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Topic: Taper advice (Read 227 times) |
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Thorns
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"Ahhhh....that feels good!"
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Taper advice
« on: Mar 17th, 2004, 9:17pm » |
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Well, my favorite brain clawing friend is back and apparently it used a sharpener while on vacation  . Anyway, I don't have the resources (i.e. $$ / insurance) to go to a neuro. so I thought I would try to educate the student health center at my school on CH's with my visit. I have used prednisone and verapamil in the past with some success and thought it would be my best bet for now. The only thing is I can't seem to remember what my dose was for the prednisone. Does anyone know of an average recommended dose and taper that I can suggest at my appt.? Some of the info I see suggest 80mg/day x7days and then a 6 day rapid taper. I don't remember being on a dose that high (maybe it was 40mg/day for two weeks with no taper--I'm not sure why she didn't taper me  ). Thanks,
~Thorns
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UN_SOLVED
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Re: Taper advice
« Reply #1 on: Mar 17th, 2004, 9:43pm » |
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80 mg is a big dose. Doing it for 7 days is a HUGE dose. I've done 80 mg X 2 days, then decreased by 10 mg every 2 days.
The BEST advice is: If you're going to use Prednisone, have your neuro tell you exactly how to take it.
PS. I would think you must taper if taking 40 mg for 2 weeks. Again, ask a neuro !
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t_h_b
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Re: Taper advice
« Reply #2 on: Mar 18th, 2004, 12:19am » |
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Didn't the prednisone come in a standard dose pack with the taper built in? If it didn't, the tapering is standard 1st year resident stuff. Any MD or NP can do it.
I had forgotten how wonderful the MDs and RNs at the student health center were back in school. I was in for a couple of days with a hot appendix. They didn't even say anything about me smoking in the bathroom. My favorite nurse was Peaches--must have weighed 300 pounds. I can still remember what she looked like 20 yrs. later.
You should be able to educate them and they'll write for just about whatever you want. Probably there are a couple of other undiagnosed ClusterHeads at your school (depending on the size) and you could be doing them a favor, too.
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Lobster
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Re: Taper advice
« Reply #3 on: Mar 18th, 2004, 7:38am » |
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My last pred taper was 80 80 60 60 50 40 30 20 20 10 10. Finished it yesterday.
That was to cover me until a Verap (240/day)/Topa(75 day) combo took effect.
Was getting hit with 4x CH a day. Instantly went to 1x CH a day at 0200 which I nail with a tiny Imitrex injection (<.175ml with 3 minute complete relief). May have the doc up the Verap just a little to ditch the 0200 one.
Rock
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| « Last Edit: Mar 18th, 2004, 7:41am by Lobster » |
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Rock beats Scissors.
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Melissa
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I start my taper at 60mg. I do agree that 80 is a large dose and I honestly don't think I need that much in order to get relief, but everyone is different.
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Thorns
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Re: Taper advice
« Reply #5 on: Mar 18th, 2004, 11:44am » |
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Thank you all for the advice.
on Mar 18th, 2004, 7:38am, Rock_Lobster wrote:My last pred taper was 80 80 60 60 50 40 30 20 20 10 10. Finished it yesterday.
That was to cover me until a Verap (240/day)/Topa(75 day) combo took effect. |
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I was on verapamil 240 mg/day and it wasn't working anymore. But it has been a little more than a year since I have taken it or anything for that matter (I lost my insurance when I decided to go back to grad school and was recently turned down b/c of CH past). Do you think I should go with the 240 again or bump up and if so what is the next step (I assume increments of 120)?
~Thorns
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Lobster
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Re: Taper advice
« Reply #6 on: Mar 18th, 2004, 1:43pm » |
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Actually I am a poor person to ask. This is my first time on either Verapamil or Topa, so I am not certain which is suppressing my HA's.
I see myself going above 240 on the Verap here in the next week... perhaps to 320 or 400.
If you are paying out of pocket then Pred & Verap seems to make sense. Cafergot is the cheapest abortive listed on the OUCH site, but I have no experience with it.
Rock
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