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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >>  More Verapamil Questions
        
(Message started by: jamie_h on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 9:51pm)

Title: More Verapamil Questions
Post by jamie_h on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 9:51pm

I am at the 2 week point with verapamil and I was wondering what type of good signs anyone identifies, besides the obvious lack of strong headaches.

I have tapered down from 60 mg of prednisone, while taking 120mg x 4 each day. I still have been using Maxalt about once each day when I get that old feeling. Having found something that has worked virtually every time to abort, (maxalt) I give myself a certain time frame to decide whether or not the mild to moderate pain will in fact increase to a full blown CH. Obviously, I am reluctant to go very long.

For those who have had success with verapamil, what are you feeling at this point and when have you been able to call this action a 'success.'

Last, the reason that I try and tough it out for awhile, is that I don't want to develop an intolerance to the maxalt. This is bascially the only abortive drug that I have tried and it is a great comfort to know that I have this out. Especially when I read most of the messages and it seems the maxalt has not been as effective for most cluster sufferers. When I first went to the internal medicine doctor, I had been about 5 days with no serious headache. He advised me at that point that he did not think I needed anything, but he was going to give me some samples. (imitrex etc) As it turns out, he wrote me a prescription for maxalt and about the time he did, the headaches returned. The very first night I used the maxalt, it stopped a CH that woke me up and had already passed moderate and was moving towards a kip 9-10. Thank God it has worked ever since! It was after this that I went to a headache specialist and he got me started on the pred & verapamil.

Title: Re: More Verapamil Questions
Post by domm on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 5:59pm

jamie - I started at a very low dosage of Vera and was still getting hit after about a week. I talked to my doc and upped the dosage by 50%. Within 5 days after that (12 - 13 days total) I was no longer getting hit and the shadows were minimal at best. Another week or so and the shadows were gone also. I stayed on that dosage for another two months before I declared victory with no pain or shadows. So to answer directly - about three weeks before I felt confident that I wasn't going to get hit again.
Good luck
domm