I'm curious about something. Ive been For me Imitrex has never helped a CH. O2 has helped but only for the first try of the day and not always. (Yes I have used high volumes of 02).  I occasionally get migraines. Imitrex (especially a shot) can knock a migraine right out.

Hi Mike

Are you using imitrex injections for CH or the tablet form? The tablet form works fine for migraines (I use it for that too) but for CH you really need to be using the injections or the nasal spray (works for some).

With oxygen, have you read the oxygen page info on the left? Are you using a non-rebreather mask? How high a flow rate have you used? Some people who have no luck at 15lpm get relief when using a higher flow rate.

Tell us more about how you use Imitrex and oxygen.

Hey Mike,

How high is high when you talk about your oxygen flow rates...  Even 15 liters/minute can be useless aborting hits reliably at the higher Kip levels >7.

You need oxygen flow rates of 25 to 40 liters/minute to really make a dent in cluster headache abort times and efficacy...

If you're stuck with a 15 liter/minute oxygen regulator, try hyperventilating with room air (10 to 20 rapid deep breaths) then suck up a couple deep breaths of oxygen... Hold the second breath of oxygen for 15 to 20 seconds then repeat the sequence...

If you're still having trouble aborting with imitrex and oxygen, you may have a low arterial pH...  Too much acid... This condition causes a level of vasodilation that make nearly all abortives and preventatives less effective and in some cases, not effective at all.

It's easy determining if this is the problem.  All you need to do is drink a baking soda tonic four times a day (every two hours and two hours after eating) and again before bed.

A half teaspoon of Arm & Hammer baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in a 4 oz. glass of cold water should do the trick...  The instructions are on the box.

If the baking soda tonic works, you'll need to change your diet by eating GOMBS/alkalizing meals at least once a day... 

Info on these diets is available on the Internet...

Take care and please keep us posted...

V/R, Batch

With Cluster, timing of Imitrex use is important. If you delay an injection waiting to see if this is a full attack, then the injection will be much less effective.