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        New Message Board Archives >> 2003 Posts >> Immitrex Question
        
(Message started by: west17m on Feb 6^th, 2003, 12:02pm)

Title: Immitrex Question
Post by west17m on Feb 6^th, 2003, 12:02pm

I have now (I guess) officially started my second cycle of ch's and been hangin out with the beast daily over the past 8 days. We have a nurse in the family that recommends not taking Zoming daily (my previous script) so now I'm going to try Immitrex. Here's my question(s):

1) forms? injections, pills, and spray?
2) can it be taken safely for many days in a row?
3) do you think it will scare the beast off?

Thanks guys (and ladies). You're the best.

-- Travis (but my friends call me Tag ;))

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by don on Feb 6^th, 2003, 12:08pm

1. Inject for quickest relief, use imitrex tip at left.

2. I use it daily when in cycle.

3. The injection will kick the Beast's ass!

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by Mark C on Feb 6^th, 2003, 12:20pm

Funny,
My Neuro recommends just the opposite....go figure. I use the Zomig tabs and if taken at the first signs of an attack work in 20 minutes or so. I also use Imitrex injection. It works in 5 minutes. The Zomig tends to becomes ineffective, or less effective if the cycle is long. Neither are good for you taken for a long time or in excessive doses. In my last cycle which was long and rough I tried to balance the use of the two with exceeding safe levels, which can be hard. Rebound headaches need to figured in after a while also so I am on the list for an O2 tank to cut down on so much medications. This is my experience strengh and hope.
PFDAN's
Mark

http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/pi/Zomig.pdf

http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_imitrex_injection.pdf

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by cbolony on Feb 6^th, 2003, 12:21pm

Like don said use the imitrex tip and the first 3-4 weeks
of my cycle when i get hit the hardest i use the injection
3-4 times a day.kicks ass all the time

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by Ueli on Feb 6^th, 2003, 12:46pm

Ok, I repeat it once more. ;D

To get FDA approval for a new drug the manufacturer must show that it can be taken safely as often as it is needed.

All Triptans were developed, and approved, for meegraines, so the manufacturers showed that they can be taken safely 4 times a month (corresponding to an average bad case meegrainer).

This does in NO way prove anything about a more frequent use.

But some insurance companies, in order to maximize the gain for their shareholders, claim this to be "an absolute upper limit recommended by the FDA". (But the FDA does not give out recommendations, it just checks the data given by the manufacturer.)

Likewise, some doctors, in order to save their ass from possible litigations, make this proven save value to an absolute limit too.

Any doctor knowledgeable of CH knows that a med that only allows to abort 4 out of dozens of attacks would be rather useless.

There are many people (still alive ;)) that have aborted 4 or more attacks in one day not one month.

All triptans act in a similar fashion, so if you are afraid of side effects from "overuse", it doesn't make sense to mix different triptans and take of each the "maximum" 4 doses a month.

PFNADs
Ueli

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by don on Feb 6^th, 2003, 12:49pm

Quite right Ueli

I have used 1/2 shots up to 6 or 8 times per day.
It's all about economics and liablity and in rare cases, patient welfare.

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by bear31062 on Feb 6^th, 2003, 2:00pm

I would be very carefull with all ergotraits and triptins.Before useing one of these drugs i would have a complete cardiac physical done first Only for the reason that i suffered 6 heart attachs after being on DHE45 for several years,atleast thats whats the docs at John`s Hopkins atributit to.There is no heart disease in my family.

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by Karla on Feb 6^th, 2003, 3:45pm

For imitrix nasal spray you shouldn't exceed 40mg a day according to the pdr(physcians desk reference) however, my neuro has allowed me to take 80mg a day as needed. I have taken imitrix ns daily (40mg) for a couple of years. I am not certain how good this is on the heart but I am glad I found an preventive alternative so I don't need to use so much imitrix all the time. Usually it is the insurance companies that limit how much you can and can't use.

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by jmorgan52 on Feb 8^th, 2003, 10:01am

Injection is the only thing that stops the ch pain in its tracks every single time, the pill and nasal spray are hit and miss.

