Hi friends in the cluster world.  I am soon to celebrate my 45th bday later this month.  I am a male and I have been a clusterhead since I was 13 (episodic).  I went 4 years without the cluster and thought maybe I had left it in the dust.  At the height of a stressful stretch in my walk, BAM, they returned.  Over the years I have tried most everything.  I even had a Ojibway fella successfully treat me with plant medicines and a healing stone (knocked them right out).  CH went in remission for two years and returned.  Went back to healer and he prescribed a different remedy, which was not effective..  This latest battle has been long and intense.  Verapamil and Topamax have been ineffective and I am about two weeks into this V3, Omega 3, magnesium, calcium regiment (I will call it the Batch regiment)  and then I abort successfully with O2 or sumatriptan (when I have them in stock).  I have been trying some essential oils and believe they are helpful ward off attacks during the waking hours some of the time.  After 17 years my CH evolved to include the nightly attack 90-120 mins after falling asleep.  I will quit rambling and simply say its good to be here with supportive folks that know what its like to be a clusterhead.  In solidarity and love, Bigoji Also, has anyone tried a nerve-block procedure to break a cluster?

I have not had my blood levels checked yet.  Peter, can I ask if you are typically episodic or chronic?  My episode is due to be done any time now and I am hoping the nerve block will end it. One never knows how these CH will react though.  -Bigoji

I'm with Peter on the D3 regimen. I've been PF since Oct of 2013 (after being chronic since 97).

O2 is a good abortive if used correctly (see O2 tab on left) with the RIGHT mask.

Also have you tried Melatonin at night before bedtime. I take 20 mg EVERY night and have for years. It stopped the night hits for me years ago (had one or two but nothing to talk about).

Another thing - if you wake up - GET UP.. do not lay there and try to go back to sleep. Get up and get a cup of coffee.. For some reason if you go back to sleep - you WILL get hit.

Wishing you PF time real soon.. 

I believe melatonin can take a couple of weeks to become effective.
I've had 2 nerve blocks. First one didn't work so had another one month later. That didn't work either.
Maz.

Peter, You are taking a rather high dose of melatonin. I think most people take about 15mg about a hour before bed. Melatonin didn't have any effect for me, but I have sleep issues that are nothing to do with CH, which I have had my whole life - long before CH reared it's ugly head, so maybe I'm an exceptional case. It certainly seems to work well for most people.

Hi Peter,
I'm not too much of a royalist myself but I do think the Princes William and Harry are well worth thier salt. I've never met either of them of course but they both seem to be thouroughly good, down to earth youg men. And Kate is as beautiful as they come.

I am in the very small minority of people in the country who was not a fan of Diana, but I do believe she was a good mother, and her son will make a good king one day.