JSM,
For a few of us CH'ers, myself included, a flow rate of 15 liters/minute isn't enough... We need a much higher flow rate that supports hyperventilation. ..particularly when the pain level climbs above a Kip-4.
A 0-25 liter/minute regulator or better yet, a 0-60 liter/minute regulator will make a world of difference... You'll be able to knock down most of your CH attacks in an average of 7 minutes. Check your PM, I've sent you links to some of the sources I've used.
In the mean time there is a technique you can try that basically involves hyperventilating on air then suck down the 100% oxygen. This technique works best with an O2PTIMASK™ kit with the face mask removed.
Block the exhaust port on the 22mm "T" connector with the first knuckle in the palm of your hand and press the open end to your lower lip to block any oxygen leaks as the 3-liter reservoir bag fills.
Then take 3 to 4 very deep breaths of room air as fast and as deeply as possible then inhale the contents of the oxygen reservoir bag. Keep repeating with this technique until the CH pain is gone.
The best breathing technique while hyperventilating involves breathing at vital capacity or forced vital capacity. You do this by exhaling as completely as possible while standing or seated erect in a straight back chair. This gives your diaphragm a full range of motion and that will help ventilate the lungs as completely as possible.
Drop your jaw and opening your mouth like saying the word "Haw" as you inhale and exhale.
When you've exhaled as much as possible and it feels like your lungs are empty... they're not... bend over slightly at the waist and do an abdominal crunch like during sit-up exercises. Hold the squeeze with your diaphragm and chest muscles until you hear a wheezing sound for a couple seconds. You'll have squeezed out nearly another liter of breath. Then throw your head and shoulders back as you inhale as deeply and as fast as possible.
After three to four of these hyperventilation breathing maneuvers, you should start feeling the symptoms of paresthesia - a slight tingling or prickling of the fingertips, lips, or back of the neck. You may even feel a little dizzy. These are GOOD SYMPTOMS for us as cluster headache sufferers as they mean we've hyperventilated to the point we're casting off CO2 with exhaled breath faster than our bodies are generating it through normal metabolism.
Hyperventilating with this breathing technique also elevates the arterial pH. An elevated arterial pH triggers vasoconstriction and it also helps the blood hemoglobin carry even more oxygen to the brain and body.
Of course, this breathing technique works best if you could hyperventilate with 100% oxygen.
You can do the same thing with one of the disposable non rebreathing oxygen masks. Just cup the mask to your cheek and place your thumb and fore finger over the exhaust flapper valves to trap as much oxygen as possible as the reservoir bag fills while taking the three to four deep breaths of room air then inhale the contents of the 1-liter bag as fast as possible without collapsing it until your lungs are completely full.
Then repeat the 3 to 4 hyperventilation breaths with room air as the oxygen reservoir bag fills.
This breathing technique works well for me and several others that have tried it.
If you're still having problems aborting your CH attacks with this procedure, you may have a low arterial pH... Too much acid. When this happens to me, I start taking 3 to 4 calcium citrate tablets with vitamin D, magnesium and zinc washed down with homemade lemonade. I also shift my diet to include more alkaline forming food types. See the following link:
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If your arterial pH is too low, no amount of oxygen therapy is going to help once the pain level gets above a Kip-6 to Kip-7.
Take care,
V/R, Batch
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No luck with O2. what am i doing wrong?? (Read 2347 times)
