I'm chronic and have had pain every day for over 3 years.  My pain is mostly from 8am to 11 pm almost every 2 or three hours.  The pain lasts for several hours unless I abort it with something.  So far it's been Tylenol, aspirin, and hydrocodone for the worst attacks.  I know that's not good for long term and I'm trying to set up alternatives that I've discovered here.  I have cycles of increased intensity mainly in the Fall-Spring with a little less intensity in the summer.  Now I'm struggling with an earlier-than-normal pain increase, with my work's busy season beginning this month and lasting 3 more. 

Although wine, beer, and colored liquors will trigger, 2 shots of rum will abort in about 5-10 minutes. (too much will have a negative effect, though)  I obviously can't do that during the day.  It is a relief sometimes at night, though.   I realize some of you will flame me over that one, but right now I'm in pain and it's every day without any breaks, and I'm just doing what I know works.  I'm working on alternatives but until then, so be it.  I would love it if I could look at a rum and coke as a once-in-a-while pleasure instead of as a medical treatment.   

I don't want constipation, ED, kidney stones, or memory loss, so the drug preventives that seem to work are scaring me.  I'm going to talk to the doc in a few weeks about them though.

Red Bull seems to help abort faster, but it also wires me up and makes me feel bad in general.  I'm also thinking I'm getting a worse rebound after the abort.  I've started drinking half a can, but I can't tell it's doing any better and still getting what I think may be a rebound about 1 1/2 hours later.  I may give up on that one or try one of the different brands. 

I've been taking D3 and fish oil for over a week now at the levels recommended here, but can't tell if it's helping or not at this point. 

I'm still trying to get my oxygen set up.  I have an appointment with the GP in a couple of weeks to discuss prescriptions, and I don't expect a problem there.  Until then I'm picking up a welding tank today from a supplier that I found close to my house, and my 25lpm regulator and mask should be here by tomorrow. 

Will oxygen be enough to get me through the day?  Once aborted, will the beast stay gone for a few hours so that I can complete a sales presentation and be able to talk to people with my wits about me?   All this is going through my mind and I'm getting scared as my pain seems to be increasing early in the season.  I don't think I can get through my job if it gets worse than it did last fall. 

Sorry this post is all over the place and probably confusing, but that's where my mind is right now.   

The 02 will help if hyperventilated correctly with a NON-rebreather mask.

Everything else you've mentioned doing is counterproductive physically and mentally.

Read everything you can on this board, then read it again.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

Quote:

Knock of the rum and cokes and you will have taken the first steps to remission, from more than CH. Alcohol is a trigger. Plain and simple. Sorry but it has not been a medical treatment since the 1880's. It's your pain.
Quote:

I would take all of that to relieve just one CH attack. Thats my pain.
tachead

Skyhawk5 wrote on Sep 11^th, 2012 at 12:45am:


Thanks and yes having it without being able to use it is torture.  I thought about trying what you suggested but I'm afraid of not getting the flow right and just wasting my tank without getting any benefit.  The mask is correct with the bag.  I hope my mask and regulator come today but they're coming from different suppliers and may arrive on different days.  The good thing is my oxygen supplier is an auto parts store within walking distance of my house, and they know what I'm using it for.  I turn in the tank when empty and they hand me one that's full for less than $20.00.  They're really cool about it.  I just hope all this works like I think it will. 

Well the mask came today but not the regulator.  The mask has the holes but I'm armed with tape.  Tracking shows the regulator arriving on Wednesday.   It was a bad cluster day today and I had two long sales appointments.  I am so looking forward to getting that regulator and doing the O2 thing.

LasVegas wrote on Sep 11^th, 2012 at 10:58pm:



Q #1:  Yes.
Q #2:  I hope so. 

The CGA540 came late today while I was out, and I'm happy to say everything fits right.  I need to buy a good wrench that I can use to connect the regulator, but other than that I have a complete system.  Now I'm waiting to have a nice big CH attack.  It's night now so it's unlikely I'll have an opportunity to test it until tomorrow morning.  The beast comes alive between 8:30 and 9 am every morning, so I'll try it then and let you know how it went.

LasVegas wrote on Sep 13^th, 2012 at 12:09am:


I'm another one who only really gets daytime / evening CHs, with perhaps 1 or 2 ever when I've been asleep at night.

LasVegas wrote on Sep 13^th, 2012 at 12:09am:


Thanks a lot, and drummers hands aren't known for being coordinated in anything except for banging on things. 

BTW - it's not like I'm guzzling a 5th of rum every night.  It's just once in a while I can use a little to knock it out when it's really bad in the evening.  Besides, too much and it WILL trigger.  All the same, I'd rather use the O2 if it works.

Good job...glad you found some relief.
tachead
Rule one with CH...there are no rules.