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Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me (Read 47296 times)
AussieBrian
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #25 - Feb 5th, 2016 at 11:35pm
 
Hey, Anubis, I'm glad you've found something that's safe and effective for you and have taken the time to make it known to others so they can look further into it and make an informed decision about whether or not it's right for them.

Wouldn't suit me, but may well help another ClusterHead which is why many of us are here.
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Hoppy
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #26 - Feb 6th, 2016 at 1:47am
 
My monies on the vitamin D regime!
Just my personal opinion  Wink

Hoppy
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« Last Edit: Feb 6th, 2016 at 6:36pm by Hoppy »  
 
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blacklab
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #27 - Feb 6th, 2016 at 9:19pm
 
Hi Anbus,
                sorry Ive been off line for a while.
Thanks for your detailed reply. You are quite correct, that its obviously not suited to everyone.  I guess those that have used it or have knowledge of it, are probably, in their own way, letting you know of its past effect on them or their knowledge of its side effects.
Listen, didn't want to come across negative, I fully understand the drive to become pain free and are truly happy you've got their ! touch wood.
You sound as though you've researched it, no of its possible side effects and are working with your doctor.   So well done !  That's by far the best approach when taking these sorts of potential problematic drugs.
I hope you continue to give us feed back on how your going.
Good luck with it all.
regards
colin
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anubis44
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #28 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 12:46am
 
blacklab,

Thank you for acknowledging that I've researched what I'm saying, and that I also acknowledge potential issues with the Vimovo for a comparably small percentage of CH sufferers.

I'm getting sick of people bitching that 2 weeks of 2 Vimovos/day, and a maintenance dose of less than 1 per day (I'm still figuring out how little is needed to maintain PF, but it's looking pretty good so far for how little Vimovo might be needed) is going to lead to mass death from stomach bleeds. I believe the Vimovo, in combination with the D3 regimen (and possibly the melatonin) is so effective in completely halting CHs that, once you 've stopped them, you will only need very occasional maintenance doses of Vimovo (or possibly another NSAID like Ibuprofen) to remain pain-free, since there seems to be very potent synergy between D3 and NSAIDs in reducing inflammation that neither of them on their own can match.

For example, this link talks about the 'double whammy' D3+NSAIDs provide against prostate cancer:

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The key quote for me was: "The group saw a 25 percent reduction in prostate cell growth using only calcitriol (D3), and approximately the same reduction using only ibuprofen and naproxen. But when they combined calcitriol (D3) and an NSAID, they saw up to a 70 percent reduction. This result was obtained using from one-half to one-tenth the concentration required for either of the drugs used alone."

This suggests a possible reason for the success of my current D3+Vimovo routine. Together, D3 and Naproxen are significantly more potent in reducing inflammation than either of the by themselves.

Since there have been some extremely negative responses to the treatment regimen that's been completely effective (I can't stress this enough) for me, I've decided to try stopping the Vimovo (while still continuing the Batch D3 regimen, and the melatonin) as a test, just to see how long it might be before I get a CH. I'm doing this for a few reasons:

1) I want to see whether the Vimovo is in fact responsible for my current, pain-free period. If it is, my CHs should resume at some point without it.
2) If the Vimovo is key to my current pain-free period, how much is the minimum maintenance dose to keep me pain-free?

I understand some people are married to their current treatment routines, and they're understandably tired of hearing of the latest wonder treatment that just turns out not to work, and they're reluctant to try yet another new thing that purports to stop CHs completely. But, with the exception of a few people in the Batch D3 thread, so far, I haven't heard of anybody saying their routine has completely, totally stopped their CHs. There are legions of the damned who are swearing by this much oxygen, or that much verapamil to mitigate their CHs once they're imminent, but I don't want to live my life constantly at the ready to pull out an oxygen tank, or a Zomig nasal spray, or to take continuous doses of verapamil in quantities that slow my heart down to the point where I fear it may stop beating just because it >might< reduce the frequency of CH attacks.

