Hello all!
New here, but somewhat seasoned with CH. I’m 47 yrs old male having had CH for 10+ years, chronic almost from the beginning. I’m lucky to get right diagnosis pretty much right away when I got to ER for the first time, maybe because my nearest hospital is big university hospital specialized to neuropathic conditions. I worked as IT-project manager for years, but now I’m on disability pension due another fucker than CH. Below I have listed the medicines and treatments I’ve used and currently using and shortly described my personal experience of them. Gone through pretty much all the usual stuff:
- Steroids: Prednisone, Prednisolone.
Pros: Broke the cycle at the first time for few weeks.
Cons: No sleep, swelling, bruising, constant taste of iron in mouth
- Oxygen.
Pros: Best option and should be always be the first what doctor describes.
Cons: Quite expensive if no insurance (public or individual).
- Verpamil.
Pros: Broke the cycle for few weeks.
Cons: Tired all the time, rash, cardio problems.
- Imigran.
Pros: ?
Cons: I was/am highly allergic to sumatriptan.
- Aimovig.
Pros: Some relief.
Cons: Loss of hair, vertigo / dizziness.
- SNRI- and SSRI-meds (Citalopram, Topiramate etc).
Pros: None.
Cons: Zombie 24/7 and muscular spasms.
- Opiates (all up to fentanyl).
Pros: Fun for a while until not
Cons: No relief to CH
- Ibuprofein and paracetamol
Pros: None
Cons: No relief to CH
- Capsaisin nasal spray.
Pros: Aborts or postpones the attack pretty effectively.
Cons: Nostral mucosa pretty much non-existent
- First generation antihistamines.
Pros: None.
Cons: Dizzyness and tired all the time.
- Acupuncture.
Pros: Felt good for a moment.
Cons: Mother of all attacks afterwards.
- Low carb diet.
Pros: Good overall condition.
Cons: No relief to CH.
- Meditation.
Pros: Mental calmness.
Cons: Not my thing.
- LSA.
Pros: Helped pretty good.
Cons: Gives pretty bad nausea.
- Temotsolomide.
Nothing to do with CH, but listed it anyway.
Currently using
- Oxygen (abortive).
Pros: Cuts the edge of the attack within 10mins.
Cons: Quite expensive if no insurance and sometimes hard to get the first prescription.
- Energy drinks (abortive).
Pros: May stop the attack even before it gets it's high.
Cons: Taste like what I would imagine camel toe silsa tastes.
- Licorice root extract (abortive).
Pros: May stop the attack even before it gets it's high.
Cons: May not be suitable if having any heart condition.
- D-vitamin regimen (as preventative).
Pros: Game changer!
Cons: Have to check my blood levels every 3-6 months.
- M- and L-vitamins (as preventative & abortive)
Pros: Game changer!
Cons: Illegal and therefore might be difficult to obtain (Canada and few other trendsetter countries excluded).
- Prednisolone (for my allergy).
Haven’t seen any effect to CH in good or in bad
- Propranolol (for my essential tremor).
Haven’t seen any effect to CH in good or in bad
That’s about it

Sorry the long post and thanks for adding me to the Forum!