Reconsider the oxygen route. I pulled off a 30 year law enforcement career by keeping an E-Tank in my trunk when I was on cycle. An attack starts with that familiar bunching up of neck muscles, that full feeling in the ear and that "oh crap here it comes feeling." I fire off the 02, 6-8 minutes later I'm pain free.
The fact your doc suggested oxygen, and insisted on a battery of tests to rule out anything more sinister, tells me you REALLY lucked out and found a doc who knows his stuff.
You need an organized approach to managing them so they don’t manage your life. I use a 3 pronged approach, many use a similar approach:
1: A good prevent med. A med I take daily, while on cycle, to reduce the number and intensity of my attacks. I use lithium, it blocks 60-70% of my attack. Verapamil is the most common first line prevent, topomax also has a loyal following. Some have to combine lithium and verapamil together to get relief. The biggest problem with lithium is if the DMV finds out you're using it they want a battery of reports from your doc that say you're not mentally unable to operate a vehicle.
2: A transitional med. Most prevents will take up to 2 weeks to become effective. I go on a prednisone taper, from 80 mg to zero over a two week period to give me a break while my prevent builds up. Prednisone will provide up to 100% relief for many CH’ers but is harsh on the system and should only be used for short periods of time.
3: An abortive therapy, the attack starts, now what? Oxygen should be your first line abortive. Breathing pure 02 will abort an attack for me in less then 10 minutes, that’s completely pain free. Read this link as it must be used correctly or it will not work
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or
Imitrex nasal spray and injectables are very effective abortives. I use the injectables, they’re expensive, and I rarely use them, mostly just when I get caught away from the oxygen. The pill form generally works too slow to be effective for CH’ers.
Go to the medications section of this board and read the post "
123 pain free days and i think I know why." It’s a vitamin/mineral/fish oil supplement, all over the counter stuff, that’s providing a lot of relief for people who have tried it, it’s a long read, worth the time.
Glad you already discovered the energy drinks. Chugging it down as fast as you can when you feel an attack starting willabort or at least really reduce an attack using these.
Finally, visit our sister board for “alternative” treatment methods outside of mainstream medicine. As you’ll see from all the success stories on this board, there is something to it.
clusterbusters.com
Read everything you can on this board, if you are a CH’er, knowledge is your best ally. We’ll help you all we can.
Joe
Home
Pages: 1
First Timer (Read 1369 times)