I say to hell with that. I now have my life back with what I'm doing. I can eat anything I want for the first time in years. I can drink alcohol in any quantity I choose. I can even eat MSG-laden Chinese Food with impunity! All without even the slightest hint of a shadow. I'm sharing this, not because, as one curmudgeon on here suggested, that I'm an egoist. Rather, I'm sharing what's working for me because CH is probably the single most painful condition known to medical science, and I've found a way to stop it dead in its tracks that's worked with 100% effectiveness for me, a former chronic CH'er, for over three months now. What kind of jerk would I be for NOT sharing this?

If I'm right, and excess COX-2 is the ultimate culprit behind CH, which I'm now completely convinced it is, the Batch D3 regimen + Vimovo in the dosings I've already mentioned (and possibly the melatonin, all of which work to reduce inflammation through different means) should be the knock-out blow to CH, at least until an even more effective variation on this strategy can be found. And that's something I want to emphasize: I do believe an even more effective approach to CH may well be found than what I'm proposing, in the future. But for those suffering today, especially chronic CH'ers, who have little hope of a respite due to a cycle-end, I'm just giving details of what's currently working with a perfect record for a chronic CH'er RIGHT NOW for me.

I also want to end by saying that if anybody has actually tried Vimovo themselves, and had bad experiences with it in the dosages I'm talking about in particular, or know of anybody who has, by all means, please let us in this thread all know. I'm not some hot-head who doesn't want to listen. On the contrary, I want to vanquish CH, and I'm absolutely determined to do it methodically and scientifically.

NOTE: That means that I want to hear from people who have taken, or know somebody who has taken Vimovo specifically. Horror stories of maximum dose straight naproxen with no protein pump inhibitor, taken over periods of years, will not really cut the mustard, please. That's not what I'm after.

Thanks.
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« Last Edit: Feb 7th, 2016 at 4:33am by anubis44 »  
 
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anubis44
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #29 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 1:01am
 
AussieBrian wrote on Feb 5th, 2016 at 11:35pm:
Hey, Anubis, I'm glad you've found something that's safe and effective for you and have taken the time to make it known to others so they can look further into it and make an informed decision about whether or not it's right for them.

Wouldn't suit me, but may well help another ClusterHead which is why many of us are here.


Thank you, Brian, for your supportive words. It is much appreciated!

I take it you have a stomach ulcer or another pre-existing condition which precludes you from taking even a brief loading dose of D3+Vimovo? If so, you have my sincere sympathy.

If you know of a better and/or safer COX-2 inhibitor than D3+Vimovo, please share with us!

Thanks again!
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« Last Edit: Feb 7th, 2016 at 4:36am by anubis44 »  
 
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anubis44
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #30 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 1:41am
 
Hoppy wrote on Feb 6th, 2016 at 1:47am:
My monies on the vitamin D regime!
Just my personal opinion  Wink

Hoppy


This is an 'as well as', not an 'instead of' regime. I'm all in favour of the D3 regimen. It just wasn't working well enough for me by itself, so after two months of still getting CH's on it, so I decided to add a couple of things, Vimovo and melatonin, to it.

All I'm doing is kicking in an afterburner for the D3 regimen!
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« Last Edit: Feb 7th, 2016 at 12:11pm by anubis44 »  
 
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Hoppy
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #31 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:06am
 
anubis44 wrote,  so I decided to add a couple of things, Vimovo and melatonin, to it.

5-22mg of Melatonin has an excellent record of keeping the  Smiley at bay in some folk, myself included. So, how can you be sure it's the Vimovo that's working for you and not the Melatonin?

Hoppy.
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anubis44
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #32 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:38am
 
Hoppy wrote on Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:06am:
anubis44 wrote,  so I decided to add a couple of things, Vimovo and melatonin, to it.

5-22mg of Melatonin has an excellent record of keeping the  Smiley at bay in some folk, myself included. So, how can you be sure it's the Vimovo that's working for you and not the Melatonin?

Hoppy.


If melatonin is some sort of confirmed wonder treatment, why haven't I or my neurologist seen or heard anything about it? Why isn't there a 'melatonin' thread on this site? Where is the big announcement about melatonin if it's known to be so effective? Why hasn't anybody shared this information? I see occasional, vague aside mentions of melatonin as 'having some effectiveness' for CH, etc., but they also say there's never any additional information. 

