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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> one more question
        
(Message started by: wogdoggy on Sep 18^th, 2006, 2:26pm)

Title: one more question
Post by wogdoggy on Sep 18^th, 2006, 2:26pm

zomig nasal spray...can you use this with maxalt? can you use this with imitrex?
doctor said use zomig at first sign of cluster if it doesnt work use an imitrex..yet i read on assk .com not to use with imitrex unless ok'ed by doctor..yet it specifically says dont use with maxalt?

probably wont use the zomig at all,it only ruined the taste in my mouth for two hours.

Title: Re: one more question
Post by unsolved1 on Sep 18^th, 2006, 7:55pm

You're not supposed to mix Triptans within 24 hours of each other. Everything you mentioned is a triptan drug.

Better question your doc or ask for a 2nd opinion about mixing Triptans.

Be careful. The side effects could be devestating or even fatal. :-/

Goodluck

UNsolved

Title: Re: one more question
Post by Margi on Sep 18^th, 2006, 9:00pm

yikes....please DO get a second opinion and please do NOT mix triptans! You could also talk to a pharamacist if you can't find another doctor.

Title: Re: one more question
Post by chopmyheadoff on Sep 19^th, 2006, 3:29am

your doc is a madman !!! :o :o

you MUST NOT mix triptans within 24 hours of each other.
seriously this could be fatal !!

good advice given above ^^ any pharmacist will tell you the same !!

Title: Re: one more question
Post by Karla on Sep 19^th, 2006, 2:20pm

Please talk to your pharmacist or another dr. You should not mix within 24 hours one triptan to another. Such medicines are imitrex, maxalt, zomig, axert, frova, amerge, migranol, ergot, etc... This is very serious. It can cause a heart attack to mix theses meds. Your dr must be very uninformed I would get a second opinion or just trust us on this one. One of our very own people on this board mixed triptans and ended up in the ER with heart troubles. Usually any neuro wil tell you to take zomig or imitrex for example. and it it still hurts in 2 hours repeat taking a second dose if the first one help someone even. If the first pill did nothing for you then just go to the ER if the second pill doesn't work go to ER. It is very nice to get a letter from your dr explaining what treatment you should get. Such as Get a shot of imitrex or get oxygen by 12 lpm for 15-20 min. or get a shot of dilaudid or morphine. etc. That way they know what to do for you. They are mostly pretty stupid about ha much less ch in the ER. With a letter from your neuro you don't look like a drug seeker and a plan is laid out for them. Good luck!

Title: Re: one more question
Post by brewcrew on Sep 19^th, 2006, 2:41pm

Yet for every person who ends up in the ER by mixing triptans, there are others who have - WITH PHYSICIAN GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT - successfully mixed triptans (Amerge and Maxalt) for at least two years, on and off. Yours truly is one of them.

Bottom line - talk to your doctor about it. For some it can be very dangerous, for others not a big deal. Most importantly, DO NOT PROCEED WITHOUT YOUR DOCTOR'S APPROVAL!

For those that give the warning "Do not mix triptans," perhaps you should modify your warning to "Do not mix triptans on your own," or "Do not mix triptans without first consulting your doctor." It's bad medical advice to tell someone not to do something without knowing their medical history.

Title: Re: one more question
Post by unsolved1 on Sep 19^th, 2006, 6:26pm

on 09/18/06 at 19:55:41, unsolved1 wrote:

You're not supposed to mix Triptans within 24 hours of each other.

I don't mix triptans, but I would if it helped. I do mix Imitrex & DHE within a few hours of each other (alot) and you're not supposed to do that either.

UNsolved

Title: Re: one more question
Post by brewcrew on Sep 19^th, 2006, 8:17pm

I was using 2.5 mg of the Amerge twice a day as a preventative, and it worked very well for the most part. If I did get hit, my doc gave me the go-ahead to use Maxalt to abort.

Title: Re: one more question
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Sep 19^th, 2006, 9:54pm

I wish I could get enough pills to do that! Amerge does a great job once it's in my system.

Title: Re: one more question
Post by chewy on Sep 19^th, 2006, 11:01pm

Dump your Doc.

He's a danger to your health.

Title: Re: one more question
Post by brewcrew on Sep 19^th, 2006, 11:01pm

My insurance company doesn't let me do that anymore.

Title: Re: one more question
Post by brewcrew on Sep 20^th, 2006, 11:44am

on 09/19/06 at 23:01:22, chewy wrote:

Dump your Doc.

He's a danger to your health.

If you were talking to me, my friend, I'll have you know that my doc is one of the most dedicated neuros/headache specialists I've ever encountered. A fine, thorough doctor and a stand-up human being.

He said that all the literature errs on the side of caution, which is absolutely the way to go when you're talking about medicating your way into a heart attack. But he also cited a couple of studies that have shown no appreciable risk increase by prescribing a longer-acting triptan - such as Amerge - as a preventative and utilizing other quicker acting triptans for the abortion of breakthrough headaches. This can only be done for patients who have no history of heart trouble and who have had a cardiac work-up, analyzed by a cardiologist, indicating that the heart is functioning normally.

Whew....that's a fistful of typing. I would NEVER have agreed to put myself in this position had I felt the slight increased risk outweighs the benefit. I have done this on and off for nigh on 5 years and have had not even one palpitation.

The only palpitations I've ever felt were when we recently tried to up my dosage of verapamil. When I hit 720 mg/day, I could feel my heart fluttering and my legs getting weak.

Besides, this double triptan thing is a moot point anyhow - my insurance will only cover 9 doses of either one per month now. Not that I need it anymore now that I've had such success with my reacquaintance with Sansert.