Hey Shane,

You've made a very informative series of posts about your battle with the CH beast.  As it appears you've been taking most of the anti-inflammatory regimen and have started taking 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 since the 9th of August and also started the vitamin D3 loading schedule, you should start experiencing some relief from your present CH symptoms within a few days. 

Knowing your 25(OH)D serum concentration at this point will help in adjusting the vitamin D3 loading dose schedule.

As the CHer who developed the anti-inflammatory regimen in October of 2010 and tracked results reported by hundreds of CHers taking this regimen since December of 2010, I've a few suggestions for you.

I've found that an allergic reaction can prevent a favorable response to the anti-inflammatory regimen.  This is due to the fact that allergic reactions result in a flood of histamine. 

When the histamine reaches the trigeminal ganglia, it triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, specifically calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and Substance P.  CGRP is a particularly nasty peptide that triggers neurogenic inflammation and pain.  CGRP also stimulates the release of more histamine and this results in a perfect storm that continues until the chemical reactants in this reaction are used up...  and the pain phase of CH ends.

There are several studies that have found CGRP elevated during the pain phase of cluster and migraine headaches.  This flood of histamine makes just about all CH preventatives including vitamin D3 less effective if they're effective at all.

The solution I've found that works best if an allergy is suspected is to take a first-generation antihistamine like Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL). 

First-generation antihistamines cross the blood brain barrier to block H1 histamine receptors in neurons throughout the brain including the trigeminal ganglia where CGRP is released in the highest concentrations.  Blocking the H1 histamine receptors stops the perfect storm and allows vitamin D3 and its metabolites to help prevent your CH through genetic expression.

I and several CHers here at CH.com have found that a 25 mg Diphenhydramine tablet in the morning and 25 mg tablet in the evening for a week to 10 days is usually sufficient to allow vitamin D3 and its metabolites to prevent your CH. 

Don't drive if you're taking Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) as it will make you drowsy.  If you need to drive during the day, take 50 mg Diphenhydramine as soon as you get home and are done driving for the day.  Taking Diphenhydramine this way is just as effective.

Viral, bacterial and fungal infections can also reduce the effectiveness of vitamin D3 as a CH preventative.  This is due to our immune systems responding to an insult by viral, bacterial and fungal antigens. This triggers an immune system response that consumes vitamin D3 and its metabolites at very high rates.  This leaves too little vitamin D3 and its metabolites to prevent CH through genetic expression.

As there are no pharmaceutical silver bullets to treat viral infections, our immune systems are the only natural defense and source of healing.  Accordingly, beefing up our immune systems with additional vitamin D3 and vitamin C can be very beneficial for CHers.

I've found that taking a vitamin D3 loading dose of 50,000 IU/day for three to five days and doubling the daily maintenance dose after that for a week to 10 days is effective in both treating the vital infection and preventing CH. 

Adding a 1,000 mg tablet of vitamin C every two hours during the day for a total of 6 grams can also also helpful in combating viral, bacterial and fungal infections.  Vitamin C is a natural antioxident, antiviral and antimicrobial agent with a serum half-life of roughly 30 minutes. 

Humans and guinea pigs lost the genetic resources to synthesize vitamin C so we must obtain it trough dietary sources or supplements.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch