I'm getting ready to go into a cycle and I'm thinking about going drug free, which does not include O2 and Alieve. I want to stay off the verap and triptipans in an effort to decrease the length of the cycle. I'm 45 years of age and I cycle every 2 to 3 years and I get hit 3 to 4 times a day. When I was younger, say 15 to 20 years back and I didn't know that triptapans and O2 were available I just fought it with Asprin, and sometimes Vicodin and Marijuana and, the cycles seemed shorter with only a few pain level 10's mixed in (I also used alcohol during this period, now I don't drink). What I need to know is if there is anyone out there that can give me tips on a drug free cycle with the help of 02. I'll try most anything! My cycles last about 6 to 8 weeks now, with serous pain for about 4 weeks.  :)

Hey Jim,

See your doctor for a lab test for 25(OH)D...  It's a metabolite of vitamin D3 thats used to measure its status.

The normal reference range is 30 to 100 ng/mL, (75 to 250 nmol/L).  If your labs come back less than 30 ng/mL this vitamin D3 deficiency may be contributing to your CH cycles...

Give the anti-inflammatory regimen with 10,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 a try...

The complete list of supplements in this regimen, dosing, dosing strategy, interactions and contraindications are at the following link:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

The basic regimen costs $35 or 20 cents a day for five months if you buy it at Costco...

Discuss this regimen with your doctor when you go in for the 25(OH)D lab test.

Take care and let us know how you proceed.

V/R, Batch

Batch speaks the truth. The D3 regimen has been a life-saver for me.

the D3 regimine is a great way to start.

something else that helps is increasing your cardiovascular fitness, lung capacity and such.  when you are in really good shape, your heart rate increases with every time you inhale and decreases everytime you exhale, which works to increase VO2 max.  it helps to have efficient lungs and heart when you are hitting the O2.

May want to check clusterbusters.com for alternative treatments... many on that site are completely off all pharmaceuticals... and feeling much better for it.

You are much more brave than me. All I can suggest is the Vitamin D3 treatment, get the best O2 setup you can, this invloves being prepared to buy your own regulator and mask. You most likely won't find a Doctor to prescribe 25LPM and the O2 suppliers don't have the best mask's.

Good Luck, Don

I recommend the D3 regimen, clusterbusters, O2, and Kudzu in place of Verap.  (not necessarily in that order.)

Quite a number of people have gotten PF relief from busting, and the D3 regimen has been good for quite a few others, in particular episodics.  O2 you already know about.

A few years ago after going chronic (after going on pharmaceuticals and enduring all of the side effects) I also decided to go med free.  Nani had started a thread about using Kudzu as a preventative.  There are a couple of rather long threads in the archives if you will take the time to research it.  I know I went from 780 mg of Verap and 900 mg of Lithium to just a few Kudzu a day and I got better results and NO side effects, other than a little gas if I took it on an empty stomach.  The gas didn't bother me, but others complained. :-[ 

I have found nothing that works 100% for me, but the Kudzu was probably the best thing I used.  Unfortunately, I got off of it to try something else that others were having some success with and when I went back to it I got no help at all.  I have been thinking about giving it another go round along with the Vit D therapy. 

If you need further info on Kudzu PM me and I'll send you whatever info I can get my hands on.  (The best source for it that I found was Swanson's Vitamins. Superb service, and they will match anyone's prices, even sale prices.  I haven't found anyone else's prices to be cheaper at all except for specials.  I can't say enough good about the superb service either.  And no, I don't get a kickback or own stock in the company.   ;D)

All the best,
Jerry