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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> Not Just Sudafed
        
(Message started by: celtspirit on Jul 17^th, 2002, 1:40am)

Title: Not Just Sudafed
Post by celtspirit on Jul 17^th, 2002, 1:40am

I'm glad someone brought up the subject of sudafed, I have been meaning to post my little abortive formula, but hadn't gotten 'round to it yet.

My first round of CH 2 years ago, the pre-med student disguised as a doctor working in the ER diagnosed me as having a serious sinus infection. Follow up visit to the family quack-titioner confirmed diagnosis, scheduled me to have holes drilled in me head. (like the ones I already have aren't sufficient!!!) ::) ::) ::)
Antibiotics to clear infection up for surgery, and all that crap. >:( >:( >:(
Classical cluster trait of nasal congestion during the haedache. Ibuprofen and Actifed cleared it up, including headache, in about 20-25 minutes.
My cycle ended befor they could drill extra holes, so I cancelled surgery. Hell, why not, I was cured, right?? Didn't know squat about anything to do with CH.
About a year later, the beast came to visit again, this time I had a new doc, one that had actually heard of CH and put me on prednisone and nasacort to abort the cycle, but nothing to abort the CH itself. I remembered taking the IBU and Actifed the last time, so i tried it again.
In short, here's my abortive coctail-
When I feel the shadow lurking around at 2 or more, 800-1200 mg of Ibuprofen and an Actifed tablet with a FULL glass of water. Works about 80 % of the time to abort the CH within 20-25 minutes. Occasionally, most speciffically during night attacks where I'm tossed out of my nice warm bed, repeating the dose 45 minutes later is necessary because the first dose only dropped me 2-3 kip levels. (my nocturnal CH tend to run 9-10, dropping only 2 or 3 levels is good, but I ain't gettin back to sleep with a 6 or 7 still bouncin round in the ole cranium!!)
There have only been a few attacks this cycle where my coctail didn't work, and they were night-time 10s.
Taking that much ibuprofen 4,5 even up to 10 times in a day probably isn't all that great for my Swiss-Cheese liver, or my gastro-intestinal system, but it sure beats the hell out of bashing my head into objects more solid than my skull, or takin' the 'gun-powder cure' and it's a damn sight less expensive than some of the other stuff clusterheads use to abort, or prevent, not to mention some of the side-effects and health problems those might have.
In no way am I recommending this is the right thing for anyone else to do since I am aware of the liver damage it can cause, but if it keeps someone from biting a bullet or caving their skull in with a hammer, I'll be happy knowing that a fellow clusterhead survived another dance with the beast.

Hope Ya'all can have a PFDAN real soon, I know I want one!!!

Title: Re: Not Just Sudafed
Post by catlind on Jul 18^th, 2002, 6:19pm

Celt,

I too have found that pseudoephedrine and naproxen sodium will ease my headaches.
I buy the generic brand extra strength sudafed without the tylenol in it, and the generic Alleve (same as ibuprofen but a bit more potent). While I'm in cycle I take 2 alleve (naproxen sodium) every morning and every evening. That's alot of it, but that is what one neuro recommended for me, and it controls the cycle if not the actual attacks.

As for swiss cheese liver, I've been known to have no means of aborting an attack and go through a bottle of 100 T 1's (they are over the counter in Canada - 8mg codeine per tab) in 4 days. So I imagine my liver and kidneys won't be of any use for donations when I finally bite the bullet.