First I was taking  O2 at 15lpm one night and it woked like a charm for 15min.  Then I went to bed and 2hrs later my cluser came back.  I got on 02 for another 20min and it worked great.  I went to sleep and all was well.   Well the next day at about 4pm I had a anxiety attach and started to hyperventiate.  I had to go to  ER it go so bad.  They said I just need to calm down and control my breathing, do the paper bag thing.   

So I left the O2 alone for 24 hours and I didn't have a CH attack! (yay)  Then last night I had a CH attach and got on oxyegen for only 5 mins and then began to get dizzy and felt like I needed to faint.   The tank was on the end of it's life this time and may not have been givin' 15lm?  But then again, when it was full, i hyperventilated big time the next day. can anyone tell me what's wrong? I don't want to abort the headache just to fill like Im going into shock later.  Also, I kept breathing into a brown paper bag over over and over, and over again to no help.  can someone explain what had happened?

No doctor here. I have used 02 for many years as an abortive. I deep breathe and do get a little light headed and tingly, but nothing even near to having to do the paper bag deal to stop it.

My guess is that you're spinning up at the thought of a cluster attack......very understandable.......and that's causing the anxiety attack/hyper ventilation issue.

Again I am not a doctor, just a CH'er who uses 02 a lot without any issues. Really hope you can get it worked out, 02 has been a god send for me. I drink an energy drink....sugar free red bull......when I start the oxygen. Seems to prevent the come back attack when I shut off the 02. I used to use oral cafergot for that until someone on the board suggested I try energy drinks. If the come backers continue might be worth a try.

Joe

Joe is right, O2 should not cause the symptoms you are having. What type of mask are you using? A NON-rebreather with a bag is required, or a demand valve.

CH attacks can cause major anxiety, I get that too. It helps having the best treatments that can very from person to person. Are you taking any preventatives and other abortives?

We're here to help but we need to know what you're doing for your CH at present.

Don

Quote:

I am hyperventilating with 02

vinrock_21 wrote on May 3^rd, 2010 at 5:00pm:

They said I just need to calm down and control my breathing, ... Then last night I had a CH attach and got on oxyegen for only 5 mins and then began to get dizzy and felt like I needed to faint.   The tank was on the end of it's life this time and may not have been givin' 15lm?  But then again, when it was full, i hyperventilated big time the next day.

Try breathing in just a normal, calm fashion, breaths just slightly deeper than normal respiration that can be maintained indefinitely with natural feeling, not like as if at heightened physical activity.  As long as your intake is all 100% oxygen with a non-rebreather, removing the mask to exhale, slow and steady may get the job done without raising any coexisting crisis-like functioning .     :)

Well, to answer some of your guys' questions, I was using a rebreather mask and using 15lpm.  However, I ended up in the emergency room twice so far.  The first time was just out of the blue and I hyperventilated big time, even went into body spasms.  They took my cat scan but said I had no major brain problems but did find a sinus infection.  It looks like I've had a sinus infection for two weeks now without taking care of it for two weeks.  I'm on antibotics now.  I'm on week three and actually, I think my clusters might be going away!!!! (I have never had them longer than 3 weeks ever so this is normal for me).

However, I went to the ER a second time, and it was immediately after using 15lpm with the mask and 3am.  I just started getting dizzy and light headed, and couldn't slow my breathing.  At the ER they said I am having anxiety/panic attacks.  They gave me xanax. 

Now for the last 4 days, I have been waking up in the middle of the night panicing for no reason.  Sometimes I think I still have a tumor they didn't find, sometimes I'm just afraid to go into spasms again and go to the ER again, and sometimes I'm just afraid of the dark/night because those were when my really really bad clusters would hit.

Anyone ever get anxiety after clusters??  This is the first time I have ever had this happen to me.

If your mask has a bag it's a NONREBREATHER and that's good, if it doesn't have a bag it's a REBREATHER and pretty much worthless for CH.

Good Luck, Don

Hey vinrock-21,

Anxiety attacks are very possible during oxygen therapy at flow rates up to 15 liters/minute when breathing is constrained by the non-rebreathing mask and the level of physical activity is high.

When the total minute volume of lung ventilation is constrained by a non-rebreathing mask at these flow rates and there is any increase in physical activity as is typical for the cluster headache sufferer at the higher pain levels, the partial pressure of arterial CO2 (PaCO2) will rise as a result of the increased physical activity/metabolism.  This can easily drive the respiratory system into hypercapnia (too much CO2), respiratory acidosis, and a depressed pH.

These conditions can easily trigger anxiety and panic attacks with spontaneous hyperventilation as another of the possible results.

Take care and heck your PM for further info.

V/R, Batch