I know I wasn't all that regular on the boards but there might be one or two people that remember me from a few years back, well other than what I thought was an isolated episode earlier in the year (2 days at maybe a 6, was easy to cope with) I've been fighting to maintain my sanity in the past couple of months because the beast is back and I'm quite certain he brought friends, I'm lucky to get 2 days in between cycles, switching from left to right almost at whim, I lost my doctor about a year ago and am on a waiting list for a new one, OTC painkillers are helping when its mild and I have to force myself to keep going but this morning I just wanted to curl up in a ball and disappear (was at work so honestly couldn't do that, just kept taking more pills).

Anyway just thought I'd let the people who know me know that I'm back and "its" back, and if anybody could possibly suggest something that i might not have tried, and don't need a prescription for, that would be great (keep in mind after 15 years I've tried a lot and a lot has failed, which is why I still fully endorse narcotic pain killers to knock me out)

Anthony

first time I tried O2 they had it at 7 liters/minute, I read up on the use and the next time I landed in the hospital (which is the only way I get O2, can't have it at home) I requested 12-15 liters/minute and they set it to 15, did absolutely nothing for me (and before you ask, yes it was a non-breathing mask)

See that's mainly my problem I never get the O2 fast enough, can't have it in my home (even if I could get a prescription for it) and the hospital is 30 minutes away, I've actually been driven to the hospital arrived still in the middle of a hit and sat in the waiting room through another one before actually seeing a doctor, they really pissed me off that day. As I've not actually had success with the O2 I honestly don't want to end up in that waiting room waiting on them to get a doctor to say "hook him up to O2" again, and its also not a feasable treatment for when I'm at work, can't exactly haul an oxygen tank to and from work with me.

large tank in my home is not possible (my father refuses to quit smoking or only smoke outside) have no car for a mid-size tank so all I'd be left with would be the small portable one, which in truth if it worked would be all I need, just have to refill it after every hit.

Quote:


Can you actually take enough of those to sleep through the night while in cycle??? Pretty risky isn't it?

If you change your mind about the O2 we can explain why your father smoking in another room is not a problem. I smoke and I don't go outside.

Good luck, Don

Have you explored using energy drinks with Caffeine and Taurine (Red Bull. Monster, etc) or dosing with a few RC seeds?

Marc

Tar wrote on Oct 14^th, 2009 at 3:29am:

Narcotics aren't the answer if you really have ch........Unless you like them.  Oxygen is the answer.

           Potter

Potter I know narcotics aren't the answer, but when its a choice of that or destroying my body with over the counter painkillers I don't see much option. Can you tell me that oxygen is 100% effective in all cases, or that everybody responds the same way to whatever preventative and abortive medication they have decided might work on CH?

All I'm getting at is that I have found that narcotic pain killers allow me to function during a cluster period, I don't enjoy taking them, in fact when I have them readily available I'll often refuse to take them until absolutely necessary. Their effectiveness is not really something I want to argue about on here, we should all know too well that everybody responds to different treatments in their own way.

Chad cigarette smoke has never been a trigger for me I can guarantee that one, since I've been smoking since before my CH started, and even during an active period, although I do tend to cut down at that time, only actually able to smoke between hits. I can't link any hit directly on smoking at any time in my life, there may be a contributing factor but it isn't a direct trigger, alcohol on the other hand definitely is, which is what I'm paying for now I think, had a glass with thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, but in my defense I honestly thought I was out of cycle at this point.

Tar,

I know everybody responds differently to O2 therapy, but I will say that at least 70% or more on here get great results from O2.  I have yet to try it because i'm waiting on a script, but i'm very optimistic that it will work at a HIGH flow rate.  I am in remission now so it's not a big deal at this point.

Now, I will try to clear your question in your response to Potter.  O2 "isn't" 100% all of the time, but if it cuts your total hits in half (50% effective), wouldn't it be worth it?  That's what i'm excited for.  Ultimately, it keeps your body drug-free.

Tar, you can buy an expensive or cheap systems.
It all depends on your wallet or your desperation.  I've seen regulators on Ebay as low as $15.  The non-rebreather mask they offer here is like $27.  The rest is tank rentals and refills.  My insurance doesn't cover it, but the extra money I make will go towards those tanks.  The rest of the set up you have forever.
It's cheaper than buying Imitrex or any of the other drugs with out insurance.

I'm going to look into it but honestly not sure if there are any sources of tanks, masks and regulators in this area, can't order from ebay or online sites of any kind so I'm kind of screwed there. I've managed more than half my life without it so a few more months is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but yes I agree if it works for me in the long run it will be a god send and a worthwhile investment on my sanity.

Neither of those places are even close to where I live, there's also a Medigas in Pembroke where I'd probably be able to get a decent regulator and mask but its a good 40 minute drive away and I don't drive. Thanks for checking though, will keep them in mind when i do look into it

A bit uncalled for I should think, I merely said they aren't close enough for me to get to at this moment in time, I did thank you for the information as it will be useful in the future, when I can afford the system and have adequate transportation to make such purchases.