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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> what i got prescribed
        
(Message started by: OLLY on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:57am)

Title: what i got prescribed
Post by OLLY on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 11:57am

just been to doctors got prescibed porpranolol for 2 months has this been of any use to any one else

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by Bob P on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 1:22pm

propranolol is generic for Inderal. It's a beta blocker. Usually used to treat migraines. Some clusterheads have had some suceess with it but it's not one of the normal treatments for clusters.

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by Dave_W on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 1:23pm

Hi Olly,

That's a beta-blocker, known more commonly as Inderal. It's very effective against migraines but from what I've heard it is sort of uncommon for beta blockers to prevent CH. Did your doc give you a diagnosis to go along with the prescription?

Wishing you pain free days...

Old Dave

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by Bob P on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 1:50pm

Beat ya to it Dave.

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by Prense on Jun 3^rd, 2004, 8:11pm

on 06/03/04 at 13:23:10, Dave_W wrote:

Did your doc give you a diagnosis to go along with the prescription?

Good question...

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by buckeyescooter on Jun 4^th, 2004, 12:25am

I got prescribed that once...didn't do much for my clusters but made me incredibly calm onstage, and at auditions....I told my neuro this and he said it's nickname was the stage fright drug. No lie. I think a lot of beta blockers fall into this category. Mood stabilizers. Be sure to let your doc know right away if it's not working for you Olly. Welcome.

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by OLLY on Jun 4^th, 2004, 2:48am

Thanks all for your replies doctor only took blood pressure as i got diagnosed 10 years ago but was helpful and said to go back it problem persists and yea i remember last time i was on them became a master at chess lol :D

Title: Suggested info sources
Post by Bob_Johnson on Jun 4^th, 2004, 8:02am

I wonder if you doc is up to date on treating cluster. This med is so out of date as a standard treatment. Suggest you do some homework so that you can ask for more currently recognized treatments.

Suggest either the second or third titles:

HANDBOOK OF HEADACHE MANAGEMENT, 2nd ed., Au. Joel Saper, MD, 1999, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. A highly condensed volume for doctors but good for "advanced" clusterheads who have a grasp of medical terminology and medications. Covers all types of headache with the section on cluster being brief. Sections on general considerations in treatment and on medications are important.

MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $49 at Amazon.Com. This volume is better organized and easier to read for nonprofessionals compared to Saper's book. It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.

Explore this excellent site: www.headachedrugs.com operated by doctor who operates a good headache clinic.

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by pubgirl on Jun 4^th, 2004, 2:50pm

Easier to refer your GP to their own prescribing bible the BNF which they all have in all surgeries in the UK.

The most recent edition has a section on Cluster Headache treatment which will tell him what to give you.

You can see it for yourself on
http://www.bnf.org/bnf/bnf/current/noframes/106533.htm

Haven't seen you at OUCH UK yet!

Wendy

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by Karla on Jun 4^th, 2004, 3:16pm

This was one of the first drugs my dr had me try. It did nothing for my ch. I would recomend you try verapamil if this doesn't work. Good luck!

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by OLLY on Jun 5^th, 2004, 5:33am

thanks for all that your all fight i think just had the worst attack of ch yet 4.30 am to 10.00 nightmare will be back at docs monday
:-/

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by buckeyescooter on Jun 6^th, 2004, 1:18am

Sorry you're having such a rough go Olly....make sure when you see the doc that he gives you a good abortive along with the preventative. Just in case you don't know, by abortive I mean something like Zomig or Imitrex Inhaler, or possibly a prednisone taper starting at 80 mgs. and tapering down. These drugs will hopefully stop a cluster in it's tracks and give the preventative , whatever that may be, time to work it's way into your system. Obviously, if you've had bad experiences with any of these don't take my advice. Also ask about oxygen, many people including myself have benefited greatly from o2 at the onset of a headache. You need a non rebreather mask and very high flow rate....between 10-15 LPM. I can't remember what that stands for....maybe one of my brethren will help us out. Is it liters per minute? Anyway Olly, check in next week....let us know how you're doing.

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by OLLY on Jun 7^th, 2004, 12:14pm

just got back from docs took me off beta blockers and put me on verapamil and rizatripan melts and codine for pain relief which is a bummer cus i cant drink now :-/

Title: Re: what i got prescribed
Post by don on Jun 7^th, 2004, 2:08pm

Your Doc is getting closer but he is still off track.

Maxalt may help some but the codiene will cause you rebounds and maybe even a nice little addiction to go with it.

Read up on current effective medications and bring that education to the Doc.

What dosage of verap did he Rx?