Believe me, nobody'd be happier than me if it was the melatonin that stopped my CHs!! If all I had to do to keep CHs permanently away was take the D3 regimen and melatonin tablets, I'd be happier than a pig in sh!t! I suppose I'm going to find out shortly, though, as I have decided to try stopping the Vimovo to see how long it takes to get a CH again. It's been two days so far. We'll see!

I'll keep you posted. Smiley
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Mike NZ
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #33 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:56am
 
anubis44 wrote on Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:38am:
If melatonin is some sort of confirmed wonder treatment, why haven't I or my neurologist seen or heard anything about it? Why isn't there a 'melatonin' thread on this site? Where is the big announcement about melatonin if it's known to be so effective? Why hasn't anybody shared this information? I see occasional, vague aside mentions of melatonin as 'having some effectiveness' for CH, etc., but they also say there's never any additional information.


There have been multiple topics on melatonin over the years:

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&q=melatonin

Not sure why it hasn't been mentioned earlier too much, but Hoppy has mentioned it.

anubis44 wrote on Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:38am:
I suppose I'm going to find out shortly, though, as I have decided to try stopping the Vimovo to see how long it takes to get a CH again. It's been two days so far. We'll see!


That is a good way to see if it is what is keeping you CH pain free if the only thing you are changing is the vimovo. If the CH returns in a few days, then goes away again then it is a strong indicator that it is what is working for you.
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AussieBrian
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #34 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 6:08am
 
Hey, Anubis, I bet you're wondering why you ever bothered to post about something that works for you, in the hope it might help others.

Your "ego problems" aside, it seems you must now do double-blind studies on yourself to rule out extraneous pulcritudes.

Relax, mate. Many good people with interesting thoughts have been sent away with their tail between the legs because their ideas were new.

Shame, really, because some of those ideas were really good and, with no thanks at all, have gone on to become gospel within the CH community.

I'm thrilled your new weapon is working for you and thank you for passing on such excellent research and information in the hope it might help another ClusterHead.

Cheers and beers,

Brian down under.


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My name is Brian. I'm a ClusterHead and I'm here to help. Email me anytime at briandinkum@yahoo.com
 
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anubis44
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #35 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 12:23pm
 
AussieBrian wrote on Feb 7th, 2016 at 6:08am:
Hey, Anubis, I bet you're wondering why you ever bothered to post about something that works for you, in the hope it might help others.

Your "ego problems" aside, it seems you must now do double-blind studies on yourself to rule out extraneous pulcritudes.

Relax, mate. Many good people with interesting thoughts have been sent away with their tail between the legs because their ideas were new.

Shame, really, because some of those ideas were really good and, with no thanks at all, have gone on to become gospel within the CH community.

I'm thrilled your new weapon is working for you and thank you for passing on such excellent research and information in the hope it might help another ClusterHead.

Cheers and beers,

Brian down under.


Thanks again, Brian, for your words of encouragement.

Yes, it's certainly true that I'm not on here for all the laurels and accolades with which I'm currently being showered.  Tongue

Really, I just want to find a silver bullet that'll put down the CH beast once and for all. I honestly think this approach with D3+Vimovo may be one of them. I'm sure in future there will be others, perhaps even safer and more targeted, but in the meantime, I'll definitely take this one, as it's the only one I've found so far.
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anubis44
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #36 - Feb 9th, 2016 at 7:03pm
 
anubis44 wrote on Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:38am:
That is a good way to see if it is what is keeping you CH pain free if the only thing you are changing is the vimovo. If the CH returns in a few days, then goes away again then it is a strong indicator that it is what is working for you.


I was thinking about this, and actually, I'm not so sure that stopping the Vimovo and not getting a CH within a comparatively short period of time would be proof that the Vimovo, in combination with the D3, didn't stop the CHs.

