Hi all. My name Is Bob and I'm 37. This is my first post here.
I was 19 years old when I got my first CH. I had them 3 to 5 times daily, and they lasted anywhere from 20 min. to an hour for about 3 months and they just went away. I hoped it was an isolated thing, but 3 years later it started all over again. They come back every few years now.
I didn't have insurance so I just dealt with it until they went away. I go a few years without having any and then BOOM they start right up again.
Unfortunately 3 weeks ago they started back up. I NEVER get them in the spring. I always get them in the fall. But not this time.
Now I have insurance (THANKFULLY) and my neuro is trying to help me out. A month ago I had an abscessed tooth that was pretty bad. You would think that would be the trigger, BUT I also started Chantex to help quit smoking around the same time. I had the tooth pulled, and the CH's are still messing with me, so as of this morning I am not going to be taking the Chantex any more.
I'm on Verapomil right now and I am waiting to see if my insurance will cover 02 or not. Wish me luck.
Well any ways I just wanted to introduce myself and give a little intro to why I found this forum (Which I REALLY hope helps me).
Thanks.

Hi Bob,

Welcome aboard.  Glad you have a Neuro who is willing to work with you.  

Look in the Meds and Treatments section of the board and find the post by Batch concerning getting O2 prescribed.  He gives you some excellent information to take to your Dr and for you to fight with the ins co.s with.

Hope this ends soon for you.

Jerry

Welcome Bob.



                                 Coach Bill

Welcome to the nut house! For years my insurance wouldn't cover 02 so I went out of pocket. It's suprisingly cheap so if the insurance says no, check it out anyways!

The verapamil takes a week or two to get ramped up in your system. And some people have to dose pretty high, like upwards of 960 mg a day, to get relief. It's sure helped a lot of people on the board. Just be sure and work closely with your doc as verapamil.....like most meds we use for CH...is not one where you play fast and loose with the dosing! ;)

Wishing you luck and some pain free time soon.

Joe

Thanks guy's. A member on another forum I visit mentioned the warnings on Chantix and said it can cause headaches. I stopped taking it yesterday and I actually had a CH free night.
I hope that was the trigger, and I don't get any more.

Hi Bob and welcome to your new home. Sure looks like you are on the right track with your neuro. Push to get the o2 as it is the #1 abortive for most CH sufferers. Must get on it at the very first sign of an on-coming hit with at least a 15 LPM regulator.

I am just getting set up with a higher flow rate of 25 LPM reg but had to order the reg's in, so have not tried it yet at the higher flow rate and just bought the oo2ptimask from the CH store, nice mask!!!!

Hope you find what "cocktail" works for you, as there is a ton of help here for you.

 Barry :)

Thanks Barry. I just got my O2 today and I'll be getting the mask you mentioned.
I'm so glad to see I'm not alone in this...although I don't like the fact that you all feel the same pains I do. I wouldn't wish this on anybody. I get some real bad ones and I feel like I'm losing my mind, yelling, crying like a baby, and yes even smacking myself in the head (even though it does me no good).
My wife helps me every attack I get, and I'd be lost without her, but I'm glad I found this site.