Welcome, steveng. Try this: Upper right corner of the screen is a search field. Type in Red Bull and press enter. I think you'll be surprised at what you find.

It still amazes me that energy drinks can work the way that they do. 

Caffeine is our friend!

I also find caffeine works as a semi prevent. I stay somewhat jacked up during the day, start with a couple cups, hit starbucks mid afternoon. Normally I'm a one cup in the morning guy, but on cycle I do 2 in the am and re charge in the mid afternoon. Seems to help keep the beast at bay and reduces my shadowing.

And when I start up the oxygen for an actual attack, my dear wifey pours me a sugar free Red Bull on the rocks. Works well at preventing the comeback attacks.

Joe

Guiseppi wrote on Apr 9^th, 2010 at 11:18am:

I also find caffeine works as a semi prevent. I stay somewhat jacked up during the day, start with a couple cups, hit starbucks mid afternoon. Normally I'm a one cup in the morning guy . . . .

Sorry in advance, but you're a lightweight  ;).  One cup in the morning and one in the afternoon is adversity to me!

Oh I see......it's on! ;D

Caffeine.......YES!! 

Thanks all for the info on caffeine. I'm going to buy a few cans of red bull after work and try tonight. maybe I'll sleep more than 2 hours.

If you are looking to get sleep, you should try melatonin.  Melatonin seems to be a good aid in letting us sleep.  I also use benadryl with the melatonin.

Search melatonin on the site.

If you have not been on caffeine in the last four years I would not suggest Red Bull at night!  Personally, during peak times (I'm chronic) I can go through more than 2 pots a day.  I agree with Joe that it can work as a prevent to the extent that if I am well caffeinated the hits will not be as strong.  I use 5 hr energy often, and can usually knock back a hit in under 10 mins if I get to it early. 

My second word of advice is O2.  Read the info to the left of your screen and make that your number one line of defense.  It works very well for most of us.  Suggestion with that is to use 15lpm as an absolute minimum.  Some can get by with less, but for most of us that would be the first break point.  I'm using 25lpm and probably will increase it when I can scare up enough coinage to get a bigger regulator.  At 25lpm I can usually knock back a hit in 5-8 mins, and it doesn't keep me awake afterward either.

Jerry

The amount of syurpy strong coffee I drink every day probably did some good. About the time my CH disappeared I increased the potency but I have no real proof of its effect. I just love coffee.

In short: not bad so far as most of us are concerned and maybe a good thing.

Charlie

steveng-

Hello and welcome!  I personally only drink one cup of coffee a day and it's 1/2 caf.  I do drink full strength when I'm in cycle though as it takes a lot of the edge off the pain.  I also do not recommend redbull at night!  I ditto the melatonin.

Lots of reading to do on the meds & treatments section of the site. 

Take care!
:)mel

I drink so much caffeine I couldn't keep track of it. Coffee first and foremost, Dr Pepper, Pepsi, Tea, Coke, the list goes on and on. Then there's the energy drinks...mostly sugar free Rockstar, or the blue Monster. Occasionally I will have a coffee flavored Monster.

I think I have too much blood in my caffeine system. A Cafe Americano to go please! (3 shots of espresso and filled with hot water)

It looks like you've been treated for a variety of conditions, such as sinus infections (Cephalexin) and migraines (Ketorolac or Toradol).

Follow others advice, this board is a gold mine.

keep in mind you build up a tolerance to caffeine. at least i do. try not to drink a gallon of coffee in hopes of not getting a future attack. use your caffeine as an abortive only as needed.

-johnny- wrote on Apr 10^th, 2010 at 11:40am:

keep in mind you build up a tolerance to caffeine. at least i do. try not to drink a gallon of coffee in hopes of not getting a future attack. use your caffeine as an abortive only as needed.

that's my experience too...caffeine at the wrong time (for me) is a trigger. Years of experience to know timing (which is why a HA diary is key if you are new to the beast).

At the right time...BIG help...and I must drink enough to be acclimated because I can down an energy drink (NOS or Wired my favs) and still get to sleep in minutes.....

Best,

Jon

jon im glad you mentioned that. 2 cycles ago (8 or 9 years and pre CH.com days) i would drink coffee as a preventative. at this point nothing worked and the attacks where hard and frequent. experience has taught me to be patient and try not to overdo things in desperation.

For me, caffeine is always a yes. Energy drinks and caffeine tabs have helped me countless times ever since I first tried them. Now I rely on them.

Sanna

I miss it and so does my noggin.

I was supposed to completely cut it out due to other health issues.
I actually compromised by drinking 1/2 caf. It's not that bad but I do notice a difference when I "need" it for shadowing

One should NOT come between this gal and her coffee.  EVER!  Unless of course you wish to pull back a bloody stump for an arm.

Pegg

(Who drinks her coffee like I prefer my men.  Hot-Strong- and could keep me up all night. ;) )

at least 10 cokes for the gaot a day.
and not those candy a55 cans. ;D ;D ;D