I have a notion that CHs are caused by a sort of negative feedback loop of inflammation in the tissues around your trigeminal nerve. The fact that they're inflammed itself stimulates the production of more COX-2, which in turn causes them to be more inflammed, which stimulates more production of COX-2, etc., and this feedback loop spirals out of control, and this process is obviously somehow tied to our circadian rhythm.

My theory on this is that the D3+Vimovo at maximum dosages over a period of 2 weeks reduced the amount of inflammation in the tissues around my trigeminal nerve enough to break that negative feedback loop and make me pain-free, but that I was only just past the threshold of that feedback loop starting up again, and that's why stopping the Vimovo the first time brought on shadows within about 4 days. The continuation of the Vimovo, albeit at lower, maintenance doses of 1 per day, and then 1 every couple or 3 days (along with the usual 10,000iu D3 every day) further reduced the inflammation to levels where it might take a while for them to go back up again enough to trigger a CH.

I wouldn't under-estimate the combined anti-inflammatory potency of the the D3+Vimovo, but I will honestly report my findings here if I do get a CH. As of today, I'm at 5 days without any Vimovo, and not a hint of shadows.
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #37 - Feb 9th, 2016 at 10:03pm
 
THere's a lot in this thread which I'm not going to read, but I just wanted to say how wonderful you found something that works. These damn headaches have made me try everything under the sun. Please try to ignore the negative comments. It's because of the frequency of negative comments that I rarely come on this website though I often feel alone and defeated with this disease.
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #38 - Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:25am
 
anubis44 wrote on Feb 9th, 2016 at 7:03pm:
anubis44 wrote on Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:38am:
That is a good way to see if it is what is keeping you CH pain free if the only thing you are changing is the vimovo. If the CH returns in a few days, then goes away again then it is a strong indicator that it is what is working for you.


I was thinking about this, and actually, I'm not so sure that stopping the Vimovo and not getting a CH within comparatively short period of time would be proof that the Vimovo, in combination with the D3, didn't stop the CHs.


I understand your thought process and I can see how this makes it difficult to differentiate between if vimovo was or was not the active ingredient that made the difference, especially when tried on just one person.

First off, whatever it is, you're not having CH pain, which is great.

What now needs to happen is for others to consider if this may be an option for them and to try it, working with their doctor, and see if it too works for them.
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #39 - Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:38pm
 
Mike NZ wrote on Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:25am:
First off, whatever it is, you're not having CH pain, which is great.

What now needs to happen is for others to consider if this may be an option for them and to try it, working with their doctor, and see if it too works for them.


I'd love it if somebody else would try the D3+Vimovo (and perhaps the 10mg melatonin, too, just to be sure) and tell us what their results were after 2-3 weeks. I want to know how effective this is for everybody else. Anybody else want to stop their CHs? Especially anybody chronic, so we know their cycle didn't just end by itself??
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« Last Edit: Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:41pm by anubis44 »  
 
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #40 - Feb 10th, 2016 at 3:43pm
 
anubis44 wrote on Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:38pm:
Mike NZ wrote on Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:25am:
First off, whatever it is, you're not having CH pain, which is great.

What now needs to happen is for others to consider if this may be an option for them and to try it, working with their doctor, and see if it too works for them.


I'd love it if somebody else would try the D3+Vimovo (and perhaps the 10mg melatonin, too, just to be sure) and tell us what their results were after 2-3 weeks. I want to know how effective this is for everybody else. Anybody else want to stop their CHs? Especially anybody chronic, so we know their cycle didn't just end by itself??


I agree with the D-3 but Naproxen is poison.  You're a cadre of one son.

