Hey HIKP,

Thanks for the wonderful feedback and welcome to the anti-inflammatory regimen.  I've been collecting data from CHers like you taking this regimen since I developed it and started posting about it in December of 2010.  I know the wonderful feeling that you finally have control of the CH beast and it no longer rules your everyday activities.

Please do all of us a favor.  If possible, see your PCP or neurologist for a lab test of your serum 25(OH)D after you've been on the anti-inflammatory regimen for at least 30 to 45 days.  If you haven't already done so, take along a copy of the latest version of the anti-inflammatory regimen for your neurologists.  That way you'll both be singing from the same sheet music when you ask for the needed lab tests.  You can download a copy of the latest version of this treatment protocol from the following VitaminDWiki link:

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Henry Lahore, the brains and brawn behind the VitaminDWiki website posted this link for me on 21 January, 2017.  As of 21 July, 2017, readers have downloaded 2440 copies.

When you have the 25(OH)D lab results in hand, please take the survey of CHers taking this regimen to prevent their CH.  To start this survey, click on the following link:

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You can find the instructions for this survey on page 1 of the following link:

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This survey has been running continuously since it went on line in December of 2011.  As of last March, 215 CHers have completed the survey questionnaire and submitted.  We still need more participants...

In today's world of evidence based medicine, we need this data to help convince neurologists and headache specialist to suggest this regimen to their patients with cluster and migraine headaches.

Here are some lessons learned from over 700 CHers taking this regimen to prevent their CH since December of 2010:

• The anti-inflammatory regimen is not a cure for CH.  You'll need to take it daily as a "way of life" as many CHers call it, to remain CH pain free.  If you're a chronic CHer and you stop taking this regimen, your CH will return in a few days.  I'm a chronic CHer and test this often by stopping my vitamin D3 intake.  Depending on the time of year, pollen count and 25(OH)D serum concentration, it takes anywhere from two days to a month for my CH to return.  If you're an episodic CHer and you stop taking this regimen, your CH will return with your next cycle.

•  If you miss a dose of vitamin D3, take it when you can, but not later than the next regular dose.  If your maintenance dose is 10,000 IU/day, just make sure your weekly vitamin D3 intake is 70,000 IU.

•  You'll need another set of labs for your serum 25(OH)D, total calcium and PTH after you've been on this regimen for at least 3 months.  This amount of time will help ensure your 25(OH)D has reached a stable concentration at a vitamin D3 maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day.  You'll use the 25(OH)D lab results to adjust your maintenance dose if needed.  If your 25(OH)D results come back at 80 ±20 ng/mL and you're still CH pain free, no adjustments are needed.

•  Some CHers will need a higher maintenance dose of vitamin D3 and a higher 25(OH)D serum concentration in order to remain CH pain free.  I maintain an average 25(OH)D serum concentration of 130 ng/mL in order to remain CH pain free.  I also have regular labs for my total calcium and PTH.  My PCP just smiles as long as my serum calcium remains within its normal reference range.

Accordingly, if your 25(OH)D serum concentration is over 100 ng/mL, this is no biggie/worry as long as your serum calcium lab test is within its normal reference range and your PTH is in the lower third of its normal reference range.

•  Infections (viral, bacterial or fungal) can and will result in a return of your CH.  Again this is no biggie... When this happens to me I take a 50,000 IU loading dose of vitamin D3 and increase my vitamin D3 maintenance dose by 5,000 IU for a month.  Your CH will also return if you've suffered from any trauma or had surgery as both will result in an increase in inflammation and that consumes available vitamin D3 rapidly leaving too little to prevent your CH.

•  An allergic reaction will also open the door for the CH beast to jump ugly.  What I do if I suspect an allergic reaction is to start a week long course of Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL).  I've found 12.5 mg of Children's Benadryl liquid allergy medicine taken before bed time works just fine to get me back PF.

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•  There are a growing number of health benefits made possible by taking this regimen.  They're so great, I have my entire family taking it including my brother, two sisters, wife, three kids, their spouses and 7.5 grand kids... The latest .5 grand kid is still a bump in my daughter's tummy... but it's been bathed in maternal vitamin D3 since conception...  The kids under 17 take 50 IU of vitamin D3 per pound of body weight a day and the other co-nutrients adjusted by age group.

The fact remains that none of us makes it out of here alive...  That means we all want the best quality of life possible.  Accordingly, make sure the rest of your family has access to this regimen.  It's the least expensive form of health insurance you can buy...  See the following link for details:

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Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Peter,

Great reply! 

Joe, the only thing "normal" about a 25(OH)D serum concentration of 67 nmol/L (26.8 ng/mL) is illustrated in the following normal distribution curve for CHer baseline 25(OH)D concentrations before starting the anti-inflammatory regimen.

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As you can see, the majority of CHers are vitamin D3 insufficient, a serum 25(OH)D concentration <30 ng/mL,(75 nmol/L) or vitamin D3 deficient, a serum 25(OH)D concentration < 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L). [/img]

Given your starting/baseline 25(OH)D serum concentration this low, I would start the anti-inflammatory regimen with a first day vitamin D3 dose of 10,000 IU plus all the co-nutrients to make sure there's no adverse reaction (extremely rare).  Then on day two I'd start the 12-Day vitamin D3 loading schedule at 50,000 IU/day for 12 days then drop back to an initial maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day.  This vitamin D3 loading schedule builds serum 25(OH)D even faster than the 2-Week loading schedule illustrated in the following chart.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or Following this loading schedule is the fastest way to a significant reduction or complete cessation of CH symptoms.

It's also very important to make sure you're taking the magnesium and zinc supplements, as both are required for the body to synthesize the enzymes needed to hydroxylate vitamin D3 to 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D to 1,25(OH)2D3, the genetically active vitamin D3 metabolite that's responsible for preventing your CH.

Bottom line... The sooner you start this regimen and loading schedule, the faster you'll stop the CH beast jumping ugly...

Try to see your PCP again after 30 days at the initial vitamin D3 maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day.  This amount of time will allow your serum 25(OH)D response to dose of vitamin D3 reach a stable equilibrium.  It's also wise, as Peter pointed out, to ask for labs of your serum calcium and PTH.  Please let us know the results so we can figure out an optimum vitamin D3 maintenance dose if needed.

If you have any questions or problems, sing out!  We've a number of CHers like Peter, who have years of experience with this regimen...

Take care,

V/R, Batch