I have voyeured on this site for so long I can't begin to tell you all, but this is my first post. I have been episodic for 23 years, and I am in another full blown cycle. This one came one month after a very benign cycle in December, but nearly two years from my last, full blown cycle. The only consistency to these attacks is their inconsistency, I guess. Unlike a lot of folks on here, I shy away from most medicines. I took a course of verapamil in August of 99 and it threw my cycle off completely and I've never had predictable cycle since. I have used Trex on a few occasions, but it seemed to throw my hits out of whack, and instead of just getting them at night, I'd also get them in the afternoon. I can't have that. I have to work to feel some control over these attacks. I also ate Vietnamese the night before a particularly nasty cycle hit me in the early 2000s and I never Vietnamese again! Most of my cycles are in the three to four week range, tho I have had cycles that lasted as long as two months (the Trex cycle). I also had a cycle where the ha switched from the left to the right side (that was a kick in the gut), two cycles that were a month apart, cycles that were 9, 12, 15, 16 months apart - I could go on, but most of you have heard this all before I'm sure from other members. Like most episodics, my biggest fear is going chronic, and I try to be sanguine about it, but in reality, it can damn near lead me to a panic attack if I think about it too long.  For grins, I've just started Batch's D3 regimine. I figure this one can't hurt (too much  ), and as soon as I can find them, I will bust. When I take mushrooms on a regular basis (every six months), it doesn't stop the cycle or I think even prevent it, but it does seem to make it shorter and a lot less painful. This cycle I have been unable to find shrooms (bad time of year, even for Colorado where you can usually just go forage for them) and the attacks have been severe, 5 a night in the high kip range. After 23 years episodic, I tell myself that this cycle too will pass, but holy shit, does it hurt! Good luck to you all, and may we all someday just have to live with the usual pains in life, not this unholy torture.

Batch, I bet your ears have been ringing like bells the last few days. My wife and I have probably said your name a 1,000 times this week! Whether or not the D3 works for me, I want to warmly thank you for your service to our country, and to us clusterheads, as well. You give us hope during these dark days. Please, for all us, keep up the good work, and I wish you many, many pain free days in the future.