Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Out of nowhere....
        
(Message started by: E-Double on Aug 3^rd, 2004, 4:53pm)

Title: Out of nowhere....
Post by E-Double on Aug 3^rd, 2004, 4:53pm

Well I can honestly say that the past couple of weeks have been tolerable. Thank god. A couple of days with heavy shadows and a couple of "neck crankers"; some mini breakthroughs (I guess) but nothing like before. Still wonder if I'm winding down.

I had wiped out my night time hits with melatonin. Finally had 2.5 weeks of sleep. been awesome.

Well guess what said hello last night.

I bet ya can't...
Can ya?
You guys are so smart..... [smiley=laugh.gif]

WTF 12:36am and boom!!!http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_11_1.gif

I went to the Dr. today because I've been considering upping the verap. (at 480 now) My heart is doing great.

So here's the big ???

Do you(I) up the verap. until I get a steady amount of pain free days then taper off or just wait and see?
I think I might up the melatonin tonight just in case.

Input always appreciated.

And despite the minor setback Feelin' pretty decent!

Thanks,

Eric Diamond, MS.Ed.,BCABA ;) ;;D

P.S. I posted my credentials and hopefully my spelling is ok because This Teacher doesn't need to be made fun of LOL [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: Out of nowhere....
Post by IndianaJohn on Aug 3^rd, 2004, 5:43pm

Hi Eric,

Been thinking of upping my verap too. Then only thing that concerns me is that sometimes my bp will drop and I will get lightheaded.

Glad your having success with the melatonin. I tried it and it worked sometimes, but it seemed that the beast would come back during the day to make up for not hitting me at night. I guess I would rather have the beast come see me at home instead of at work.

What your proposing makes sense. I was thinking of asking my doc the same thing. However, I was on 480mg verap when my cycle started and think that being on it prior to the cycle may have messed the verap treatment up, so upping it would make sense as long as you taper off when the cycle breaks.

Best of luck!

Title: Re: Out of nowhere....
Post by RPS on Aug 3^rd, 2004, 5:55pm

I just increaded my Verapamil dossage today to 480 up from 240. I started taking the Verap on 7/27/04. Since that time I have had 5 HA of which 3 I aborted with Imitrex. My prescription said take 240 for two weeks, then if no relief take 480. I just decided to up my dossage a week early and hopefully I'll see a change.

Good luck to you both.

RPS

Title: Re: Out of nowhere....
Post by E-Double on Aug 3^rd, 2004, 11:14pm

Title: Re: Out of nowhere....
Post by E-Double on Aug 4^th, 2004, 8:10am

Thanks so much!!
Always hesitant to do anything with thsee meds but at the same time don't wwant to risk being yanked back in if this is even a possibility [smiley=huh.gif]

Later and best to all

E

Title: Re: Out of nowhere....
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 4^th, 2004, 2:37pm

Academics like books. Get the second or third title.

BJ, MA-Ed (counseling)
-----------
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.

Title: Re: Out of nowhere....
Post by E-Double on Aug 4^th, 2004, 9:14pm

on 08/04/04 at 14:37:41, Bob_Johnson wrote:

Thanks Bob!!
I was just being a wise ass (posting the "letters") b/c I noticed some ball busting on other threads when someone used incorrect grammar or mispelled anything.
Figured if one of them read this I might get a laugh ;)

Thanks again,
E