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Topic: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog... (Read 329 times) |
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supcomm
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Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« on: Apr 7th, 2002, 6:58pm » |
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OK, guys, I barely fell well enough now to write this...oog...am currently pf (finally), but...oog..
I need your help. But before I get into that, I got some good news for you!
SCORE 1 POINT FOR CH.COM, AND 3/4 POINT FOR IMITREX!!!!!!!
You guys inspired me to go to the ER and try the doctor thing again. I had tried the doctor route once before, and all I got for the trip was the name "Cluster Headaches", the assurance that the medical community was clueless and powerless to help, and some prescription painkiller that did nothing at all.
After reading this website, and after none of the OTC drugs or herbals I tried has worked this cycle, this site inspired me to try the doctor route once again. I printed out the survey to see if I could convince them to give me some of the more effective drugs listed there, like Imitrex injections or O2 or prednisone or Verapimil (sp?), none of which I'd ever tried.
The Beast was very helpful...I dozed off (pf) in the waiting room, and when they called my name and woke me up, He showed up just strong enough to allow me to still talk to the doctor while having an attack. The doc gave me an imitrex injection right there in his office, and guess what? Within a few minutes I actually felt the imitrex enter my head, and POOF! The Beast was gone!  ;D ;D
But simultaneously I felt a weird sensation enter my head...my whole forehead and sinus area felt, like, watery and I felt really lightheaded and woozy...It wasn't real pleasant, but it was preferable to the Beast...it felt like I had traded having a dagger shoved in my eye for having a garden hose shoved up my nose. 
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supcomm
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Re: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« Reply #1 on: Apr 7th, 2002, 7:18pm » |
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(Continued)
Slowly these senations wore off, but I got a horrible sore throat. The doc had given me some Hydrocordone (painkiller) to take home, and prescriptions for injections and pills of Imitrex and also Midrin pills, which I planned to fill the next day.
Then, the beast woke me at 3:30 am, at which point I took a Hydrocordone and changed my clock to 4:30 am. He didn't get too strong, and left after only an hour. He left very suddenly, making me wonder if the Hydrocordone had taken that long to kick in or if it had done nothing and the Beast just left in a hurry. Either way, I was pf and happy. 
I awoke again at about 8:30 am...and Beastie was back, maybe a 4 or so...climbed quickly to a five and I quickly took another 1/2 pill of Hydrocordone...
Then... Sucker grew to like a , people!! I've never had it that bad before, ever!! PLUS, I felt really lethargic and weak, and nausea, too I even vomited at one point 
After an hour, (the longest hour of my life) Beast backed off to about a 6, but that and the lethargic woozy thing and the nausea stayed with me all morning! I could barely move or talk. I got to sleep at noon or so, and just woke up a little while ago. I still feel a little lethargic and lightheaded and sick, but not as bad, and the Beast is like a 1 or 2 now.
What would make me feel like this? The Imitrex shot, the Hydrocordone, or the interaction between these two, or neither? Help!
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kim
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Re: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« Reply #2 on: Apr 7th, 2002, 7:29pm » |
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Yowsa! My guess it's the Hydra. You are probably not used to it. I don't know much about it. Midrin (this is only my humble opinion) will do NOTHING. Waste of time and money. Keep trying the imitrex unless you experience more weirdness. Also, ask a NEUROLOGIST to put you on a PREVENTATIVE PLAN! That means visiting and talking at length with a neuro (not er). Patience....
Hope tonight is better for you! Kim
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supcomm
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Re: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« Reply #3 on: Apr 7th, 2002, 7:52pm » |
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ooooooooooog...
Thanks, Kim...Beast kept growing, so I hit "post" and got up, beast still growing, did NOT want to go thru another 12, decided rather than mix meds (midrin), I'd take an imitrex pill (isnce it did definitely kill the beast yesterday) and hope for the best...
Beast got stronger, caused nausea, and I puked my guts out...most likely, there went one of 3 $20 imitrex pills (sigh)...but right after five minutes or so of puling, beast backed off to a 1 or so again, and nausea went away...then I read your post...oog...
...Thanks, Kim! It's funny, when doc mentioned Midrin, I figured it wouldn't do anything either, but he was set on it, and I didn't feel like arguing, as the beast was getting stronger and I wanted him to hurry up and go get me an imitrex shot, or something, NOW.
Now I gotta figger how to get at a neurologist...am between incomes and health plans at the moment...
...oog...head still swimming...
