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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Bellergal-S
        
(Message started by: unsolved1 on Apr 13^th, 2006, 1:24am)

Title: Bellergal-S
Post by unsolved1 on Apr 13^th, 2006, 1:24am

This is a medication recently prescribed to me. Problem is, the pharmacy doesn't have it and can't get it. Another pharmacist told me that it is no longer manufactured and would be illegal to get (compounded).

Anyone know of or have any experience with this ergotamine combo?

UNsolved

Title: Re: Bellergal-S
Post by BikerBob on Apr 13^th, 2006, 2:08am

Bellergal-S is not sold any more. The generic name for Bellergal-S is "Ergot/Belladonna/PB" and it is covered by Blue Cross insurance.

Read this very carefully:

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Uses/0,3915,6428%7CBellergal%252DS,00.html

DO NOT use any of the following migraine drugs within 24 hours of this medicine: almotriptan, eletriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, or zolmitriptan. Also, do not use this drug along with caffeine-ergotamine combinations (example: Cafergot® or Wigraine®); dihydroergotamine (DHE® or Migranal®); ergotamine (Ergomar®); methysergide (Sansert®); ergonovine; or methylergonovine.

BB

Title: Re: Bellergal-S
Post by Bob_Johnson on Apr 13^th, 2006, 6:39am

Ergotamine is an old med which is far less effective for cluster compared to several other choices you have. It was my stand-by until I discovered Zyprexa, which consistently aborts an attack in 20-minutes or less.

If you want to try it, ask your drug store if they can get Ergomar. (It has been on/off the market over the last few years.) If yes, ask your doc for an Rx. It's a small tab you dissolve under your tongue. The trick is to use it as the very earliest sign of cluster.

Title: Re: Bellergal-S
Post by StressFree on Apr 13^th, 2006, 9:30am

This is very similar to CafergotPB which is no longer made. I thought the Belergal-S was still available. These both had belladonna and pentobarbital (phenobarbital for Belergal-S) and ergotamine. It was a very effective combination for my chronic cluster headaches. The chronic 'cycle' was broken with CafergotPB and Verapamil. I have been episodic with long remissions ever since. I hope you can find some Bellergal-S still available. It may be very helpful. As I recall I would get breakthrough attacks, but I believe the Cafergot combo helped the verapamil to settle things out. The ergotamine was much longer lasting than Imitrex which caused aweful rebounds for me. Best of luck to you! Rich

Title: Re: Bellergal-S
Post by unsolved1 on Apr 21^st, 2006, 10:25pm

I finally got the medication. They changed it to Bellaspas Tablets. I took the 4 day course and it made no difference, maybe even made things worse. ( I wasn't supposed to take Imitrex with it, but on the 4th day I did). I got 6 more refills but doubt I'll be using them!

UNsolved

Title: Re: Bellergal-S
Post by StressFree on Apr 26^th, 2006, 2:37pm

Glad to hear it's still available. Sorry to hear it didn't help at all! Hang in there, Rich