes. Looks like Im gonna try this method of treatment. Sounds like it may be better than what the doctors give me. It would be nice to have a social life again. It would be nice to be able to hold a real job again too. Hummmmmm I have to wonder if these things show up on the drug tests???? |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by miapet on Aug 3rd, 2004, 9:31pm Biker, go to the Erowid site for a more comprehensive guide to the drug testing issue. What I can say about it comes from my experience (previous job, I drug tested my participants) and from a friend who was P.O. Psilocybin would have to be specifically tested for, and in most cases, it isn't. It's just not one of the 'hot drugs' to test for, and drug testing is too expensive to randomly add that to it. Canibis, amphetimines, opiates, cocaine . . .those are the biggies . . . anyway, as I said, Erowid has data/info. Good luck on your decision. *positive light and energy* miapet edit: It's also my understanding that it doesn't stay in the system long. *pl&e* m |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Flounder on Aug 3rd, 2004, 9:56pm This is from erowid, Mushrooms: \Tested for in Standard Drug Tests? NO Tested for in Extended Drug Tests? Sometimes Possible to test for? YES Detection Period in Urine 1-3 days The first thing to know about mushrooms and drug tests is that psilocybin and psilocin, the primary psychoactive substances in psilocybe mushrooms, are not commonly tested for in the standard drug test. The basic drug test, currently used for nearly all corporate and sports testing programs, checks for 5 types of substances Cannabinoids (marijuana, hash) Cocaine (cocaine, crack, benzoylecognine) Amphetamines (amphetamines, methamphetamines, speed) Opiates (heroin, opium, codeine, morphine) Phencyclidine (PCP) It is, however, technically possible to detect psilocybin and psilocin with a drug test and we have received reports of psilocybin testing during criminal probation and a school-related drug test. Because they are less standard, these tests are more expensive to give than the basic test. The more expensive and comprehensive drug tests are sometimes used in cases where there is specific reason to believe that psilocybin mushrooms use is an issue; for example, an individual who is on probation for mushroom use might be specifically tested for the presence of psilocybin in hir system. However, generally mushroom use does not cause an individual to test positive on most random drug tests given by an employer or school. |
||||
|
Title: Re: Shroom advice please Post by Pinkfloyd on Aug 4th, 2004, 1:44am on 08/03/04 at 17:19:34, Biker wrote:
I've tested these drugs several times now and the only way I know they are in my system is by the lack of cluster headaches. ;;D PF |
||||
|
Clusterheadaches.com Message Board » Powered by YaBB 1 Gold - SP 1.3.1! YaBB © 2000-2003. All Rights Reserved. |