Someone just posted about an abrupt end to their cycle. I'd like to know how yours ends. I'm in the middle of my 5th or 6th cycle ever. Oddly enough, I can't remember how the others ended. I believe they ended gradually with just shadows for a long time. When I was convinced they were over, I would taper off the verapamil. This is my first cycle in 5 years, the verapamil doesn't seems to be working as well as before (but maybe I'm just getting more whiney in my old age). O2 works on most, but I get a stubborn one every once in a while that I have to wait out. I take 450 mg Verapamil every day around dinner time. My CH usually presents itself around 9pm to midnight. How much verapamil do you take?

....with a whimper....

For some reason, I just have that feeling in my body that it's over.  Usually the biggest sign is when I get busy doing something and I "don't think about it" for entire day and before you know, I just went a whole day PF.  I've had random hits a week or so later out of the blue, but then i'm usually fine till next cycle.

Mine just ended Dec 29th...and I got a few shadows even last week...just a tingle in the temple.

I did really good this cycle with 240mg of the Verapamil, but next cycle I'll be trying the seeds first.
    For sure.   6 months of constipation with the Verapamil   UGH !

Hope yours is gone soon.

Stu,

For years my cycles lasted 30 days (+ or - 4).  Attacks were worst in the 2nd & 3rd weeks, and in the 4th week they would get easier, possibly miss a day, and just fade away, without after-cycle shadows.  Like Chad said, somehow I could feel it was all over... maybe just hopeful after a string of PFDANs, but optimism helps.

Last cycle I was prescribed verapamil (320 mg) for the first time (new Dr.).  Attacks stopped cold after 16 days on verap.  I continued the verap to "ride out" the usual 30 day cycle, plus a week for good measure, then tapered off verap.

In this current cycle, I have 8 days on verap... hoping it works the same magic in another week (sooner the better).  This cycle is behaving peculiarly, so I am hopeful, but all bets are off at the moment.

Dr. Sheftell emphasized it was important to take the verapamil throughout the day, e.g. at meal times, with another at bed time.  (4 x 80 mg)  I'm not certain how much this matters, but thought I'd mention since you're taking 450 mg verap all at once.  Maybe check with your Dr. on dosing?

Fox

Usually there is one solid CH that turns out to be the last. The frequency diminishes and I finally get that last one.

On the cycle I had before the one I am on now, it faded out much more slowly and I continued to get shadows for months. I was afraid it was going chronic, but eventually they faded.

Also while I'm on a cycle, I can tell there is just something wrong all the time - even if PF, there's just something that doesn't feel right, beyond the typical fatigue. Usually near the end of the cycle one day it will dawn on me I am feeling pretty normal.

I recommend keeping a log of your CH occurrences. It is helpful sometimes to go back to the last cycle and look at the patterns.

seasonalboomer wrote on Jan 19^th, 2010 at 3:18pm:

....with a whimper....

Yep.  Decreases in frequency and intensity, and just fades away.

Best,

George

My cycles always start very mild and get worse with each one until they peak and stay like that until my cycle just ends abruptly.

Mine ends with shadows after 4-5 weeks.  I'll usually stay on the verapamil for 5 weeks and then tapper off for another week or so.

Last cycle I was on 600mg, but this cycle I had to bump it up to 720mg (240mg morning, mid-day, and evening).  Still get a hit that sneaks through every 2 days or so, but have been able to stop it with O2.

The shape of my cycles has been generally similar to those above.  I also recommend a log.  There is usually a gradual tapering off in the frequency of hits and their intensity.  After a week off, I will usually pick one evening to have a number of beers in a smoky, noisy bar.  And another evening for Chinese buffet.

I hope you can do the same shortly.

Jon

Im pretty new to all of this are most of u chronic or episodic when talkin about the ending of your cycles in this thread?
anthony

Episodic.  It is a rather weird thing, coming in without warning and sneaking out quietly.

I'm episodic, they start slow build up, then ramp down. My cycles typically last 8-12 weeks so at about 8 weeks I start  weaning off my prevent, lithium, see if I start getting hit or not. If I start getting hit again, I ramp back up on lithium.

Joe

Judge_Smails wrote on Jan 21^st, 2010 at 4:36pm:

Mine ends with shadows after 4-5 weeks.  I'll usually stay on the verapamil for 5 weeks and then tapper off for another week or so. Last cycle I was on 600mg, but this cycle I had to bump it up to 720mg (240mg morning, mid-day, and evening).  Still get a hit that sneaks through every 2 days or so, but have been able to stop it with O2.

HELLO
I JUST WANTED TO REACH OUT TO U WITH THIS POST BECAUSE I AM IN MY SECOND CYCLE EVER AND ITS BEEN AROUND A MONTH AND A HALF. IM PAST THE "PEAK" AT THIS POINT SO THAT A GOOD THING STILL ON VERAP 600 MG A DAY I STILL HAVE SHADOWS EVERYDAY BUT NO REAL EPISODES IN A LITTLE OVER A WEEK :D SO THAT A GOOD THING! SINCE IM NEW TO THIS THE WHOLE SHADOW THING CONFUSES ME I GUESS ITS PRETTY COMMON WITH CLUSTERS AND WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE ITS PART OR THE WIND DOWN OF THE "CYCLE" I PLAN ON STAYING ON THE VERAP WITH MY DOCTORS ORDERS AND THE BOARDS OPINION WHO I REPECT 100 % AND I SEE IN YOUR POST HERE THAT U TALK ABOUT "SHADOWS" THAT SEEM TO BE LIKE MINE! ANY INPUT WOULD BE GREAT!
THANK SO MUCH HOPE YOUR WELL MY FRIEND!
ANTHONY

SORRY GUYS DIDNT MEAN TO POST THIS AGAIN!! MY BAD

I'm Episodic as well. Mine start off with a bang. The very first one is generally the most intense when a new cycle begins. (usually about a 12 on a pain scale of 1-10 lol) My attacks are also weaker in the morning (about a 2) and lengthen and intensify closer to night (up to between a 6 and an 8), but the cycle itself is reverse that. I get the most of them in the first few days, then they kind of taper off in frequency until they just, stop.

I envy you to have had a 5 year Remission and to only have had 5/6 Cycles ever. I have had CH since I was about 17/18 and get a Cycle between 4-7 times per year. Over 13 years I figure that's an average of about 70 Cycles since I started getting them. I'm just now after all this time starting a diary, and I tell you, this is the first day of this Cycle and I've had 6 episodes so far today with another one shadowing in as I type. I figure that's roughly about 5 - 10 thousand episodes in 13 years... /sigh lol

See normally my cycle end by having only one hit a day then one every other and then they are gone. This time though, i thought my cycle had peaked and was ending then it almost went back towards the peak again. My cycles are usually 2 weeks and peak with about 6 headaches a day. But this one never hit 6 a day and seems to just be playing with me. I am here, nope I left, ha I am back. I am not sure what is happening......

Does this happen to any of you?