I've used O2 for a dozen years on 3 HA a night. I have an entirely different experience with O2 than reported in the survey, particularly in regard to the conclusions on lower lpm flows and CO2. I use an E tank with an ordinary regulator that goes to 8 lpm and I use a conventional plastic mask like the paramedics use. For me, no matter how intense the HA, the O2 wipes it out in 4 to 11 minutes, the only exception being if even the slightest amount of alcohol was in my system. Often I supplement with 1 or 2 large frozen Ace gel pads on my head or face. Air and water -- two wonder drugs that can abort the world's most painful headache in less than 4 minutes! I thank my good fortune for this great response from oxygen, but I'll bet that I'm not the only one. This is how I've aborted thousands of CH over a period of 14 years.

I urge anyone to get a digital kitchen timer and set it at the time you think you need to abort your headache. The alarm keeps you from falling asleep and sucking down the whole tank, and also times your oxygen use.

I've also found it very difficult to get either my tanks refilled or renting more tanks on the road. In Utah the prescription had to be no older than 45 days, and there were other hoops to jump through. My advice is to bring your own. What I found is you can stow ten E tanks in the forward part of a Honda Accord trunk and still have plenty of room!

As you point out, KH, we are different in the way we respond to all interventions. Having said that, for me, the lower flow rates (under 15lpm) were helpful but it wasn't until I used a 25lpm flow rate that I discovered my abort times shortened to under 5 minutes. Ice or anything cold anywhere near my face immediately triggered a much deeper hit. Using Monster plus O2 though did the trick. We're different, that's why share our experiences here. Blessings. lance

I can abort using 15lpm and a non-rebreather mask in about 12 minutes. However swapping to a 25lpm regulator drops it to under 5 minutes, which adds up to a whole lot of pain.

Just because you get success at a lower flow rate doesn't mean that you won't benefit even more from a higher flow rate.