Hi group,

A bit about my journey: I've been having attacks since I was a teenager, which means 30 years now. They are quite textbook in terms of manifestation, seasonality, location, etc. The longest pain-free spell I've had was while living in the tropics -- five years with no cluster. I have never understood why, but I now think it may have been the vit D. I was outside receiving tons of sun all the time, eating foods grown under that sun, etc.  I hadn't heard of this vit D regime until here just a few days ago.
Here, in the dreary northern US my vit d sits at around 30. So I'd love advice about how to get on the protocol quickly. Can one just start the 50,000 right away? I have pills and liquid D at home; ordered the BioTech.

I never had luck with any prescription meds and felt the side effects were not worth it. So I manage attacks on my own, through whatever I can draw on: 1) intense exercise in the middle of the night until the pain passes, 2) alternate nostril breathing to clear the fogginess, residual pain, 3) meditation to survive the pain, 4) whatever comes to mind in the moment. I have found the less upset I get, the more I can manage.

Personally, the psychological effects are really the hardest to navigate. Of course the pain is what it is, but it's the degree to which I get upset and let the headaches lead my life that really impacts my experience.

I'm trying to be more zen this time around, but I also need to get my vitamin levels in line, finally. I already don't eat wheat and my sugar craving is at 0 since the attacks started.

I've long believed the world's best treatment for CH is the one that works for you. Glad you've made it this far and can still manage a smile.

Before launching into the famous D3 regimen it's worth waiting until you have the full details in your little hand because a big part of it is getting a blood test before you start so you can monitor your levels as you continue forward.

There's been some great success with it, too, so I wish you well as your adventure continues.

Hi Naomi, yes, your vitamin D level is low at 30, for us cluster heads it needs to be around the 80ng/ml mark, to get any relief from the beast, so here is the vitamin D regiment for you to have a look at.

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Hoppy

Thanks for the replies and support. I have blood work from April to look at -- other than the D, which was at 30, which levels should I be focusing on? I also had high triglycerides, for instance.

I was planning to start the vitamin D regimen and go see my doc in a month for follow-up work.

For the vitamin D regiment blood test 25(OH)D, you need a serum concentration of around 80ng/ml.

Hoppy