                     Potter
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #41 - Feb 11th, 2016 at 5:40am
 
anubus,
              I replied in the other thread to your up date.
I did the google thing and asked the question on vimovo early on, didn't get good reading or response from a doctor.
However, you are going to get the one liners, and the negative comments, because theirs some here with blinkers on, you wont change their attitudes.  please go past that and continue with your "regime" as you seem well informed and are giving great detailed feedback.  The pain free % from batches regime, if I can recall was around 60 odd %, with another 20 plus % with greatly reduced symptoms, such as me, and 20 odd percent that it has no effect on ( I hope I've quoted the ratio correctly ).  There is a missing link for those that don't go pain free. Melatonin is a missing link for some, not all, other add on's that Batch has suggested have also raised the percentage. But it seems that there are so many factors and everyone is different that their isn't a definitive " magic pill" that definitely works for all. I know Batch works tirelessly with the likes of me and others to find that denominator that is perhaps the key element for everyone to go pain free.
I commend your analytical approach in what your doing, I watch with interest as you detail your experience with what your doing. I also think that it may open other doors or ways of thinking, towards preventatives that we haven't even thought of yet, who knows, but at least your doing this with all the knowledge of what your actually taking.
We can all read the literature on Vimova, we know how it can effect the stomach as you are aware of, You acknowledge this and are trying something out and seem to be having success. The levels needed to keep you pain free, may be so low that it removes the potential of such stomach issues ?  I don't know the answer to that ? excess of anything always carries side effects ! only your persistence will find that answer
  Forget the neandotholic comments, I think we've moved past them, some people just cant let go !!
look forward to your next up date.
goodluck
colin
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« Last Edit: Feb 11th, 2016 at 5:48am by N/A »  
 
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #42 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 1:06am
 
blacklab (colin),

Thank you very, very much for the supportive words. They encourage me to keep posting my regular updates on this experimental treatment regimen, which incidentally, is still working famously. Still not a single shadow or CH, and it's been 3 months and 10 days, and now 8 days off the Vimovo, as part of my test.

Although I am still figuring this out as I go, it is beginning to look like once you stop the CH's with the D3+Vimovo at a loading dose of 2x500/20mg Vimovo daily for about ~3 weeks, and you've been on a maintenance dose of, say 1x500/20mg Vimovo for another month or so, you can start to taper down the Vimovo quite a bit more, so yes, SO FAR (and I want to stress that this is just my current thinking, as I'm breaking my own ground here in figuring this out), it's looking like this could be a longer term treatment routine.

So to summarize, my current, preliminary take is that it's beginning to look to me like one of the following might be possible:

1) You won't need any more Vimovo at all after breaking the COX-2 negative feedback loop with D3+max dose Vimovo daily for about 2-3 weeks, and your inflammation levels have been brought down low enough after an additional month or two on 1 or even less than 1 Vimovo daily, for the daily D3 to keep them there by itself (I'm a little doubtful of this possibility, but I want to keep my mind open to it until it's proven otherwise).

2) You may need an extremely low longer term maintenance dose of Vimovo, like 1 or 2 tablets a week, along with the usual, daily D3.

As I'm on day 8 of stopping the Vimovo, and I'm just taking 10,000iu of D3 (with the very occasional doubling up to 20,000iu, perhaps once or twice a week), and I'm still CH-free, I'm thinking the inflammation levels in my body were knocked down very effectively by the combination of the two, and it will be some time before they start to rise again to a level where I'm at risk of a CH again. I'm hoping that I will get some warning of this, like a faint shadow with no CH, (like I had the first time I stopped the Vimovo for 5 days after only 1 week of being pain-free back in mid-November). This would normally be my cue to take a little bit of Vimovo again with my D3, or find some other way to reduce the inflammation (I'm still open to alternatives, but the Vimovo has done the job so far, when nothing else has worked). I was thinking I'd stay off the Vimovo until I actually got a CH, but I'm not sure I would be willing to let my inflammation levels rise that high once again, now that I have such an incredibly effective and simple response at my disposal. After all, it's not just CHs that happen at such high levels. I also just feel crappier, even between the CHs. It's very hard once you've been pain-free to let yourself get that sick again just to prove a point to some doubting Thomases! But I'll see what I do. I really, really just want to help other CH'ers!

Chronic, and want to know if D3+Vimovo would work for you?

