Hi all,
I originally came on board in May, 2006 looking for info into CH. This is a very good site! Since that time, I've been seen by four neuros.
I've had all sorts of preventive meds that were doing me morre harm than good, so I gave up on that as something I wanted to continue on. All I had were the CH (bad enough - huh!?), add to that the side affects of the meds - NOT! That neuro just gave up on me, as did the next for the same reason. Then I went to see a neuro in Century City. She put me on O2, but she prescribed a low flow rate (7-10 lpm). I read that one should use 15, which I tried. This seemed to work very well, but my cycle was rather light (only 5 hits for the whole cycle; I usually get that many in a single day), so I wasn't all that sure. I recently hooked up with the VA, and the neuro prescribed 7-10 lpm (what's with that?). When I got my equipment, I didn't immediately check it in detail (my bad, I know!) Then I got hit up pretty bad. I noticed that my regulator only went to 8 lpm, and that I had not a single non-rebreather mask other than one I saved from the past. When I contacted the supplier, they said that I needed to get in touch with the Pulmonary Dept. After a lot of hassling, I got a consult with them for May 1, 2009, so that I can get set up with the right flow rate/mask - Protocol calls for a mininum flow of 15 lpm for a non-rebreather mask; lower flow rate could cause the reservoir to collapse!
Sorry for the long blah, blah!
COMMENT: I hear a good number of folks saying that they experience kip 10's. I too once made such claims, but I've come to think otherwise. I can only remember having 2 kip 10's in my entire life. The first in 1968, where I punched out windows, broke down the door, took out 5 MP'S (this was on base, and I was into martial arts), got loose from the stretcher while in the ambulance and nearly caused the ambulance to have an accident before getting me to the ER. They treated me with demeral, but it didn't really work. The clusters stopped only to resurface in 2003. Again, I was hit with a kip that year, and I was sent to the ER after backing my boss into a wall and telling her where to go and what tod do once she got there. She nearly died! Don't get me wrong, my hits are bad enough, but then again, I can withstand a lot of pain, so I just wonder. Kip 10's are REALLY BAD, folks!!
OK, that's all!  

I remember you Ted! Damned sorry the beast found you again. Between E-Bay and the store Chuck mentions you should be able to get all set up. Welcome home it's great to have you back.

joe

Wishing you luck,........that's a beauracracy that moves at a snails pace! Don'y let up on em.

Joe