Hey guys, thought I would just start a thread of my progress with the Vit D3 regime, how I feel on it, what I'm taking and how much.

I'm an episodic sufferer of 5 years now. In Australia this time of year is end of winter start of spring. My cycle generally starts later in the month and ends before November. Usually have 2-4 attacks in a day everyday. Lasting upwards of 1 hour, mainly 2-4 hours. I always end up debilitated rolling around in bed with head sweats, extreme sensitivity to light and sound with the usual head and face being ripped open by the beast.

The last two cycles I've been managing with caffeine and sumatriptan.

If there's any advice or information I should/need to know please let me know! :)

What I'm having for the Vitamin D3 regime::
Vitamin D3 - 10000IU
Omega 3 fish oil - 1000mg, EPA - 360mg, DHA 240mg
Calcium citrate + Vit D3 - 666.66mg, Vit D3 - 666IU
Magnesium - 300mg
Daily Multivitamin
Vitamin A - 5000IU (every second day)

This is a picture of the products I'm using. Was unable to get a 5000IU or 10000IU Vitamin D3 in Australia so have ordered some from an American website (puritans pride brand)
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14/8/2013 -
3am first attack for the cycle. Lasted about 30 minutes was able to get to sleep after pain subsided.
First dose of VitD3 regime. 5000IU
Shadows but no pain. Just a muggy foggy feeling.

15/8/2013 -
Second dose of Vit D3 regime. 10000IU
Still getting shadows through out the day. Same foggy muggy feeling when shadows are present. No pain present.

16/8/2013 -
Third dose of Vit D3 regime. 10000IU
Still getting shadows through out the day. Same foggy muggy feeling present when shadows are here. No pain present.

17/8/2013 -
Fourth dose of Vit D3 regime. 10000IU
Less shadows present today. But when shadows are present, it's the same muggy foggy feeling.

I won't keep updating what happens each and everyday unless something significant happens that I can report on. Haven't had a chance to get my blood test yet, but have booked in for one next week. Will report on results as soon as I can and continue to report on any changes to my CH cycle.  :) I'm feeling a lot more optimistic at the moment.

Big thanks to Batch for saving me from this horror.
Good luck to others who are trying the Vit D3 regime!

Hey Waymoz,

Thanks for the detailed feedback and kind words. Looks like you're well on the road to life without cluster headaches...

I'm always amazed at the different forms of supplements CH'ers use in other countries to meet the requirements of the anti-inflammatory regimen.  Good on you for finding what you need to make it work.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

I just don't get it.  Everybody else gets immediate relief except us.  I just don't get it.

southernbelle wrote on Aug 17^th, 2013 at 12:03pm:

I just don't get it.  Everybody else gets immediate relief except us.  I just don't get it.

Not true at all. If you go back and read some of the archives of the D3 regimen, you will see that it took me two full months before I started getting relief. It didn't stop me from continuing, and I have now been pain free for over a year.

southernbelle wrote on Aug 17^th, 2013 at 12:03pm:

I just don't get it.  Everybody else gets immediate relief except us.  I just don't get it.

Everybody?  That's not true at all. 

I tried it my last cycle and followed the tedious directions perfectly using all suggested vitamins, proper dosages, times to take them, with lemonade, with biggest meal of the day for best bioavailability/fat absorption, careful of interactions/timewise with Verapamil, blood tests flagged higher than 100 showing I should be painfree, hours and hours on the phone and in person with Batch for advice, etc., etc. and absolutely no luck whatsoever. 

This is not successful for everybody, but certainly has helped most (80%+) who have diligently followed regimen protocol. 

So is it worth continuing?  Absolutely!  One thing is for sure, it can't hurt you, it will improve your overall health, and it's very affordable, good luck!

-Gregg in Las Vegas

PS  I am on this regimen for about three months now in hopes of preventing anticipated cycle to have started this month/next month and so far, so good. ;)

southernbelle wrote on Aug 17^th, 2013 at 12:03pm:

I just don't get it.  Everybody else gets immediate relief except us.  I just don't get it.

Hey southernbelle am sincerely sorry that it isn't working for you. Definitely keep trying as everyone else is advising. From Batch's graphs in his thread, it shows that for some it took as long as two months to work. But it worked.

Also keep in mind that, although we all suffer through the same pain our bodies are all essentially different and will react differently to different treatments.

Good luck to you finding some relief!

hi waymoz,
                     5000iu available here in oz
  go on to ebay you'll find it. as well as 200 calcium citrate and mag citrate 200.
I order and its here in 2 or 3 days.....

colin

wrote on Aug 18^th, 2013 at 6:25am:

hi waymoz,                      5000iu available here in oz   go on to ebay you'll find it. as well as 200 calcium citrate and mag citrate 200. I order and its here in 2 or 3 days..... colin

Excellent. Thanks for that I'll have a look!

20/08/13
Still having 10000IU a day, alternating Vit A supp. because of diet.

In regards to progress and CH management, I really noticed today that I had maybe 1 shadow? So there is definitely a reduction in frequency of shadows. Prior to today I was experiencing shadows as frequently as I would have had CH attacks. Today I've only noticed 1. Could be going in the direction of not noticing anything CH related!