Posted by Victor on November 19, 2001 at 20:51:17:
In Reply to: I started this speculation... posted by Paco on November 19, 2001 at 20:31:44:
is a matter of life or death, if a person is otherwise healthy and suffers from CH's, I don't think a person really knows if a med is preventing an attack or not. There is no specific medication exclusively for CH sufferers, all hand-me-downs. I was chronic for over 15 years popping pills to learn that I was episodic. Hell, while on meds I had clusters that O2 wouldn't touch.
It finally dawned on me how my CH's were before meds and how I felt with the numerous side effects with the meds. So simply quit taking meds, save a very occasional prednisone. Prednisone just can't be taken every day.
Wish I could turn the clock back would have never ran outside screaming my head off, much better controlled by laying down and taking deep breathes, never would have ran to the docs to get loaded down with more pills, never would have suffered from rebound on three different meds, never would have been braindead for awhile while on lithium.
Don't know if a CH is going to last five minutes or a full day, but after off practically all meds, the CH's are measured in minutes rather than hours. Have to learn not to be afraid of that terrible sever pain, it's not going to kill you.
I think I still have a bottle of lidocaine left that you are welcomed to, found OraJel much more effective for breaking a CH. Also found that O2 always works while med free, also feel much better. Also have to learn your triggers and stay away from them.