Friends,

25 year survivor here - back for the first time since December 2011.

I thought that getting a prescription for Oxygen would be too difficult in previous clusters. I thought that by the time I finally got the oxygen, my clusters would be gone. My clusters run 12-19 months apart, last 6-8 weeks. They ramp up quickly from 1-4 per day. This time I decided that I would see a neurologist and force the issue. Imitrex gets scarier as I age with the potential side effects and risks.

Anyway, my neurologist was in full agreement about the Imitrex - I cut the 100's in half to limit my intake, but still found myself up to 400 mg's in the middle (worst part) of the cluster. He prescribed me oxygen (although he didn't give me the LPM I asked for, the regulator goes to 15 and I ordered a rebreather mask)  Last night was the first time I used pure oxygen - 100% @ 15LPM - deep, calm breaths (as opposed to hyperventilating as some recommend) Well let me tell you - I was rocking out 4 headaches a day until last night. I aborted a cluster at around 7:00 last night, within 10, less than brutal, minutes, and then again around 3:30 a.m. 15 minutes of the breathing I described above.

Today was the best day I have had in 2 weeks, I haven't used Imitrex in 24 hours and have been able to abort 2 clusters today just by using oxygen. My head is clearer and I don't feel the gunshot pain in my right shoulder / neck or the fuzziness / hangover / post thunderstorm feelings I attribute to Imitrex.

Please trust me - oxygen is the most effective and quickest relief I have ever had in 25 years of clusters. Find a way to try it. Don't be intimidated by tanks / liters per minute / masks. Just find a way to get a prescription and start!

That viscous cycle of Imitrex / rebound / cluster / hangover has been broken (for now) I am not afraid to go to bed tonight.

CJ

Great to hear you're loving just what oxygen can do. It's amazing how when I first came here I never belived what people said about oxygen until I tried it and it transformed things giving me my life back. You see so many people who are skeptical too until they try it.

Do experiment with how you use it until you find what works best for you. Whilst hyperventilating at a high flow rate works well for some, you're not alone in finding something different for you.

And do try the vitamin D3, I too love what it has done for me and I have dust gathering on my tanks, but I'm still reluctant to return them, yet...

Thanks Friends - always appreciate the interaction and positive comments.

Guiseppe - thanks for the link on the vitamin regiment. I am heading out soon to stock up and give it a try.

CJ

While O2 has a broad following among users and docs, the issue of lugging the gear with you while traveling is a limitation. I see the use of other abortives as a useful option.

You are using Imitrex pills, I understand. The least effective form for Clusters and so feeds you anxiety about overall dosing. Injection form is best and dosing is adjustable withs many finding 3mg is quite effective (and now being approved in medical literature).

For convenience, other triptans which are effective come in pill form and Olanzapine is, for many, almost as rapid an abortive as Imitrex injection--and much cheaper!

My point: you can tune up your treatment program and get good results, AND resolve your anxiety about age/Imitrex dosing.