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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> My Kudzu Diary :)
        
(Message started by: Lissa on Jan 6^th, 2006, 12:13pm)

Title: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 6^th, 2006, 12:13pm

I just started kudzu therapy this morning. I'll use this thread as my diary.

1) Your Age: 26

2) Your Gender: Female

3) Are you Episodic or Chronic? Episodic

4) How many years have you had cluster headaches?: 10 years

5) If episodic, how many cycles in a typical year, what time of year, and how long? Sometimes skips 2-3 years. Usually lasts 1-4 months.

6) If episodic, how many weeks into a cycle did you start on kudzu? I believe I began this cycle back in October.

7) If chronic, how long have you been chronic? N/A

8) What brand of kudzu do you use? Solaray

9) What dose did you take during the first 24 hours that you started on kudzu? 150 mg

10) Did a change in your cluster headache pattern occur after taking kudzu? If so, how soon after you started did it occur? _______________________

11) How certain are you about the answer to question 10 (scale of 0-10, where 0 is not at all certain, 10 is completely certain). _____________

12) At the end of the first week on kudzu, how effective would you rate kudzu (0-10, where zero is not at all effective, 10 is complete remission)? 8

13) How certain are you about the answer to question 12 (scale of 0-10, where 0 is not at all certain, 10 is completely certain). 3

14) What other medicines are you taking? Include preventive and abortive medicines for CH, non-CH medicines, vitamins, etc. Celexa and a multi-vitamin. Starting oxygen as well.

15) Have you noticed any side effects? If so, what are they? Increased symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

16) On a scale of 0-10, how intolerable are the side effects? (0-no side effects, perfectly tolerable; 10 - extremely unpleasant). 8

16) Are there other observations, comments or questions that you would like to add?? __________

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by vig on Jan 6^th, 2006, 1:38pm

good luck, we'll be watching with fngresi crdoses!
;;D

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Jasmyn on Jan 6^th, 2006, 2:50pm

Good thing Leesa!

Waiting to see the progression. :)

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 7^th, 2006, 1:02pm

1/6/06 (Day 1): I took the kudzu in the morning. Had a slight headache (1 KIP) and that's all.

1/7/06 (Day 2): It's noon and no sign of a headache. ;;D

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 9^th, 2006, 8:37am

1/8/06 (Day 3): No cluster. Side effects of kudzu...possibly gas?

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by nani on Jan 9^th, 2006, 8:45am

on 01/09/06 at 08:37:13, Lissa wrote:

Side effects of kudzu...possibly gas?

Gas is definitely a side effect. Much harder on our co-habitants than us, LOL.
I'm glad it's working for you, Lissa!
BTW...it's 2006. ;)

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 9^th, 2006, 9:58am

on 01/09/06 at 08:45:14, nani wrote:

BTW...it's 2006. ;)

Nice catch! [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Melissa on Jan 9^th, 2006, 10:01am

Lissa, what day did have your first attack? Have you been in cycle for very long, or are you expecting one soon?

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 9^th, 2006, 10:25am

This cycle started October 16th. That was the day of my first attack. I have been on Verapamil since then. I went off Verapamil and three days later got hit. It was then I decided to try Kudzu and oxygen. :)

Is there a reason why I can't take imitrex with Kudzu?

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Melissa on Jan 9^th, 2006, 10:40am

on 01/09/06 at 10:25:24, Lissa wrote:

Thanks for the answers.

Quote:

Is there a reason why I can't take imitrex with Kudzu?

Please read this link: http://med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php?page=Kudzu

Quote:

Those using triptans and verapamil are advised that kudzu could interact with these medicines as kudzu affects both serotonin and calcium levels in the blood. There have been two reports of adverse effects in people who combined kudzu with either verapamil or a triptan.

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 9^th, 2006, 10:49am

I've read that article before. I guess I'm wondering if anyone here takes imitrex with kudzu?

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by nani on Jan 9^th, 2006, 6:27pm

Lissa, it's not recommended, but some have done so without any ill effects.
Taking kudzu up to 2 hours before trex can render the trex ineffective, so don't do that, it's a waste of trex.
The potential problem lies in the fact that both trex and kudzu can affect serotonin and they both affect the 5ht receptors. To what degree kudzu does so is still unknown. Have you felt like you've needed trex since you started kudzu? Just wondering....

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 10^th, 2006, 8:27am

I haven't felt like I needed imitrex since I started kudzu, but I carry imitrex around with me in my purse. If desperate without the oxygen tank, I may be tempted to take it. That's why I asked. ;)

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 10^th, 2006, 8:27am

1/9/06 (Day 4): PAINFREE. ;;D

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Jasmyn on Jan 11^th, 2006, 12:38am

on 01/10/06 at 08:27:53, Lissa wrote:

1/9/06 (Day 4): PAINFREE. ;;D

;;D

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by zanychef on Jan 11^th, 2006, 1:40am

;;D ;;D ;;D

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by sandie99 on Jan 11^th, 2006, 3:11am

Lissa,
congrats! It's wonderful that you're PF! :)

Wishing you lots of more PF days,

Sanna

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 11^th, 2006, 8:29am

1/10/06 (Day 5): Slight shadow in the morning. Went away by late morning.

