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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> med's and interactions?
        
(Message started by: Trond on Sep 26^th, 2006, 1:35pm)

Title: med's and interactions?
Post by Trond on Sep 26^th, 2006, 1:35pm

Hi everybody.

It's been a while since my last post, but I'm still regularely visiting the site.
I've found it back in 2001, and, thank's to DJ and friend's then got the right diagnose for my headache.

I've been a chronic since 2003, but lately
the beast have been more present than ever, and I haven't had more than 4 PF days since april.
The attac's seem to break thru everything.
I'm currently using: 1200mg verap, 168mg lithium, 9mg melatonin, O2 and imitrex injections.
Hope to get better soon, but are a little bit down at the moment. Partly also because my best friend
(4 legs and tail) suddenly and unexpectedly died last week.

Okay, enough complaining...........now to the questions:

My verap did work for almost 3years, and then seemed to stop working. Is this common?

I have been on verap and lithium for 3 weeks, topped with melatonin at bed time. This combo seems to make the attacs worse. Anybody experienced the same, or
other "bad" combo's?

How long will you try different meds before you leave them, and try something else?

Thanks for beeing here, and PFND to you all.

Regards

Trond

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by Bob_Johnson on Sep 26^th, 2006, 2:24pm

Not uncommon for a med to stop being effective. One of the recurring frustrations with CH treament.

Can't speak to the verap/lithium question.

Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor. It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. Written by one of the better headache docs in the U.S. (2002)

http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/chtherapy.pdf

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by Trond on Sep 26^th, 2006, 6:14pm

thank you for youre answer Bob.

I have printed out the article and read it several times,
lots of good updated info there.
I think my neuro have referred to this reseach when he started me on melatonin.
(Which is a uncommon drug, and not over the counter med here in Norway)

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by TxBasslady on Sep 26^th, 2006, 6:16pm

If this were me...I'd be making a visit to my doc.

Seems a long time...to be taking so much...and nothing working.

I've never taken the meds you take....so I'll admit I'm not the choice one to respond here.

I use 02...nothing else.

I will suggest though that you get a Clustermasx...it makes a big difference in how your 02 works.

My best to you....I sincerely hope you find some much needed pf time.

Jean

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by Karla on Sep 26^th, 2006, 10:22pm

I took imitrex for 2 years 8x/day and it aborted perfectly every day for 2 years. Then one day it just quit working. SUCKS!! I used indocin for 5 months and it worked and then it just stopped. SUCKS! I had a couple ofther meds due the same things. terrible. So it seams to be the nature of the beast at least as far as it goes for me. I give a medicine a couple of weeks and then up it if it isn't working for me. With meds like verapamil and topamax that have to go up slowly etc I gave it about a year and then gave up. I am chronic also. You sound like me that nothing works. You might want to try unsolved miricle DHE iv for a few days in the hospital. Good luck.

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by burnt-toast on Sep 27^th, 2006, 8:19am

I hope this information helps.

Treatment of chronic CH involves medications that reduce frequency and severity of attacks. Fully eliminating attacks is not typically the goal. Experimenting with certain combinations and dosages under a doctors care can help most suffers achieve some level of relief.

Prescription CH meds. include but are not limited to the following categories. Side effects can be serious and should be fully understood before agreeing to any treatment options.

Calcium channel blockers, such as Verapamil hydrochloride (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), which relax or widen narrowed blood vessels to reduce pain.
Verapamil is commonly a first choice for treating both eposidic and chronic CH.

Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, can break a headache cycle but it is not clear why these medications work. Due to potential side effects, Corticosteroids are typically limited to infrequent/short term efforts to interrupt CH cycles - not as preventatives taken over long periods.

Antiseizure medications such as divalproex sodium (Depakote), valproate (valproic acid), or topiramate (Topamax) may be tried if other treatments are not effective.

Ergot Alkaloids - Methysergide (Sansert®, synthetic), Sumatriptan, Ergotamine - structurally related to LSD. Methysergide is used as a preventative to reduce frequency and intensity of severe headaches. Sumatriptan, ergotamine are used primarily to treat acute attacks.

Lithium. Lithium carbonate (Lithobid, Lithonate, Lithotabs, Eskalith) is thought to affect the brain's biological clock (hypothalamus), which some experts think is linked to cluster headaches. Lithium is often prescribed to treat chronic cluster headaches.

