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Title: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by Ob1kanobee on Feb 20th, 2008, 3:30pm I'm episodic and probably halfway through my cycle. I have been getting hit once everyday usually around 4:00 PM I try to have o2 available and a Red Bull. My Doctor is not up to speed on CH and I don't have insurance so I really can't go Doctor shopping although he is willing to help. I ran into him at the store and he asked how I was doing so I told him. I brought up the idea of putting me on a Prednisone Taper and he didn't seem to have a problem with it. Possibly goung on Verapamil as well? My last cycle was two years ago. My question is has anyone here experienced or heard of a Prednisone Taper stopping a cycle? I read the "medical Info" tab on the left and I believe it says that it may in some people. So do I try the taper only and see what hapens? Or do I do that plus Verapamil? What is the dossage and length of time for the taper and verapamil for someone in my situation (episodic). o2 works for me practically all the time, I would just like to stop the cycle. ALSO: I would like to get a script for a Nasal Spray to try. Has anyone had success with either the Imitrex Spray or Zomig? Or some other one I am not aware of? |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by Bob_Johnson on Feb 20th, 2008, 3:46pm Absolutely! Pred is a first step with a new cycle. Verap as longer term preventive. Print the second link and give to your doc. He will benefit from the guidance of a leading doc in the U.S. The first link is something for you to explore as you have time. And also explore all the buttons and enbedded links on the left of this page. ========= http://www.headachedrugs.com/pdf/ha2006.pdf Dr. Robbins site. Then explore the entire site by deleting everything following. com/ and then hit enter. ========================================================================= 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.plainboard.com/ch/chtherapy.pdf |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by Guiseppi on Feb 20th, 2008, 4:30pm Prednisone is effective for some at "stopping" a cycle. It didn't work for me, although while on prednisone I get 100% relief. When i get below 30mg a day on the prednisone they come right back. I use the pred taper now while I ramp up on my prevent, lithium. Give the pred a shot, see if it will break the cycle. If not, you can always try the verapamil while you do one more prednisone taper. The verapamil takes a while to build up in your system it'd be nice to have the prednisone buy you a littl emore time while the verapamil takes hold! Good luck. Here's hoping the pred banishes this cycle! Guiseppi |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by Ray on Feb 20th, 2008, 6:32pm What my buddy Guiseppi said! Pred tapers work for many, not all, as a preventative while ramping up another medication or "cocktail" of medications. I personally would not advise a pred taper unless ramping up other preventative medications. Prednisone and all steroids are wonder drugs, but with a price. For example, it's harder to fight off infections. Long term use has many problems. Like all medical proceedures, discuss the pros and cons with your doctor who would be the only one to help you decide what the best course of action is in your particular case. With best wishes, Ray |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by E-Double on Feb 20th, 2008, 7:54pm pred didnt really do much for me other than give me moonface. Decadron now that gave me about a week off. |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by thebbz on Feb 20th, 2008, 10:04pm Does a pred taper stop the episode? ..Sometimes.For some. You could find answers on both sides here I'm sure. All good advice above. Thats some good rowin. all the best thebb |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by Ob1kanobee on Feb 21st, 2008, 12:02am OK. So if i have this right. If I do a Prednisone Taper and I start to get relief and my Doctor puts me on Verap, best case scenario is the headaches stop with an occasional breakthrough headache and maybe just maybe, the prednisone could stop my cycle all together. This is best case scenario that i have been able to come up with from my reading. And thanks for all the info. you guys have given so far, keep it coming. My job is sort of the same thing a tour guide does. So when i'm with a group of people I have to stay with them and take them to the next destination while providing them with information. I cannot just say OK guys, I need to stop the tour for 15 minutes while I suck down this energy drink and intake some o2. That is why I'm trying to find out if I can get these daily headaches under control with the occasional breakthrough if that is how I understand the goal to be. It seems from reading Guiseppi's posts that tis is where he has got his condition to. |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by Ace_Sterling on Feb 21st, 2008, 12:10am I was on 40mg Prednisone for a year. Then I HSD to taper becuase of all the potentially fatal side affects of Prednisone being on it long-term. I will tell you that I did not have A SINGLE headaches while on Prednisone. And as for cycles, Prednisone in conjunction with Adivan, Ultram, and O2, and Excedrin Migraine. completely and quickly stop the headache from advancing and abort the cycle. Back to the Prednisone...all I can say is don't do what I did...being on it for a year...(10 days max). When coming off the Prednisone in early 2005, I spent an entire month on the couch with the most severe cluster I had ever had and it lasted day in and day out for a month as my body "converted" back to a non-prednisone chemistry. Be warned. |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by MJ on Feb 21st, 2008, 12:22am A pred taper at high dose was the only rx drug that would ever give me a break for a few days when I needed it most. It took a couple days, lasted a couple days. It never stopped CH for long for me either but a short break can do wonders when nothing else works.. I wouldnt reccomend it as a cycle stopper but a temporary time out. You may be the lucky one. shouldnt hurt to try. Some opinions would be that verapamil "may" possibly extend your cycle and if you have found comfortable control in an allmost over cycle with 02 ... |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by lennycohen on Feb 21st, 2008, 6:56am The steroid taper I used - started at 60 mgs - only reduced the episode from 3/day to 1/day, and I did start preventatives - depakote/lithium/topamax/norvasc (not all at the same time) - the literature says to start at 80 mgs, but my primary care physician was unwilling to go that high. I am now working with a neurologist. Two other things he has done to break cycle - suboccipital nerve block, and a depakon IV. If you're really sore on the side of your headaches, just under your occipital bone, and it's significantly different from the other side, a nerve block may be in order - the occipital nerve sort of runs into the trigeminal nerve, which is the cluster nerve. I was pain free for a week after the nerve block. The Depakon IV is 500mgs of Depakote delivered over a 45 minute IV, instead of taking pills. I had been on the pills, 1500mgs/day ER, was kinda working, I was getting hit about 1/day, but the IV also got me about a week of pain free time - he said someting about not only the significant blood levels of the drug, but a metabolite, etc, and that the IV just seemed to work better for cluster. The hope is that we get longer PF intervals between the IV's, until the episode ends. About the nasals - tried them both. The Imitrex works a little faster than the Zomig, but the Zomig protects you from another headache longer (longer halflife, active metabolite) However, I have switched to the Imitrex injectors, much faster (5-10 min vs 20-30min) and can get rid of a kip 9 with no trouble - sometimes the nasals need a repeat dose for a major headache -- |
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Title: Re: Can Prednisone Stop A Cycle? Post by chewy on Feb 21st, 2008, 7:42am on 02/21/08 at 00:02:19, Ob1kanobee wrote:
That is how it works for me 9 out of 10 times. The only differance is I start the verapamil a week ot two before the taper. |
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