I posted this on Batch's thread too, but was afraid not everyone is reading that everyday on a regular basis. Here Goes.

Good Morning everyone, well the 10K I.U. of D3 and 3600 Omega 3 fish oil is started to wearing off. I was great and HA free, just a few shadows.

Short Recap........Started getting hit the mid to end of Feb, nothing big just a few short lived Kip 4's and 5's, I didn't really do anything about it until around the first part of March then started taking 400mg Verap, 200 in the morning and 200 at night no real change still had the Kip 4's - 5's short lived 20-25 minutes then on March 10th got slammed with a kip 9/10 that jarred my memory as the what these things can do. I logged on and read this thread. March 11th I started the D3 and Fish Oil as suggested and was pretty much clear, couple shadows k1to k2 but nothing to bad. I thought I was fixed, everything was fine for about 5 days so I was pf until the 17th then got slammed with a kip 8-9 after that one slipped away I had a kip 4ish shadow that never left, during this never ending kip 4 it would ramped up to a 7 to 9 three to 4 times that day. The evening of the 17th I decided to doubled my verap to 960 mg and have been pf since, I'm still taking the D3 and fish oil. So right now I'm taking 10K I.U. D3 and 3600 Omega 3 Fish oil and 960 MG Verap and so far so good I've now been PF for 4 days and nights. What are your thoughts on taking 960mg of Verap? Thank's in advance for you comments.

Hey Norm,

Thanks for the post.  This is the kind of feedback we need to see.  Sorry the bloom is off the rose...

Have you been taking the calcium citrate tablets formulated with vitamin D3, magnesium and zinc?  I've collected a couple comments similar to your last and adding the calcium citrate tablets to the Omega 3 Fish Oil and vitamin D helped.

I'm not a fan of verapamil so I'm not much help on that count...  Too hard on the heart for the minimal effectiveness it was providing as a prevent for me.  I took it for a month over 10 years ago and didn't like the side effects so gave the remaining tablets back to my neruo for disposal along with a "Nice try, but not happening with verapamil."

Adjusting your verapamil dose is something you should discuss with your neurologist.  He might want to do an EKG.

Take care and thanks again for the update.

V/R, Batch

Hi Batch, I am just using 10K of D3 and omega 3 fish oil I will have to look into "calcium citrate tablets formulated with vitamin D3, magnesium and zinc?" and see how that goes, the verap has always helped for me but I don't know what the side effects are I haven't ever noticed any.

Norm,

I take the Kirkland brand of calcium citrate tablets from Costco... best bang for the buck.  Citracal Plus Bone Density Builder has a similar formulation and I'm sure there are other brands.

Here's the link to an article on Dr. Goadsby's study of verapamil.

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

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Batch, I'm not sure if I fully understand,

10,000 iu of D3 & 3600mg omega 3 fish oil

What is,
calcium citrate tablets formulated with vitamin D3, magnesium and zinc?

Is that just one pill that has everything???? 10K of the D3 plus everything else?? or do I still take my 10K D3 and then add the calcium citrate tablets, magnesium and zinc and if I add the calcium citrate, magnesium and zinc how much/mg?

In other words how much of each?? I know about the 10K D3 and the 3600 Fish Oil, but when we are adding the other things you mentioned now I'm a bit confused and thats easy for me :D

Below is my last post that wasn't really answered, I'm PF now because I'm taking 10K IU D3 and 3600mg fish oil Omega 3 BUT I'm also taking 960mg Verapamil a day, I tried to ease off the Verap but just got slammed again. I need to be clear on the Calcuim Citrate and the magnesium and the Zinc<--so are these 4 different things if so how much to I add to my already D3 & Omega 3, Help please, I would like to remove the verap from my diet.

Thanks.....................Norm

Batch, I'm not sure if I fully understand,

10,000 iu of D3 & 3600mg omega 3 fish oil

What is,
calcium citrate tablets formulated with vitamin D3, magnesium and zinc?

Is that just one pill that has everything???? 10K of the D3 plus everything else?? or do I still take my 10K D3 and then add the calcium citrate tablets, magnesium and zinc and if I add the calcium citrate, magnesium and zinc how much/mg?

