Posted by Margi on November 16, 1998 at 16:34:16:
In Reply to: NEED TO VENT!!! posted by Barbara on November 16, 1998 at 16:01:50:
Hi Barbara,
Hang in there,girl - we all know what you're going through. My husband is also a CHer and, although the 02 helps him, we have found two other things that have given him bigger relief and the best part is that neither require the need to involve a doctor! We are in Canada and also can't get a doc to prescribe oxygen. One would think we were asking for a hit of heroin or something and they all insist we perform lab rat tests before anyone will talk to us.
First, Jerry's water treatment has given him BIG relief (almost caused the cycle to end - we're now 5 days h/a free!). This is water on every half hour while awake and then, if he wakes in the night 2 - 3 glasses. Two days of doing this sent the buggars on the run. He is down to probably 6 glasses a day now. Also, we are using Gravol (or Dramamine in the States, I believe). This is a motion sickness treatment that causes sleep but doesn't allow sleeper to get into the REM phase which appears to cause those lovely middle of the night clusters. My husband was taking three at bedtime and was even able to avoid that wake-up call first thing in the morning. The only side effect of this is slight sleep deprivation after taking it for a long time, but my husband says he'll risk it. Hell, I think he would risk licking a metal gate in 40 below temp. if he thought it would help! He isn't taking it every night now, as he is feeling much better.
Don't know if either of these will work for your hubby but both can be taken with him on the road.
Good luck to you and remember, that light at the end of the tunnel isn't always a train... :o)
Margi