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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
        
(Message started by: pack on Aug 30^th, 2006, 9:55am)

Title: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by pack on Aug 30^th, 2006, 9:55am

I have had clusters 2 years ago to the exact eye same month etc. I remember taking ungodly amts of percs and vikes to ge tthrough. Same thing this time. Pain was so intense in my eye, it started at 8 pm and after 2 percs, it wouldnt go away until 1230. I got to er at 1115, but they didnt see me until 115. I was allready pain free by then. They gave me imitrix shot and oxygen. I have an appt with neurologist today, what meds should i ask for? I'm a teacher with great bennies. These headaches are unbelievable, i'm 6'4 230 pounds and in great shape and im curled up against the wall and ready to kill myself, the pain was so bad. Please rec some meds!!!

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by georgej on Aug 30^th, 2006, 10:29am

Click on the "medical info" link on the left side of your screen.

I understand about the percs and vikes, but narcotics and narcotic analogs are usually of little or no benefit in treating CH. And you really don't want to go there as far as habituation is concerned.

Imitrex and oxygen are on the right track, but you're going to need a preventive as well as a couple of effective abortives. They wouldn't have done much in the ER after you're pain-free, as you well know. See the neuro, and let us know what he says.

I don't medicate, so I'm not the best person to answer any other questions you might have. I'll defer to those with first-hand knowledge.

Best wishes,

George

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by BB on Aug 30^th, 2006, 11:34am

The first line of treatments are:

1- 02 and imitrex for abortive
2- Prednisone taper, Verapamil, Lithium, Valproate etc for 1st line preventive.

But there is a whole host of other medications that you need to discuss with your neurologist to see what regiment would be best for you.

Good luck and pain free wishes to you.

Annette

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by kcopelin on Aug 30^th, 2006, 1:33pm

Perk,
Go to the left and check out the meds, I printed it out and have taken it with to the neuro each time with remarks, ect. Please do be careful with the narcotics-I understand than many people, myself included, have taken them. But they do cause physical dependency (which is not like being a junkie-just DO NOT STOP SUDDENLY) and there are treatments that should come firts.

Good luck, and welcome!
PFDAN
kathy

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by Superirish2005 on Aug 30^th, 2006, 3:21pm

Hey I also had a terrible night last night and tired a red bull which did not work. Pain all night, no sleep and just got to work at 2:00pm.

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by chewy on Aug 30^th, 2006, 4:29pm

My regimen:

480 mg verapamil per day
9-12 ml of melatonin per night

Imitrex injection to abort
Prednisone taper 2 weeks into verapamil dosing

All else fails, inpatient DHE treatment.

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by brewcrew on Aug 30^th, 2006, 4:38pm

Wow. A teacher who openly admits to having a great benefit package. You understand how rare you are, right?

Everybody else already said it - get thee to a neurologist and discuss both abortives and preventatives.

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Aug 30^th, 2006, 7:53pm

No matter how bad they get, I'm never going to the ER again. I can roll around on my floor at home in more comfort than having 10 people ask me the same dumb questions over and over, finally trying something after a couple hours. Unless they have someone on staff who knows exactly what's going on, it's a waste of time and money.

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by Kel Green on Aug 30^th, 2006, 9:19pm

So true! I love this site. In the last 4 months I've been rushed to the er. For what? same questions and to wait it out. Thanks

Title: So far so good
Post by pack on Aug 31^st, 2006, 3:58am

Went to see an awesome neoro yesterday and put me on 500 mg of dep, ver, pred, imitrex shots and nasal. Ive been good for 28 hours. I'm nautios as hell, but who cares as long as those damn headaches stay away.

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by chopmyheadoff on Aug 31^st, 2006, 7:02am

strange how experiences differ.

before i was diagnosed i went to a+e with a really dirty kip10.
the nurse on the desk took one look at me and wisked me straight into a room ahead of all the other people there who had been queing hours. ;;D

they whispered about me for a few seconds then came over and jabbed me with what i now know was imigran
the headache went away before the nurse had counted to 10 and i broke down in tears in relief and delight that i now had a weapon against these sick headaches.

dont know how much longer i would have lasted if i hadnt found imigran.
im now a chronic who has been pain free for 2 months !! 8)

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Aug 31^st, 2006, 8:32am

At the time I didn't know I had clusters, I thought I was having an anyeurism or something. The fact that it took them 2 hours to try something (morphine drip, totally useless) is what pissed me off the most. Glad it wasn't life threatening, or I probably would have been dead. Very soured on the er experience, unless something's broken or I'm bleeding like crazy, I'm not going back.

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by smartypants on Aug 31^st, 2006, 12:02pm

I HIGHLY recommend Oxygen. I'm the Oxygen poster child. I'll scream it from the highest mountain!!

"PLEASE TRY OXYGEN!!!!"

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by bothofus on Sep 3^rd, 2006, 4:39am

Another thing about the er is all the paperwork, If you are by your self they ask you all these questions or ask you to fill out the forms while your head is *&^%^&*&^%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean come on, who can remember insurance companies or insurance numbers or go digging in their wallet for the card while the world is crashing around you?

You are in great hands here, and it will get better, or at least your understanding of the beast will. Carl

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by unsolved1 on Sep 3^rd, 2006, 8:27am

My ER coctail would be as follows:

Imitrex injection 3mg to abort, if still in the throws of an attack

250mg of Solu Medrol IV

1mg of DHE IV

12.5mg of Phenegran IV

maybe also an RX for a Medrol Dose pak or a Prednisone taper to go.

that should throw a monkey wrench in the beasts' plans for awhile and give you a break.

Goodluck

UNsolved

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by Sandy_C on Sep 3^rd, 2006, 3:04pm

By the time my hit ramps up to a pain level where I seriously consider a trip to the ER, I've got a 25 min drive, then, like others have said, paperwork, waiting for 2 hrs. Hell, by that time, it's ramped back down and I'm OK.

So what's the point? I too, would rather roll around in the comfort of my own home.

Sandy

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by unsolved1 on Sep 4^th, 2006, 12:13am

on 09/03/06 at 15:04:13, Sandy_C wrote:

So what's the point? I too, would rather roll around in the comfort of my own home.
Sandy

So go when you're not in pain as a 'pre-emptive strike'. Get a 'break' just when you need it most. It beats rollin' around in your home everyday !!

Goodluck

UNsolved

Title: Re: SO BAD went to ER last night!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by unhappy_jack on Sep 23^rd, 2006, 7:43am

Hi!

I remember the days of the narcotics - and barbiturates - and all kinds of stuff that would knock me out into some other dimension, but not do a damned thing for my headache! Then again, here I am in another cluster (after 6 years) and my neuro is still trying new stuff, 'cause as it turns out, nothing REALLY works every time for me.

I'm at the "last ditch" stuff right now - using Migranal and Indocin, while weaning off Imitrex and Verapamil.
Staying with the Lithium. Next week, start Methergide.

So, it seems that there isn't an answer to what you should ask for - just make sure your doc knows that there is something called cluster headaches, and you aren't just using it as some terminology.

Good luck!!!

Jack