1/11/06 (Day 6): Hit with a cluster at 6:30 a.m. Oxygen aborted it.

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 12^th, 2006, 9:45am

It's one week on kudzu today. So far I only had that one hit. I thought I was getting one this morning but it never came through.

How much kudzu does everyone take here? I'm taking one pill a day. Do you think that's enough?

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by floridian on Jan 12^th, 2006, 11:24am

Sounds like a light dose, but it depends on the brand, body weight, and your body chemistry.

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by nani on Jan 13^th, 2006, 12:17am

Lissa, I agree with Flo. It seems like a light dose. I was taking 6 - 750 mg tabs a day. Since you are still getting hit, albeit "easier", it probably wouldn't hurt to up your dosage a bit. Since you're getting hit in the early AM, maybe an additional tablet at bedtime will help. :)

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 13^th, 2006, 8:21am

1/12/06 (Day 7): PAINFREE

1/13/06 (Day 8 and Friday the 13th go figure): Was hit with an 7-8 at 6:00 a.m. Oxygen worked in about 10 minutes.

When is the kudzu supposed to start working? :'(

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 13^th, 2006, 8:42am

F***!!! I'm going back on Verapamil. This SUCKS. :'(

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by nani on Jan 13^th, 2006, 8:59am

Yeah... it sucks. Don't increase your kudzu if you're going back on verap. Or...just increase your kudzu first. Try to see the brighter side, Lissa. Are 2 hits in 3 days an improvement over normal activity? Kudzu's not a magic bullet, it's just another treatment.
pf wishes, nani

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 13^th, 2006, 9:03am

I'm not sure what I should do. I want to keep trying the kudzu (maybe increase it), but I want to go back on Verapamil because I know it works. I usually don't get hit more than once a day. It's been twice in 2 hours this morning. My teeth hurt. :-/

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by nani on Jan 13^th, 2006, 2:30pm

:-/
Sorry, Lissa. I think you should make a decision to take one route or the other. Once you decide, it still might take a while to get things under control. It takes verap a couple of weeks to get to therapeutic levels, so be aware that may mean more hits at first. It also takes a while to get the timing and dosage of kudzu tweaked to where it's the most effective. I'm glad you have O2 to abort either way. Hang in there, kid... this too shall pass.
hugs, nani

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Melissa on Jan 13^th, 2006, 4:31pm

Lissa, I'm curious to know, if you knew the verap worked, why did you even bother trying the Kudzu? Also, didn't you think (along with reading) beforehand that you might have to increase the dosage in order to see an effect? I normally get hit 3 times a day, but it was finally reduced to 1 hit a day when I increased my Kudzu from 2 pills a day, to 2 pills three times a day.

Unfortunately I still have yet to see ANY drug, natural or not, make any CH'er 100% pain free all the time...

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 13^th, 2006, 4:42pm

As I stated in another thread, I started kudzu and oxygen because I wanted to try the more natural approach.

I still have yet to decide if I want to play around with the kudzu or if I want to go back to verapamil. Verapamil and imitrex has always worked for me.

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by E-Double on Jan 13^th, 2006, 4:48pm

time sweetie time

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Melissa on Jan 13^th, 2006, 6:12pm

on 01/13/06 at 16:42:54, Lissa wrote:

As I stated in another thread, I started kudzu and oxygen because I wanted to try the more natural approach.

Sorry, I don't know what thread you're talking about as I do not read every single thread here. TY for answering the question.

Quote:

I still have yet to decide if I want to play around with the kudzu or if I want to go back to verapamil. Verapamil and imitrex has always worked for me.

Well, as E-double said, "time". I know it's rough getting slammed, but if you can hold out and possibly increase the dosage, you might be pleasantly surprised.

One thing I noticed about question 16 in your first post in this thread is you gave the intolerability an 8, with a 10 being the most unpleasant. Are you having other side effects other than the IBS while taking the Kudzu?

Sorry Lissa, just trying to give you some help, but I normally ask some questions first. Sorry if I sounded rough... :-/

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by nani on Jan 15^th, 2006, 9:04pm

How are you doing, Lissa?

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 16^th, 2006, 8:39am

Thank you everyone. You all have been very helpful. Unfortunately, I'm a wuss. I went back on the verapamil. The clusters got so bad and I was getting hit 2-3 times a day.

I didn't tell anyone this, but another reason I wanted to try kudzu and oxygen is because my husband and I are planning on having a baby someday. I wanted to make sure that I had an alternative to imitrex and verap. I didn't want to be caught with a cluster pregnant.

Again, thank you SOOOOOOO much for everything.

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by nani on Jan 16^th, 2006, 11:48am

Hey, when it comes to CH, we're ALL wusses, LOL.
I am a firm believer in using whatever works. A word of caution, kudzu should probably not be used during pregnancy. I think oxygen is the only advisable treatment during gestation.
Should you ever decide to try it again, remember it takes a while to figure out what works best for each person. And it generally takes more than 1 pill a day. good luck. :) pf wishes, nani

Title: Re: My Kudzu Diary :)
Post by Lissa on Jan 18^th, 2006, 3:30pm

Thanks for the info nani. PF wishes to you as well. :)