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Topic: Lithium dosage (Read 494 times) |
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dab
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Lithium dosage
« on: Jun 25th, 2004, 1:52pm » |
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I am a chronic CH sufferer, and my neurologist has finally resorted to lithium. I am now taking 900 mgs/day of Li carbonate in addition to 480 mgs Verapamil without any serious ill effects (other than constipation from the Verapamil), but my headaches continue to appear nearly every day. The only good sign is that they are low-grade and disappear more quickly. Are there CH sufferers out there who would care to share their experience with lithium ie. how much they had to take, and how long they were able to maintain the therapy?
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Prense
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Re: Lithium dosage
« Reply #1 on: Jun 25th, 2004, 2:03pm » |
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on Jun 25th, 2004, 1:52pm, dabar wrote:| Are there CH sufferers out there who would care to share their experience with lithium ie. how much they had to take, and how long they were able to maintain the therapy? |
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I take 900mg/day with no apparent help to my CH. How high you can go depends on your lithium levels which are easily tested. You should have had a test done as a baseline, then retested in a month. What happens next depends on that result as well as progress with CH.
Chris
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alleyoop
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Re: Lithium dosage
« Reply #2 on: Jun 27th, 2004, 8:41pm » |
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Hi dabar,
I've been taking lithium for nearly 3 yrs. now. My neuro first started me on it in the fall of '01 at the same dosage as you are taking- 900mg a day. And BTW, Chris is right. You should be getting your levels checked periodically. I had about the same results as you(shadows, milder HAs). I, too am chronic.
Anyway, my neuro slowly started raising my lithium dosage until at one time I was up to 1500 mg a day. I got hand tremor so bad that I couldn't write and backed off. After about 9 mos. on the lithium, he started me on verapamil, 480 mg a day. This actually stopped the HAs in their tracks for almost 2 wks. To make a long story shorter, I have more or less experimented with the dosages and am currently taking basically 900 mg of lithium one day and 1200 mg the next, alternating days. I am taking 720 mg of verapamil daily. Knock on wood, but happily I am able to say that I have had a total of 2 HAs in the last 7 days(I was in a wedding last weekend, so I had a few alcohol induced hits from that). As far as side effects go, they have been negligible. I try to eat a lot of fiber and have not had a real problem with constipation.
Get your levels checked and work with your MD. At least in my case, finding the right dosage has made all the difference.
Good Luck and PFNAD,
Alley
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forgetfulnot
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Don't let this go.........................
http://www.clusterbusters.com/
Up the verap. that's what helped me anyway................
Lee
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ccbiggsoo7
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Re: Lithium dosage
« Reply #4 on: Jun 30th, 2004, 6:13am » |
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I have been on the same dose of both medications as you for about 3 years. Recently visted neurologist who specialized in cluster headaches only. Said doses of medications together were to high, needed to come down. Put me on neurontin and have quit other medications completely. Have ben headache free for 2 months now, and I am chronic. Give it a try. Chris
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chris
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Alan
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I've been on 900 mg/day of Lithium for 6 years now - up to 1500 mg/day during peak headache periods. I'm also taking 720 mg/day of Verapamil. I'm cronic, and find that the Lithium is the main drug that keeps my headaches somewhat manageable.
For me, anything less than 720 mg of Verapamil has no theraputic effect. Actually in general, the Verapamil has the least theraputic effect of all the preventatives I take. But that's just me. I do take it because it does seem to help somewhat. Just not nearly as much as the Li+.
And DONT FORGET TO HAVE YOUR LITHIUM LEVELS CHECKED!!!
Alan
p.s. get ready to start peeing..... 
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forgetfulnot
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Off topic, verapamil has a huge effect on my O2 effectiveness. Check it out.............
lee
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jonny
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on Jun 25th, 2004, 1:52pm, dabar wrote:| Are there CH sufferers out there who would care to share their experience with lithium ie. how much they had to take, and how long they were able to maintain the therapy? |
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600 mgs Lith Carb, 480 mgs Verap
Ive been taking this combo everyday for about 13 years, It has done wonders for this chronic. But about four months ago I went pain free, Im talking not even a shadow.
Dont ask me how or why, I just know that this is the longest PF time I have had in 30 years. I doubt it has anything to do with Lith or Verap, but that combo made life bearable with no side effects.
...................................................jonny
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Dave_W
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Re: Lithium dosage
« Reply #8 on: Jul 9th, 2004, 1:45pm » |
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The years that lithium works for me, I have to do about 1200 to 1500 mg / day in divided doses, and I cannot use the long-acting version (gets my blood levels too high over time). After getting control, I can drop to 900 mg and stay there seemingly forever.
No side effects at all for me, except it seems to improve my attention span. At higher doses (1800 and up), I get shaky.
Good luck!!
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Old Decrepit Dave
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Lori
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Re: Lithium dosage
« Reply #9 on: Jul 15th, 2004, 1:24am » |
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I was put on 1200mgs Lithium in January for Bipolar, so I am fortunate that it may also help my CH's too. I was due to be hit this year and it hasn't happened yet. I must admit I have had times (a couple weeks at a time) when I felt underlying, onesided pain that could have been a CH below the surface, not breaking through, if that makes sense. Maybe because of the lithium?? I have just started having headpain yesterday and it came back today but I'm not willing to say it's the beginning of a cycle yet. I hold out hope the lithium will keep the big, bad ones away from me. I just must honestly say I really don't know what to expect, like you. Basically if I must, I will request verapamil in addition and I'm going to try O2 this time...plus I have a stockpile of abortives (just incase). Good luck to you.
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Blessings and PFDAN,
Lori
Psalm 23:4 ~ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
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