Posted by (Mr.) Andrea on February 04, 1999 at 15:13:31:
Well my "period" seems to be ending (very mild attacks), and as I get ready to resume my regular life I figured I'd share with all of you what I did (in chronological order) to make this year’s attacks more bearable and to shorten the Cluster period. I hope it is of some help. Please keep in mind that I refuse to take drugs (only aspirin if needed), so you won’t find any references to meds in here. Also, you’ll see lots of references to physical exercise. For the record, I’m not a "buff dude" at all, I’m 150 pounds, 5’10", with a lean, slightly muscular build. 33 years old, smoker, no drugs and no alcohol. Regular Cluster period averages 2-3 months, with 3-4 attacks daily. Number of attacks increases during peak days (7-12 daily), which are usually towards the end of the period.
GETTING READY (September, October, November, December)
(1) As my cluster season always starts around late November (through mid-February), I started seeing an acupuncturist in mid November (weekly sessions) just to get the ball rolling.
(2) Since I fight off my attacks with vigorous exercise (pushups, etc.), I modified my regular workout routine in order to strengthen my arms and shoulders – the muscle groups that take the biggest beating.
(3) Again, to prepare myself for "the big War", I modified my diet leaning towards foods that (a) would not trigger headaches and (b) would provide the most nutrients
(4) I warned all my friends (new ones) and employers (I’m freelance) of what was to come. The "Flake" factor is what I called it – describing how during cluster seasons I could not always keep appointments and/or commitments. I did this to save myself the added stress and anxiety of having to constantly apologize and/or explain.
January 1st…KABOOM! (As you’ll notice, period was delayed considerably)
(1) The key for me this year was to stay calm. I figured if I stayed "cool", I’d deal with them better. Deep breathing, visualization and the Mantra (sentence repeated over and over) "it’s just pain, it can’t kill you" really helped to avoid panic attacks and/or desperation -- especially at night..
(2) Re-directing anger - Instead of succumbing to the urges to bang my head or punch myself in the face (when the pain gets unbearable), I unleashed all my frustration and rage into physical exercise. I love pushups ‘cause I can do them anywhere. Just give me a bathroom with a stall and that’s my Gym!
(3) Diet - Two weeks into the Period, I noticed that I had lost 15 pounds (too much exercise and not enough nutrition), so I forced myself to eat more (more meals spread out throughout the day) and started taking extra supplements (protein/vitamin shakes found in any health food store)
(4) B2 - following the advice posted on this site I started taking 300mg of Vitamin B2 daily.
(5) Acupuncture - weekly sessions focusing on neck, trigeminal (sp?), sinus and overall "draining" of the head.
(6) Sleeping with hot packs on my neck – this gave me back my nights. Would still wake up with severe headaches in the morning, but managed to sleep through the night.
(7) Lots of coffee (for my standards) - Four cups a day. 9 a.m. - 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (or as needed)
(8) Soy milk - I believe hormones have something to do with CHs. So I made soy milk a part of my everyday diet (shakes, with cereal, etc.). Soy is a good source of vegetable Estrogen, which I believe will counterbalance the Testosterone. My belief is based on experiencing a much higher libido (sex drive) during CH periods.
The Aftermath.
(1) Period only lasted 5 weeks as opposed to 3 months
(2) Some weight loss but not dramatic
(3) Sore muscles - to be expected after an average of 200 pushups a day.
(4) Some hair loss (thinning) - Again, to be expected.
(5) Mild depression and slower thinking - yep, no surprises here either!
(6) Nice muscle definition ;)
Generally, I believe all the above symptoms are normal for a post-traumatic episode, and they can all be remedied with rest and nutrition.
Follow through:
(1) Will maintain high-nutrient diet for couple of months to replenish body
(2) Will continue taking B2 and soy (at least until I notice that I’m beginning to grow breasts! ;)
(3) I plan on attending two more maintenance acupuncture sessions
(4) Will taper off exercise in order to let muscles heal
Well, that’s it. I hope some of you can get something out of this. Thanks to all for the support and I hope I don’t see your names on this site next year. Good luck, and feel free to e-mail me with any questions, comments or for more specific details regarding the acupuncture treatment.
Please stay calm, educated, and away from excessive medication.
Sincerely,
(Mr.) Andrea Luminati
P.S. This site was a daily source of great relief , information and support. Please don’t turn it into a Soap Opera Chat Room with silly anonymous postings. Thanks.