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Topic: coming off of verapamil (Read 708 times) |
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cat195
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Hi,
This is my first post, but I think I did a really dumb thing last week when I decided that the verapamil wasn't really doing anything because I was still having attacks every other day. My dr. perscribed oxygen, and this has covered all but two 10's. So I figured that stopping the verapamil would be a great idea. NO WAY!! I had such an awful rebound headache, I was vomiting, and had intermittent sweats and chills. A visit to the ER did not help much, but they did put me on Raglan, after using it IV while I was there. I started right away on the verapamil again and now, 2 days later, I'm feeling much better.
What is the correct way to come off verapamil? My doctor wants me to stay on it permanently, but I keep telling him I don't want to do that. Any suggestions? Has anyone else used raglan?
Thanks for being here. I am in my 10th week of this cycle, I am 50 and have had CH since I was 20. Reading the posts has been a real support for me.
Cathy
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Ted
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Re: coming off of verapamil
« Reply #1 on: Aug 14th, 2002, 1:57pm » |
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How often were you getting attacks before? If it was every day it sounds like you might want to stay on the Verapamil till the cycle is over. What was the dosage? You could probably up the dosage to get better results too. Or add lithium to the mix, which has helped many people. But if you're really set on tapering off it should be a slow process and tell your doctor you are going off it one way or another and want his advice on how to get off of it. If you had such a bad reaction from going cold turkey you really should just rely on a doctor's advice on it.
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cat195
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Re: coming off of verapamil
« Reply #2 on: Aug 14th, 2002, 2:00pm » |
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I am on 240mgs a day. And I did learn my lesson, I won't come off of it without his guidance. I keep hoping that I'm at the end of the cycle......
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Chronic
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Re: coming off of verapamil
« Reply #3 on: Aug 14th, 2002, 2:00pm » |
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I know this isn't gonna be much help, but I'd love to hear what other people have to say on this matter. I'm currently in a 10 month cycle (my longest) and have also been on Verapamil for the last 45 days (480mgs). Everytime I try to stop, for a day or two, my CHs start rearing their ugly head again. My problem is, I never get Kip 1s through 7s, they're are all full blow. If this was your reaction to coming of Verap, I'm really scared. How long have you been on it? If Oxygen isn't doing the trick, try Imitrx injections...they always work for me. Sorry I don't have any more info for you. It does sound a little strange that you had such a violent reaction. Could it possibly be something else? Verapamil is known to have very few "bad" side effects. It is one of the less problamatic drugs taken for CHs. What was your dosage?
PFDANS
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Ted
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Re: coming off of verapamil
« Reply #4 on: Aug 14th, 2002, 2:04pm » |
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240 is about as low as you can go when using it for CHs. I'd really suggest upping it rather than stopping it. A number of people take 960 mgs. Some even higher.
I hope your cycle is coming to an end too.
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Ted
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Re: coming off of verapamil
« Reply #5 on: Aug 14th, 2002, 2:08pm » |
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Chronic. Verapamil is one of those meds you DO have to come off slowly or you can have a bad reaction. I usually just went cold turkey coming off of it, back when it still worked for me, because of money issues and never had a bad effect from it. But I think I've been more lucky then anything else.
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Cry-or-die
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Re: coming off of verapamil
« Reply #6 on: Aug 14th, 2002, 2:46pm » |
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Hello everyone...he is what I found out about verapamil.
I started on 160 mg...advised to dose once daily...after
two weeks up to 320..then to 480 if tolerable. The reason for the requirement in the doasge increase is the body's adapting to the level of dosage eventually requiring an increase in dosage(damn homeostatic mechanisms...lol)
When coming off it...it should be gradually decreased to avoid a high BP problem since verapamil causes a systemic dialation of blood vessels (thereby dropping BP) by inhibiting the rate at which calcium is reabsorbed by the neuron so that it becomes electrically recharged and can fire a new message(the pain one is the message we are concerned with but not the only important one). My understanding is that verap slows the recharge time of the neurons and please do correct me if I am wrong.
I spread my inital dosage to 80mg 2X daily about 12hours apart...but instead of going to 320 as advised, I went to 240....80mg 3X daily 8hours apart, now I am in week 7 of my cycle and week 5 of verap and just went to 320 160mg 2X daily 12 hours apart. I will be coming off the drug the same way. The body slowly acclimatizes to the increase in dosages and so therefore logically will require the same acclimatization period to come off of it. Kinda like heroin or smoking...reallllly hard to quit cold turkey...and in the case of verapamil...possibly dangerous...
I say this because I have noted that several people who have tried verap for the first time are having longer cycles than normal....hmmmmm....not good. We'll see in a few more weeks when mine typically end after a week of kip8-10 and several trips to emerg. Although last year I vowed no more emerg for me!
This is only a personal observation and my personal dislike for perscription meds will lead me to this method of detoxifying myself from it in a gradual manner that will allow my body to adapt to the chemical changes.
Like it says in all my mechanics books: (in ch lingo)
removal is opposite to the assembly procedure ;D
(Although it usually states in my repair manuals that assmebly is the opposite of removal procedure)Although replacement (things back to normal) can often be achieved much quicker...gradual is best.
This is the safest way to discontinue the use of this drug in my opinion, is gradually.
Good luck, ask your doctor, I'm sure he/she will agree.
Cry
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| « Last Edit: Aug 14th, 2002, 2:54pm by Cry-or-die » |
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