First off, I don't get them anymore, they just went away about 10 yrs ago at age 35 after 20 yrs.  Suffered like a bastard from age 16-35 though, taking final exams in college or being in a meeting at work when I got one was always a fun time.  I thought i had a brain tumor in high school, you all know the drill, had an MRI/brain scan and diagnosed with clusters.  Classic symptoms, never took any drugs until about 30. Finally went to John Grahm headache center and was just really happy that there were people out there that actually understood what it was like.  Anyway, here's what I used to help me get off the peak:  take Excedrin (later found out it has caffiene which can help); go to darkest, quietest place I could find, get as much air as possible (cool air); breath deeply inhaling large breaths; try to purposefully "slow down" my thoughts and beta waves; try to make my body completely limp.  If I could do this I could get off a peak in ~10-15 minutes and be functional.  You guys already probably know as this bc of this excellent message board, but that kind of worked a little for me in a trial and error way.

Other than the Excedrin, your approach sounds familiar.

Even though I now use oxygen as an abortive, I still go to a dark, quiet place where I can concentrate on reducing my reaction to an attack, slow my heart rate, take deep, slow breaths, hyperventilate, slow my thoughts, and relax as much as possible.  I also concentrate my attention away from the "focal point" of the pain, to an adjacent area.  Doing all this seems to produce a mild trance state where the pain still exists, but it exists at some remove. 

It was part of the "coping strategy" I used to endure an attack for many years when I used no medications.  It still helps.

I will add, though, that learning to do this was one of the hardest things I've ever done.  It's contrary to every instinct.

I think many of us who've had these for a long time learn to do something similar.

Glad to hear you've managed to leave them behind for the past ten years.  Posts like that give everyone hope, and hope is most welcome.

Best wishes,

George

BC Powder and Excedrin are great for regular head aches but the have NEVER worked for my CH. I would be very afraid to take more than what the label says because this can cause internal bleeding. I personally know someone who almost bled to death because  he was taking too much BC on a daily basis. I find it hard to believe anyone that has been medically diagnosed with CH would not be given any type of perscription medication to treat the CH. Just because something is sold without a script does not mean it can't be deadly when used incorrectly.

Please do not attack the moderators on this board. They give so much selflessly to help others.  How much of your own personal time, effort and money have you devoted to helping others with CH??

JHK07 wrote on May 18^th, 2010 at 12:16pm:

This kind of thing will land you in an ER with black stool and puking blood. Or worse.

So either heed or don't. That's what's so wonderful about being a human. You have choices.

Potter wrote on May 18^th, 2010 at 12:58pm:



I am not ducking w/ Linda.  Her words need to be chosen more carefully.  I am not mad at  her... I could careless that it was wrote.
But people come her for information/ support.   We don't need to feed them false information or hope. 

Part of the battle w/ these things is finding a way to cope....
they read my post.... "Yea I beat the beast last nite,  only 2 aspirin. gone in 15 minutes."

They read someone elses post...." yea, i killed the beast last nite..  i had 2 trex shots, 4 red bulls,... etc.


Linda using that statement is like me saying nobody likes you.   I speak for everyone.... ya know.

JHK07 wrote on May 18^th, 2010 at 1:54pm:


So why don't you follow your own advice??


                

JHK07 wrote on May 18^th, 2010 at 2:37pm:


I think you need to know that there are many things that are true for MOST people with CH:

1.  They SHOULD have tried O2 first.  Non-rebreather at 15 lpm+   May not work, but they SHOULD try it first.

2.  Typical headaches meds don't work.

3.  Pain killers don't work


Yes, some people claim to be exceptions, but for the most part these things are true. 

This is passing off useful information.  Suggesting anything to the contrary is careless.  Linda isn't speaking for all of us, just most of us.

JHK07 wrote on May 18^th, 2010 at 4:02pm:


I don't know why you want to start something, but please stop.  You COULD have taken my assertion that some people have claimed otherwise and agreed and instead you have to be antagonistic.

While there are a few who claim to have relief from headache meds and/or pain killers, it is a SMALL sample of people.  To suggest it as a line of defense is somewhat careless until other ways are exhausted.

Pain meds and headache meds are more likely to cause other problems than they are to help with CH.  So while you think it is important for every possible remedy to be mentioned, most here try to emphasize methods that actually are more likely to work than not.

Otherwise, we would be touting grape jelly and bananas rubbed on our temples and tin foil hats.

Brew wrote on May 18^th, 2010 at 4:35pm:


I hear some people have tried beer as a feminine hygiene product as well, with reported success (the person has not had a CH since).

I wanted to respond Linda......but I'm a moderator......I'm no longer sure what that means....

Joe

TFH!    TFH!    TFH!    TFH!    TFH!    TFH!   

JHK07 wrote on May 19^th, 2010 at 8:27am:


Do I need a jackass to English dictionary or am I misreading this?

FramCire wrote on May 19^th, 2010 at 10:06am:


Well, I'm NOT a moderator but I didn't respond to this post cause I didn't WANT a moderator to have to tell me to SHUT UP!!!    Hmmm....guess maybe I am mellowing with old age....

DD