In other words how much of each?? I know about the 10K D3 and the 3600 Fish Oil, but when we are adding the other things you mentioned now I'm a bit confused and thats easy for me

Hey Norm,

Good question.  Some of the CH'ers who have tried the Omega 3 Fish Oil and vitamin D3 have found that adding one or two of the calcium citrate tablets formulated with vitamin D3, magnesium and zinc helps reduce the frequency and intensity of their CH. There's only 800I.U. in two of these tablets so you're a long way from the 40,000I.U. daily dose where vitamin D3 starts becoming toxic.

The thinking here is the calcium citrate acts as a buffer to help elevate arterial pH to the upper part of the normal 7.35 - 7.45 range.  This can help stimulate the vasoconstriction we need to make oxygen therapy and other preventatives more effective. 

A low arterial pH (too much acid) tends to stimulate the vasodilation that appears to make the CH triggering mechanism more effective and we end up in a "High Cycle" with an increase in the frequency and intensity of our CH.

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

I buy these items at Costco.

We all need the calcium anyway and there are enough posts here at CH.com to suggest magnesium supplements can help reduce the frequency and intensity of CH.

I hope I've answered your question.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

OK! I think I get it now! I was thinking that the Calcium Citrate, the magnesium and the Zinc were three different things, now I realize that it is just one more addition (1000 mg of calcium citrate tablets formulated with vitamin D3, magnesium and zinc)

Please let me know if I'm understanding this correctly, I think I am.

I will pick that up today and see if I can ease off the verap.

So my new cocktail is...10K IU D3 (2 pills), 3600mg Fish oil Omega 3 (3 pills) and 1000mg (2 pills) calcium citrate tablets formulated with vitamin D3, magnesium and zinc

Total of 7 pills Correct?

Sorry to be such a pain, and thank you my friend

PF days and night to everyone...........Norm

Bingo!  You're spot on Norm.  The two white horse pills in the clear ramekins in the photo above are the calcium citrate combo pills.

Batch... I have been trying this new regimen for the last couple of day after being unusually hammered with lots of day and night hits.

I know your getting result with this and i definitely think that you are on to something here with the PH levels. 

I was doing some reading around and puzzle pieces started falling into place.  I'll start of by what I know about O2 from my days in school.  The man who wrote my book is named Bob Page and it deals with capnography.  Most of the information that it goes over is about COPD, CHF, and other respiratory diseases. I remember though reading about the effects of high flow O2 and Hyper Oxygenation of the trauma patient with suspected spinal or brain injury with increased ICP.   Increasing patient respiration's with 100% O2 by bag valve mask reduces the level of CO2 in the patient and changes PH levels in the body which causes vassal constriction and a reduction of inter-cranial pressure. 

Now I would assume that is why O2 is so effective for most.

Most of the preventative treatment that are being prescribed right now for CH such as the calcium channel blockers have some of the same effect in a round about way.
including RED BULL and energy drinks though short lasting.
So
1. I applaud you. It never even crossed my mind to think of controlling body PH by diet that is truly innovative outside the box thinking!

2. I am now scouring every piece of medical information I have on PH and the body to see if I can find any additional info on your theory

3.  I'll keep posting on my personal experience with this.
I won't have a lot of truly scientific results however as I'm not sure I can come off the rest of my meds.  I need to keep my Job lol.

Sean,

Hey Sean,

Thanks for the kind words...  and I agree with your assumption on oxygen therapy elevating arterial pH... if flow rates are high enough.

I've sent you an email with some material on this topic you might find interesting and I look fwd to your posts on the efficacy of the anti-inflammatory regimen.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Ok so Day 3 of trying the D3 and Omega.....  24 hr PF.  A vast improvment from the 6-7 hits a day... Like i said I havent been brave enough to come off the verap and prednisone but once I get a period with a few day of free time I'm going to give it a whirl.  It will probably be a week or so.

That's great news Sean!
I've continued to take the D3 etc... even though my cycle has ended and, like Batch, I'm feeling more energetic than I've felt in a long time.
Keep us all posted on your progress.
-Gary

Sean,

Great news!  By my tally you make it 13 out of 16 (81%) who are using this regimen and have either experienced a marked reduction in the frequency and severity of their CH or gone into a pain free remission.  Two of the three with less than the expected results have had trouble taking either the Omega 3 Fish Oil or the vitamin D3.

That beats the heck out of verapamil at 50% efficacy and no EKG required...

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Good afternoon everyone! I've been reading this site for years (always during my ch season) and only now decided to chime in since i can actually contribute to a post. 

