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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
        
(Message started by: suziq on Feb 2^nd, 2006, 7:07pm)

Title: IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
Post by suziq on Feb 2^nd, 2006, 7:07pm

Hi, everyone. I had my first I.V. steriod and DHE therapy at Univ of MD in Balto City on Jan 31st and the 2nd treatment on Feb 1st.

It has, temporarily, relieved my CH from a kip 8 to kip 1-2. Side effects, for me, were anxiety, fast/pounding heart and facial flushing. Now that the side effects are wearing off, I'm getting very tired.

On Monday, Jan 30th, I had a kip 10 CH, and of course, when I go to my treatment the next day, my CH is only a kip 1! Typical! :o

Today, I've had shadowing in my left eye/face - kip 2, but I was able to run a bunch of errands while I'm unemployed.

Has anyone else had this treatment? My neuro also increased my verap from 80 mg/day to 160 mg/day and gave me a prescrip for Litocain.

Wishing you all the best! Thank god you are here!
Suziq

Title: Re: IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
Post by unsolved1 on Feb 2^nd, 2006, 8:21pm

I've done IV steriods and DHE many times in the hospitals. It always gives me a little break. :) Too bad it doesn't last a little longer. Since I started doing IV Histamine, I haven't had to do much steriods or DHE. Life is much better :)

Goodluck with the treatments

UNsolved

PS. Do you know what kind of steriods you were doing? (Probably Solu Medrol)

Title: Re: IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
Post by brewcrew on Feb 2^nd, 2006, 8:43pm

I've only had the treatment once, and it was great respite. But I got some nasty rebound HA's (kip 8-9) that started about 36 hours after the treatment was done. It was nice to have the break, though.

Title: Re: IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
Post by Karla on Feb 2^nd, 2006, 9:34pm

You are on a very low dose of verapamil. I took up to 960 mg /day. Don't be surprised if you may need to go higher up in the dosage before you have some sucess.

Title: Re: IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
Post by gore2424 on Feb 4^th, 2006, 11:49pm

starting in 1996 4 times before and 2 times after becoming chronic in 1999 I was in hospital for the DHE drip which i cant remember how much (sorry) also I was hurting so bad they also had nubain (pain med like morphine) and a anti nausea drip going too plus had button i could press every 15 minutes to get a little more pain med in my system each time i was in for 4 days the pain was down to 2-3 level on last day and i got 1 week to 3 months relief til the last one when i left i hurt almost as much as when i went into the hopsital I also had DHE vials and little neddles for at home for i could do it myself when needed but it quit working as did the imitrex and steroids and about 60 other drugs in many combos ok i rambled too long so thats my input on DHE for me Terry

Title: Re: IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
Post by suziq on Feb 5^th, 2006, 1:26pm

It has been 4 days since the DHE therapy and I have mixed feelings about it.

Wednesday afternoon/evening, after completing the 2nd and final day of the therapy, I experienced a couple of Kip 2 shadows. Thursday, I ran errands and started to experience mild headaches. Friday, I was exhausted and slept on and off all day. I also had ice-pick headaches on the right side (my CH is left) and the shadows continued. Saturday, it rained and the barometric pressure was low. I experienced right-sided migraines all day. I took Naproxen on Friday and Relpax for the migraines yesterday. Today, the beast is back. Experienced 2 Kip 8 CHs already today and the shadows continue. Where's my clustermask!?!

It relieved CH for a couple of days, but I was sick with migraines and ice-pick headaches (like lightning bolts shooting thru my brain) and it was still hard to function with this crap going on.

Sorry I don't have better news. Wishing us all PFDANs!
Suziq

Title: Re: IV Steriod & DHE Therapy
Post by brewcrew on Feb 5^th, 2006, 3:03pm

Suzi - Mine came back with a vengence starting 36 hours after I left the hospital. They lasted a week. Since then, however, they stayed away for over 9 months and when they returned they were of lower intensity and the cluster period was much shorter (10 days to 2 weeks).

There's still hope - maybe it'll work the same way for you. We can hope, right? Hang in there.

Bill