Colin,

Thanks for the update and glad to hear you've had a couple PF night's sleep.  It's amazing how much better you feel when that happens.

Have you tried ordering Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) over the Internet as Peter suggested?

Regarding beer...  Alcohol in any form has never been a trigger for me...  That said, once you've taken enough vitamin D3 to elevate your 25(OH)D up around 80 ng/mL, (200 nmol/L) and you've been PF for a month or two...  A beer test is in order... if for no other reason than to build confidence that you're in control and not the beast...

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Slacker,

This is still the fastest and most efficient method of oxygen therapy as an abortive for CH.

You need to complete the entire sequence with 30 seconds of hyperventilation with room air (10 complete respiratory cycles) at forced vital capacity tidal volumes followed by inhaling a lungful of 100% oxygen and holding it for 30 seconds.  Keep repeating this entire 1-minute sequence until the pain is completely gone.

The respiratory physiology that makes this method of aborting CH so effective is based on lowering the arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PACO2) and elevating the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PAO2). 

Intentionally hyperventilating at forced vital capacity tidal volumes casts off CO2 faster than your body generates it through normal metabolism.  As CO2 becomes carbonic acid when dissolved in blood serum, removing CO2 makes the blood less acid and more alkaline.  Accordingly, lowering the PACO2 elevates arterial pH making it more alkaline hence the term respiratory alkalosis.

As soon as the PACO2 levels drop below normal and arterial pH rises above normal, chemical sensors in the large arteries and brain stem, signal the body's homeostatic mechanisms that control arterial pH, to slow the flow of blood to the lungs in order to build PACO2 back up to normal levels...

These control mechanisms do this by trying to slow the respiration rate, (but you're intentionally hyperventilating so that doesn't happen).  They also signal the heart to beat more slowly and most importantly, they signal the arteries throughout the body and brain to constrict...  We want this to happen as this is part of the CH abort mechanism.

The other part of the mechanism of action involves blood hemoglobin.  As arterial pH rises, hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen increases so it carries more oxygen from the lungs than normal.  The elevated pH also lowers hemoglobin's affinity for CO2.  Accordingly an elevated arterial pH triggers hemoglobin to dump more CO2 and upload more O2 as it passes through the lungs.

All this happens while hyperventilating with room air at forced vital capacity tidal volumes...

When you inhale the lungful of 100% oxygen and hold it for 30 seconds, blood hemoglobin loads even more oxygen making it super-oxygenated.  When this super-oxygenated blood reaches the arteries, arterioles and capillaries in and around the trigeminal ganglia, it triggers them to constrict even more and this aids in affecting a very rapid CH abort.

It's very important to avoid holding the lungful of oxygen for more than 30 seconds...  As soon as you start holding your breath, PACO2 levels start rising.  Holding your breath for more than 30 seconds will allow your PACO2 to rise above normal and this will have the opposite affect on the arterioles and capillaries in and around the trigeminal ganglia causing them to dilate... This will halt or stop the CH abort mechanism.

For most of us, if started before the CH pain reaches 8 to 9 on the 10-Point headache pain scale, we can abort a CH with this method of oxygen therapy in 4 to 8 complete cycles, (4 to 8 minutes).

The following chart comes from the pilot study we conducted in 2008 where 7 CH'ers used the same method of forced hyperventilation except with an oxygen demand valve or a 0 to 60 liter/minute regulator at a flow rate of 40 liters/minute equipped with a ClusterO2 kit without a mask.  In other words, instead of hyperventilating with room air, they hyperventilated with 100% oxygen.

This chart also illustrates the time to abort is directly associated with the pain level at start of therapy.  The higher the pain level, the longer it takes to abort a CH.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

There are a couple other things that happen during this method of oxygen therapy.  You'll experience mild paresthesia - a very slight tingling, prickling or crawling sensation around your face, lips and fingertips.  You may also experience a slight dizziness.  Lean against a wall if you feel dizzy and if you feel too dizzy, sit erect in a chair.

Both of these sensations are indications you've pushed your system into respiratory alkalosis and this is the best indication you're going to abort your CH as fast as possible. 

I realize that's a long convoluted answer to your question...  However, if you understand how and why this method of oxygen therapy is so efficient in aborting CH, you'll learn how to use it more effectively.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this method of oxygen therapy, you can find the step by step procedures at the following link:

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Peter,

If used on a routine (daily) bases, the hyperventilation technique used in this method of oxygen therapy strengthens the diaphragm and intercostal muscles so actually improves lung functions and capacity.  The anti-inflammatory regimen should help with the pulmonary fibrosis as vitamin D3 promotes a healthy immune system and normal cell growth.

Take care,

V/R, Batch