My season started March 5th with a kip 7/8.  Followed nightly for 5 nights with kip 4/5 hits aborted by oxygen at a flow rate of 15 lpm.  Then on the 12th, I was hit with a 9/10 that was stubborn to oxygen (was on empty tank and took to long to bring another one upstairs) and lasted for 2 hours! After being blasted by the king of beasts, I was surfing the site and saw the regime posted by batch.  Right away i went and purchased 2000iu VD3 and 1200mg omega 3.  Ive been taking 12000 vd3 and 2400mg omega 3 every morning followed with a 120mg verap (take 480mg daily) and have been feeling great.  I do get a few tension headaches due to tightness in my shoulders, but its nothing compared to a ch.  So Batch, thank you for all your research and for sharing, and add me to the list of successful people on your regime. Again, thank you.

48 hrs PF. 1 minor shadow. That's it.

Woo Hoo!
Just what I was hoping to hear...  Good on you Sean!

Today is my first day on the D3/Calcium citrate/Omega 3/Magnesium regimen and I'm crossing my fingers. I've been over 7 months now with only 8 PF days in that period.

I'm also adding in Melatonin at night, as my sleep (or rather lack there of) has been terrible.

Thanks in advance for the tips on this supplement regimen.

I don't even know what to say but suppose I should say something, I started the D3 10K and 3600mg Fish oil  also talking 480mg verap and all was well for awhile (just starting my cycle) then I tapered off the verap and got slammed again so I started the verap again still not getting better, I upped my dose to 960mg verap and maybe just a little better but still getting hit hard, I then added the Calcium Citrate and they got worse I stayed on this cocktail for a few days but I swear the calcium made it worse for me so I stopped taking the calcium and just stayed with the 10K the 3600mg and the 960 verap it doesn't seem to be helping me anymore (maybe mid cycle), so 2 days ago I just stopped taking the verap because I didn't feel like it was helping me anyway, had a pretty rough night last night, hell I don't know I can't even type right now, I'm just taking trex shots to kill these things right now, I was running low and last night I was dancing with a 9ish but was trying to save my last shot (I usually only inject about 2.5 ml) I suffered through my 9 then shortly after that got hit again, it was climbing and at about 7 I injected just 1ml and it killed it. I think my plan now is to stay on the D3 10K and 3600 mg Fish oil, then just take the trex small dose as needed to kill the beast. I'm in hell................I am quite sure the next post will say something about 02, not going there again, has never worked for me NEVER, I've used it every possible way. I'm trying kudzu again. I've had 30 years of this shit and you would think they could find something, I'm guessing that I am at least half way through my cycle so I just need to hold on, there has never been a ryme or reason for these things with me, once I thought a chiropractor fixed them, once I thought schrooms worked, once I thought Kudzu worked, once I thought I hammered them so hard and so often with trex they just went away, who really knows. Sorry for the rant.

PFDN................Norm

sorry for what youre going through.  that sounds like living hell.  we all have pain, but you are really going thorugh a rough time, and i really feel for you.

hang in there,  maybe it will be over soon :-*

Hi
Well this is my first post.  Have been a cluster head for over 10 years now.  I like many have spent absolutely thousands of pounds on various different treatments.  Through it all O2 was the only abortive that works for me.  No preventative has ever worked, tried Verap, Proponolol just going back to Neuro for next thing to try.

Finally as my condition has evolved (used to have one 6 week episode in June /July, now have been in a set of beast visits since early feb.) I have now found something that works!  Last week I was having attacks every 50 mins through the night about Kip 5 each time although some were Kip 7.  O2 always gets shot of mine in a max of 10 mins, sometimes literally in seconds.

Joined here a week ago, read Batch's advice and am taking the fish oil and the sodium citrate tablets, waiting on the vit D.  However since I started have gone 3 nights ago to 4 attacks, 2 nights ago to 2 attacks, and last night 1 attack.  Now as a maths teacher I understand sequences, but this is the best ever!

Am hoping against hope that I will be another success story.  Got some Ph strips, measured ;D my mid afternoon level, it was 6.75, then just before evening meal had a shadow, measured it then and was 6.  Downed a supermarket own brand version of Red Bull (20% of the price) and felt a lot better.  Kind of hoping that the regimen will eventually help with the shadows and day time Kip 3/4 attacks.

Thank you Batch, fingers crossed!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D