Hi all.  This may be the wierdest cluster question ever, but here goes. 

I am an episodic cluster sufferer, currently in week #8 of hell.  Clusters are getting better, have migrated from 3am to 2pm, and are now being experienced sporadically (I may miss 1-3 days, get my hopes high, then get hit with a reminder that it’s still alive and kicking). 

Late last week, I was offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a parabolic (weightless) flight this coming Saturday.  More details of the flight are below from the company's website, but am wondering if any of you will have any perspective about whether this should be avoided at all costs given my current cluster condition.  I do not want to miss this amazing opportunity if I don’t have to. 

My neurologist has become MIA and is not returning my calls, and I unfortunately have to make a call on this within the next day or so.  Any thoughts?


What Is Parabolic Flight?

Weightless Flight (also known as Parabolic Flight) is achieved aboard Zero G's Boeing 727 aircraft named G-Force One. Weightlessness is achieved by flying G-Force One through a parabolic flight maneuver. Specially trained pilots fly these maneuvers between approximately 24,000 and 34,000 feet altitude. Each parabola takes 10 miles of airspace to perform and lasts approximately one minute from start to finish.

The plane is initially pulled up to approximately 45 degrees 'nose high'. Next the plane is 'pushed over' the top to reach the zero-gravity segment of the parabolas. For about 30 seconds, everything in the plane is weightless. At approximately 30 degrees 'nose low' a gentle pull-out is started which allows Flyers to stabilize on the mat on the aircraft floor. Finally, the g-force is increased smoothly to about 1.8 g's until the aircraft reaches a flight altitude of 24,000 feet. The maneuver is then repeated.

The weightlessness experienced by everyone inside the airplane is actually equivalent to the type of "free fall" you experience when sky diving. In this case however, the body of the aircraft surrounds you and protects you from the on-rushing wind. Flyers do not experience the sensation of falling. At the end of the free-fall period, the aircraft scoops you up and carries you back to the top of the arc to begin the free-fall process again.

In addition to achieving zero-g or weightlessness, G-Force One can also fly a parabola designed to offer Lunar (1/6th) or Martian (1/3rd) gravity. These reduced-gravity environments are also created with a modified parabola that is not quite as steep as a zero-gravity parabola.

Hi Nige
Don't know much about parabolic space flight or plains for that matter , unless they are for wood working , but I do know that changes in air pressure can trigger attacks in some of us .

I wouldn't want to put you off this fantastic opportunity tho .

Nigel

Have you ever had cluster trouble in an airplane?  I

f the answer is no, then I say go for it and bring along some Imitrex.

If the answer is yes, then go for it and bring along some Imitrex.

Clusters wouldn't keep me off of that plane  8-)

-Dennis-

You might even want to consider taking a longer acting triptan (like Amerge or Frova) an hour or two prior to take off. Just as insurance.

I wouldn't miss the opportunity to go weightless for anything.

Agreed on the long acting triptan.  This is once in a lifetime.  I wouldn't miss it either, nor let the fear of a hit stop me from enjoying the experience.

I agree with the prior posters.  Take an abortive such as imitrex or amerge or frova either before the trip or right after you land.  I wouldn't let ch stop me from this adventure.  Have fun and come back and tell us about the experience.

I would go even without the meds!  That is an opportunity I would happily suffer a hit for if I had to.  Enjoy and please tell us about it.

Jerry

Count me IN,

I would do it!!!!

Dont you dare chicken out here!! Can i go??

God speed, Coach Bill

Only thing I can add is that I've been hit while in-flight on a commercial flight and excused myself to the lav to use Imitrex and was "ok" thankfully after it kicked in.

The bad side effect being the pressure change on descent, not causing the CH at all, but rather the injection stinging (this was like an hour later) and becoming a sort of welt.  Apparently fluid injected into your body at one pressure and then suddenly subjected to another pressure does weird things, not horribly things, just somewhat painful things.. like making tender welts on the arm.

So, be aware of that :P

Do it!   

Seems like a few of us on the site are pilots/former pilots.  No portion of flying was ever a trigger for me.  I echo the prevent stuff people have said.  If it were me, I would take a caffeine tablet (200 mg would do it) or drink a few cups of coffee or a red bull a 20 minutes before the 'once in a lifetime' flight.  Only if I was in my cycle though.   If not in my cycle the G forces, or lack thereof wouldn't affect much.  You might throw up??  Different issue. :P

Have fun Armstrong!

--Shaggy

Its an experience not to miss.


Dont let this stop the trip as you probably wont be up long enough but 70% of astronauts experience very nasty headaches possibly due to weightlessness and body fluids over time.

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Take a box of Trex and enjoy the weightlessness.

In theory, you are talking about a hyperbaric environment, and therefore something that may actually be helpful for CH (don't quote me, havent been there!).

Who knows, maybe it busts the beast into outta space?

Be sure to tell us if it does!

Thank you all for some very sound advice.  Finally heard back from my neurologist, and he also gave me the thumbs-up to do this.  Looking forward to this given the hell I've been through over the past few weeks...

Will update you all on the experience. 

Hi all... I had my amazing parabolic space flight adventure on Saturday and was not hampered my a cluster headache.  Took Excedrin Migrane as an abortive, and that worked well. 

We took off at ~10:30am, flew for 45 mins before we were in the fly zone, and then had ~ 1 hour of unbelievable fun.  We did 15 parabolas, with each lasting ~30 secs.  The first was a Martian parabola where I was 1/3 my body weight... probably my greates motivation EVER to get in shape.  Even did a 1-arm pushup;-)  The next 2 were lunar parabolas, which is what astronauts experience on the moon.  For these I was 1/6 my body weight.  And yup, after 35 years of futile attempts, I finally did the moon walk;-)

The next 12 parabolas were all weightless.  I floated around, did Cirque du Soleil types of maneuvers, and even drank floating water.  Got disoriented at one point, not realizing I was standing on the ceiling... and won the superman race for the floating green M&M. 

All-in-all, I had an amazing adventure that will be cherished for the rest of my life.   Glad I didn't chicken-out, and glad that clusters didn't prevent this from happening.

Cheers.

~ NIGEL

Congrats!  I'm jealous, but glad for you.

You learned something I believe from this.  NEVER let the beast rule your life.

Jerry

Wow Dude....

I can close my eyes and see it all, but can only imagine the feeling. 

Glad you didn't chicken out too.  I liked my few minutes of pretend reading about your adventure.

Redd wrote on Apr 5^th, 2010 at 1:43pm:

...... .................I liked my few minutes of pretend reading about your adventure.

Yeah - what Redd said!

COOL , way to go dude

Nigel

I would have hunted you down and bopped you on the head if you'd have missed this on account of the beast. ;)

What a fantastic, once in a lifetime, not to be missed adventure. Jealous as heck out here, congrats on taking the leap.

Joe

Sounds like an awesome time.  I'm so glad you didn't let the beast keep you grounded. 

I'm proud of ya Nigel!!!

-Dennis-