Hi clusterheads
I just wanted to say that I'm headed for another cycle which I now call my 'workout cycle'. I'm not going to say too much about this as I don't want to waste your time, but heavy weight lifting and interval training has beaten the beast 100% of the time for me. (minus trial and error when I first started). Intensity is the key to success...
40 to 50 minutes of heart pounding exersize every other day plus add intense cardio everytime a shadow is too heavy.
3 years pain free and counting...
I have been a clusterhead for over 20 years now and never had anything work everytime until this.

God Bless
John

It's great that you've found something that works for you. I hope you continue to be pain free.

Thanks Mike. I'd like to mention that I don't post on this site for me. I'm just too busy to bother.
  I only mention this for someone who will find that this works for them.
O2 and exercise can be a compliment to eachother. One ages while the other rejuvenates.
  Also I notice that there are not many exercise people here, which could mean that it works well and they don't come back. I sometimes feel shadows during a workout, but they go away after I'm done. My cycles last less than a month, which is 1/3 less than what they use to be.
  I also use melatonin and caffeine. I stay away from tylenol, aspirin, etc... I think they make it worse.

John

I'm 44. Episodic for over 30 years. I read about intense exercise last cycle and tried it at the onset. Never worked. Tried it again this cycle and it works like a charm. I do burpees at the onset of a CH.

I've been an athlete and into sport/exercise all my life. Never really made a difference with the cycles.

A year and a half ago I started CrossFit. It's incredibly intense. Whereas my cycles always came at either 18 or 24 month intervals, this cycle started after 3.5 years. I am convinced that Crossfit and my nutrition changes staved off this cycle. (See other threads about anti-inflammatory regime result; my nutrition in very anti-inflammatory). I went through an incredibly stressful period that culminated with this cycle beginning. I believe stress kicked this one off.

This is totally anecdotal info, and is just my experience. Unfortunately, I've been unable to maintain my workouts. I did for the first couple of weeks, but the last couple of weeks Ive been getting up to 5/day, mostly at night. I have no energy to work out. I should be at the end of the cycle soon. I'll get back to the workouts after. And hopefully stave off the beast for even longer this time.