I take 1200mg Lithium, 720mg Verapamil, 9mg melatonin. I've taken this combo about 10 years. Its not perfect and I still get attacks nearly every day but it does control frequency and severity. Finding the best combination for you will take some time and work. A journal will help you track the effectiveness of each treatment during the experimentation process.

I truely believed these meds. weren't working so with my docs. approval recently tried slowly reducing dosages with the goal of eliminating these meds. The results had me scrambling to get back up to normal dosages. The reduction simply sent the frequency and severity of attacks through the roof.

Here are some links that provide some good prescription drug/interaction information

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html
http://www.drugs.com/

Best wishes,

Tom

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by Charlotte on Sep 27^th, 2006, 9:36am

it all seems relative. It is very important to read everything you can get your hands on so you konw how everything interacts & you can avoid trouble or use drug characteristic to your best advantage.

(I read that neurontin can make other drugs work better so I've been taking all three at the same time morning & evening, and the neurontin & kudzu midday. Also drinking lots of water.)

The meds that gave me some relief in February would never do it for me now that I've been taking neurontin & Indocin & kudzu.

For one, my pain tolerance has lowered, and I welcome the nerve deadening effect of the neurontin - just having trouble getting used to it is all. The indocin provided immediate relief, but did not stop the headaches.

Plus, as with all chronics, there are high (pain) cycles and low cycles, and what I'm on now does it for the low cycle but still leaves a lot of room for improvement on the high cycles.

Of course, since nothing worked in the past, this is very good - for me.

Seeing the neuro 10-5. This weekend, I will be typing up everything from the past 7 or so weeks to take with me. Maybe I can get his opinion on what this IS and if it will ever end. Wish me luck.

Charlotte

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by The mad viking on Sep 27^th, 2006, 10:12am

""How long will you try different meds before you leave them, and try something else?""

Some of the meds takes LONG time to reach the optimal level Trond.
I would give it 12 weeks,at least the way i see it.
The reason for that is bc we all are different and react different of the meds

Just my 2 cents worth

Svenn

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by BB on Sep 27^th, 2006, 10:12am

Best of luck Charlotte,

HUGS

Annette

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by gore2424 on Sep 27^th, 2006, 10:30am

To Bob thank you for the great link from Dr. Todd Rozen. Terry

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by Guiseppi on Sep 27^th, 2006, 10:36am

Just one thing to add on the lithium, the dosage sounds low. I'm a male, 46, weigh about 190 pounds and take 1200 mg a day of lithium when I'm on cycle. I'm episodic and am normally only on cycle for about 2-3 months. Good luck to you, it's frustrating as hell when stuff stops working.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by Karla on Sep 27^th, 2006, 7:38pm

I just wanted to mention an FYI that if you are taking zyprexa as an abortive or preventative you are not suppose to take melatonin with it. That is what one brand bottle of melatonin said and also what the pharmacist said. Do not mix them with antiphycotics.

Good luck!

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by Trond on Sep 28^th, 2006, 9:41am

Thank you all for tips and greetings so far, it's a great support.

Trond

Title: Re: med's and interactions?
Post by sandie99 on Sep 29^th, 2006, 2:39am

Trond,

when I was first diagnosed back in 2003, my doc told me that the first med would stop the cycle - it had done that with 85 percent of his patients. Well, naturally, I was among that 15% which it didn't. After that, medications have followed each other in a long line...

Back in spring 2005, when I was taking verapamil 600mg, my chronic ch suddenly decided to go into remission and stayed away for 11 months. After that it's been just energy drinks and caffeine tablets - and it works, so far, for me.

During my ch journey, I've been treated by too many docs with too many meds which caused too many side effects. I've lived in 3 cities in 2 countries, which made it harder. What I've learned is that knowledge is a key what comes to treating ch. The more you know about your meds, available treatments and follow your own ch patterns, the more in power you are.

Ch is difficult, because a treatment which works wonders with one, does not help someone else at all. That's why it's important that you know what's out there - and inform also your neurologist about that. I've been treated by docs who know less about ch that I do.
Even if you did not know all there is to know about ch and neurology, you're still the best expert what comes to your own pain and your body. Don't let docs talk you into a treatment you don't want and ask a lot of questions. I'm sure that there will be a med/treatment/combo, which will work for your ch. :)

BTW, I'm so sorry that you lost your 4 legged best friend.

Best wishes & PF days,
Sanna