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        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2004 >> NOTHING HELPS
        
(Message started by: drap on Feb 25^th, 2004, 7:15am)

Title: NOTHING HELPS
Post by drap on Feb 25^th, 2004, 7:15am

I HATE TO WHINE BUT, NOTHING I'VE TRYED HELPS.TOPAMAX WAS WORKING I THOUGHT BUT AT CHRISTMAS I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS'NT SO I WENT BACK TO THE DOC AND SHE PUT ME ON PREDNISONE AND CARBAMAZEPIN ----- NOTHING THE CH JUST SEEM TO GET WORSE. I'M GOING BACK TO THE DOC THURSDAY WHAT SHOULD I ASK FOR. I CAN'T GET ANY 02 UNTIL FRIDAY WHICH HELPS ALITTLE BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN HANG IN ANYMORE. EVEN MY MARRIAGE IS GONE I NO SUPPORT FROM ANYBODY . THIS WEB IS ALL THE SUPPORT I GET . THANKS FOR YOUR WEB SIGHT. DRAP STEVE D.

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by ave on Feb 25^th, 2004, 7:40am

Hello drap, first of all, please turn of your capslock, it is felt like shouting if you type klike this - and we all have headaches, lol.

A Prednisone taper has often good results for clusters, but carbamazepine is an anti-seizure med that is effectively being used for Trigemenal Neuralgia but does nothing at all against clusters - if that is what you are suffering from.

Carba makes great zombies, and does not combat the pain. I know. I had it. Lost emotions and all for 9 months of my life.

You might ask for Verapamil, which is a pretty good preventive medication for many here. It does need a few days to kick in, though.

And if you never tried Oxygen as an abortive, ask for that. Check the oxygen link to the left here, for the requirements; many people have used O2 the wrong way and of course get no results.

Good luck

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by drap on Feb 25^th, 2004, 8:12am

I HAVE BEEN ON VERAPAMIL WITH NO RESULTS. I HAVE USED 02 SOMETIMES IT HELPS. THANKS DRAP

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by thomas on Feb 25^th, 2004, 8:14am

Have you tried melatonin? DUDE TURN YOUR DAMN CAPLOCKS OFF!!!!!!!!!!

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by drap on Feb 25^th, 2004, 8:18am

WHAT IS A CAPLOCK ???? I GUESS I DON'T KNOW YOUR TERMS YET. DRAP

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by thomas on Feb 25^th, 2004, 8:19am

You are typing in all capital letters, very bad form, you are in a sense shouting to every one that reads your posts. The Caps Lock button is on the left of your keyboard, above the shift button. Please hit it once, thank you.

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by aprilbee on Feb 25^th, 2004, 8:45am

I use Neurontin and Relpax...they work really well for me! Hope you can find something that helps!

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by Giovanni on Feb 25^th, 2004, 9:00am

Hey Drap,

Thomas gave good advice with trying the melatonin and B complex vitamin. It has worked for many of us. Have you tried imitrex injections?

Good luck and and hope you're pf soon.

John

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by Peppermint on Feb 25^th, 2004, 9:18am

Hey Drap,

Sorry you're suffering so much. Did you take the cluster quiz to the left?

I'm just a friend here, a buddy of sorts, but I have read enough to recall some things that made a huge difference for other folks:

Verapimil: sometimes works better when paired with Lithium

Prednisone: a short term taper can give you a break until the Verapamil kicks in (or whatever meds you are give start to work)

02 - less side effects than imitrex, as an abortive, especially if you have heart problems might be a good idea to try - make sure you have the right mask, use the right LPMS, and a bubbler helps to keep you from drying your nasal and bronchials. (See the 'oxygen info' button to the left of this board).

I'm sure your other clusterbuds will come to suggest other things that have worked for them - of course these are just suggestions, your doc has to concur.

Just remember, if you have no one, you have this lifeline, many good people with years of experience here.

Good luck & PFDANS,
Pep

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by drap on Feb 25^th, 2004, 10:11am

Sorry about the capital letters. i'm using imitrex it's the only thing that works but it seems lately that when i take a shot the ch gets worse . i had 4 ch last night because i kept falling asleep can't do that because they come when i fall asleep. drap

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by thomas on Feb 25^th, 2004, 10:12am

on 02/25/04 at 10:11:42, drap wrote:

Same problem I had on that shit. Try to get a different abortive, you may be having rebound headaches. I suggest amerge or zomig. Also try melatonin before bed, that can sometimes eliminate the night-time hits.

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by drap on Feb 25^th, 2004, 10:16am

Thank you Thomas .

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by ZAIRA on Feb 25^th, 2004, 11:56am

Hi and Welcome!
As therapy I am using Lithium (have you ever taken it? ;;D) together with Verapamil, during the attacks I get Imitrex and O2..... but my neurologist adviced me to get Relpax to use as a -stopper- to the attacks… but it doesn’t work. BTW, this is the cocktail I use to relieve pain, I am afraid for yr. bad time, and I hope you are better in a short time..... and than I hope you sleep well and everything will be a little better in the morning....

Get all courage…. Good luck, Zaira :-/

Title: Re: NOTHING HELPS
Post by Charlie on Feb 26^th, 2004, 1:10am

Hi Drap:

Sorry you are having such a tough time. If you stick around, you will find lots of information here to help fight this horror. Pay attention to these replies too. They know what they are doing.

Here are a couple links that may be helpful. The first being a technique that worked for me:

http://www.netsync.net/~charlies/

This one is a letter written by a fellow cluster headache sufferer that is the best of its kind to help explain these attacks to families, friends and employers. Its author encourages copying. It’s well worth it:

"http://www.ouch-uk.org/ch/note_colleagues.cfm"

Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

Charlie