Glad you found some acceptance, peace, and pain free times.  This is great.  I tried taking a chronic pain mangement class for lower back pain and it failed me.  So I imagine it would fail for ch also.

I certainly don't wanna cast any aspersions on meditation - I believe its a voonderbar thing -  but personally the only time period I don't meditate is when in a cluster episode.

That's because its a sure fire CH trigger for me, just like other states that would otherwise be very restful/peaceful/relaxing, such as night time sleep or afternoon naps.

I'm afraid I'm also pretty skeptical about it's value for averting episodes. I've been meditating for 28 years or so, had clusters episodes for 30.

Several years ago I came on to declare that I thought that I had found meditation was helping me avert my clusters. My experience is described very well by you here (very similar actually). And then my real cycle hit..... :-/

I thought that it had helped and don't mean to sound skeptical but simply want to say, keep vigilant, don't let your guard down.

Welcome Stymie (I love that name).

Many here have tried acupuncture with no success. If you feel it is helping you then far be it from me to say anything against it.  :)

At the age of 40 my attacks went from every 8-9 months, as they had been for the previous 20 years,  to every 2 years.
No reason for the change other than age.

Perhaps the key is tricking the brain hwever before the cycle starts/ sort of an anti-trigger?
Next year I'm going to experiment early in Dec. (my cycles always start mid Dec) Maybe a pred taper?

Thanks Saxman, yes I think that is a good way to put it.  There was an interesting medical paper about premonitory symptoms and how identifying them early can help delay onset of episode etc. or "skip", I dont have the link but one could google it.  I seem to recall they mentioned tapering pred (or was it starting verap, cant remember?)  at first signs i.e. for those who may have weeks of premonitory before onset.  Makes sense to me too that you could get ahead of the curve even further as you suggest by predicting your cycle.  Good luck!