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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
        
(Message started by: court88 on May 10^th, 2005, 12:03pm)

Title: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by court88 on May 10^th, 2005, 12:03pm

I have been going on 4 days with a TERRIBLE CH. I'm on topamax. Tried Imitrex nasal spray..it didn't work and made me feel dizzy and weird. Any other suggestions of something I should ask my doctor for? I'm at work and can't exactly go home??? so frustrating!!! I"m going on 4 straight days of a CH....meaning I had one day before that..headache free. I'm at work, so I can't exactly take something that is going to sedate me....

Title: Re: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by floridian on May 10^th, 2005, 12:24pm

Oxygen (hi flow rate in a non-rebreather mask) or injectable imitrex are the two proven abortives that are quick.

For some, vigorous exercise at the first sign of an attack can abort. Others report that slamming a Red Bull can sometimes abort - not sure if it is the cold, the caffeine, the taurine, or a combination of these.

http://www.med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php?page=Red%20Bull

Title: Re: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by vig on May 10^th, 2005, 12:48pm

on 05/10/05 at 12:03:11, court88 wrote:

four straight days with A CH?
maybe it's not a CH.

Title: Re: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by Candycane on May 10^th, 2005, 2:06pm

Maybe hes got that hit by a truck feeling after getting hit bad without some pain relief. Such as your neck, face, ear you name hurts from all that stress! Sorry you're in such pain, hope you get relief soon. Sometimes after bad hits days I take aleve to knock out that messed up feeling? Good Luck!

Title: Re: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by Kris_in_SJ on May 10^th, 2005, 8:25pm

Ditto to Floridian. O2 at 12 to 15 lpm with a non-rebreather mask or Trex injections - if you have clusters.

When you talk about nonstop, are you saying you have constant shadows with a few kip 7-9's thrown in for variation, or are you saying you're having a constant headache. If you answer "constant headache" it's doubtful you have clusters.

Regardless, pain is a bitch! Best wishes for some PF time.

Kris

Title: Re: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by Bob_Johnson on May 11^th, 2005, 8:38am

The advantage of this med is that it's a pill which you can take to work, etc. and works in 20-minutes.
--------
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.

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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: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by ArCane on May 11^th, 2005, 11:38am

on 05/10/05 at 20:25:18, Kris_in_SJ wrote:

I agree. Its one thing to be shadowing all day. Its another thing if your having full blown CH pain all day. Either way go ask a doctor for help.

If I had a kip 9 for 4 days straight I would......lets just say I wouldnt make it 4 days.

Title: Re: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by thomas on May 11^th, 2005, 2:23pm

on 05/11/05 at 11:38:03, ArCane wrote:

If I had a kip 9 for 4 days straight I would......lets just say I wouldnt make it 4 days.

Agreed. No way I could take it, now way in hell. Couldn't even take an 8 for that long, myself.

Title: Re: Overall best relief w/in 1 hour???
Post by court88 on May 11^th, 2005, 3:39pm

I would say I have a 4-5 for 5 days straight and then an 8 on the kip every now and then..NOT FUN...Pain sucks!