Quick background:  Episodic clusters for 25 or so years.  One or two cycles/year.  Using oxygen and Zomig as abortive treatment.  Am currently at the peak of a cycle where I get hit 2 or 3 times a day, and always at night at 4am.

Was looking for something fizzy and non-alcoholic to drink the other night with dinner, and all I had was grapefruit juice and tonic water in the fridge.  I mixed the two, enjoyed, made another, drank it and went to bed afterward.  Slept like a rock for the first time in weeks with no pain.

Thought that was a freak coincidence but tried the exact same thing last night, and no pain.  I remember my swim coach telling me to drink tonic water with quinine before a workout to avoid muscle cramps, so maybe this has an effect.  Grapefruit juice tends to react with all kinds of things, so maybe it was the combo.  I have no idea, but thought I would pass this info along.

Having had clusters for so many years, there is no magic bullet.  Things that worked in previous years don't necessarily work this time.  Of course this could all be total coincidence, but I'll be drinking my grapefruit/quinine concoction again tonight anyway.  Two pain-free nights is nothing to ignore at this stage in the cycle. 

Just remember though that you're not supposed to have grapefruit if you're on calcium channel blockers as a preventative.  From what I understand that could be dangerous.  Please check for interactions before you try anything.  Good luck!

I used Batch's PH altering supplement to get me thru a nasty high point in my last cycle. It uses Magnesium, Vitamin D with Calcium, and Zinc, washed down with fresh lemonade. It alters your PH levels making you less succeptible to attacks. I wonder if you're altering your PH levels with the grapefruit?

I'm with you, if it works, keep doing it until it don't work! ;)

Joe

Do not use grapefruit juice and verapamil!

It can cause a pretty severe interaction.

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Always take note of instructions and warnings on your medication.

Tried it again for the 3rd night in a row, and I did sleep well again.  Got hit with a Kip 3 this morning at 5am, so relatively minor.  Hit it with oxygen and went about my morning.  Maybe there's something to this, but definitely inconclusive at this point.

K-man,
Hey, I know about Grapefruit and it's interactions with medications.  But, your tonic water idea got me wanting to try a good quality tonic water as an alternative to my usual nightly beer or wine since those will trigger me.  Found Fever Tree brand and wow! really good but expensive. 

But, really interesting is that I was feeling somewhat muscular achy in my neck and shoulders and it helped alleviate that issue for a while so maybe your Coach has a point. And I did read quinine has some analgesic and anti-inflamatory properties.

So I found a recipe to make my own tonic water.  If you or anyone want to give it a try (I've always been willing and ready to make my own stuff in the kitchen) here's probably the best (simplest) recipe I could find.
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