Hi folks (and BobW especially)
For the last few years I have been controlling my CH well with just O2, Red Bull and Shrooms. However the latest onset seems a bit harder to shift. I am using some home-grown mushrooms which don't seem very strong and I have now discovered it takes about twice the usual dose to get the same results I was getting before, so early on in this cycle I wasn't taking enough, hence the cycle established itself better.

Anyway, my dilemma is this.
I am currently woking where I have to do a lot of flying. I have been taking Red Bull on the plane with me and was getting away with it (no hits etc) until yesterday when coming back from Istanbul, I couldn't get any Red Bull and of course, sods law, got whacked on the flight. Of course there was nothing I could do, so I remembered back to the days before I was diagnosed, used to deal with it then, going to have to deal with it now,  and just rode the son of a bitch out at 11,000m. I just sat there almost meditating, just letting the pain wash over me, anyway, I survived it. I don't know about you but I find with CH when it runs it course, it leaves me with a bad head for a couple of days, however when I manage to abort one it's usually like it never happened, I suppose the nerves get frayed.

So, my question is this:
I really don't want to, but, should I go to the doc and get some Imitrex jabs for emergencies like this, or maybe a nasal spray or will that mess with the shroom therapy that I find so succesful.
I say succesful because even though I am in cycle I am only getting hit about twice a week! In the last week I was hit last Sunday when I went for a drink thinking the cycle had finished, that was a bad one I couldn't abort. Wednesday had one after dosing which went with just Ice and a Red Bull and the bad boy yesterday. The cycle should be ending soon but after my experience of being totally helpless yesterday I wondered what your thoughts were on this.
Cheers
Rob

Hi Chuffy,

Quote:

I have now discovered it takes about twice the usual dose to get the same results I was getting before

Building a tolerance, first sign of addiction.  My suggestion is to rent the movie "Reefer Madness" to see what the future holds. ;)

Aah, that explains it, thanks Bob.  ;D
Probably didn't help that I mentioned the wrong 'Bob' in my opening gambit, now ammended to the right one.

Have you had success with SPUTS? I never fly without a few pieces in my pockets or purse.

I used them when I first got into the shroom remedy but haven't for years. Remind me what is the best amount/way of using them?

Small Piece Under Tongue

Just a cap (or two) left under your tongue for a few minutes should abort an attack. I suppose that washing it down with a Red Bull would double your chances of a full and quick abort.
For me, just a SPUT almost always does the trick.

Thanks for that.
Out of interest can Hawaiwan Baby Woodrose be used as an abortive in a similar way or do they need preparing as I've never used them but have some on order.

I agree with Nani (as I so often do ;) that the best option for ME, regarding flying, is a SPUT if needed or, in my case, I just take a booster dose (very small) before flying. But, I don't fly that often.

One thing that could be slowing the end of your cycle is the increased flying. Flying often has an adverse effect on clusters,,,,for most people. No matter what they're treating their cycles with.

OTOH, carrying this stuff may not be practical for you or others. In that case, for those emergencies when you get caught off guard, I wouldn't think an auto-injector would be a bad idea. it would if you're in the middle of a strict dosing schedule but the use of an emergency shot isn't going to mess up anything. IMHO.
Just knowing you've got something if needed should make for much happier travel over the long haul.

Up to you on what to carry......imitrex or a SPUT.

Bobw
P.S. No I don't think the seeds would be very efficient or effective for this.

Thanks for the advice folks, a SPUT sounds like the way to go, I really don't fancy using any 'proper' meds, been there done that.

Hi Rob
i use imigran (equal to imitrex, 6mg jabs), and as you maybe know the maximum dosage per day is 2 jabs.
hence, on a particularly lucky day i will use 1, and on a bad day i will use both injections and will have to bear 1, 2 or 3 hits. I feel that this lets the CH "release" its evil, giving it the chance to diminish with time.

HOWEVER, the injections are a blessing from the heavens. I save my daily doses for work, when i am surrounded by people without the possibility to retire in a peaceful place, for a night out i dont want ruined, etc. in case of emergencies such as the one you described, they will save your day. i once had a hit between takeoff and customs desk at the arrival airport, and was using an ineffective 50mg oral sumatriptan cure at the time. cursing and crying in front of stewardesses and cops, it was horrible.
my ch gets very strong and, even if it's already quite painful when i give myself the shot, it will take rarely more than 4-5 minutes to be completely effective. the sense of relief is undescribeable. unlike pills, no nausea, heavy drowsiness or other unpleasant side effects.

i don't know about the interactions with mushrooms though. try asking your doctor, if he/she is not a bigot thay will maybe have a vague idea.

Thanks for the advice, off to the doctor on weds.

If you're going to do the Imigran auto-injector thing this might help.

I was referred to a really good consultant in Liverpool and when I mentioned the side effects from my first time with Imigran (kind of hot prickly flush on the skin and almost psyched out trippy feeling) I was told you can take less of a dose for the same benefit but less side effects.  Apparently the 6mg auto-injector gives you enough of a dose to abort three hits, not just the one.

The way to cut down doses is to trim the stem inside the auto-injector, and even starting with half-dose you should end up with something just as effective but with lower overheads.  Seeing as the packs of two come with an auto-injector you could have one auto-injector set for a half dose with the other one untouched to get the second remaining dose.

In theory you'd get twice as much cover from attacks before hitting the daily limits for Imigran which would be nice. I say in theory because I haven't tried it yet - mostly because I'm out of cluster and haven't had to.  

Goes without saying to keep these needley things clean if you're going for re-use and admit I would need talking through the process again before doing it.  

Still not a fan of Imigran tho' - keep involuntarily tensing the thigh before injecting and have bent needles in the past. Like you I've had most success with alternatives and hi-flow O2 as an abortive over the years.

Interesting too that I received absolutely no discouragement from keeping on with alternatives (psilocybin) during my consultation.  Having an ECG in preparation for Verapamil was pretty sobering, but fortunately academic since the cluster had just about blown itself out when I saw the doc.  

Good luck

Thanks for the Imigran info. hopefully I won't have to use the stuff at all, only got if for a dire emergency. My fault though, I shouldn't have been so lapse with my shroom dosing.
Went to the docs on Friday and got my jabs and also a script for a bigger tank of O2 as I have been getting through the CD cylinders at an alarming rate. She is quite fascinated by my 'alternative' treatment and likes hearing all about it to pass on any info to other patients ( I know she has at least one other CH sufferer). I also passed on the Red Bull trick and told her to direct other patients to this site rather than the OUCH UK site as they refuse to discuss the alternatives on there, I was banned years ago along with Flash and a few others when trying to spread the word.
Anyway, the weekend has gone without a hit, even on the flights, so as usual I have probably got myself fully 'tooled up' just as the cycle finishes, hope so anyway  ;)