Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> imitrex
        
(Message started by: boomer52 on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 7:17am)

Title: imitrex
Post by boomer52 on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 7:17am

I've been getting clusters since 1997 and was pain free for a year this time, until last month. They started again with a vengeance. I get them from 3 to 5 times a day(except for one day, only one) and most of the time they are from a 7 to a 10. I have been using 20 mg trex nasal spray and 100 mg tablets for them when it doesn't seem like one or the other is working very well. Lately it seems like neither one works very well and some time they make it worse pretty quickly. I have tried different types of pain pills when nothing is working and none of them has helped. The latest was Fioricet tab wats. Does imitrex do this to anyone else and also is there any pain pill to get me over them when imitrex is not working. I'm just aboput at the end of my rope. Thanks in advance
:'(

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by zwibbs on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 7:41am

Hey man hang in there. I used Imitrex in my last cycle, and towards the end of the cycle it really didn't do too much. I posted last week about new medication ( for me) Prednisone and Verapamil. Everybody explained to me that the Verapamil takes about 7-10 days, and I am happy to report it is working. Also if they are bad a neurologist told me ( as well as the posters here) that pure oxygen does the trick. Hope you get relief very, very soon......Scott

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by boomer52 on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 7:48am

Yeah, I have tried verapamil and oxygen and they didn't help. thanks anyway

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by E-Double on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 8:07am

Even though the same med, you should not mix the two.

Try the JABS (injection)

Zyprexa is also pretty kick ass and it works as quick as imitrex and is not a triptan.

Sometimes meds just quit.

What type of verapamil were you on? How high of a dose?
Did you have the proper Oxygen set up with a high flow rate?

Hang in there

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by boomer52 on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 8:15am

verapimil 240mg er tab zeni, 1 tablet in the morning. It has been so long ago, I can't remember much about the oxygen, except it was a pain in the ass and didn't work. thanks

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by marlinsfan on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 8:25am

How did you use Oxygen? Did you use a non-rebreather mask, at least with a 10 LPM flow of O2?

Have you tried aborting with caffeine as soon as you feel it coming on? Starbucks makes these cans of espresso shots, if I get to them early enough, it will abort the CH.

Hang in there, and watch your diet. No alcohol for starters, that is a trigger for many.

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by boomer52 on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 8:40am

I can't remember about the oxygen its been so long ago that I tried it, Maybe I will try it again and make sure I am doing it right. I have tried strong coffee and it helps some. I have changed Dr.s a couple of times. I am from a small town and most doctors aren't taking new patients. The latest instructions from my doc was he didn't know what else to do, except I could go to the emergency room and he would set me up with a nuerologist after thanksgiving sometime. This took place right before the holidays.

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by boomer52 on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 8:47am

Also I don't smoke and I haven't had any alcohol since this one started about a month ago. It doesn't seem to matter with me if I drink or not, one year I didn't have a drink for 3 months and it was no help at all, but they are so bad I haven't had any alcohol just in case. I do chew from time to time.

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by E-Double on Dec 2^nd, 2005, 9:24am

Research suggests and (personal experience) that Verapamil standard release is more effective than extended. and at higher doses.

As far as Oxygen goes.....

http://www.maplefallswebdesign.com/misc/oxygen/oxygen.htm

and for those of us who have either found oxygen to cease working or it never worked there is an awesome creation developed by a fellow clusterhead......

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~tritech2/clusterx/

and click here for reviews ;)

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=meds;action=display;num=1130556735

Good luck

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by aggiegran on Dec 3^rd, 2005, 5:54pm

Will someone please tell me about Zyprexa, is it anything like Axert? I am going to the doctor again soon and since I've tried almost everything out there The imitrex works but its so high, and sometimes the Axert works but I can only get 12 a month, when I'm in cycle I need 30 a month for 4 months at a time, then I have 2 months free, then back to the drawing board I have trouble paying $565 for 6 imitrex shots, humm 3000.00 a month is a little much, I wish they would take those Imitrex commercials on TV and cram them where the sun doesn't shine....Pain free days to all, Ann

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by unsolved1 on Dec 3^rd, 2005, 8:58pm

Try the JABS ! ;;D

UNsolved

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by boomer52 on Dec 4^th, 2005, 12:59pm

Thanks for the help everyone, I got hit again last night 3 times, the last one was bad. I am back on the verapamil for 3 days now, also using the imitrex, which doesn't seem to work all the time and sometimes it seems to make it worse in a hurry. Also taking vicodin, generic hydrocod/ap ap5/500tab wats, it doesn't seem to help much. Went to the emergency room Friday afternoon and they gave me Demeral injection, that succeeded getting me woozie and I still had a small headache. wen t home, watched tv for awhile and then slept till 3 am, when I had another headache and took imitrex.

Title: Re: imitrex
Post by boomer52 on Dec 4^th, 2005, 1:10pm

I don't think I explained that when I was pain free for over a year I was on inderal la, but when they came back and wouldn't go away I stopped the inderal after about 2 weeks. Should I get back on it?