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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> steroid treatment ??
        
(Message started by: dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 12:48pm)

Title: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 12:48pm

i am about to start the steroid treatment...... what can i expect ?? will it work ??.........

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by vig on Nov 20^th, 2006, 12:55pm

It probably WILL work as long as you stay on them.
It WILL take a toll on your body and your mind too.

Use it as a stepping stone to something else...
Like Verapamil.

It will probably make you hungry and ornery.
;;D

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by vietvet2tours on Nov 20^th, 2006, 12:56pm

Oxygen first and foremost

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:05pm

the neurologist gave the script for the steriod's on friday.. i am going to start them tomorow... she didnt want me to start untill after my mri and mra.. i had those done this morning........ i think it is a 6 day program 6 pills one day 5 the next 4 the next etc........ will it stop my cycle ????????...also i have started taking depokote again..... and ultracet for pain..... i dont think they are working ??

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by E-Double on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:07pm

on 11/20/06 at 12:55:26, vig wrote:

be prepared to eat your first born or at least your car.
Get oxygen and some jabs of trex.
the ultracet will probably not help.
Depakote is a crpshoot.
verapamil is more likely a better alternative if your boddy can handle it. Standard release NOT extended

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:28pm

great as if i dont eat too mutch as it is.... i didnt think the ultracet was working..... tried the jabs of imitrex... did not work..........??

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:28pm

on 11/20/06 at 13:05:09, dave..... wrote:

The steroids will probably keep you pain free while you are on them. You should get on Verapamil or one of the other regular preventatives. Narcotic painkillers will do nothing but make your pain worse. You need Imitrex or one of the other triptans, and oxygen to kill the pain.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by E-Double on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:31pm

on 11/20/06 at 13:28:19, dave..... wrote:

great as if i dont eat too mutch as it is.... i didnt think the ultracet was working..... tried the jabs of imitrex... did not work..........??

Zyprexa ;)
Read the board and you'll catch some good info

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by AfraidOfTheDark on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:41pm

The steroid taper has always worked for me with no noticable side effects. At least none I have noticed. Usually one week of steroids killed my cycles, though occasionally I'd have to take two weeks worth. However, on my last cycle I did two weeks of steroids (with a week in between, I think) and the CH came back with a vengence. Afterwards, instead of only having attacks at night, I started getting them during the day as well. I wasn't allowed to try another taper so I tried Verapamil. It worked well. I'm heading into a new cycle and I'm hoping the Verapamil will help this time around too.

Good luck!

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:46pm

yeah i get them day and night......sometimes realy bad... just got over one that lasted about a hour

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Nov 20^th, 2006, 1:51pm

The steroids can have nasty side effects. This past cycle I went 2 rounds of dexamethasone, two weeks each. Horrible heartburn, enough to make me stop what I was doing for a few minutes. I broke out all over, shoulders and chest were (and are still recovering), some other stuff that my doctor thinks was aggravated by the steroids. On the other hand I was CH free for the time. I'd do it again, but just be aware the side effects can really suck.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 2:15pm

thank you for the heads up on the side effects...... but right now........ anything is better than these headaches.......

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by kcopelin on Nov 20^th, 2006, 2:35pm

Dave,
Sounds like a good taper, but you really need to be starting the preventatives. Can't stay on Pred or whatever steroid for long without SERIOUS side effects. This cycle I did three tapers CH returned after each one. Have done a total of about 20 tapers since this started 1/4 of a century ago-I now have ospeopenia-pred eats bones. Have just recently lost the 25 lbs I gained from the last go round with pred. HOWEVER, there is a reason its called a pred holiday-it usually will give you a few days painfree.
Hope it works for ya!
PFDAN y'all
kathy

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 2:52pm

will the depakote help ??

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by vietvet2tours on Nov 20^th, 2006, 3:11pm

on 11/20/06 at 14:52:31, dave..... wrote:

will the depakote help ??

oxygen will help and ya never mention it

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 20^th, 2006, 3:16pm

how do i get oxygen ??? from the d.r. ??

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by vietvet2tours on Nov 20^th, 2006, 3:19pm

Yep or jest lease yer own tank at a welders supply store.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by taraann on Nov 20^th, 2006, 3:52pm

yup what they all said.......STARVING, moody (well actually more accurately put as SUPER BITCH) my face swells some and breaks out ALOT....

BUT I am a very, very med resistant chronic and steroids give me a break more often than anything else I've tried (I'd estimate about 75% of the time it works for a week or two) and thats an awesome # for me personally.....

Like others said it's good to used while a prevent kicks in, .... hopefully you have a good WORKING prevent to try......

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by chewy on Nov 20^th, 2006, 5:23pm

Quote:

Use it as a stepping stone to something else...
Like Verapamil.

Stepping stone? I wouldn't.

