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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Any advice would be considered a good thing
        
(Message started by: millwright75 on Jul 28^th, 2004, 11:15pm)

Title: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by millwright75 on Jul 28^th, 2004, 11:15pm

I am going through a "episode" and my imitrex injections stopped calming the monster during previous episodes. Has anyone else had their medication stop working completely?
HELP!!!

Title: Re: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by judyw on Jul 28^th, 2004, 11:23pm

Sorry, know nothing of Imitrex, but I do know of that happening with other meds...especially if you have had Nitro given to you since taking it...Have you tried the O2 therapy...Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing...
143

Title: Re: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by UN_SOLVED on Jul 28^th, 2004, 11:53pm

Sorry to hear. Imitrex ALWAYS works for me. Hate to think about it NOT working. :-X

Unsolved

Try other triptans maybe ? Ask your neuro

Title: Re: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by bluesunshine on Jul 29^th, 2004, 2:38am

Altough i have used trex injection for only one cycle (they worked as they should, very effective against THE- it was the worst cycle i had with the beast...) if it is not working for you in this cycle, take another course of action , see your neuro, get O2, melatonin, what ever else, zomig maybe worth a try

Do you take any preventative?

got to be PF

blue

Title: Re: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by miapet on Jul 31^st, 2004, 5:12am

Traditional pharmacy never worked for D . . .o2 did abort individual h/as.
Sorry you're getting hit . . .
*positive light and energy*
miapet

Title: Re: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by Pinkfloyd on Aug 1^st, 2004, 12:22am

on 07/29/04 at 02:38:49, bluesunshine wrote:

Altough i have used trex injection for only one cycle (they worked as they should, very effective against THE- it was the worst cycle i had with the beast...)
blue

Starting to sound like a common theme.

PF

Title: Re: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 4^th, 2004, 2:50pm

Yes, med literature tends to report 90%+ effectiveness, so there are folks for whom it doesn't work/stops working. I'd guess not enough people to gain much attention and so we don't hear much about this experience.

I've had 100% success with this one. One or two doses will show whether it works for you or not and your doc can give you samples.

1: Headache 2001 Sep;41(8):813-6

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.

Rozen TD.

Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. The initial olanzapine dose was 5 mg, and the dose was increased to 10 mg if there was no pain relief. The dosage was decreased to 2.5 mg if the 5-mg dose was effective but caused adverse effects. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and two patients became headache-free after taking the drug. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. It alleviates pain quickly and has a consistent response across multiple treated attacks. It appears to work in both episodic and chronic cluster headache.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.

Title: Re: Any advice would be considered a good thing
Post by thomas on Aug 4^th, 2004, 2:54pm

Imitrex and zomig only work about 90% of the time, but I get fewer headaches with the zomig. Axert is the only triptan that I've tried that quit working completely.