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        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2004 >> properly diagnosed 
        
(Message started by: FREDRICKS on Jan 27^th, 2004, 11:31am)

Title: properly diagnosed
Post by FREDRICKS on Jan 27^th, 2004, 11:31am

Greetings to everyone, :)
I havent been on the board for 3 days as i can only use my work PC at the moment. I went to the doctors yesterday and demanded Imigran (Injection) which after alot of persuasion the Doc finally gave in and was told hoe expensive these things are (i have paid national insurance for 12 years now) so i think i deserver a go. I had one this morning which worked within 10 minutes and have felt the best i have felt in 4 days. I also asked for Vermeripil but was told this could not be prescribed and would have to be recommended by the Neurologist. Is this the case ???????. I found out that the Neurologist recommended Steroids, is this a popular treatment ???. And yes i was misdiagnosed with Migrane. The report mentioned Migranous Neuralgia
which is another name for CH, not Migranes. Its about time Doctors started to understand this cndition a little better as for 4 years i have been treated for Migrane.

Hang on in there everybody. I have took 1 positive from this - if i can handle this i can handle anything

Love to all , its nice to know
people care

Title: Re: properly diagnosed
Post by aprilbee on Jan 27^th, 2004, 11:35am

I haven't been prescribed steroids for CH, but for neck pain, could help who knows? Hope the new meds work for you!

Title: Re: properly diagnosed
Post by brad267 on Jan 27^th, 2004, 12:11pm

Prednisone, a popular steroid, is prescribed for a bunch for us CH'ers. Usually as a "reset" switch, if our bodies get so out of whack. I go on it for a week or so, occasionally, and then taper off.

My understanding is Neuralgia = Headache. Just a fancy term... You may want to read that report again. Migranous Neuralgia = Migraine Headaches?

W're probably Maleficus Neuralgia... (Evil Headaches) :)

I wasn't prescribed Verapamil, until I got to the Neuro... I guess it's to be expected that your family doc (GP?) is now out of his/her league.

Glad you and your doc are making progress. Don't let them slip up... Always keep 3 steps ahead of them!

Regards,
Brad

Title: Re: properly diagnosed
Post by Bob_Johnson on Jan 27^th, 2004, 3:25pm

If your doc is the kind of person who is open to learning from you, then I suggest you buy the second book (below) and show him the value of Verap. This is an excellent volume written by a very good headache doc.

My doc is willing to led me lead my treatment as long as I can show him some mainline medical data to support the request. I know, it's expensive, but worth it given the quality of information.
---
HANDBOOK OF HEADACHE MANAGEMENT, 2nd ed., Au. Joel Saper, MD, 1999, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. A highly condensed volume for doctors but good for "advanced" clusterheads who have a grasp of medical terminology and medications. Covers all types of headache with the section on cluster being brief. Sections on general considerations in treatment and on medications are important.

MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $49 at Amazon.Com. This volume is better organized and easier to read for nonprofessionals compared to Saper's book. It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.

Title: Re: properly diagnosed
Post by pubgirl on Jan 27^th, 2004, 8:15pm

Hi Fredericks

It is an utter load of cobblers that Verapimil "can't be prescribed".
There are certain medical conditions e.g. heart conditions which mean it shouldn't be but ask your GP to check in their BNF (the GP's treatment Bible that they all have) and this year's edition has Verapamil clearly stated as the main preventive.

Steroids e.g. Predisone/Prednisolone is a short term cycle breaker or used to buy a pain 'holiday' or to kick in while you wait for Verapimil to take effect. It MUST NOT be used as a longer term preventive and you must be tapered off it after a short time or it can do damage.

Hope this helps.

Wendy

Do consider visiting OUCH UK (I know someone else has messaged you about it) as all the details of the BNF and other useful articles and info, fellow sufferers, meet and greets etc are all on there.