I would get on the verapamil before or at least during the pred taper so that the preventative will reach a theraputic level by the time you get to the lower doses of of the pred.

Caution: Prednisone will induce you to consume neighborhood domestic pets.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by chopmyheadoff on Nov 22^nd, 2006, 5:15am

on 11/20/06 at 17:23:24, chewy wrote:

i think this is whats meant by "stepping stone"

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by psycofemale0403 on Nov 22^nd, 2006, 9:43am

Dave~

Prednisone does stop my cycle.. HOWEVER.. The side effects kill me. It kills my muscles. My face turns into a basketball, which hurts like a SOB, and I have this HORRIBLE taste in my mouth the whole time I'm on it! Also, my head feels like It's trying to push through the front of my face. I've been off of it for four days now, and they have come back. I'm waiting to get into a new neorologist to try something new, I refuse to go back on steroids. The last one was a quack! I also take Maxalt as an abortive.. The ones that melt on your tounge. I'm also taking 200 mg of Topamax per day. That's a migrane preventative. ( I get those too.)
And.. I've taken Depakote before.. did nothing for me.

Good luck to you.. and HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

Lisa

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 22^nd, 2006, 10:19am

day 2 of the steroid treatment....... a few medum hits last night and today....so far it seems to be working..... although i feel a little stoned ??? is that normal ??

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by Lafinwolff on Nov 22^nd, 2006, 2:03pm

I am in my second week of a 5 week steroid cycle. I am still getting hits, though I am missing a few and the ones that get through are not quite as bad.

My mood has been good, considering. I thought they might be going away! Now I am afraid that the steroids are just covering it up and they will come back full force when they are done!

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Nov 22^nd, 2006, 2:21pm

on 11/22/06 at 14:03:01, Lafinwolff wrote:

My mood has been good, considering. I thought they might be going away! Now I am afraid that the steroids are just covering it up and they will come back full force when they are done!

That is generally what happens. Usually when you taper off the steroids the CHs come right back, unless you had started another preventative during the steroid run.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 27^th, 2006, 8:37am

yesterday was the last day of the steroid plan...... last night they started again....... not bad.......... yet ??

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by UN solved on Nov 27^th, 2006, 8:56am

If this was your first time trying steroids ... and the headaches are returning ... you should probably tell your doc right away. It might not be a bad idea to do another 6 day course of steroids to see if it will break the cycle. Ya never know ... it may just work.

UNsolved

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by vietvet2tours on Nov 27^th, 2006, 9:23am

on 11/27/06 at 08:37:51, dave..... wrote:

yesterday was the last day of the steroid plan...... last night they started again....... not bad.......... yet ??

Never heard of a four day taper

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 27^th, 2006, 9:24am

un solved -------- thats what i was thinking

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by Richr8 on Nov 27^th, 2006, 10:59am

on 11/27/06 at 08:56:43, UN solved wrote:

It might not be a bad idea to do another 6 day course of steroids to see if it will break the cycle. UNsolved

That's what my Neuro would do. Hate the stuff, but t can break a cycle.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 27^th, 2006, 11:41am

it was a 6 day taper

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by thebbz on Nov 27^th, 2006, 2:20pm

You should get your taper straightened out. Most will do a 60mg for 4 days and then 50mg for another 4 days and then 40 for 4 days and so on...one week on a taper and it will fail. Larger people and some others will start with 80mg and taper from there. Get ready for the ride. Once your resting heartrate 100+ beats per min. you know they are working. When your taper gets to 20 or 10 mg a day don't be surprised to have the CH return. Steroids are a transitional abortive and should be given with another preventative.(topomax,verapamil) 02,02,02
Dont eat the daisy's
all the best
jb

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 28^th, 2006, 6:25am

day 2 of no steroids......... there back........ and they are mad as hell

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by Bob P on Nov 28^th, 2006, 6:37am

Dave was undoubtedly using the Medrol Dosepak. 6 day steroid treatment, 6 pills on day 1, 5 pills on day 2, etc.

These usually stop my attacks on day 1 but they return around day 3 or 4 of the taper.

These things are way more potent than normal, longer pred tapers. Because it's only 6 days, no real side effects. They are good for a couple nights sleep though.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 28^th, 2006, 6:41am

yes exactly.... 6 pills the first day 5 the next etc......... i did get a few nights sleep............. but now what ??

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by Bob P on Nov 28^th, 2006, 6:47am

Like the others said, find a treatment that works for you.

Most used abortives:
Imitrex injections/inhalers
O2

Most used preventatives:
Verapamil
Topomax

I have never found a preventative that works for me in my 36 years of CH. I usually just get by on O2 & cafergot and let them run their course.

Title: Re: steroid treatment ??
Post by dave..... on Nov 28^th, 2006, 6:55am

imitrex injections make it worse.......... i have not tried 02 i will ask the dr. when he calls this morning