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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Cafeine or Tauprine
        
(Message started by: Russ_T on Feb 13^th, 2007, 4:00pm)

Title: Cafeine or Tauprine
Post by Russ_T on Feb 13^th, 2007, 4:00pm

First let me excuse the spelling but i hope you all understand what I mean. Today has been a rough one and i have already slammed my energy drink to get the "Tauprine" and now drinking coffee so strong that it could walk around the house by itself. Both have decreased the pain level some and I would say about equally. Both also have me bouncing of the wall due to the amount of cafiene in them. I currently am on a low dose of Varapamil (40 mg twice a day) with very little effect. I try to save the abortive medications as they are limited by the insurance company. So here is my question, which would you suggest using more of to get the temporary relief, since it doesn't appear that long term relief will occur until my neuro increase my Varapamil the coffee or the energy drink.

Title: Re: Cafeine or Tauprine
Post by georgej on Feb 13^th, 2007, 4:10pm

Check with your doctor before using energy drinks with taurine while taking Verapamil. There have been some reports of heart problems associated with this.

Best wishes,

George

Title: Re: Cafeine or Tauprine
Post by Redd715 on Feb 13^th, 2007, 4:16pm

Listen to George, but also remember this little tidbit of good information. It's the combination of Taurine and Caffine that does the trick. Caffine is a vascoconstrictor, and Taurine amplifies the effects of the caffine.

Title: Re: Cafeine or Tauprine
Post by LeLimey on Feb 13^th, 2007, 4:46pm

Hi Russ

When are you next seeing your neuro?

Did he recommend a pred taper while increasing the dosage?

Ideally that should block hits until the verap hits an efficacious level for you (but no longer than about 3 weeks as its nasty old stuff) You need to taper DOWN off pred too by the way, you can't stop it dead.

Can you phone your neuro and ask him to increase your dosage now? You should have an ECG at every increase and you could really be increasing the dose under medical supervision every 5 days.

It does vary by person to person though so please don't increase without a doctors say so.

In the meantime I would suggest strong black coffee as an alternative, it was the favoured choice until we came across the red bull type drinks

I hope this helps
Helen