Some brain doc told me if I quit nicotine the CH's would go away.  So 10.5 years ago, on July 9,1998, I got rid of my constant companion, nic, and told him to take the beast with him, after many years of entertaining him.  It was wonderful.  Then the beast returned in March, 2000, for a 2 month farewell dance.  Then I was free again!  In May, 2006, he returned again for a 3 week visit, which ended abruptly with a 4 hour K9/7....not even any aftershocks.  (I had my own 1-10 scale, which I have converted to K.)  
  Since then it has been great being an "ex"-clusterhead.  This year in August and September I got a few very slight shadows - the kind I used to get when I was a clusterhead - but I dismissed them.  Then on October 18, out of nowhere, I got a 45min K8.  It wasn't supposed to happen like this.  I stopped the beer and weed immediately.  The next day a 25 min K7, then -- wham -- a late evening 3.5hour K9/7, right in the middle of Hitchicker's Guide to the Galaxy.  I couldnt even finish the movie.
  That is when I checked out CH.com.  I had tried many meds over the years, but wasn't convinced any of them did anything, except for the unpleasant side effects.  The next day I was shadowed all day and drank lots of water.  He attacked again at 7:20pm; I countered with more water, strong coffee and deep-breathing the cool Minnesota air.  All he could muster was 20min K3.  I got a great night's sleep.  Next day same thing -- he backed off after a 15min K3.  Today he is still shadowing me, but I'm feeling confident -- he has been more manageable without his buddy nic.
  This time I'm not going with any meds -- only air, water, coffee, and maybe Red-bull, and most important of all.....only positive thoughts as this clusterhead greets the return of the beast.
  P.S.  After checking the internet, I also quit chocolate, but I'm wondering if there is any solid evidence chocolate is a trigger, or is this just another undeserved bad rap for chocolate?  In Harry Potter chocolate cures everything.  I have no problem quitting alcohol and weed (with the help of the beast) but I'm not so sure about chocolate.

Welcom Johnnystar.
   My episode started out much the same as yours did.
Good luck goin wihout the meds.
                              JPC

Hey Jonny!  Welcome to your new home.

You know you can't get any more natural than 100% Oxygen.  It's a great abortive for me.  If straight air works to reduce the symptoms it sounds like pure O2 would be a beast killer for you.

-Dennis-

Welcome Johnny,

regarding chocolate as a trigger: you simply have to try it.

Not everything that is a trigger for me is a trigger for you too. In addition triggers can change over time.

Good luck,
Oliver

I'm in the same boat with the triggers. It's difficult to know which ones trigger or not?#@?$?%.
My BEAST returned last week after a 4 year remission and have been reading about others CH'ers triggers.
Some say avoid the norms: tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, etc...
Others say... tomatoes, wheat, pasta, chocolate, citrus, sugar and on and on and on.
The other day, I ate (not knowing then)what was listed not too and that night had 8 hours of 7's - 9's.
The next day, I ate nothing but protein and stayed away from all foods that were listed "bad". That night they were not as severe and I actually got three hours sleep.
Today, again, I ate nothing but protein and I have had 4 CH in the last two hours. BUT they have been manageable and only lasting about 15 minutes.
It seems that this cycle I am getting them (everytime) within 10 minutes of falling asleep.
It's damn hard to figure out what triggers work and don't. Good luck.

I gave up trying to figure out triggers.  The only thing I know to be a true trigger for me is alcohol and sleep.

Alcohol is easy to stay away from.  Sleep is the big killer.

I used to keep track of foods but found nothing that was consistent.

I'm with Carl. Alcohol, major sleep disruptions, long periods of sustained stress, and buggering up my sleep cycles. These are the only consistent triggers while on cycle.

And I tip my hat to you trying the med free route Johnny, several on the board subscribe to that theory and make it work. If you haven't tried oxygen, like Dennis said, it's as natural as it comes and is having a suprisingly large success rate on the board.

Whichever direction you go, welcome to your new second home, glad you found us.

Guiseppi

You took the words right out of my mouth Carl
What Carl said
all the best
thebb

DennisM1045 wrote on Oct 23^rd, 2008 at 2:36pm:

Hey Jonny!  Welcome to your new home.

:o