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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Hi From New Zealand
        
(Message started by: G-Boy on Dec 8^th, 2004, 10:33pm)

Title: Hi From New Zealand
Post by G-Boy on Dec 8^th, 2004, 10:33pm

Hi All
Been a member of ch.com for a while now, but me computer broke and have only just got back online. :) I only got to post a couple of times so ill start again.My name is Glenn, I'm 35 and have had these dam things for 5 years now, Im not really sure if im cronic but i never go more than a month with out a headache....as i call them, I seem to get them almost every day for 2 or 3 weeks, then i can sometimes go a month mabe 2 where i might have a dozen thrown in at random intervals before they become daily again, I take Varapamil 2X 240mg a day, and have tried stopping the medication in the quit spells but the frequency of them starts to increase. I also use Imigran injection, which gets rid of the pain completley with in 5 mins, but dosn't stop me getting one a couple of hours later, 95% of them are when im asleep and usally wake me every 2 hours, Just about by the clock, I also find a ice pack can ease the pain, and recently that running till im puffed seems to help. In my bad patches i find if i sit down or lie down during the day i will almost ceartainly get one. Its just so exhausting. The last 2 weeks have been hell. :'(
I also wondered if any one nows? you can't take more than 2 imigran injections in 24 hours, but how many can you take say in 1 week, or 1 month?? How many is two many? I read the imitrex tip, thought it was great, but i found it to hard manually sticking the needle in my arm, and was scared of putting it in to far, or not far enough, so this is what i do. I get one of the old used syringes; then i get a self tapping screw and screw it in to the top of the black plundger pulling it right out, then i boil the peices to sterilize them, then dry them off with a hair dryer. I then get a full syringe and with the screw push half the stuff out in to a sterilized specimen bottle. Then with the screw push the black plunger right back to the bottom of the sterilized syringe ,stick the needle in to the liquid and pull the plunger back with the screw drawing the liquid into it, then carefully place the syringe back into the holder and use them as normal. You have to be carefull with the srew making sure its not too sharp piercing the plunger, but the bottom of the plungers are very thick and i havnt had this problem yet. I don't no if this way is good or bad, no doubt the doctors would freak, its just the way i do it :) Anyways i really just wanted to say a big high to you all, and say i think the sites great ;;D
ps sorry about my spelling

Title: Re: Hi From New Zealand
Post by nani on Dec 8^th, 2004, 10:57pm

Welcome G-boy and sorry you're here. I'm glad you have gotten some relief. Pain free wishes...

Title: Re: Hi From New Zealand
Post by Bob_Johnson on Dec 9^th, 2004, 9:02am

1. Stay on the Verap. for at least one-month after your last attack.
2. Might try Melatonin 3 to 6 mg, a couple of hours before bedtime. Some folks find this helps reduce night time attacks.
3. Another old time trick to block night attacks is Ergomar, 1 tab before bed.That's the U.S. brand name; it's ergotamine in a sublingual tab which is dissolved under your tongue. Your doc or pharmacist can tell you if it's available in NZ.
4. Instead of the drill for injections, why not ask your doc's nurse to coach you in giving the injection. That will give you confidence that you're using the correct technique.
5. Many folks have reported using far more imitrex than the mfg. recommends without ill effect. (Assuming you have no heart related conditions, etc.) This assumes that you are not chronic and so using for weeks on end.

Title: Re: Hi From New Zealand
Post by G-Boy on Dec 10^th, 2004, 2:57am

on 12/08/04 at 22:57:44, nani wrote:

Welcome G-boy and sorry you're here. I'm glad you have gotten some relief. Pain free wishes...

Thanks nani ;)

Title: Re: Hi From New Zealand
Post by G-Boy on Dec 10^th, 2004, 3:13am

on 12/09/04 at 09:02:30, Bob_Johnson wrote:

Thanks for your advice Bob. I'll read up on the Melatonin. tried the Ergotamine...no joy. Yes i'll take to the doc about the jabs...might save me a bit of mucking around :)