On that note, I would like to propose a suggestion to anybody who's tried the Batch D3 regimen, and found that it didn't stop their CHs, especially if you are chronic. My suggestion? As a test run for the Vimovo, (and only if you are able and there are no specific health reasons you are aware of that you should not try this) you can try the 5 day D3+Ibuprofen combo test that I did, taking the usual daily D3, but with a couple of extra strength Advils every 4-6 hours for those 5 days, and see if that stops your CHs. It did for me. I took two extra strength Advils when I woke up in the morning, right after breakfast on a full stomach, 2 more around noon, along with my daily D3 dose of 10,000iu with my lunch, on a full stomach, and 2 more again just after dinner, again on a full stomach to minimize the potential for any irritation. If this IS effective for you, as it was for me, you are probably a good candidate for the D3+Vimovo routine in this thread, and you might want to ask your doctor/neurologist about it.

As always, I'll keep everyone posted on any developments.
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« Last Edit: Feb 12th, 2016 at 1:15am by anubis44 »  
 
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #43 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 1:17am
 
Quote:
anubis44 wrote on Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:38pm:
Mike NZ wrote on Feb 10th, 2016 at 2:25am:
First off, whatever it is, you're not having CH pain, which is great.

What now needs to happen is for others to consider if this may be an option for them and to try it, working with their doctor, and see if it too works for them.


I'd love it if somebody else would try the D3+Vimovo (and perhaps the 10mg melatonin, too, just to be sure) and tell us what their results were after 2-3 weeks. I want to know how effective this is for everybody else. Anybody else want to stop their CHs? Especially anybody chronic, so we know their cycle didn't just end by itself??


I agree with the D-3 but Naproxen is poison.  You're a cadre of one son.

                     Potter


There's always got to be a trail-blazer. I guess for this, I'm it.  Wink

So Naproxen is poison, eh? In what dosage? Over how much time? Please be specific. It's considered to be the safest of all the NSAIDs for longer-term use:

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It's also an over-the-counter medication in most western countries, and it's marketed as a menstral cramp medication as Midol Extended Relief. It's so unsafe, it's regularly sold to women to use every month for their cramps. Yeah, it's a real killer.

Did you know more people died as a result of taking aspirin, Tylenol, Excedrin and Ibuprofen in the 10 years leading up to 2014 than 'the poison' Naproxen?

From Batch:

See the list below from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database covering the 10 years up to the end of 2014 that attributes the leading cause of death to the following substances:

Over The Counter NSAIDs                  
Deaths due to NAPROXEN (Aleve)  - 142
Deaths due to ASPIRIN                 - 645
Deaths due to TYLENOL                 - 964
Deaths due to EXCEDRIN               - 500
Deaths due to IBUPROFEN              - 661

Over The Counter Supplements/Nutrients
Deaths due to MELATONIN              -  0
Deaths due to MAGNESIUM OXIDE   -  0
Deaths due to CALCIUM CITRATE     - Not Listed
Deaths due to BORON        -   Not Listed
Deaths due to VITAMIN A (Retinol)    -  6
Deaths due to VITAMIN B (Complex)  -  2
Deaths due to VITAMIN B 12             -  0
Deaths due to VITAMIN C                  -  0
Deaths due to Vitamin E                    -  2
Deaths due to VITAMIN D3                 -  0
VITAMIN D3 TOXICITY                       -  2
Deaths due to VITAMIN K1                 -  2
Deaths due to VITAMIN K2                 - Not Listed
Deaths due to ZINC OXIDE                 - Not Listed

And remember, I'm not advocating straight Naproxen for CHs, I'm suggesting Vimovo (plus vitamin D3), which is Naproxen with a protein pump inhibitor, esomeprazole magnesium, which mitigates the potential for stomach bleeds over time.

