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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
        
(Message started by: Roxy on Dec 21^st, 2002, 2:15am)

Title: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Roxy on Dec 21^st, 2002, 2:15am

I've searched the site, but couldn't find any information on how much of the nasal spray you can snort up. I'm having a verrrrry bad night. The last attack, I shot 3 up my nose before someone stopped me. It's just now 1:30am, so I know I have a long time to go.

How many can you take? My kind doctor only gave me one refill before next November. Gee....how should I spread those 6 little sprays out over the next damn year.

Does anyone know what the overdose level is?

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by dodger on Dec 21^st, 2002, 6:04am

Roxy, sorroy I can't give you any imfo.re:Imitrex spray. Seems to me ,as rough as you have been having it, you should be looking into something for more aggressive treatment. Possibly the Imitrex inj.some people have mentioned. Hang tough!

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by jmorgan52 on Dec 21^st, 2002, 9:49am

Hi Roxy

I agree with dodger. I tried the Imigran/Imitrex spray a good few years ago, even after I had had fantastic success with the injection, but was still having some issues with injecting myself. I thought it would work the same as the inj. I snorted my allotted prescription over a couple of days and got absolutely no relief whatsoever, and so in my opinion the spray sucks and is a waste of money for me. If it doesn't work 1st time round then I doubt it will ever work for you. The same goes for the pill form. I have also done a 6 pack of them with no relief. The injection works for me every single time in about 8-10 minutes the pain is completely gone whether I take it at the 1st signs of CH or after an hour or two of trying to tough it out with no luck! Have you tried it yourself yet. The autoinjector is actually not bad once you tell yourself it is going to get rid of the pain rapidly.

I don't think you can overdose on 6 sprays though, even if you took them all at once.

Good luck with finding relief. I am currently 8 months PF but know exactly how you are feeling. Hope it passes soon.

Love J

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Roxy on Dec 21^st, 2002, 11:04am

Thanks for the information, help, and your support. I greatly appreciate it.

I tried yesterday to make an appointment with a neuro in Dallas. My best friends husband is a dr. down there, and the neuro is his best friend....so he said he will do or give me whatever I need. I asked if he dealt w/a lot of ch's, and he told me if he didn't he would be up to speed on them by the time I get down there.

But the receptionist wouldn't schedule and appointment till my dr. here sent all my files, and my dr. is closed till after the first of the year. But, at least I'll get in real quick after that.

I keep going to the barn and looking at the oxygen on the welder and cutting torch...but don't have a clue on how to get to the oxygen.

R

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Jarvis on Dec 21^st, 2002, 11:18am

Hey Roxy be careful with that oxygen. Theres about 2000 lbs of pressure in that tank. The green hose is the oxy. If you separate the tanks use a regulator... Just thought someone should mention this... Full force it'll blow a hole in your head.... .Hmmm...,This may cure clusters too.

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by suzy617 on Dec 21^st, 2002, 11:18am

Hi Roxy, I suggest you email Jonny about the oxygen. He has alot of knowledge on this and he is always there to lend a helping hand.

suzy

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Karla on Dec 21^st, 2002, 11:19am

The PDR says something about 40mg a day. However, my dr wrote me out a script where I could take a 20 mg spray in each nostril and repeat process in 1 hr if needed. So that was 80mg in 1 hrs time. I liked the 5mg nasal sprays. I could start out at 5 mg and wait 10 min and if that didn't work add another 5 and wait another 10 and if that wouldn't work I would do a 20. I learned how much spray I needed on the avg. and would start with that dose and quickly increase up as needed. I got 8 ha a day. I would take imitrix for 2 ior 3 ha and then need peracet for the rest to just take the edge off the ha. I would have to ride it out but the pain med kept me out of er and made the kip10 more manageable. I have taken that dosage daily for a couple of years. However, it does add up and isn't good to take that much for as long as I did. I am now on methadone and don't need imitrix for I no longer have ha.

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Roxy on Dec 21^st, 2002, 11:26am

Mine nasal sprays are 20mg each. So I only got 60mg in about a 15 min. period.

The hole in the head sounds pretty good....but people already tell me that I have one!!!! LOL

I did use a fast walk down to the road (1 mile round trip) in the cold. It was about 40 degrees and I had a bag of peas on my head at the time. I think that may have helped....not sure though, but at least it distracted me.

R

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by MattJ on Dec 22^nd, 2002, 7:04pm

My CHA have hit me hard this cycle. The Imitrex spray 20mg had helped in the beginning. After about 4 days, I had to use 2 to get relief. Went to the doc's Friday and got the injections again.

I've had great success with the injections and I'm splitting each does in half. (Using same needle 2x).

Only problem is these CHA are becoming more frequent and I'm not sure what to do when I run out.

Try the injections if 20mg spray twice doesn't work for you.

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Roxy on Dec 22^nd, 2002, 7:42pm

Have you tried oxygen? There is a lot of information on the site about it. It seems to help most people. I think I tried every non-med so-called cure last night. I went from exercise, ice, coffee, hot tea....I even tried the hot sauce under the tongue. I think the hot sauce cure is there just so you can try it and the water cure at the same time.

Are you on any preventive meds?

R

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Dave_W on Dec 27^th, 2002, 5:14pm

Hiya Roxy,

I'm a big fan of the Imitrex spray -- I get the 20 mg size and it's never failed me. My doc says I can use up to four per day safely, but after six doses he has been taught that it can begin to induce other vascular spasms (in the coronary and cranial arteries and a couple other places too).

This info is supposedly from Glaxo, although I noticed in the last batch I picked up that the nasal spray "has not been evaluated for effectiveness in cluster headache..." and their printed literature still says two per day max.

Remember -- I'm not a doc! Just repeating what a pretty good one told me though....

Pain Free Days to ya!!

Old Dave

Title: Re: How much Imitrex Nasal Spray?
Post by Roxy on Dec 27^th, 2002, 5:17pm

Thanks Dave,

Much appreciated. At least I can say I'm sucking up my share...and enjoying the hell out of everyone of them.

R