Over the course of one of your headaches, what is the pain level like?  My CHs just came back last week and I've taken a very proactive approach to recording the pain intensity/duration.  Not only does it allow me to see something tangible, but it gives me something to focus on other than pain itself (however strange that might sound).

Anyway, in the few I've had thus far, here is what I've found:
Avg Duration: 62 minutes
0-15 minutes: Shadows, kip 0.0-4.0
15-30 minutes: Full Blown, kip 9.2/Subsiding, kip 6.5
30-45 minutes: Restless, kip 8.8/Subsiding, kip 6.0
45-60 minutes: Trailing Off, kip 0.0-5.0 with aftershocks.

I was wondering if others had any similar experiences; for example, was your pain constant or did it go through waves?  Does it ever give you the shakes/nausea?  What's been your best tactic if you are sans-o2?  Cold towel on the head?  Do you ever try to meditate?  What do you feel like afterward?  I tried the coffee tactic and it didn't do much in aborting it, so I'm looking for other tactics.

For me, it's usually standing over the sink in the bathroom with a cold towel and, from time to time, running cold water on the upper molars.  At times when I'm laying down, I can sometimes block the pain by focusing all of my attention on something else (though this hardly works when the pain is above a 8.5).  Laying down, however, seems to fuel it more than anything.  Once a CH is gone, I'm usually back to normal within 20 minutes, though noticeably without the same spring in the step.  

Thanks guys.    

hey the kip scale! we don't use that much anymore.

i never get nauseous but i do get the shakes real at at the peak of an attack.

i do try to meditate during an attack that seems to help.  

the cold wet towel trick is an old remedy of mine

coffee worked for a while but i think you build up an immunity to it. taurine  works good. (red bull)

as far as waves go they might spike to a kip9 for about 10 to 20 seconds from a kip7.

the attack usually tapers off within a minute. after that it's like nothing ever happened.

i drink allot of ice water during an attack. that seems to help.

laying down is a bad idea. many of use sleep in recliners.

showers work cold or hot. the idea is to moisturize.

sleep with a humidifier and keep the temperature low. i got to a point where i was sleeping on the porch in a lawn chair on 20 degree nights.

try those breathrite strips you put on your nose that spread out your nostrils.  

4 way non generic nasil spray works good as an abortive and clears your nose.

i'm impressed how you documented your attacks. your going to do well with this i can tell. another good idea is to document what you eat and when. stay away from nitrates. i think artonio7 has a link at the bottom of his page when he posts to a calender. it is a battle of wits.
next thing you need to do is get oxygen. we can help with that.

                                                                 great post
                                                   

The few times I've been caught without any abortives. Hyperventilating, preferably with my face in front of an air conditioning vent in my car, on high, inhaling through the nostril on the affected side. Otherwise, NOTHING helps, I just ride it out.

That being said, on cycle, I try to NEVER be unprepared. E-Tanks and trex jabs at the ready.

Joe

-johnny- wrote on Mar 18^th, 2009 at 11:06pm:

. i think artonio7 has a link at the bottom of his page when he posts to a calender

Here ya go... hope it helps.

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with warm regards,
Tony

thanks tony.

another thing i wanted to mention was stay away from smoking weed, drinking beer or red wine,  chocolate, chinese food (dies and preservitives) and i mentioned nitrates. (hot dogs, bologna, sausage, beacon ect)

try to keep your food natural and free of chemicals and preservatives.

a popular supplement we like to use is kudzu and melatonin.

what trying out a new method give it a week or so to work before you decide whether or not it works.

when you do get the o2 and get woke up by an attack get on it immediately. don't bullshit yourself thinking that it going to go away. if your woke up by it your taking the ride. oxygen therapy is an entirely different subject that we'll have to coach you on. it the most effective abortive that i've found when done properly.

0-1 minute: Oh maybe this isn;t happening, maybe it will go away, please stop, oh crap.
1-5 minutes: steady ramp up
5-50to60 minute: a plateau of pain, varies just a little
another minute or so for the pain to pass.

If I can get O2 soon enough, it knocks the peak down a bit, and the whole thing is over in around 15-20 minutes.  If no O2, I hyperventilate and do brisk walking.  I think it keeps the peak down, and does keep me busy.  I can't sit or lie down (but occasionally have needed to while in a car or plane).  Drinking a gallon of cold water also helps.

When out of cycle, I get occasional first-minute things, but they really do pass.