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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> I accidentally found something that works!!!
        
(Message started by: chrisbaker807 on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 12:14pm)

Title: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by chrisbaker807 on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 12:14pm

My name is Chris, I am a 28 year old male from PA. I was only diagnosed a couple of years ago but have been suffering since my late teens. I get mine twice a year, right around when the clocks change and the days get longer and shorter. I also have been diagnosed manic depressive. Previously prednisone worked the best for me but you can only take so much and when i went of it they seem to come back with a vengeance. Anyhow, i am into to weightlifting/bodybuilding and have been for years. With my increasingly hectic schedule i've had, i haven't had the energy i needed to get a good workout in. I was drinking energy drinks at the gym but they were about three bucks a day so i went to vitamin and tried "ripped fuel" it gave me the energy i needed for my workouts and i've taken it ever since. This past September i made an appointment with my neorologist to get my prescriptions for my fall headaches. They still have yet to come. This is the first time in probably ten years that i have not gotten them. I did some researh on the active ingredient in "ripped fuel" which is ephedra and found out that the Chinese had used it to treat headaches. I have never heard of or read about trying this for clusters from any resource. Try taking it daily. I honestly think this is what is keeping me from getting them. Good luck!!!!!

Title: Re: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by Bob P on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 12:51pm

Hmmm, could be:

"The effects of ephedra are generally attributed to the alkaloid ephedrine which produces central nervous system stimulation; peripheral vasoconstriction; elevation of blood pressure; bronchodilation; cardiac stimulation and a decrease of intestinal tone and motility, among other effects."

Title: Re: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by suzy617 on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 6:01pm

If I remember correctly, I think that ephedra has caused heart attacks in some people. I know myself that I cant take any of that stuff, makes my heart pound very hard and fast. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure its that stuff.
suzy

Title: Re: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by Jarvis on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 10:15pm

Chris I'm with you on the ephedrine. I am in a cycle and I take it daily and seldom get hit during the daylight hours. As I get very little sleep it also keeps me alert. I get day chs when I dont take it. It doesnt help much at night though. I use a low dose only as higher doses make for greater pain it seems. Ephedrine plus is my choice. Though I dont have allergies, pills are for allergy. 12.5 mg ephedrine hcl and 200 mg guaifenesin wich I think is also the active ingredient in benadryl. I take only one pill every 3 to 4 hrs and it allows me to work like a normal guy and quite often will abort the shadows allmost immediately. I dont use it at night and have to take a break from it every 10 days or so as my joints and heart start to feel it. I just stop for a day and then ok. suzy you are absolutely right on the heart issue and noone that has any sighn of heart problems should ever touch the stuff as some deaths have been attributed to ephedrine abuse especially among athletes because of the energy burst it supplies. Virtually every energy product out there on the shelves has ephedrine in it as the active ingredient. I assumed that ephedrine was known to all cluster folks. If you try it, go with caution and dont mix with other prescripted drugs. A search on this site a while back says it also causes rebound HAs.

Title: Re: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by Jarvis on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 10:32pm

If anyone else uses or has used ephedrine for CH. I for one would be interested in all knowledge and issues good and bad. Helps me a major clusterhead. I use it as a short term preventative hours not days. mj.

Title: Re: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by ave on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 3:54pm

The one thing I do know about ephedrine is that it was forbidden over here for the use in nose sprays (very suggestive, that) because it was addictive in the sense that the mucus got used to ephedrine trimming ot down and started to swell in response. So more ephedrine, so...

I would not be eager to try it, not with my nose.

Title: Re: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by Drk^Angel on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 5:08pm

Ephedrine is normally sold in tablet form here... Any thing from a cold medicine to engery tabs to diet pills I think. Give it a couple of years, and it'll probably be a controlled substance in the US.

PFDAN................................. Drk^Angel

Title: Re: I accidentally found something that works!!!
Post by Ueli on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 6:29pm

Ephedrine is also on the doping list. So sportsmen have to watch for that stuff if they need to take something against coughing.