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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Newbie here in midst of a cycle
        
(Message started by: EddieC73 on Jan 9^th, 2007, 5:27pm)

Title: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by EddieC73 on Jan 9^th, 2007, 5:27pm

Hi everyone. This is my first post. My name is Ed and I am from Baltimore, MD USA. I will start off by saying that this site has a wealth of helpful information that I have been reading over the past few days. I am in the 6th week of my cycle. I was diagnosed with CH 7 years ago, when I had a cycle that lasted 5 weeks. I have had only 1 cycle since then, which lasted 13 weeks. I apparently had an awful neuro, he only prescribed steroids (prednisone) which if I am correct is only a preventive. I have never had anything for pain!! Well, yesterday morning I went to a new neuro, and he gave me Maxalt (dissolve under the tongue stuff). I get my CH once daily, usually an hour after I am sleeping, but sometimes around 9pm it will hit, which is an hour before I go to bed. That devil hit me last night before I was in bed so I had enough warning to take the Maxalt before it full blown. I hope it wasn't pure luck, but that stuff worked wonders for me. My CH was only about 25% of my normal CH painwise, and lasted only 20 minutes or so, as opposed to the normal 60-90 minutes. I fell asleep about 45 minutes after taking the Maxalt and slept through the night. My wife seemed happier than I did, she got to sleep all night! I was wondering what other people have gotten from Maxalt, and any comments/questions/suggestions are greatly welcome. Thank you for letting me be a part of this great community. I wish I had found this site 7 years ago!

Title: Re: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by Guiseppi on Jan 9^th, 2007, 5:38pm

The prednisone is a great prevent but should only be used for a short time while you are waiting for another prevent to build up, lithium, topomax etc!

You didn't mention oxygen. If you can get your doc to prescribe it, it can knock a headache down to zero in as little as 6-8 minutes. Has the least amount of side affects and many sing its praises here. Hope your cycle is close to over and you get another multi year break, they're heavenly!! Welcome to the board.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by Salvelinus on Jan 9^th, 2007, 6:53pm

Oxygen is really, really amazing. I kept a bottle by the bed during the last cycle.

Other prevent that works well is Verapamil. It's cheap and it usually works well for me. I'm also taking 400 mg of riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and 500 mg of Magnesium each day. These last two seem to have put my current cycle on hold since a day after I started taking them, about one week ago. I don't think the verapamil has had enough time to get started yet, so I have to owe it to the vitamins. They worked so well for me that I have not yet started the Medrol pack I got.

One last prevent that was really great for me, and is what both ended my worst cycle and began the longest remission I've ever had is indocin. There are many here who haven't had any luck with it, but it was a Godsend for me.

God Bless, Eddie.

Title: Re: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by Salvelinus on Jan 9^th, 2007, 6:55pm

on 01/09/07 at 18:53:29, Salvelinus wrote:

EDIT: forgot to answer your question about the maxalt. That never worked for me. Neither did Zomig. Imitrex nasal spray almost always works in 10 minutes for me.

Title: Re: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by Guiseppi on Jan 10^th, 2007, 12:06am

Funny you are only the second person I've seen who was told to try the B-2 and magnesium cocktail. I'm convinced that's what gave me my 2.5 year break. Longest break prior to that was a year, most years it's 2 cycles a year like clockwork.

Maybe it's all in my head........duh.....but I'm sticking with the B-2 and magnesium. Did the doc reccomend a calcium/D supplement with your magnesium? I've been told the magnesium will leech the calcium outta ya.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by kcopelin on Jan 10^th, 2007, 7:55am

I've been taking a Vit B supplement that has all the B's in it. Doesn't seem to have helped much (running to kitchen to get bottle and see about B2) wow! it's got 100 mg of B2...hmmm...Glad it works for y'all.
Have you tried melatonin at night? It has helped me quite a bit. 9-12 mg about an hour before bed-might help with the night time hits.
PFDAN y'all
kathy

Title: Re: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by nani on Jan 10^th, 2007, 9:14am

on 01/10/07 at 07:55:13, kcopelin wrote:

B vitamins are good, but magnesium has actually helped some folks.
http://med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php?page=Magnesium

Title: Re: Newbie here in midst of a cycle
Post by Salvelinus on Jan 11^th, 2007, 7:06pm

Magnesium leaches calcium? Did not know that. I'll look into it . . . thanks!