Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Sinus sprays for abortion
        
(Message started by: Clusters2 on May 18^th, 2004, 10:50am)

Title: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Clusters2 on May 18^th, 2004, 10:50am

:'( I have had cluster headaches since I was 26 years old. I am now approaching 62 years old. I have been on most all medications mentioned and oxygen therapy included.
After a 2 year reprieve from them....they are back!! I am now using over the counter, "Afrin", no drip sinus spray which is aborting the attack within 5 minutes!! Of course the bottle says not to use for more than 3 days and not to exceed 2 doses in any 24 hour period. Two sprays up each nostril has held the attacks from occuring for at least 12 hours. I'll take it in that case, for more than 3 days if needed. What could be more harmful to our bodies than prescription drugs?

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by floridian on May 18^th, 2004, 10:59am

>> What could be more harmful to our bodies than prescription drugs?

Overuse of nasal decongestants can have pretty nasty results. A friend who is a physical therapist told me about a case she was working with (her most difficult case) where the person blew a few blood vessels to the brain (aneurysm) after prolonged heavy use of something like afrin. Tolerance set in, so the guy kept using more and more.

Don't assume that because prescription meds have risks, other treatments do not.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Redd715 on May 18^th, 2004, 11:08am

This strikes me as all too familiar, as before I was aware that the attacks I was getting at night over the years were clusters, I was under the impression it was sinus attacks. It became a nightly ritual to use afrin before bed time to keep my sinuses clear thinking if I could always "breath" threw the left side I wouldn't get the attack. HAHA!! I'm now in the process of trying to combat years of rebound congestion.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by john123 on May 18^th, 2004, 11:16am

sinus...me too, I ate sinus headaches medicine like it was candy.

I also used to think if I ate a packet of bc headache powder at just the right time I would abort the ch. Psych!

Hope it keeps working for you...

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by floridian on May 18^th, 2004, 11:22am

My clusters started after a few years of heavy sinus problems - afrin and pseudofed. Pseudofed is counterindicated in people with thyroid problems, but it also has some profound effects on the hypothalamus. The weight loss effects of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (in Metabolife) work through the hypothalamus.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Redd715 on May 18^th, 2004, 11:38am

I used to eat Sudafed like candy during the days too, but it never seemed to have any effect on my weight. I've always been rather petite, except when I was pregnant, or after they implanted the norplant in my arm after Meg was born. I balooned! After nearly a year of that hell, I finallly had them removed. Wait...I know I'm reaching for straws here, but...it was during the time I was on the norplant that these attacks really set in. Ok coinsidence probably...why am I even going here? I don't know. Just made the connection I guess. Never thought about that before though.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Filbert on May 18^th, 2004, 11:44am

Very interesting floridian. I too took pseudofed before my CHs began about twenty years ago. Now I don't believe that would be the cause as I'm with those people who believe it's a genetic reason.However I've often wondered what brings on the first set of attacks and why the age of people having CH for the first time varies so much.I wonder if taking the "wrong " drug could be one such factor? Say we've already got a problematic hypothalmus and pseudofed is then taken and bam -first cycle.Could of course be complete nonsense!

Filbert

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by floridian on May 18^th, 2004, 11:52am

>> Say we've already got a problematic hypothalmus and pseudofed is then taken and bam -first cycle.Could of course be complete nonsense!

Well, we don't have proof. But we do have enough for a class action lawsuit :)

I think at best (at worst?), ephedrine might push some people with a genetic predisposition over the edge into clusterville... it triggers or precipitates, but may not be "The Cause." Some people can take it with no noticeable problems, but I became sensitive to it over time. There's no doubt ephedrine messes up sleep - it is the closest thing to amphetamine and is used to manufacture methamphetamine. I used to wake up soaked in sweat when I took pseudofed, with a sense of impending doom. But it did help with my sinuses.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Redd715 on May 18^th, 2004, 11:57am

I didn't start in with the afrin or the sudafed till AFTER the attacks started Floridian.

(am I having another dopymax moment and miss the joke here?)

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Gator on May 18^th, 2004, 12:19pm

I was heavily taking pseudophed and tylenol allergy sinus (which has pseudophed in it) before I got the first REAL attack. Did my share of Afrin as well. Never thought about any correlation, though.

I haven't taken any of either since coming here and finding out that a lot of sufferers thought they were having sinus problems and were taking sinus meds for it before they were diagnosed.

OH, please...if it were proven that pseudophedrine use caused ch, the drug companies would be on their knees in front of us.

