Hi, just popping back in to see what is new.
Let me re-introduce myself. I am Tracey, 30 years old happily married with 2 wonderful boys.
I am not new to Cluster Headaches... I was misdiagnosed for many years until 4 years ago. I do have a great neurologist who set me up with Imitrex injections and Verapimil. He really was my savior.
I have been pain free for 2 years and now they have started back up again. They strike now about 4 am, waking me up out of a sound sleep. What a wake up, huh?
So I am going back to the neurologist, I think this time around we are going to try oxygen therapy. I guess my question is, how has this worked out for everyone? Is it a hit and miss kinda thing?
I wish nothing but the best and good luck to all the sufferers out there. Please know that you are not alone and this board has helped so much!!  :D

Hi Tracey!

O2 is a hit!  :)

There is the rare CH'er with a particularly severe case that won't respond to O2, but the vast majority of us find it works well if it is administered as outlined in the oxygen info link to the left.

That's not the way doctors are accustomed to prescribing it, so some of us, when confronted with the reality of a doctor who won't prescribe it right, will just take the silly prescription, use it to get the O2, then proceed to use it in what we know to be an effective manner.  :) ;)

Hi Tracey & Welcome Back

  Yup . . . absolutely get the script for 02 . . . even if your insurance won't cover it, it's CHEAP even if you have to pay cash.  Call your local med 02 suppliers and ask what their cash price is on "E" tanks.  I pay $10 per tank, no deposit, no monthly fee and no limit on tanks (I keep 20).  Also ask what they charge for a 15 lpm regulator . . . the same reg on ebay can be had for $30 . . . from the med supply it could run $150.  Order an Optimask ($27.50 . . . links on the site) . . . that big green 3 litre bag is designed for clusterheads and a big improvement over the standard 1 litre bag your med supply will have.

  If your insurance is paying for the Trex, by all means keep filling the script.  Most here use 02 as primary abortive and save the Trex for the hits the 02 doesn't reach or for those situations where you can't (for whatever reason) have your tank handy.

  Daytime hits are easy to abort if you get on it at the first sign of attack . . . for me, a Kip 2 can be stopped (the ramp) and killed at Kip 3-4 in 5-10 min.  The way I stop a night hit, which is already a Kip 4-5 and ramping is sit up and grab the mask (always keep it at bedside) and start huffing the 02 . . . if the ramp hasn't stopped within a few minutes, I'll haul the tank to the kitchen (huffing all the way) for an icepack and start rubbing it on the side of my face, eye, neck.  The first time I tried the ice, I left it in the same place, which (for me) caused an additional shot of pain, but if I keep moving the ice pack (I use the gel type), while huffing the 02, can stop the ramp and kill him in 10-15 minutes (from the time I woke up).

  Melatonin (OTC) helps many with the night hits.  They come in 3mg tablets and most folks use 9-12 mg.  They eliminate hits for some, reduce hits/intensity for others.  For first time, try 6 mg . . . just to get used to it, then 9 mg (which was fine for me).  The thing "to get used to" is the grogginess you can experience with Melatonin if you have one break through.  I haven't used it in several years, but can remember being wakened, sitting up and wondering "what woke me .  .  . oh yeh, him again" . . . and start hitting the 02.  It's just a mild side effect you don't need to worry about when using . . . tis normal.

  Go to the Meds, Therapies board and find Batch's "123 days pf and counting" thread . . . I added my experience with this therapy a few days ago and am crediting it with my current "mostly pf" status . . . definitely worth a shot . . . in that post, I also mentioned my experience with water therapy (water X 3), which has been my primary preventive since 5/05.  You'll find my post on page 9 of that thread.

  Be Safe,   PFDANs

   (mostly pf)   Richard

The only thing I could add to what has already been posted is that many of us have learned to "hoard" our imitrex or other abortives, ordering in months when we have not used up our previous supply, since insurance is so stingy on what they will allow monthly. Let us know how you make out. Blessings. lance