Welcome,

    For most of us cold work better than hot,  as cold is a vasoconstritor.  There are a few here who say hot does it dfor them though.

You say you are using 100% from a tube?   Could you elaborate a bit more on what you are referring to as a tube?  Please tell me you don't mean a nasel cannula?  A non-rebreather mask is what we need.  Nasel cannulas are for folks who COPD or Emphasema at a  very low lpm


Linda

The few times the hot shower does not work, I will switch it to cold for a few seconds, then back, but hot usually works, I'd figger 95%, plus I'm very clean during episodes, all spring fresh. For oxygen, I think the idea is to get as much into the blood stream, as fast as humanly possible. I have a tank and regulator, and the plastic hose. I turn on each breath, breath 100% oxygen while sucking on the end of the tube until the lungs fill, cut the flow, and hold it maybe 15 seconds. There is probably an efficiency point where the CO2 build up overtakes the pure O2, figure 15 seconds is close. If one has maybe a few minutes to go from precursor to screamer, why waste time with masks, rebreathers and 5-7 lpm? I tried the O2 generators, waste of time, no flow. O well, just popped a half tab of the Zomig, no headache coming on, just curious if it would trip one off. No problems so far. If it actually works, the VA will prescribe and fill. they won't touch the Relpax, too darn expensive.

fly gas wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2008 at 8:12pm:

SNIFF...........I'm a total opposite  ........good thing I don't hug anybody including my spouse.  My cats still love me....

I have mixed Maxalt and Trex before out of necessity, but was advised against it. No problem. I was allowed to do a DHE push at hospital 12 hours after Trex also with Doc approval. Just my experience, and by no means recommended.

I guess the most frustrating thing about clusters, is that what works dead on today, does not work tomorrow, and vice versa. O well, Zomig experiment. My history, 40 yrs of CH, totally drug resistant, 'cept for Relpax, which seems to work, have only taken one 5 mg Zomig in my life, it took a cluster to a solid howling ten in just minutes, lasted forever, in a previous series of 4's and 5's. In the spirit of whotheheckknows, last night I tried 1/4 tab. No adverse effects, hour later did another 1/4, and after that, an hour later, did the other half. Reading another thread, I tried deep breathing O2 before I went to bed. Holy ****!!! After a week of 3X a night, NO CLUSTERS. We all know the nature of clusters, nothing is certain, everything changes, but I have 4 more Zomig's left, I will repeat this experiment until they are gone. Who knows, but after maybe 3-5 hours of sleep in the previous 72,  gotta say I'm in a pretty damn good mood this morning! Life is good...........

Over the last 12 years I’ve done quite a bit of experimenting with the Triptans Axert, Maxalt, Zomig, Relpax, Amerge, Frova and Imitrex. Several of them are much newer. I have strong opinions on each of them, based strictly on my repeated experience with each. WITH THE PERMISSION and under the supervision of my cardiologist and Neurologist, I have tried mixtures of several, generally limited to overlapping fast acting with long half life drugs. All of them worked to some degree. Without going into a lot detailed trials and tribulations, I offer a couple of my simple opinions, but I’m quite sure that others will report the exact opposite experiences:

A Zomig Nasal Spray is always in my pocket. If I use it at the very first hint, it works wonders. If I wait to see if it’s more than a hint – I’m screwed and it’s worthless.

Imitrex jabs are always effective and fast. I’m totally convinced that Imitrex causes me to have more hits. I avoid all forms of it now.

Amerge taken at bedtime can offer a night without hits. Half a tab before an important business meeting will get me through it.

I have not used any of the above lately, because for the most part, O2 is working the miracles I need. In addition, I’ve been working with RC seeds. I haven't had a real K9 or K10 in quite awhile, and I don't want to go back to those many years of several per day.

Marc

Just a thought, If heat is used as a systemic vasodilator, wouldn't it essentially cause a decrease in blood volume and decrease vasodilation in the head to some degree and in turn be considered a vasoconstriction with those decreases in the skull.  I have always been a huge fan of ice, but maybe Fly is on to something.  Maybe using heat with a systemic approach is worth a try. 

And now a crazy thought...Has anybody tried hitting their O's while sitting in a hot tub?  This would not only give some defense against trying it and having it blow up in your face, err' head, but could possibly allow the body to take in more O2 with each breath being that your venous ssystem has opened up to allow higher volumes...  Call me crazy, but it is just a thought.      

Thomas

Zomig, in pill form, taken right before bed works wonders too.
I talked Blake into it a few times when he was getting hit every hour.
Amazing what even one nights sleep will do.

Jackie

I've long sworn by hot showers, often turning to full cold then back again. Was getting clobbered real bad one night and got the temperatures wrong without even knowing.  Scalded my scalp and half my hair fell out.

Didn't even realise until morning.

If the hot isn't working, I do try cold/hot back and forth. Indeterminate results, but given the nature of these things, all experiments are worth doing.
Remember a long time ago having a ten, water was too hot,
scalded my face, couldn't tell when it was happening.
Red, swolen, peeling skin for weeks,
guess all experiments are not all that good, eh?
O well, night time, off to pop another 1/4 Zomig,
hope I'm not boring the hell out of everyone, but it is such a trip
to have a drug that is actually working after all these years.
Take it easy,
Chris

AussieBrian wrote on Dec 8^th, 2008 at 8:36am:


I find heat helps me a lot. I use one of the rice filled microwave hot packs on the back of my head and neck on the afflicted side.

And Brian, the neighbors are most likely used to it by now…

Rolo.

Fly gas,  I'm totally with ya on the cutting the Zomig into quarters.  I just recently got low on my Rx and started that.  My CH's have shifted from hitting me in around 11:45 am about 9:45 pm.  So I take a quarter of a 5mg Zomig before hitting the sack and I'm good to go for the most part.  As long as I don't have one amping up on me I can usually catch them quick enough.  I have heard about the nasal spray too.  It's supposed to be good stuff I'm just curious on the cost?? I will say this though.  I don't condone taking meds in any way other than how they are prescibed, but I have also expiremented by taking a quarter of the Zomig and crushing it into a fine powder and putting it under my tongue like a BC powder.  The pain from these things will make you try about anything.