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Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Getting to Know Ya >> Thank you Pete http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1515048501 Message started by tareq on Jan 4th, 2018 at 1:48am |
Title: Thank you Pete Post by tareq on Jan 4th, 2018 at 1:48am
Dear all,
I will start by wishing you and your loved ones a very happy 2018. I am 48 years old and I am a CH episodic sufferer for more than 30 years. The main reason of writing this post is to thank my Hero Pete Batch for making my suffering much more tolerable through the Vitamin D3 regimen, It did not only shortened my last cycle and the intensity of pain it also gave me confidence because I know I have a powerful weapon to fight the beast. In addition, I would like to share with you a personal observation that may give slight comfort to other episodic sufferers. I realized that with age my pain-free days are increasing, in my 20s I used to have 2 to 3 cycles per year then one cycle per year and currently one cycle every 5 yrs. The observation I would like to make is that, since I started keeping a journal in 2003, I realised that with age the pain-free days usually increased by considerable percentage from cycle to cycle as shown in the data below: Start date Age Duration no of attacks Pain free days % increase of pain free days from last cycle 1/8/03 33 19 days 29 N/A N/A 9/20/04 35 33 days 43 601 N/A 7/26/06 37 56 days 75 641 6.6% 4/16/09 40 33 days 49 938 46% 1/10/13 44 55 days 33 1,324 41% 12/15/17 48 Still active Still active 1,748 32% Notes: - Usually I will have between 30 to 70 attack per cycle excluding shadow headaches - My first line of defense to abort attacks are Imitrex injections - My preventive since 2013 cycle is Pete vitamin D regimen,I stop taking the maintenance dose one month after end of cycle - I am a smoker I hope the above observation will help to better understand the beast and give younger sufferers some hope. Wish you all good health, Tareq |
Title: Re: Thank you Pete Post by Batch on Jan 4th, 2018 at 3:39am
Tareq,
Thank you for the kind words and detailed headache log. That you're still having calls from the CH beast tells me you need a higher dose of vitamin D3. Data from the online survey of CHers taking the anti-inflammatory regimen indicate the pain free 25(OH)D serum concentration range is between 80 and 120 ng/mL and higher for some CHers. Even with 25(OH)D concentrations above 150 ng/mL and seven years of feedback on the results of this regimen, we've yet to have a CHer report hypercalcemia, too much serum calcium, the only real indication of vitamin D3 toxicity. If you're still in cycle, see your PCP for lab tests of your serum 25(OH)D, total calcium and PTH, then start adding more vitamin D3 to the daily intake by 5,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 on top of your normal maintenance dose. Do this for 3 days. If the CH continue, bump the daily vitamin D3 dose by another 5,000 IU/day. I suspect you'll find the optimum dose to keep you CH pain free between 15,000 IU/day and 25,000 IU/day. After a month of increased vitamin D3 intake, see your PCP for another round of labs for your 25(OH)D, total calcium and PTH. As long as your serum calcium remains within its normal reference range, there's no problem with the vitamin D3 dose or the resulting 25(OH)D serum concentration. For reference my average vitamin D3 intake over the last few years is 20,000 IU/day to remain CH pain free and my 25(OH)D has averaged 140 ±50 ng/mL. My serum calcium has remained within its normal reference range... It's also best to stay on this regimen year round. There are several advantages in doing this and the biggest two are, there's no ramp up in vitamin D3 required when your regular cycle time comes around. The second is there are so many wonderful health benefits from taking this regimen, taking it year round helps ensure optimum health. Thanks again and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch |
Title: Re: Thank you Pete Post by tareq on Jan 4th, 2018 at 4:24am
Thank you very much Batch for your reply, I will follow your recommendation word by word. Just one small query, I develop large Calcium Oxalates kidney stones (require surgery to remove) and my PCP warned me of to much vitamin D3. I read Vitamin D Wiki article, recommended by you, which defy the relation between developing kidney stones and high intake of vitamin D3 but would appreciate your opinion on the matter.
Note: I had the kidney stones issue years before starting to boost my vitamin D3 level. Best wishes, |
Title: Re: Thank you Pete Post by tareq on Jan 7th, 2018 at 12:22am
Thank you for your priceless input. Also, from now on I will follow your recipes to prepare salad and Tofu :) :) :) .
Have a great day, |
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