Hi. I am curious if anyone here has ever considered putting together a full length documentary type film on CH?

Something like that would help raise awareness.

G'mornin Jair,

NatGeo has previously done a documentary regarding the medicinal use of LSD and other indole ring substances......a small segment of the show did in fact touch on the use of these substances in the treatment of CH.

They are now in the process of filming a second episode devoted to psychedelic medicine (no word yet on when it will air).....this one will also have a segment on the use of LSD to break a CH cycle.  I actually spoke to a friend and fellow sufferer on the phone this past week who has been interviewed by NatGeo and is considering being filmed while dosing on LSD for the upcoming special!!!!

I will agree with you that a documentary on CH alone would be great......it was amazing to see the "spike" in the number of forum guests both here and at clusterbusters after the last NatGeo show aired the first time(we also have seen spikes at clusterbusters each time the special was reaired).....

I'd also like to say that I've followed your other posts on the board the last few days and I would like to echo others sentiments......it IS truly refreshing to see someone who's not directly affected by CH either as a sufferer or supporter to feel moved and compelled to interact with the CH community at large!!  Good onya Jair....believe me, we could use more folks just like you!!!!  And..... if only just a few of them could be Docs!!!!!!

Dallas Denny

Great question Jair. 

Justin Ott started filming a documentary called "ClusterHeads" several years ago and as I recall, gave a presentation with sequences from this documentary at the 2007 OUCH Convention in Richmond VA. 

Perhaps there is still someone at OUCH with the corporate memory to tell us what happened to this documentary.  There's no mention of it at START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE.

You can find an excerpt from "Clusterheads" showing ClusterChuck a.k.a. Chuck Setzco trying to abort a CH with too low an oxygen flow rate on Youtube at the following link:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Watch how the 1-liter reservoir bag on the disposable non-rebreathing oxygen mask is collapsed most of the time.

Artonio Ammabile filmed a sequence of himself experiencing a brutal CH at the following link:

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He also filmed a sequence of himself while aborting a cluster headache with oxygen therapy at the following link:

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Although Artonio managed to achieve an abort in under 10 minutes, the 15 liter/minute flow rate was too low and the 1-liter reservoir bag on his NRB mask was also too small to support taking a complete breath of oxygen.  The only reason Artonio was successful in aborting this CH at a flow rate of 15 liters/minute was because he was able to remain calm and essentially motionless during this session.  Had he moved around with the same level of physical activity as Chuck, this oxygen therapy session would have taken much longer...

An oxygen flow rate of 15 liters/minute is more than sufficient to oxygenate blood hemoglobin to 100% saturation.  However, an oxygen flow rate of 15 liters/minute will not provide sufficient lung ventilation to remove excess CO2 that builds rapidly with physical activity.  Try climbing a couple flights of stairs at a rapid pace or do 30 seconds of jumping Jacks and you'll be breathing air at a flow rate of 30 liters/minute or higher.

A non-rebreathing oxygen mask only lets you breathe as deeply as the oxygen flow rate.  If there's any physical activity at this flow rate, CO2 levels will continue to build.  As CO2 is a more powerful vasodilator than oxygen is as a vasoconstrictor, if there's any physical activity, a flow rate of 15 liters/minute will be ineffective or the abort will take far too long.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Batch wrote on Feb 27^th, 2011 at 11:56am:

Justin Ott started filming a documentary called "ClusterHeads" several years ago and as I recall, gave a presentation with sequences from this documentary at the 2007 OUCH Convention in Richmond VA.  Perhaps there is still someone at OUCH with the corporate memory to tell us what happened to this documentary.  There's no mention of it at START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE.

The documentary was Justin's idea and Justin's project. From all appearances the idea has been put on the back burner if not dropped all together.

Hey Bill,

Thanks for the quick response.  I kind of figured most of that but wasn't sure.  I wonder what it would take to re-energize Justin to complete the effort.  I do recall seeing some traffic about a contract.

Thanks again and take care,

V/R, Batch

I've heard about that documentary, but I can't find it anywhere.

Jair,

Justin Ott never finished the documentary.  You might want to give Justin a ring or email and ask what it would take to finish it...  Here's his contact data from his website at START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE.

Justin D. Ott
NY / NJ
646-373-8615
justinott@mac.com


Take care,

V/R, Batch