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kim
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Re: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« Reply #4 on: Apr 7th, 2002, 8:06pm » |
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Supcomm: thinking of you...PFDAN
Try to keep ice on your areas of pain tonight, it may help with nausia as well...I won't even start on what a cesspool health care is...Be well!!!!!!!!
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Greg_A
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Re: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« Reply #5 on: Apr 7th, 2002, 8:07pm » |
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When i first started using the imitrex, after i would take the shot i would feel the same as you did.
I also take zomig 5mg too, which is another triptan in pill form and takes much longer to work.
Anyway, i started using the Imitrex Tip listed on the left, i found that either injecting 1/3 to 1/2 a dose would kill the pain in about the same time and i wouldnt get that funny feeling. Plus i am saving on tha imitrex usage.
I also started cutting the zomig tabs into quarters and take 1/4 to 1/2 at first sign o pain, they take longer to work but again i dont get that funny feeling.
I go back to the doc this week, i'm going to ask him to give me as much imitrex as possible and see what happens. Also i am going to mention the imitrex tip and see what he thinks. He actually listens to me and lets me recommend different things to try.
As far as the Hydrocordone, i have never tried it.
One last thing, when i first started using the imitrex and zomig, sometimes i would get a boring headache that would seem to stay with me all day. I take 400mg ibuprophen (sp?) and that seems to kill the boring pain.
Good Luck!!
Greg
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pinksharkmark
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Re: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« Reply #6 on: Apr 7th, 2002, 8:27pm » |
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Hydracodone is a pretty potent opioid. It is almost certainly the cause of your nausea and lethargy. Opioids don't really KILL the headache the way that Imitrex and the other "triptans" do... instead it "masks" the pain. The pain is still there, you just don't notice it as much, or maybe you DO notice it, but it seems less bothersome.
Imitrex, especially a full 6 mg dose of the injectable form, can produce some pretty noticeable side effects, especially the first few times. These side effects lessen over time.
I agree that it is by far the best if you can get on some kind of preventative med as soon as possible. The first choice is definitely Verapamil (Calan), a fairly benign and well-tolerated calcium channel blocker that is commonly used in treating high blood pressure. It takes a while to start working (up to two weeks) and may take some tinkering to find the right dose, and it doesn't work for everyone, but if it works for you it will reduce and maybe even eliminate the need for Imitrex or Zomig.
pinky
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JohnM
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Re: Score 1 for CH.com and Imitrex...but...oog...
« Reply #7 on: Apr 8th, 2002, 9:28am » |
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I have tried imigran (imitrex in USA?) in pill, nasal spray,and injections over the past 4 years when I finally found a doctor who understood and named my CH.
The inj works like a charm EVERY TIME. The pill takes long and often the pain is so intense I vomit ii up before it works. The nasal spray was also useless.
My gripe is the cost of the inj and availability. I have 2-3 week episodes and need 10 or more during this period. I have about 12-18 months between episodes so I save up 2 every month to make sure I have enough for when I need it. The cost is better than the pain though!
At the start over the counter painkillers or rubbing tiger balm on the temples helps, but after the 1st week nothing but the inj works
I no longer suffer the mammoth brain busters of old. I take my inj as soon as the pain gets intense and 10 mins later it is gone - ALWAYS. You overcome the wierd feeling after the shot with time.
I am in the middle of an epsode now and can still keep working.
I am going to take Prednisone (tapering down doses) as well from tonight but don't hold out much hope as I tried it several cortisone pills several times in the past without too much success.
Hope this helps
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Bob P
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The Imitrex Tip
« Reply #8 on: Apr 8th, 2002, 10:18am » |
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I can tell ya what your doctor will say to the tip, DON"T REUSE NEEDLES!
So when he says that, that's when you ask him to prescribe Imitrex in vials along with empty syringes so you can measure out 1/2 doses and not need to reuse the same needle.
Using the tip, my leg got pretty sore last time. It's hard to just put the needle in 1/8th of an inch when you've just woken up with a screamer building. Probably the best method I've seen so far is the guy who took 2 of the injector pens. Marked them #1 and #2. He then cut, I think it was 5 millimeters off of the white plastic plunger in the #1 pen. This resulted in the pen only emptying 1/2 of the glass syringe. He then took the #1 pen off of the syringe and put on the #2 pen, which had the full length plunger, for his second injection. With this setup the needle always goes in to the correct depth and there's no wiggling the needle around while your trying to inject it with a golf tee (which is what I used for a plunger).
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Mrs. Barlow, I never, and I repeat never, ever pissed in your steam iron.
"SHUT UP HUB!"
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