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        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2003 >> Verapamil
        
(Message started by: clopez on Mar 5^th, 2003, 12:05pm)

Title: Verapamil
Post by clopez on Mar 5^th, 2003, 12:05pm

Hello to all suffers. FYI my husband was just put on ver 250mgs a day and it seems to be helping somewhat. He still has to take the vicadin but the attacks seem to be less. God bless you all and your support has been so great. Also, I was wondering has any one been emailing the media on this subject. I visited the media info site on the left and has emailed everyone on there to please try to inform the public about this horrible nightmare. If you could let me know if anyone has had any luck it would be greatly appreciated. Please hang in there.

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by boski on Mar 5^th, 2003, 10:13pm

Hi, I'm taking 840 mg to stop my CH's. Has been working for me for a month CH free :) First med that I have taken and worked, and I have tried a lot of Meds and combos, and med cocktails...

Imitrex and Verapamil have me Smilling

Bo
Suffering CH's on and off for 8 years

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by cbolony on Mar 6^th, 2003, 4:15am

Quote:

Also, I was wondering has any one been emailing the media on this subject.

clopez the media and the drug companys don't care
about us because the people who get cluster headaches
are rare and not many people in the world have them.The drug companys make no money on us.
I take 480 mg verapamil and imitrex injections and have oxygen on the sidelines

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by moosemedic on Mar 6^th, 2003, 10:52pm

i dont want to rain on any parades but i started on verapamil about 4 yrs ago 125mg sr. it worked great. my c/h went into remission for over a yr.then they came back just as bad as ever.i started upping the dose until i got to 600 and feeling like a bag of crap.calcium channel blockers will do that to you.ive read that what works this go around may not work the next. make sure you investigate every option as far as meds go and have a back up if the verapamil stops working.i try to keep a few imitrex on me just in case

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by cootie on Mar 6^th, 2003, 10:59pm

Verapimil and Imitrex has worked fer Brad every episode 'so far' and that's a close 20 year span of attacks.....hasn't always worked as fast each time but has been our only defense......we been lucky.....guess I should go 'knock on wood now'.....I'm real supersticious......Pam-Coots-wood-knocker

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by Bob P on Mar 7^th, 2003, 10:56am

Not sure if you're asking about luck with verap or luck with the media.

Almost every local TV news outfit has a "Health & Medicine" segment. E-mail / call / write to your local news station. Ask if they are interested in doing a piece on cluster headaches, a.k.a. suicide headaches. I bet they'll jump at it. Mine did:

http://pahlow.net/ch/movies.htm

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by jimash on Mar 15^th, 2003, 11:02am

I tried verapamil.
It gave me a normal headache.
My personal opinion based on all of your stories is that if you are still taking Vicodin or imitrex or huffing the O2 then the Verapamil is not working as a preventative .
But it is easy to prescribe and you won't overdose on it.
This is a mentality that must be broken.
Jim

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by jonny on Mar 15^th, 2003, 12:52pm

Lithium 600 mgs, Verapamil 480 mgs everyday for over twelve years. This combo stops 80% of my CH from ever showing up, the 20% that do get I kill with Imitrex, 02 or Zomig.

...........................jonny

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by jimash on Mar 15^th, 2003, 1:13pm

So jonny,
You are on two drugs constantly.
One of which alters your brain and consciousness and the quality of your thinking(Lithium) all the time.
You take two more dangerous drugs abortively, one of which could kill you. (imitrex)
Plus you are huffing a tank of O2 freely and at random.
And all this is only getting 80%.
Fuck that.
I was on 80 mg of nembutal and ONE cafergot pill nightly.
It killed 100% for months and years at a time without breakthrough.
I was drugged only at night and could think clearly and operate all day as a normal human.
Which way is more rational?
Who was taking less drugs and getting more relief?
Why is this so controversial?
Jim

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by jonny on Mar 15^th, 2003, 1:23pm

on 03/15/03 at 13:13:29, jimash wrote:

So
One of which alters your brain and consciousness and the quality of your thinking(Lithium) all the time.

Hmmmmm, Me thinks I do a damn good job running my company for a person with an altered brain.

Whats a normal years take for your company?

Mines about a million dollars.

Not bad for altered brain, huh?

BTW: 80% for a chronic is damn good !!!

...........................jonny

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by jimash on Mar 15^th, 2003, 1:33pm

80% might be good for you.
But i have seen the promised land and willl not give it up.
I congratulate you on your continued success.
I find it hard enough to get anything done, without being messed up on things that I am VERY sensitive to.
My annual take is not nearly so good.
On the other hand I work at home in my underwear and take frequent pool breaks in the summer.
My child knows where to find me.
Anyway, it is true that we are all individuals and what works for you may not be good enough for me and possibly you would not find success with my methods. I guess this is part of what makkes me so frustrated.
I make about 30G . Compare that to pre treatment levels of 8G.
I am an accomplished data and pixel masher.
I am also a crazy abrasive sumbitch.

Jim

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by jonny on Mar 15^th, 2003, 1:38pm

on 03/15/03 at 13:33:11, jimash wrote:

I am also a crazy abrasive sumbitch.

LMMFAO !!!!!

COOL !! ;D

....................................jonny

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by eileen on Mar 15^th, 2003, 1:52pm

I take 1200 mg Lithium and 480 verapamil and that does not work as of yet and Imitrex is a joke It worked once or twice and then not again. I just spoke to my Dr. and he said some people nothing works on. Lucky Me or us I should say. You are right about the verapamil I feel like crap and I am very depressed more this time than any other bout. Hope it works for you next time I think I will try the shrooms......Eileen

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by totka on Mar 15^th, 2003, 3:13pm

I tried Verapamil 360 mg/day but my blood pressure is low (100/65 Hgmm - I don't know how much is in your US measure) and Verapamil made it lower. I was also sleepy enough because of my CH. I was able to sleep on foot ;) So I gave up.

Title: Re: Verapamil
Post by MKenney on Mar 15^th, 2003, 8:20pm

I have been taking Eskalith and Calan SR since the Spring of 1986 with mixed results. Eskalith=900 mg; Calan=340 mg. I no longer have daytime episodes unless I forget a dose. I am currently in the midst of an episode (since January) and typically only get the Midnight Special. This last week the MFSOB has decided that I deserve two or more sessions per night. Am I peaking for this episode? This morning included a 6:30 AM wake-up call just to keep things interesting.

As far as mixing medications goes, I am not terribly bright so no one has ever commented on their effect on my affect.

I used to work in my underwear in my mobile office, but after a video conference, IBM gently suggested that, for some customers, less was not more, regardless of my technical expertise.

I do not have a pool to break the monotony of the work day, but in the Summer, Ginny does let me play in the sprinklers. Especially if one of the other neighborhood mothers agrees to supervise.

Finally, although this really belongs in another posting, I want to compliment the Snowbird on how well he was able to maintain his modesty using both hands. I, on the other hand, not being so well endowed, am able to double Snowbird's modesty with only -one- hand.

This hand's played. Maybe the MFSOB will only be a singleton tonight. I have an 8:00 AM appointment to assess referees tomorrow. They get really upset if I do their reviews while "under the influence."

Mike