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Topic: Hello Headaches (Read 222 times) |
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calvin_b_2000
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Hello Headaches
« on: Aug 11th, 2006, 5:40pm » |
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What can i do to stop them?
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LeLimey
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Re: Hello Headaches
« Reply #1 on: Aug 11th, 2006, 6:47pm » |
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Hi Calvin,
I'm sorry you've had to come looking for help
Tell us a bit more about your headaches, how long they last, how long your cycle of headaches lasts, where they are in your head and what they feel like.. we'll do all we can to help you but we need some basics!
What meds have you tried? Does anything help?
Give us some info and we'll do our best!
Helen
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calvin_b_2000
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Re: Hello Headaches
« Reply #2 on: Aug 12th, 2006, 2:20pm » |
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Hi well I have just been diagnosed with them, and at first i thought they were sinus headaches. The pain feels like its right in my eyeball and it goes to the top of my head. The pain usually last about 20-45 mins after i take a imitrex. I take 100mg when i feel it coming. My problem is i would like to find something that will work faster, because within that 20-45 mins they are absolutely unbareable. Is there anything that i can do to kinda keep them from starting?
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LeLimey
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Re: Hello Headaches
« Reply #3 on: Aug 12th, 2006, 2:53pm » |
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Hi Calvin
Were you diagnosed by a neuro and did you have an MRI?
An MRI is essential to rule out anything else as with this sort of pain severity you shouldn't mess about.
Imitrex tablets are the next best thing to useless for you. The best options you have are either Imitrex (sumatriptan)injections which will work in under ten minutes or Zomig (Zolmitriptan) Nasal sprays. The nasal sprays take a little longer to kick in but the beauty of those is they give up to 12 hours pain free time whereas Imitrex will only give up to two hours. Its the most prehistoric of the triptans.
Another option is Frovatriptan (Migard) This is a tablet again so as such is the longest method of kicking in. Its about as much use as a cloth crash helmet on an individual hit but if you take it before one is due it will give up to 26 hours pain free! Lovely!
Triptans are vaso constrictors. They work by constricting the veins in your head and bringing them back to normal as, during a hit they will expand by up to 20 x they're normal size. Unfortunately they constrict veins throughout your body, not just your noggin so they can be a problem if you have a dodgy ticker.
You should never exceed the stated dose of two triptans within a 24 hour period and you should never mix two types of triptans. You should always leave 24 hours between switching from one type to another.
My own favourite abortive is Oxygen at 15 litres per minute. Using a ClusterMasx I can abort a hit in as little as 5-7 minutes. If you don't want to get one of these, and they really are the Rolls Royce of O2 masks then you should use a standard non rebreather. Any other option will not deliver 02 efficiently enough as we really need to be breathing 100% O2 with no air contamination (Thats why the clustermasx works so well for me, its idiot proof! LOL)
O2 is also much kinder to your circulatory system as you only constrict the veins in your head and not around your body.
Obviously over the weekend you won't be able to get your hands on any of these options so my next recommendation is for Red Bull or any el cheapo equivalent. They have a very high caffeine content (caffeine is also a vaso-constrictor) and also taurine which enhances the effect of the caffeine, sort of like turbo-charging it!
If you take that at the first twinge and chug it fast, it really can knock a hit right off target. You can't let it build though or it won't be effective.
I hope all this helps you a bit
let us know how you get on okay?
Helen
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LeLimey
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Re: Hello Headaches
« Reply #4 on: Aug 12th, 2006, 2:57pm » |
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To keep them from starting you need a preventative. The most common option is verapamil which is actually a BP med. You should have a ECG before starting it and also at every increase of dosage. Its generally most effective at around 480 mg although some people benefit from lower doses and some need to go to double that. Finding your watershed is different for everyone. Obviously you need to taper up to these sort of doses (as well as down) and a prednisolone taper while you are doing so is very effective.
Pred is a steroid, it carries its own risks but its very effective at ensuring PF time however you shouldn't be on it for more than three weeks tops. Thats generally enough to taper up on the verap. Think of it as a sniper 
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calvin_b_2000
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Re: Hello Headaches
« Reply #5 on: Aug 12th, 2006, 3:39pm » |
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Hi Lelimey
I have not been to a neoru yet my Dr and i have just nailed down what these headaches are, at first thy were thought to be sinus headaches to me. I will more than likely start with the mri and stuff asap. Wow you are being a great help too i was up lastnight paceing the sidewalk in front of my house at 3 am this morning. Oh and my brother is a Dr (cardiologist) so he isstanding very close by these and learning alot. How many imitrex is safe to take in a 24hr period?
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LeLimey
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Re: Hello Headaches
« Reply #6 on: Aug 12th, 2006, 4:03pm » |
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Hi Calvin, two imitrex, or any triptan for that matter, is the maximum dose within a 24 hour period.
Try the other options I mentioned for now and if you do need to go to the ER ask for O2 at 15 LPM with a non rebreather mask, imitrex injections or zomig nasal sprays. Don't let them give you narcotics, they are the wrong sort of pain killer as they don't constrict blood vessels added to which they might just think you're a junkie. Make certain they realise that is NOT what you want!
Hang in there hon, we're all rooting for you here.
Helen
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calvin_b_2000
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Re: Hello Headaches
« Reply #7 on: Aug 12th, 2006, 5:19pm » |
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Hey thank you helen if you have yahoo my email there is calvin_b_2000@yahoo.com
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