Background. I am 24, male, university student, non-smoker. First cluster period: 2008, from mid-September to  end of October, about 6 weeks. First couple of weeks, I got hit in the morning upon awakening. Last 4 weeks during the period, I got hit consistently at 1.30 AM, 4.00 AM, and when I got out of bed.  Adding to this, I got hit randomly throughout the day, no particular pattern, normally ending at about 3-6 hits in 24 hrs.

My CH was always right-sided, and always began with intense throbbing in the back of my head, spreading quickly to the eye and surrounding area. Normally, they’d last about 45-60 mins, plus minus.

Last attack of first period: Oct. 28 in the morning.  The following month and a half, I had a constant headache (not CH type, was a lot more dull), mostly associated with RS. Since, I've felt fine.

Second  (current) cluster period:

I had hoped it would not come again, but it did. After my first period of CH, I did a bunch of research on busting, and I felt that was the way to move forward in the future. Back then, I ordered one bag of HBWR seeds and one bag of Morning Glory seeds, intented only to be used for CH treatment at a time such as this.

Now, I am determined to try busting before any conventional drugs. It’s gonna take too long to get to see a good neuro anyway, so I might as well do something on my own. I feel there’s too much suggesting sub-hallucinogenic treatment works for me not to try it.

Dec. 8: 0430 AM: woke up, having that special feeling around eye, temple, cheekbone and back of my head. Relatively mild. Kip 2-3. I kinda freaked out, and since I was more or less sedated by sleep, I grabbed a small handfull of MG seeds and chewed ’em down. Not the smartest thing to do I guess. Stomach cramps and a bit of fever from it.

Dec. 9: 800 AM: Kip 3.

Dec. 10: Nothing

Dec. 11:  500 PM: Got hit. Kip 7.

Dec. 12:  0400AM: Kip 7. Drank a Red Bull and took it for a run. Back to bed.
0730AM: Too tired to run. Kip 9-10, stumbled around a local park for an hour, crying, contemplating ER. Was bad. Pretty sure the early-morning dogwalkers in the park thought I was some insane person on drugs.
700PM: Kip 6. Drank a red bull and took it for a run. Nasty shadows through out the day.

Dec. 13: 0500AM: Kip 8, 60 mins+, tried hot/cold shower, not a big fan. 700PM: kip 3, drank a Red Bull. Constant shadows.

Dec. 14: 0130AM: Kip 3-4. Back to sleep. 0400AM: Kip 3-4. Back to sleep. 0600: Kip 7. 60 mins+. Drowned it in Red Bull and took it for a long run.

BUSTING DAY (still Dec. 14):
I had prepared a HBWR potion consisting of 8 crushed seeds, sitting in water for a day and a half. Went to a trusted friend’s and drank it. Felt nothing. I was suspicious of the seed quality since they’d been sitting in my room for a long time. As a plan B, I chewed up about 90 MG seeds, resulting in slight nausea for about an hour, then I was feeling drunk/stoned for about 4 hrs. Got stomach cramps. I was aware that my method of ingesting was not optimal, but I didn’t have the time to prepare a dose properly, and I had to do it this day. Apart from a bit of nausea and the cramps, it was not particularly unpleasant, but I relaxed a lot and the shadows seemed to go away.
I intend to note in detail how my CH behaves after dosing.

DAY 1 AFTER BUSTING, Dec. 15:
AM 130: Woke up, abruptly, expecting Hell. I had shadows in CH side, front. But not in the back of my head. Left side of the back of my head/neck was sore though and a bit swollen + my left eye was red. Back to sleep. Strange to feel LS of my head affected by CH symptoms. ,

AM 300: Woke up abruptly. Back to sleep.
AM 320: Woke again. Heavy shadows in right side. Left eye still a bit red.
AM 330: Starting to expect the worst, put on running clothes + shoes.
AM 350: My normal initial-symptoms starting: some throbbing, heavy shadow. A bit of swelling in right side back of my head + neck. Downed a red bull.
AM 400: Symptoms starting to go away. Small ”waves” of relieved pressure on my CH side comes.
AM 420: Swelling gone in back of head. Feel fine, shadows decreasing. Back to bed.

AM 610: Here we go. Awoke abruptly, feeling sharp, shooting pain CH area (Normally this is NOT the first thing I feel during CH, but doesn’t manifest til half way through). No swelling or throbbing in the back of my head (there usually is). Downed to Red Bulls. KIP 7-8. Run Forrest, Run. 8-)
AM 645: HA gone. It was a weird development compared to any other attack I’ve had. Sharp pain started initially in my right side, around my eye, cheekbone, temple, forehead, but I didn’t feel anything in the back of my head/neck. 5 minutes before the CH finally died out, the pain moved from my frontal CH region to neck and back of my head, and it swelled a bit and throbbed.

Now: Light shadows, but I feel better and bit more rested than before busting. My CH feels different than my first period, as it doesn not begin with intense throbbing in the back of my head. It begins slowly and rises over 15 minutes, wheres as it only took a couple of minutes last year.

I ordered RC seeds and hopefully I'll get them in time for next bust (if needed). My HBWR batch is only good for a birds, the MG seeds felt sort of tough on my system. 

Update will follow...

"We are saved in hope, it is in hope that we have been made happy; and as we do not yet possess a present salvation, but await salvation in the future (...) we look forward with steadfast endurance.”
St. Augustine of Hippo.

