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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
        
(Message started by: b.bop on Nov 20^th, 2002, 5:20pm)

Title: What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
Post by b.bop on Nov 20^th, 2002, 5:20pm

I've just had Cafergot for about 2 weeks but with little success. I'm seeing my doctor again shortly and would like to be prepared (I don't think he's overly aware of different treatments etc...). So if you could let me know what has worked best for you and maybe any other relevent info like side effects or costs etc Id be really really appreciative.
Thanks fo taking the time to read this :)

Title: Re: What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
Post by ChristineL on Nov 20^th, 2002, 5:30pm

Verapamil as a preventative, Imitrex injections and oxygen as abortives. Imitrex is very expensive but if you are one of the people it works for it is great. Gets rid of a bad CH quickly. Oxygen is fairly inexpensive. I have two huge tanks next to my bed that cost $110 per month for the rental. I am still on the original tank from July. Not sure what Verapamil costs as I have Insurance and I only pay the co-pay.

Chris L

Title: Re: What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
Post by b.bop on Nov 20^th, 2002, 5:35pm

Thankyou so much Chris for replying so quickly ;) Its a big help.

Title: Re: What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
Post by domm on Nov 20^th, 2002, 5:41pm

b.bop - (I like the name ;D) I recommend you push the two buttons on the left labeled "medical info" and "medications". Also hit the survey results where everyone has listed what works for them. The OUCH site has tons of info. Fire up the printer and go prepared. Its your head, not the docs.
Good advise from Christine L
hang in there, you'll find what works for you
domm

Title: Re: What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
Post by SommelierCH on Nov 20^th, 2002, 5:54pm

b.bop,

As always a double edge welcome. Sorry you had to find us, but glad you are here. Put on a hard hat, mouth guard and thigh high boots and wade right in.

What works for me is a triptan, Maxalt MLT 10mg. (fast acting, under the tongue dissolving tablet) combined with oxygen therapy. You can’t get many Maxalt tabs from insurance (6 per month max. for me) so you have to save those for the Big One and you can’t take more than 2 in any 24 hour period, so the oxygen is absolutely necessary for all the other times you feel the shadows creeping in. Go to the search button in the top right corner and type in “oxygen” and read up. This site is your one stop information resource, so start reading all the categories on the left hand side of the page, read it all, the more knowledge you have the better you can communicate with the medical community. Be sure to read about and do a search for “triggers”, these are catalysts that can really set us off. My major ones are alcohol, bright light entering my right eye and some times flickering florescent lights. Avoiding triggers during your cycle can dramatically affect the intensity, duration and number of attacks.

I tried Zomig ZMT 5 mg. last night, (it also is a fast acting dissolving tab under the tongue) and it worked, with the oxygen, of course.

The cumulative amount of knowledge residing within these people on the board, is amazing. Give them as much info about your problem (see “Hints for your first post”) and they will be able to help that much more.

Good luck, friend,

David J.

Title: Re: What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
Post by Bob P on Nov 20^th, 2002, 6:16pm

If you go with the statistics:

Imitrex injections and O2 like Christine said.

For a preventative: Verapamil 480-960 mg/day

You could also start a prednisone taper and stop them today. They would probably return as you taper off the pred but by then the verap shold be built up in your system.

Title: Re: What medication/treatment do you reccommend?
Post by ChristineL on Nov 20^th, 2002, 6:47pm

Bob P - that's exactly what I did and I have been PF since the beginning of September. A couple of minor shadows here and there when I forget to take my Verapamil but that's all.

Chris L

I refuse to return my O2 tanks - just in case ;D