Gator

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Racer1_NC on May 18^th, 2004, 12:36pm

At the risk of provoking Redd and her carving knives (LOL)......when the demon first started hitting me, I tried the nose sprays....at the time they seemed to help push the pain back. Did they really? I can't say for sure. When I finally say my neuro for the first time, I asked him about it. His reply was.....I guess it's possible, they do alter blood flow in the area.

Just my 2 cents on a day not worth a penny.....

Bill

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Redd715 on May 18^th, 2004, 12:55pm

Why would I take my knives to you dear? ROFLMAO Like myself, the attacks came first with you, and then you began to try to self medicate. What we won't do to try to get relief from the agony. And what we won't convince ourselves of ( sinus problems et.al. ) before we stop being stubborn (at least in my case) and going to see someone to get some real help.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Gator on May 18^th, 2004, 1:10pm

on 05/18/04 at 12:55:58, Redd715 wrote:

Amen, sister! It took a brain ripping attack and a worried, nagging wife (nuthin but love to ya babe) to get me to quit self medicating and go to the doc.

Gator

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Redd715 on May 18^th, 2004, 1:30pm

>>Amen, sister! It took a brain ripping attack and a worried, nagging wife (nuthin but love to ya babe) to get me to quit self medicating and go to the doc.

Gator

I think for me it all went back to the time the (then) hubby had taken me into the ER with an attack many years ago and once we got to the sitter's house to get the kids he called me a whimp. I guess that old tape ran threw my head all these years that I was over reacting. So I tried everything I could think of on my own. Being divorced for the last 10 years I had no one to nag me into getting these checked out.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by floridian on May 18^th, 2004, 2:00pm

>> when the demon first started hitting me, I tried the nose sprays....at the time they seemed to help push the pain back.

It might help with the pain, temporarily. It is a strong vasoconstrictor. My first reply was to Clusters2, who planned on ignoring the warnings that limited the use of Afrin to 3 days. If someone is in an episode that may last 4-10 weeks, or is chronic, then using a nasal spray doesn't seem like a good idea. It will cause rebound congestion if you quit after a few days, which motivates a person to keep using it. And tolerance builds up, so two squirts twice a day can turn into 3 squirts 4 times a day... Nasal spray may be useful for a short term allergy situation, but think about the risks and drawbacks before using it for clusters. There are other meds that are more appropriate.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Miklos on May 18^th, 2004, 2:21pm

About four years ago, I tried one bottle of Afrin on my doctor's recommendation. It seemed to abort about 50% of the headaches if used immediately upon onset. The doctor and I agreed that a 50% success rate was not worth continuing.

I used the whole bottle several times a day until it was empty. I do not recall any rebound effects.

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Mac on May 18^th, 2004, 2:59pm

I was convinced I had a sinus infection after getting my first cluster headache. My use of drixoral and claritin over a 3 year period was breathtaking.Ten times the recommended daily dose. I was actually diagnosed with a sinus infection some weeks after my first cluster and this only reinforced the sinus infection theory. I've been off antihistimines for over a year but quitting them was tough. Sometimes I use a bit of nasal spray to try and take the edge off a shadow.

Be careful that you don't get your sinuses hooked on the stuff.
PFDANeh Glen

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Clusters2 on May 18^th, 2004, 4:05pm

Thanks for all your replies. I certainly will be careful with the Afrin use. Fortunately. I have only had to use it once a day. I was on channel blockers, verapamil, etc. over the past 36 years, including Lidocaine spray for the nose.(horrible stuff) Oxygen inhalation used to work but doesn't seem to be helping now. So I use Afrin on onset of attack or sometimes 2 Advil. The other prescription medications have taken its toll on my body in 36 years.....such as involuntary tremor in hand when writing. :-/

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by bobkip on May 19^th, 2004, 12:57pm

Afrin was touted here some years ago. Tried, didn't do anything for me. Fortunately, O2 still works most of the time.
Kip

Title: Re: Sinus sprays for abortion
Post by Tiannia on May 19^th, 2004, 2:25pm

on 05/18/04 at 11:52:42, floridian wrote:

No for 2-3 years before my clusters started this last summer i ate sinus meds like it was candy as well. Constantly. Morning when I got up before work and then as soon as I got home or befoer I went to bed. I mean I think I kept the generic Walmart brand makers employeed. Hell I still feel that way at times, especially after the last two months or so with me being sick. Between the doc visits and prescriptions I drank Nyquil and Tylonal Cold/sinus all the time and now that I am getting better these HA are really frigging hard.

Hell Lawsuit are rampant. Count me in. ;;D

-Tia