Day 1 after busting - Dec. 15, cont'd:

AM 1150: 20 mins, kip 3 
Some shadows came and went throughout the day.

Day 2 - Dec. 16:
Had some pretty nasty attacks during the night:
AM 0200: 30 mins, kip 8-9.
AM 0430: 45 mins, kip 8-9.
AM 0700: 1 hr. 20 mins, kip 8-9. This one came on really fast, was bad.

It’s like my attacks have changed nature a bit since I dosed. The attacks developed differently with regards to initial area of pain and intensity. I guess it makes sense that the pattern would change, though.

No attacks during the day. My head felt nice and clear at times, but most of the time I had shadows. Been really tired as well. Got my O2 tanks today, so hopefully now I can manage my attacks more efficiently. While I give busting a try.

You should be following up with a couple of maintenance doses after the initial dose, 5-7 days apart. I have the feeling that if you expect it all to go away after one dose (until the next go-round), you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Go to clusterbusters.com and read all you can about the methodology.

Follow Brew's words.  A maintenance dose before, after and during cycles are key.

Seeds always cause a change in pattern for me. Sometimes it causes a bad day but then a gradual decrease follows.

One thing that I have become increasingly aware of: seeds appear to amplify the effectiveness of O2 for me. One can never be sure of cause & effect relationships, so it may simply be the seeds reducing the intensity and duration of the hits.

Either way, it's a positive thing!

Marc

Day 3 - Dec. 17
No hits during the night :) Felt so good to get 7-8 hrs of sleep.
AM 0700: Kip 5, hit it with O2 for about 20 mins.
PM 0230: Kip 3
PM 0600: Kip 4, O2.
PM 1000: Kip 3
Quite a few more hits during the day than what's normal for me (normal is 4 a day: AM130, AM430, one when I wake up, and about one sometime during the day). They were mild though.

Day 4 - Dec. 18
AM 0130: Kip 6, O2
AM 0900: Kip 4, O2

Day 5 - Dec. 19, so far
No hits during the night. Got 8-9 hrs of sleep, feel great. 8-)
AM 1000: Kip 4, O2. Gotta love that gas.

Marc:It seems like I'm responding a bit like you. My daily pattern has definitely changed to the better.
Brew: I'm gonna do a follow-up dose Dec. 20. Thanks.

Day 6 - Dec. 20
AM 0200 Kip 4, O2
AM 0430 Kip 4, O2
AM 0845 Kip 4, O2
All af them got killed quite quickly with O2.

Dosed again: 90 MG seeds, since I hadn't received my RC seeds in the mail. I responded the same way as the first time: a bit of nausea, stomach cramps, drowsiness (and giddiness). After about 5 hrs. I felt completely normal, though tired.

Day 7 - Dec 21
AM 0930 Kip 4, O2.
Been feeling great for most of the day. Rested, head clear. Occasionally a shadow has lingered for a bit.
Feels like xmas is gonna be enjoyable after all. 

bumpsetspike wrote on Dec 21^st, 2009 at 12:16pm:

Day 6 - Dec. 20 AM 0200 Kip 4, O2 AM 0430 Kip 4, O2 AM 0845 Kip 4, O2 All af them got killed quite quickly with O2. Dosed again: 90 MG seeds, since I hadn't received my RC seeds in the mail. I responded the same way as the first time: a bit of nausea, stomach cramps, drowsiness (and giddiness). After about 5 hrs. I felt completely normal, though tired. Day 7 - Dec 21 AM 0930 Kip 4, O2. Been feeling great for most of the day. Rested, head clear. Occasionally a shadow has lingered for a bit. Feels like xmas is gonna be enjoyable after all.

Good for you my friend.  I wish you the best Xmas without the beast being present. 

Keep reporting please with your log, I love reading success stories.

Merry Xmass from across Ocean :)

Day 8 - Dec. 22
No hits. A little shadow every now and then.

Day 9 - Dec. 22
So far no hits. A little shadow every now and then. I've been feeling great. My head's been clear, I'm rested, I sleep well.

I don't wanna pass my final verdict just yet, but so far, in my mind, the stuff definitely works. I was 5 days in cycle before I dosed first time. Then I dosed again 6 days after first dosing.

I'm grateful for the great work some busting pioneers have carried out and for the information these people have made available. And I'm happy that my second family (the CH one) is so understanding and supporting.

Ho-ho-ho from the coast of Europe.  :)

Day 10 - Dec. 23
No hits. :)

Day 11 - Dec. 24
No hits.
I had a little bit of a alcohol. It certainly stirred up quite the shadow in my CH side. Hit the O2 for 5 mins.

Wow, keep the log info comming, please please.

- Matthew

Day 12 - Dec. 25
No hits. Dosed again. Probably gonna let it be my last dose this time. 60 MG seeds. Probably should've postponed dosing a day or two but family get2gethers come in the way.

Day 13 - Dec. 26
No hits. Feeling great. No shadows at all.
Unless I get hit again, this is my final entry into this first timer busting log. 
Conclusion: the stuff works for me + not scary to take + O2 + was easy to come by = 8-)

Merry xmas and happy new year to all you folks.

Grats on busting the cyclone, though I knock on the wood not to spoil it for you :)

Merry xmass and happy new year.