I just found this website and am still thanking God for you all.  My husband has suffered with ch for approx. 15 years, and only for the past 5 or 6 years has he been prescribed oxygen.  Before that, all kinds of tests, ineffective treatments, etc.  Im sure you all know what I'm talking about.  Anyway, I have a question.  My husband has to wait till his headache is "full-blown" before he takes his oxygen.  If he takes it at onset, it comes right back.  Does anyone else have this problem?

If he waits too long past onset, the attack will be extremely difficult to abort.  Proper o2 therapy is to begin high flow o2 at onset of attack. 

"Repeat attacks" are often due to stopping o2 therapy too soon.  To lessen the chances of a repeat attack, have him abort the attack (from onset), and stay on the o2 breathing normal (lower lpm) for an additional 10 minutes.  This procedure has helped many CH'ers who have expressed concern of repeat attacks. 

Good luck ;)

-Gregg in Las Vegas

I had a similar problem with come backer attacks within 20 minutes of shutting off the 02. For many years I took a Cafergot pill...a REALLY old school CH med.... when I started the 02. 02 would kill the attack, cafergot would buy me up to 12 hours pain free time.

During my last cycle I was advised to try energy drinks instead of cafergot. Now when an attack starts, I immediately fire off the 02, while huffing the 02 I drink sugar free red bull...on the rocks.......in between breaths. The benefit appears to be two-fold. The abort seems to be more rapid, and it has the same effect of pushing the comebacker off.

They're cheap, worth a shot. One warning, if he is on verapamil I'd limit it to one or two energy drinks a day as the taurine in the drinks doesn't play well with verapamil and can cause heart issues.

Joe

What Joe said. The Red Bull along with the O2 works for me (and I used Cafergot for years also).

But make sure the CH is totally aborted before getting off the O2 (and then give it a little mroe time to be sure).

Let us know how that works for you. :-*

I can't add a thing to what the three have said.  They all hit the key points.  The biggest thing is don't quit to soon thinking it is all over.

Jerry