You're just blowing hot air. It's not helpful. I'm 100% CH, pain-free. Are you 100% pain-free on your treatment regimen? Be honest. If not, please stop sniping. It's not going to stop anybody's CHs, which is what I'm trying to do here.
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« Last Edit: Feb 12th, 2016 at 1:53am by anubis44 »  
 
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blacklab
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #44 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 3:21am
 
Hi Anubus,  thanks for the update.
  Hey, Batch does D3 burn downs all the time to test the d3 half life !    you owe it to us to burn down on vimovo and give us the results ???     Grin
na, just kidding, If I was pain free I sure as hell wouldn't change things up !   a lot of admiration goes to batch for what he does...
I guess its easier to guage any sort of success with someone that is chronic, rather than an episodic sufferer, but the question arises, that presumably an episodic sufferer, once out of cycle, doesn't have an inflammation problem, hence enjoying a pain free period so why does it return and therefore they go back into a cycle. Is there something else going on with episodic sufferers compared to a chronic one ?  If you catch my drift ?
If we are both the same, then you would think that you would return at some stage to a cycle, being chronic ?
I understand your theory of both the Vimovo and the d3 working together to reduce inflammation, for some it appears D3 alone is enough ( unfortunately I'm not one of them ).
There really is only one way as I see it to definitively find the true merits of your trial and that would be to eventually burn right off it ! Your chronic, so something has definitely changed for you, reducing Vimovo gradually till eventually you were completely off it, then with no return of clusters and being stand alone on the d3 regime and remaining pain free, would indicate that a short term dual dosage of both could be successful for those that cant go fully pain free on the D3 regime alone ?? 
  Prednisone offers that short term relief on a tapered course, until you finish, then back come the clusters ! But we all know what levels we have to take to get relief, which aren't a good long term preventative as you know. 
   all very interesting !!!!!!!
colin

 
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jon019
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #45 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 3:27am
 
Anubis...I am unable to navigate the FDA FAERS list you are so obviously adept at. Please....will you list deaths  due to PPI's (proton pump inhibitors)...I notice that item is missing from your list...are there such?....

Also...without ANY consideration of naproxen...I note recent FDA concern with the the long term effects of PPI's like Nexium (esomeprazole)...including osteoporosis concerns, kidney failure, heart issues, etc...thas some scary stuff...does that concern you and/or your physician?

I actually think the polypharmacy of naproxen/esomeprazole is WAY better than just naproxen alone...and I do NOT dispute it works for you. However, I AM concerned that newer visitors to this site might jump on information that seems so right that it must be!...and it might NOT.....

I guess I should also just express my concern re the trashing/thrashing contempt you have for verapamil and steroids. Powerful drugs...boy howdy you betcha!...but THOUSANDS of clusterheads have been helped by same...including me. Verapamil is well tolerated by clusterheads for ch...at really HIGH doses....which regularly surprises physicians who normally use it for BP concerns...which is why a "headache specialist" is so important. Some can't handle...is true of ANY med...doesn't make it worse than what you have found...and has a LONG track record of success.

Re steroids...come on man....long term use of these to control CH is suicide..no reputable physician would prescribe such for same...and only the MOST desperate would continue past a normal 10 day to 2 week taper(which can be nearly MIRACULOUS in breaking a cycle...I know). We've known some here in the family...it's not a pretty picture...but the "horror" you relate does not accompany a taper for most...sheesh....a little perspective PLEASE..............

Best

Jon
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thierry
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #46 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 5:06am
 
Hey Annubis, I have a feeling -and i hope for you- that you are going to stay CH pain free even without the Vimovo. The reasson for this is that now that you've been taking the D3 regimen for some time, your D3 levels are more than likely in the green zone to achieve a PF status. Of course that would be if you are also taking ALL of the co-factors as per Batch (including a 3 months course of B50).
You could also take a good Probiotic as well, it worked for me to get rid of the occasional few shadows I was still getting.
I do understand that you were taking vimovo at a low dose (1 to 2 tablets/week) and I am delighted that you are pain free, but if there was a way to avoid taking it completely, that would be all the better.
I've enjoyed reading your posts and i do see that naproxen is not as bad as many other drugs but it can still have nasty and dangerous side effects.
Hopefully you will stay PF with the D3 regimen only, and maybe a good probiotic

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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #47 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 9:05am
 
anubis44 wrote on the 7th Feb,
Since there have been some extremely negative responses to the treatment regimen that's been completely effective (I can't stress this enough) for me, I've decided to try stopping the Vimovo (while still continuing the Batch D3 regimen, and the melatonin) as a test, just to see how long it might be before I get a CH. I'm doing this for a few reasons:

1) I want to see whether the Vimovo is in fact responsible for my current, pain-free period. If it is, my CHs should resume at some point without it.
2) If the Vimovo is key to my current pain-free period, how much is the minimum maintenance dose to keep me pain-free?

