So, another failed treatment.

Today I had my first chance to try the 100% medical oxygen at 15 liters per minute via this CH-mask I specifically ordered for this purpose. Before I've used the oxygen at 10l/min flow rates and it has been of no help. I did everything by the book, started breathing it at the first signs of an attack, breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth, stayed at it for fifteen minutes. All that time the pain gradually got worse.

But yeah, within about 30 seconds of stopping breathing the oxygen the beast really got it going. It takes really a lot to make me cry from pain but that was exactly what happened. Thank god the ice still helps and got it to bearable levels within around five minutes of stopping the O2.

No more oxygen for me.

- Rosa

An important distinction must be made between causation and correlation. Just because the beast ramped up while you were using oxygen doesn't mean it was the oxygen that caused it.

And who ever told you to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth during oxygen therapy? That's bull. Many around here use the mouthpiece for their oxygen "mask," breathing only through their mouth, both in and out.

Rosa,

give oxygen another chance - then you can be sure if it works or not. As you have read, back in Finland 10-15 LPM recommendation stands, but internationally 15-25 LPM is used.

Wishing you PF time,
Sanna

Well, it is of course possible that other factors came into work. I slept only around 4 hours last night, was really tired throughout the entire day and then slept around 1,5 hours during the day to make up for it. That might have well messed up the hypothalamus more.

But the fact remains that I've used oxygen now at 10 liter flow rates through the CH-mask and 15 liter flow-rates through another less expensive non-rebreather mask at least 40 times. It has never aborted a hit, like I've heard it could. At the most it has sometimes worked as a sort of concentration point to take the mind off the CH.

I might still give it another chance, I guess...but considering the amount of pain I was in today it doesn't seem like a very attractive prospect.

All the best and PFDAN to all of you, though. It's great not to be alone with this.

- Rosa

Please read this thread on the Medication, Treatments, and Therapies board:

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...and pay particularly close attention to Batch's responses. What it's saying is that you should be hyperventilating while on the O2.

try it again. I highly doubt it made it worse. slam down a redbull and then follow with the 02. It fails to abort now and then. Perhaps you didn't get the 02 going quickly enough. Just speculating. Hoping it does better next time
all the best
thebb :)

I was hyperventilating...after several minutes I started to get dizzy. I was costantly breathing so fast the reservoir bag didn't manage to fill, but rather was almost empty to half empty.

Batch is actually saying that by not breathing the oxygen fast enough the pain can and will become worse and last longer? Sounds bad...considering I was getting dizzy from the oxygen.

Anyways, maybe I'll try it again.

- Rosa

Hi Rosa,

If the bag is never filling then you are breathing too fast and probably aren't getting enough into your lungs for you body to make use of.  

When the beast is taking off sometimes I use this technique to get things started.  Then I move onto breathing more rapidly.  Try inhaling from a filled bag.  Hold your breath and let the bag fill a bit more.  Then top off your lungs.  Exhale slowly and repeat a couple of times.

The other thing you want to do is to remain as calm as possible.  I know that is easier said than done buy try.  Any excess physical activity or anxiety only increases the amount of O2 your body is using and reduces the amount of O2 making it to your head.

Please give us any more observations you can think of so we can get you dialed in  ;)

-Dennis-

O2 worked for me, but it gave me A LOT of rebound headaches and it just wasn't worth it for me.  I'm sticking to the trex injections for aborts.  If those things ever stop working I'll be in BIG trouble!

Good luck to you!

I don't believe 02 made it worse. It just didn't prevent the hit from comming. It only works about half the time but it still saves alot on Trex usage. You should always try the 02 first and if it doesn't work then go the your abortive. I agree with Kimmie though; it doesn't keep the beast away as long as Trex so you've got to hit the 02 more often. It's always worth trying first. I do not use fast breathing techniques. It works better by taking long slow deep breathes, then slow exhales and continuing the process sometime for 25 minutes or so. Its hard to stop because of the pain but you've gotta just stick to it and concentrate while breathing.

Good luck to you,
Bob

For many of us, oxygen works wonders.  I didn't believe it until I tried.  We would all love you to find the same relief.  I generally get pretty relaxed, other than rocking pretty hard in a chair at first.  I suck up a good deep breath, hold it while the bag fills, then EXHALE FULLY before taking another.  8 LPM ssems to fill up the bag about as fast as I need it.

But, hey, we're here because our heads are wired funny.  One thing that is obvious from reading is that we are all unique.  What works for some does nothing for others.