I have used it for 6 years for at least once daily when in cycle with no ill effects.

It will kick the beasts ass every time, but unfortunately it does not make it go away by breaking the cycle. It just stops the pain inside 10 minutes. Expect another ch within 4-48 hours unfortunately.

The half dose works for many. I have previously posted my improvement on the imitrex tip, using a second auto injector with the white firing pin cut down by 8mm to only give the first half dose. Use the original injector to give the second half dose. Take care when manually inserting the vial into the injector and returning it to the holder case. The shorter injector will need to be manually spring loaded using a pencil or pen.

This sounds a bit complicated but is much nicer than sticking yourself in the leg with the tiny vial by hand and using a qtip to give a half dose!

My other recommendation is to stock up on injections when you are out of cycle so you have them ready for next time. Bloody doctors and medical schemes seem very reluctant to prescribe enough to get you through a cycle with minimum pain and it can be stressful if you have no meds when you really need them.

John

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by tgz23 on Feb 9^th, 2003, 2:43am

Hey J, could you elaborate on the cut down pin a little? I cut a pin down on one of my auto injectors,it was about even with the outside part of the injector. I filled the syringe with water and shot it in the sink, all of the water was pushed out. So the next time I needed to inject myself I did so in my leg. I fired the auto injector and with the needle still in my leg I unscrewed the whole thing and then removed it from my leg. There were two problems first it left a big black and blue mark on my leg that stayed there for about 3 weeks and the second time I tried this with the same cut down auto injector it push out less imitrex than the first time I tried it. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks, Tim

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by Roxy on Feb 9^th, 2003, 12:21pm

Tim,

Next time you refill your prescription, ask your pharmacist for the vials. Then you can pull up just the amount you need.

Tracey

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by Tim_w on Feb 12^th, 2003, 6:27am

Tag
Imatrex injection (worked) best for me
I took injections for 6 years,first 3 years it worked great Look out for rebounds !!!!!
I went cronic and was taking 2 to 3 aday for 3 years ,then it stoped working
Now I take 720 mil of verapamil sr a day and Maxalt.
works great for now.
When my cycle is bad 8 or 10 peaks aday I have to pick witch one to abort. cronic for 3 years now
been playing the med game for 23 years!
Keep trying till you find what works for you
pfdan Tim_w aka happy pappy

Title: Re: Immitrex Question
Post by jmorgan52 on Feb 12^th, 2003, 7:09am

Hi Tim

I measured my 2 autoinjectors and I had removed 8.5mm from the one to give the 1st half shot. I used this method 3 or 4 times during the end of my last cycle with no problems, but you have to make sure that you carefully unscrew the needle after the 1st shot and return it to the cartridge before you load the 2nd shot or the needle will easily bend. I suspect this may have happened to you especially if you decided to experiment with taking the needle in and out of the injector. Also unscrewing the needle while it is in your leg is a no-no! Pull the needle out normally and then carefully unscrew it and return to the cartridge holder.

A combination of this may have been responsible for the bruising.

As for filling the vial with water and shooting it into the sink, I am not sure if this is a valid test, firstly the rubber plunger seal may have been weakened by removing it, and the viscosity of the inj fluid is probably thicker than water so may affect the amount shot out without resistance of the fluid and the leg as you would get with a real injection. I am sorry you had the bad experience, but this method worked for me and I just copied the idea from a post here long ago as I was reluctant to use the imitrex tip as it is recommended on the "buttons on the left" I just could not bring myself to stab my leg with the tiny vial and poke a qtip down the vial to give myself a dose.

The vials to self inject using an insulin needle don't seem to exist in South Africa but it sounds like good advice and I am trying to see if I can get them for if (when?) my next cycle hits.

I am normally due to start the dreaded CH cycle about now when I usually start getting low pain headaches for several weeks or months that build up to a full blown cycle every March. So far so good, and I also started another detox (liver cleaning) this week to get rid of the excesses from overindulgance during the festive season holidays and am pinning my hopes on this to avoid the next cycle. Almost 10 months PF so far.

John