New Zealand
My Cluster Headache Story
Suffering since 2013. Found a way through in 2015. If you are in New Zealand and you are living with cluster headache, this page is for you.
Get the regimen guideWhere it started
I had my first cluster headache in 2013. Like most people, I had no idea what was happening to me. The attacks were unlike anything I had ever experienced. Intense, relentless, always behind the same eye. Doctors initially had no answers and I spent a long time just trying to survive each cycle.
If you are reading this and you are in the middle of a cycle right now, I want you to know I understand. Not theoretically. I have been exactly where you are. The exhaustion, the fear of the next attack, the way it strips the life right out of you. Cluster headache earns its nickname for a reason.
"They do not call it suicide headache for nothing. I was in that place. I did not think anything would help me."
By 2015 I was in a very dark place. The cycles had taken a serious toll on my mental health and I honestly did not believe there was a way through. Then I came across Pete Batcheller's Vitamin D3 Anti-Inflammatory Regimen in the cluster headache community. I was sceptical. High-dose vitamin D3 for cluster headache? It sounded too simple. I started it anyway because I had nothing left to lose.
Eight days later the cycle broke.
I thought it might be coincidence. So I watched what happened the next year.
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20132013First cluster headache cycle. No diagnosis for some time. Episodic attacks, devastating in severity. The beginning of a very hard road.
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20152015 — First time on the regimenDiscovered Pete Batcheller's Vitamin D3 Anti-Inflammatory Regimen. Was deeply sceptical. Started it in desperation. The cycle broke 8 days later.
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20162016Another cycle came. Started the regimen again. It worked. Not a coincidence.
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20172017 — Started year-round maintenanceIt worked again. By this point I was convinced. I started taking D3 all year round instead of only during cycles. The difference was significant.
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NOW2017 to nowMissed so many cycles entirely. Since moving to year-round maintenance dosing I have had just 2 mild cycles. That is it. Eleven years on from my first attack and my life looks completely different.
Watch my full story
I recorded this video in 2021 to share my journey in full, including how the regimen works, my dosing strategy and what Vitamin D3 actually does in the body. It is long, it is honest and parts of it were emotional to record. I hope something in it helps you.
Vitamin D3, Cluster & Migraine Headache: My Journey, Dosing Strategy & D3 Explained — Craig Stewart, 2021 (41 min)
Resources for New Zealanders
Getting the right supplements and abortive treatments in New Zealand takes a bit of navigation. Here is what I recommend based on my own experience.
Supplements via iHerb
The full regimen requires several supplements including Vitamin D3, magnesium, Vitamin K2, omega-3, zinc and boron. iHerb ships to New Zealand reliably and is consistently the most cost-effective source. Use the regimen guide to get the exact products and doses before ordering.
View iHerb wishlistTest your Vitamin D level
Knowing your baseline serum 25(OH)D level before starting is important for safe dosing. New Zealanders can use Awanui Labs' vitamin D test request protocol as a starting point when discussing testing with a referrer. Test again after 8 to 12 weeks on the regimen.
Vitamin D test protocolOxygen therapy
High-flow oxygen is one of the most effective abortive treatments for cluster headache and has no meaningful side effects. In New Zealand you will need to advocate with your GP or neurologist for a prescription. For the right equipment, the Cluster O2 Kit is purpose-built for cluster headache and worth looking into. Do not settle for a low-flow mask; you need 12 to 15 litres per minute with a non-rebreather mask.
Cluster O2 KitYou do not have to do this alone
One of the most important things I did early on was connect with others who understood what I was going through. The cluster headache community is incredibly supportive and knowledgeable. These are the places I recommend starting.
And if you want to reach out to me directly, please do. I will advocate for and help cluster headache sufferers as long as I am able to. Leave a message on the contact page or find me in the groups below.
Start with the regimen guide
The Vitamin D3 Anti-Inflammatory Regimen is free, peer-reviewed in its basis and used by thousands of cluster headache patients worldwide. Download the guide, take it to your doctor and see if it is right for you.
Get the free guide