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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> How many days?
        
(Message started by: becky8 on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 9:49am)

Title: How many days?
Post by becky8 on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 9:49am

Now first I want to say I know noone knows for sure, That's a given!!! But having said that how many days before you can feel safe to say this COMBO OF MEDS is working for you? I know its probably different for everyone but tell me yours if you're one of the lucky ones!!! I want to see what the average is?

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by vig on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 10:08am

I'm not sure there's even a real answer to this...
You just KNOW!!!

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by becky8 on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 10:18am

Yea Paul,
When I first went on the lithium, after about a week, I had 4 wonderful pain free days and that was the most in row I have had in a very very long time. So I thought wow this is working and then got hit super hard!!! I would think chronics anyway would know after a week, cause not many chronics have a week pain free???

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by vig on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 10:33am

Even when something works very well, there can still be breakthrough headaches. How did the overall pattern change? Did they go away? Or did the whole headache episode start up again?

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by becky8 on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 10:43am

Trying to think, my head was stir-fryed for awhile there. Totally painfree and then it started again. My Dr. upped the lithium just yesterday so maybe this will help, who the hell knows? Can't give up hope though, thats when you start to lose it. Poor Eddie is dealing with that.

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by Gator on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 1:21pm

I think the information packets on most drugs I've tried say they take 2 - 4 weeks to reach full potency. Some take 6 weeks or more. Add to that the fact that each person reacts to meds differently and/or requires different dosages and it becomes anyone's ballgame. Do some research and hang in there.

I took lithium up to 1200mg - did not work for me.

Gator

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by marlin on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 6:41pm

Wholy chit gator. 1200mg lithium? I was on that stuff once. To begin with it didn't help but aside from that it made me feel like I belonged in a rubber room somewhere. Made me nuts.

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by eyes_afire on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 6:52pm

Hi Becky8,

I know this is gonna sound strange but, over the past 18 months of ramping up and down with verapamil... within 3 days I would know if it was working. Maybe I have a very high metabolism [smiley=huh.gif] (maybe why my friends could never get me shit-faced drunk).

Finally, after an 18 month cycle, I'm totally off verapamil (many failed taper attempts). I still get some of the daily CH symptoms (excluding the full-blown pain... so I guess technically I'm getting the 'painless CH'? again).

Quote:

I know its probably different for everyone but tell me yours if you're one of the lucky ones!!!

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

--- Steve

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by Jonny on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 7:30pm

In the opinion of someone that has been taking Verap and Lithium everyday for close to 14 years......keep upping it until it works or your doc says thats enough.

I found my heaven (If you can really call it that) at 600 mgs Lith, 480 Verap a day.

Many people have lots of sides on these meds, I find practicaly none and much better than CH.

Talk with your doc before you up any med!

.......................................jonny

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by alleyoop on Dec 2^nd, 2004, 7:51pm

on 12/02/04 at 09:49:47, becky8 wrote:

tell me yours if you're one of the lucky ones!!!

36 out of the last 50 days have been PF. Not bad for a chronic. Clusterbusters rock!

......................alley ;)

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by jessipo on Dec 4^th, 2004, 3:47pm

Sometimes I think it depends on how sensitive you are to drugs. For me, it takes several weeks to tell if it will work or not, but for my mom (and she takes different drugs for something else, but I'm using her as an example), she notices right away, I mean like within a day, if a drug is working for her or not. It's amazing. Wish I were like that. lol Could be cuz she took drugs in the 60's. have a faint feeling about that. lol

Anyway, everyone's body is different and you have to learn to "listen" to your body. I think that's tougher for women to do than men, because we're used to pain (ie childbirth and fighting through pain to accomplish housework, running the household, working and being the everything that everyone else needs. We tend to ignore our own needs. Personal opinion of course from my own observations and experience).

Title: Re: How many days?
Post by Donna_D. on Dec 4^th, 2004, 4:33pm

When the doc started me on Verap, I felt the results within a week.

Every body is different...size, weight, tolerance, body chemistry...

Actual results may vary,

DD