Just curious, are you still pain free without taking the Vimovo?

Cheers Hoppy
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #48 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 10:43am
 
Yes, Hoppy. Day 8 of no Vimovo now, and I'm still completely CH free. The D3+Vimovo for 3 months must have knocked down my COX-2/prostaglandin levels to very low levels. Not even a hint of a shadow, and frankly, it's not only the CH's that stopped. I've also been feeling better generally. Having lots of inflammation in our bodies doesn't just give us CHs, it also has other negative effects--we just don't notice them, understandably, nearly as much as the CHs!

Remember that I'm still taking the D3 every single day, so that's certainly helping to maintain my now-lowered inflammation levels. I do think it's conceivable that I'll have to take a very small maintenance dose of Vimovo (possibly 1 a week or something like that), but I don't yet know for sure.

I'll continue to keep everyone posted.
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« Last Edit: Feb 12th, 2016 at 10:45am by anubis44 »  
 
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Re: Vimovo/D3/melatonin - 100% effective for me
Reply #49 - Feb 12th, 2016 at 10:59am
 
thierry wrote on Feb 12th, 2016 at 5:06am:
Hey Annubis, I have a feeling -and i hope for you- that you are going to stay CH pain free even without the Vimovo. The reasson for this is that now that you've been taking the D3 regimen for some time, your D3 levels are more than likely in the green zone to achieve a PF status. Of course that would be if you are also taking ALL of the co-factors as per Batch (including a 3 months course of B50).
You could also take a good Probiotic as well, it worked for me to get rid of the occasional few shadows I was still getting.
I do understand that you were taking vimovo at a low dose (1 to 2 tablets/week) and I am delighted that you are pain free, but if there was a way to avoid taking it completely, that would be all the better.
I've enjoyed reading your posts and i do see that naproxen is not as bad as many other drugs but it can still have nasty and dangerous side effects.
Hopefully you will stay PF with the D3 regimen only, and maybe a good probiotic

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Theirry,

Thanks for the supportive words.

I understand the desire to not need something like Vimovo. I get it. I, too, very much hoped that just taking vitamins and probiotics and 'all-natural' remedies would stop my CHs by themselves. I did load up my 25(OH)D serum levels Batch indicated were the threshold, to beyond 60-80nm/mL 'green zone', for two months before I tried the D3+Ibuprofen NSAID experiment which proved so successful (zero CHs for 5 days), which in turn led to my discovery of Vimovo and my D3+Vimovo trial.

But alas, that's not what happened. The D3 alone, even in very, very high doses, and my 25(OH)D levels well within the green zone for over 2 months, just didn't work for me. I'm sorry to have to say this, but it is the truth, and I'd be a liar if I told everybody that I, too, just needed lots of D3 to stop my CHs. But I knew that Batch was onto something with the D3 regimen: it's just not strong enough for some CH sufferers. Apparently, it only has a 60% pain-free effectiveness rate on its own. This is pretty darn good, but of little comfort if you're in the other 40%.

I started this thread because I stumbled across something that DID work. Doing more research, I'm finding plenty of corroboratory research to back up the effectiveness of citrical (Vitamin D3) when combined with an NSAID like Ibuprofen or naproxen. I can't help it if some people don't like the idea of Vimovo, but it's undeniably combining with the D3 to wrestle my CHs to the ground. They're gone now, and have stayed entirely away for over 3 months. And remember, I was a chronic sufferer for over a year. Since August of 2014, I had not had more than 1 single CH-free day, until Nov. 2nd of last year, after starting the D3+Vimovo routine (and melatonin, which I have also replaced with 5-HTP to try to balance my melatonin/seratonin levels so I can get up more easily in the morning).

It really, really works. So well, in fact, that my inflammation levels are so low I can stop the Vimovo entirely for days at a time (I'm up to 8 days now so far).
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