I hope your hits are mild, and your cycle short.

Rosa - please don't give up on oxygen! Give it another shot. Try sitting up in a comfortable but straight-backed chair. Clear your mind as best you can (I know it's tough). Take the long, deep breaths through your mouth. I don't know if you've ever studied yoga or a wind instrument, but if you know anything about diaphragmatic breathing it will help to use this technique - both physically and to keep you centered and relaxed. Here's a link that might help:

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Keep at it with a high flow even if your head is screaming at you. It may take awhile but it's worth it if it works - and if it doesn't you really haven't lost anything. And let us know. Everyone's rooting for you.

David

DARN!!!
If you have tried it 40 times and you feel confident that you took the O2 in the described manner, I think it is a good bet that oxygen doesnt work for you.

I breathe in through the mouth and out through the nose even though i have a clustermasx.  Maybe I am anal, but I think that when you use the same mouthpiece for intake and exhaust, you mix the O2 with a small amount of what you exhale.  What you have exhaled doesnt go into the bag, but it does stay in the plastic pipe that your mouthpiece connects to. Then you inhale the O2 and you rebreathe your breath.

O2 doesn't work for me either-and I have used it correctly-even upping intake to 25lp.   I keep it around though, and still try it because you never know when something that once worked, then was ineffective, might work again.

Also, the tank and cart ad a certain element of style to my home decor.   :D

Live between the hits.  Wishing you
PFDAN
kathy

Rosa,

what is the situation now? Anything I can do to help?

PF wishes,
Sanna

Welcome to the minority club Rosa.

Oxygen at any levels or method does not help me either.
Oxygen also increases the intensity of the hits for me as well by a factor of 10 at the highest levels of use.

That said its still worth trying again at a later date as so many find exceptional relief with it. But for me after all these years no success with it.

Well this morning I finally gathered the courage to try the O2 again at 15l/min via the tight-fitting mask for 11 minutes.

The hit lasted the normal 60 minutes, but strangely the peak pain phase was much shorter than usually - only around 6 minutes instead of the usual 20-25 minutes. I entered the peak pain phase rapidly after stopping breathing the O2, but while I was breathing it, the pain seemed to stay at a low-to-moderate level.

I'm still wondering what to make of this. Sometimes I have low level hits just naturally...perhaps this was one of them? Or perhaps it was because of the O2?

- Rosa

Rosa,
that sounds promising to me! :)

wishing you PF time,
Sanna

Hi Rosa,

I'm glad you are seeing some results.  I would encourage you to stay on the O2 until the hit is killed or you reach 20 minutes.  If it still isn't gone, wait 5 and then hit it again.

Working with O2 for that long is an effort.  If you find your mouth is getting excessively dry, take periodic sips of water.  Just make sure you don't breath any room air when you do.

If the O2 does nothing but keep the hit from peaking, then it is probably worth the effort.

Keep at it hun.  It sounds like you are beginning to get the hang of it.

-Dennis-

Rosa, I second Dennis' advice. It took me awhile to get the hang of it too. In fact at first it seemed as if it were intensifying the pain for a few minutes before it really kicked in and took it away. Again, for me, the experience was a bit like popping an Imitrex: nothing at all for what seems like an eternity and then suddenly.... whoosh.... the pain is gone.

I hope you get that feeling, and fast!

David

Rosa,

Check your PM.

V/R, Batch

Sorry to hear the pain you are going throuh and like may other I know what it is like. I have had my CH for a year now as per my posting earler this week. I also have had hell for a long time and a year with no rest bite is hard. My doctor has been trying differnt medicacan and I do find the oxygen works but we have been trying Carbamazepine (tegretol) and I am finding good success with this, it does not take away the shaddow headackes but I have found a good reduction in the number of attacks. I am on 600mg a day it does have a side effect of tirdness but any reduction of attacks is of course like christmass and my birthday all rolled into one! Hope this may help

O2 has been working great for me. I just started it this week. I do it for 15 minutes at 100% and with in about 10 minutes the pain starts to ease up and the sweating will stop. I love the oxygen therapy so far. I just wish the machine wasn't so big.
I would definitely keep up the oxygen therapy, I am glad you are trying it. Its not going to totally stop the pain, but it will ease it and the CH won't last so long. At least that is my experience the last few days.
I also love using an ice pack too the coldness really helps, I turn the a/c down to like 70 and have a ceiling fan on.
Oh yeah, and I am also taking a Cartia a calcium channel blocker recomened for CH's. GOOD LUCK and keep at it!