Hey Rachel,

Welcome to CH.com.  You've come to the right place...Send your HR people the following link.  It's a youtube video of ClusterChuck going through a cluster headache... 

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Chuck averages six to eight of these attacks every day.  They'll see many other links to videos of people having a cluster headache at the link above.

See your PCP for a lab test of your 25(OH)D.  This is the serum level metabolite of vitamin D3 that's used to measure its status.  The normal reference range for 25(OH)D is 30 to 100 ng/mL but vitamin D3 experts and most endocrinologist say the real range is 50 to 100.

The odds are you are vitamin D3 deficient and this deficiency is contributing to the frequency, severity and duration of your cluster headaches.

Over the last three years 400 to 500 cluster headache sufferers (CH'ers) have started the anti-inflammatory regimen of vitamins and minerals with 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3.  80% of them have experienced a significant reduction in the frequency, severity and duration of their CH.  75% experienced pain free 24 hour periods and 60% remain essentially pain free.  It's equally effective for episodic and chronic CH'ers.  This regimen is also >90% effective for Migraineurs in preventing their headaches.

The "Go To" link with info on all the anti-inflammatory supplements, their doses, drug interactions and contraindications follows:

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The following table represents the latest list of anti-inflammatory regimen supplements and doses:

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I've found the following supplements shown by brand in the photo below are formulated with most of the supplements we need.  I buy them at Costco, but you should be able to find similar formulations at most Vitamin Shoppes, supermarkets, Wall-Mart or over the internet:

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Although this vitamin K complex isn't essential in preventing CH, it is needed to handle the increased serum calcium made available by taking vitamin D3 at the doses we take.

There are a growing number of studies finding the super K2 complex helps direct calcium away from soft tissues and arteries directing it instead to bones and teeth improving overall bone mineral density.

There are also a number of studies that have addressed the optimum ratio of calcium-magnesium supplements.  The general consensus is to keep these two supplements at a 1:1 ratio.

Most CH'ers who have started this regimen in the last year and had their 25(OH)D results come back below 30 ng/mL, have used the accelerated vitamin D3 dosing schedule and found it got them pain free faster than taking the maintenance dose of vitamin D3 at 10,000 IU/day...  The dosing accelerated vitamin D3 dosing schedule follows:

Take the complete anti-inflammatory regimen with 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3, two of the Omega-3 Fish Oil liquid softgel capsules and one each of the remaining supplements the first day with the largest meal of the day.

If there's no allergic reaction to these supplements (very rare), take 20,000 IU/day vitamin D3 for the next two weeks.  Keep taking two each of the Omega-3 Fish Oil capsules, the calcium citrate tablets and Centrum Silver tablets.

In addition, for the first two weeks take a 50,000 IU loading dose (ten of the 5,000 IU vitamin D3 softgels) once a week on top of the daily dose for two weeks.  The day of the loading dose you'll be taking a total of 70,000 IU vitamin D3.

After two weeks on above vitamin D3 dosing schedule, stop taking the once a week loading dose and lower your daily vitamin D3 intake to 15,000 IU/day. Continue at this dose for another two weeks then lower the vitamin D3 intake to a maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day.

If you total the vitamin D3 doses you'll be taking 600,000 IU vitamin D3 over the 4 week period.  This should elevate your 25(OH)D serum concentration by 60 ng/mL, (150 nmol/L) above your starting level.  Assuming that starting level was less than 30 ng/mL, (75 nmol/L), your serum concentration should be around 85 ng/mL, (212 nmol/L).

If you're like most of the other CH'ers who start this regimen, you'll experience a favorable response within the first week. 

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Hey Rachel,

Potter is spot on...  People at OUCH-UK can really help.  They know the ropes and ways through your NHS when it comes to cluster headache.

I didn't see where you're using oxygen as a CH abortive...  It works!  I've attached the Home Oxygen Order Form (HOOF) your NHS requires for home oxygen therapy. It has a provision for the use of oxygen therapy as an abortive for cluster headache.  Download and print this form then have your PCP or Neurologist sign and submit.

Remember to ask for the 25(OH)D lab test when you see your PCP.  There are several CH'ers there in the UK who are using the anti-inflammatory regimen to successfully prevent their CH...  They'll be able to tell you where to purchase the needed supplements over the Internet.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch