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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Medicines which do NOT knock you down...
        
(Message started by: washed-out on Feb 19^th, 2008, 1:14pm)

Title: Medicines which do NOT knock you down...
Post by washed-out on Feb 19^th, 2008, 1:14pm

Hey. I apologize for making another topic (don't know if I've used good words in the Subject :P). I have been browsing sites about CH for few weeks and I got pretty important question, as I am visiting my doctor on Thursday.

I am very frustrated after one month with Isoptin... I know that each medicine works different for each patient and it brings different side effects... But well you know that after Verapamil your BP can go pretty low (which makes you very weak), while after ergotamine+caffeine it will go high and you can feel pretty "powerful".

So what's my point? If you can, just tell me, from your own experience, which medicines don't bring those side effects that often (weakness etc.). Both, abortative and preventative (but preventative is more important for me). I wouldn't care that much about being sleepy all the day, but I have lessons almost everyday and it's like vicious circle at the moment.

Important points:
1. I have already tried Dihydroergotamine, Caffecorn (Caffergot?) - ergotamine+caffeine), Verapamil;
2. I can't use Imitrex, nor steroids like Prednisone.
3. I know about Oxygen but it's still an open issue...
4. At the moment I am thinking about TOPAMAX...

Thanks in advance...

Title: Re: Medicines which do NOT knock you down...
Post by Bob_Johnson on Feb 19^th, 2008, 1:47pm

Individual reports about individual drugs will give you such limited, non-representative information that you could not be well guided by the responses. You need large base statistics which you can get from publications such as, Physicians Desk Reference, which a good library should have. Or ask your druggist for suggestions about reference books to consult.

Basically, you want a list of side effects which reflect the experience of thousands of people, data obtained in the course of testing these medications.

Title: Re: Medicines which do NOT knock you down...
Post by Melissa on Feb 19^th, 2008, 4:18pm

Can't really help you out there. I use O2 to abort and Kudzu + Taurine supplements as a prevent. They do not "knock me down" at all. I actually like the fact that I can function pretty well while being on them.

BTW, why is Oxygen still an open issue with you? Why have you not tried it yet? Just curious...

Title: Re: Medicines which do NOT knock you down...
Post by Guiseppi on Feb 19^th, 2008, 5:15pm

I'm in law enforcement so I am very limited as to what I can have in my system and still function while armed.

As scary as it sounds, lithium, at 1200 mg a day, has turned out to be my silver bullet. If I am religous about avoiding my triggers, alcohol, sleep disruptions etc., it will block 80-90% of my headaches. This really reduces how much 02 and imitrex I end up using.

It makes you a little lethargic the first 1-2 weeks, and you pee a lot at first. It takes 10-14 days to build up to a therapeudic level in your system, I use a prednisone taper during that time period while i wait for it to kick in.

The county signed off on it, it's kept me employed in and out of cycle. Might be worth considering. It's supposed to be more effective for chronics then for episodics, I'm episodic and it works like a charm for me. Good luck!

Guiseppi