Hey JJ,

Regarding the go-to brand of vitamin D3, many of us have switched from the oil-based liquid softgel vitamin D3 formulation to the Bio-Tech D3-50.  This is a micellized water soluble form of vitamin D3 in a 50,000 IU capsule.  Order it over the Internet from amazon.com or iherb.com whichever has the best price.  This is also the least expensive form of vitamin D3 we can buy at an average cost of ~ 5 cents/day for a maintenance dose as opposed to 12 cents/day for two of the 5,000 IU vitamin D3 liquid softgels. 
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I'm working on an update to the posted download for the anti-inflammatory regimen at the following link that will reflect this suggested change in vitamin D3 along with other updates based on feedback from CHers taking this regimen.

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You'll also need the vitamin D3 cofactors and conutrients at the doses illustrated in the following photo.  You can order them by brand from amazon.com or if you shop at Costco, you can pick up all but the LEF Super K with Advanced K2 complex.
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These vitamins and minerals are essential for the body to metabolize vitamin D3 effectively and for vitamin D3 to prevent your CH through genetic expression.  They include 400 to 800 mg/day magnesium, 10 to 50 mg/day zinc, 1 to 3 mg/day boron, vitamin A (retinol) at RDA and vitamin K2 complex.

The Kirkland brand (Costco) Adult 50+ Mature Multi contains most of these vitamin D3 cofactors so I strongly suggest this brand.  It doesn't have enough magnesium or any vitamin K2 complex, hence the requirement for the extra magnesium and the Super K with Advanced K2 Complex.

We also need 1200 to 2400 mg/day of Omega-3 fish oil.  The Omega-3 fatty acids are conutrients as they serve as additional anti-inflammatory agents

The first step is to see your PCP/GP for a lab test of your serum 25(OH)D.  This is the first metabolite of vitamin D3 that's used to measure its status.  The normal reference range for this lab test is 30 to 100 ng/mL.  However, most physicians unfamiliar with vitamin D3 therapy will interpret 31 ng/mL as normal and 99 ng/mL as dangerously high.  Nothing could be farther from the truth. Be sure to ask for a copy of the actual serum concentration when the labs come back. 

If you can swing it, have your PCP/GP order labs for your serum calcium and PTH (Parathyroid Hormone).  These labs will serve as a baseline for future labs to assess the effectiveness in elevating your serum 25(OH)D without elevating your serum calcium above its normal reference range

As CHers, we need to keep our 25(OH)D serum concentration around 80 ng/mL to experience a therapeutic response to vitamin D3.  Many CHers require higher doses of vitamin D3 from 15,000 IU/day to 25,000 IU/day and a 25(OH)D response around 100 ng/mL and even higher. 

25(OH)D is a very poor indicator of vitamin D3 intoxication/toxicity. The only real way of determining this condition is with the lab for serum calcium.  It should remain within its normal reference range even with serum 25(OH)D concentrations as high as 190 ng/mL or higher.  Accordingly, if your PCP/GP goes into fibrillation or gets his or her knickers in a wad if your 25(OH)D serum concentration comes back at or above 100 ng/mL, the lab for calcium will prove conclusively there's no hypercalcemia, a.k.a., vitamin D3 intoxication/toxicity or in medical terminology, "hypervitaminosis."

It's best to have your PCP/GP or neurologist working from the same sheet music and as an active participant as you take this regimen.  Accordingly, give him or her a copy of the download above when you ask for these lab tests.

It's best to start this regimen with the 12-Day accelerated vitamin D3 loading schedule taking 50,000 IU/day for 12 days.  That said, if your lab for 25(OH)D comes back with a serum concentration in the teens, then a 14-Day loading schedule would be indicated. While loading vitamin D3 you'll need additional magnesium so take 800 mg/day split 400 mg am and 400 mg in the pm with meals in order to avoid osmotic diarrhea.

Rationale for the 12-Day vitamin D3 loading schedule.  The average adult 25(OH)D response to a dose of 100,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 is an increase of 10 ng/mL.  In order to elevate a serum 25(OH)D concentration from 23 ng/mL to 80 ng/mL will require a total loading dose of ~ 600,000 IU of vitamin D3 spread over 12 days or 50,000 IU/day for 12 days. 

This is the fastest way to elevate serum 25(OH)D and to experience a therapeutic response with either a significant reduction in CH frequency, intensity and duration or a complete cessation of CH.  The following notional graphic illustrates this time saving benefit.
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As you can see, it could take upwards of 3 months to elevate serum 25(OH)D at an intake of 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 where the 12-Day accelerated loading schedule does it in 12 days.  When the CH beast is jumping ugly several times a day, 12 days or less to a pain free response is mo betta than waiting 2 to 3 months. Don't ya think?

When the 12-Day loading schedule is complete, take one (1) of the Bio-Tech D3-50 50,000 IU vitamin D3 capsules every 5 days (120 hours) for an average daily dose of 10,000 IU/day.  This will be your initial maintenance dose.  I say "initial" as some CHers will need higher vitamin D3 maintenance doses and higher responding 25(OH)D serum concentrations to remain CH pain free.

30 days after start of regimen, see your PCP/GP for lab tests of your serum 25(OH)D, calcium and PTH (parathyroid hormone).  These labs are important as they give us the best picture of vitamin D3 status and calcium homeostasis.  As long as you're CH pain free at this point and your calcium serum concentration is within its normal reference range, the actual 25(OH)D serum concentration doesn't really matter even if its over 100 ng/mL.

The above should give you enough to get started on this regimen.  If you have any questions or problems, please let us know.  Most CHers taking this regimen experience a favorable response or go CH pain free in the first week to 10 days as illustrated in the following graphic from the online survey of CHers who have taken this regimen.
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One final note.  The anti-inflammatory regimen is not a "cure" for CH so it must be taken daily year-round to enjoy its benefits.  That goes for episodic CHers as well. Staying on this regimen year-round makes the next CH cycle a non-event as most ECHers sail through their next and succeeding cycles CH pain free while taking this regimen.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch