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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Neurontin/Depakote -anybody have info?
        
(Message started by: ami on Jan 30^th, 2003, 3:47pm)

Title: Neurontin/Depakote -anybody have info?
Post by ami on Jan 30^th, 2003, 3:47pm

I just got back from my doctor who gave me three different meds --
one was depakote
one was neurontin
and i can't remember the damn last one.

anyone know anything about these drugs?

I'm supposed to take each for three weeks and keep a headache journal... She really didn't seem to care too much -- told me to take these -- and then if that didn't work to call a clinical PSYCHOLOGIST! I was so insulted.
.... now i'm a nut-case.. hahaa... -ami

Title: Re: Neurontin/Depakote -anybody have info?
Post by kim on Jan 30^th, 2003, 4:19pm

Hi Ami,

There is a TON of info on both these drugs you mention. You can use the search keys to the left and that will give ya a bunch of info. Depakote and Neurontin are seizure medications that are commonly used as a preventative for cluster headaches. The success rate for both of them is varied for different folks. The depakote did nothing at all to help me and I am still on the fence about the Neurontin. I have read some success stories with both, and, unfortunately many failures.

If you do some research here and at the OUCH site, you'll gather a bunch of useful info that will help you and the doc both deal with and treat the clusters. Print it out and don't be bashful about sharing it with the doctor.
Good luck and PFDAN. :)

Title: Re: Neurontin/Depakote -anybody have info?
Post by clavers on Jan 31^st, 2003, 8:48am

I took both of these drugs, but not together. Neither did the least bit of good. However, I am chronic and nothing seems to help us. If you are episodic they are worth a try, hell, anything is worth a try.
As for the other, any physician that tells a clusterhead to go to a shrink is worthless, look for another MD

Title: Re: Neurontin/Depakote -anybody have info?
Post by Laurie on Feb 1^st, 2003, 7:23am

Ami,

Try the meds...but starting looking for a neurologist who is more sympathetic to CH. You are not a nut case: you are sensibly seeking medical expertise to treat severe pain. There are good neurologists out there! I do like her headache journal idea though.

Did your M.D. give you something to abort the breakthrough headaches?

Neurontin is an anti-seizure med that starts working within a couple hours to prevent a CH. (Interestingly, 90% of neurontin prescriptions are "off-label" - used for conditions the drug is not officially approved for, such as "mood stabilizing" for depression). It's only moderately effective (for me, at best, it works 50% of the time) but has much safer side effects than many of the CH medications. Be aware that it slows ALL your nerves down, so you may experience loss of coordination, slowed visual processing, and mental fuzziness. You may also feel extremely sleepy. I use it only at night, about 12 hours before I plan to drive.

I start at 300-500mg, then slowly increase the dose to 1000 mg or so as my body becomes used to it. The first time I took it, my neurologist suggested I try 100-200mg during the day just to see how it affected me.

Good luck!
Laurie

Title: Re: Neurontin/Depakote -anybody have info?
Post by kim on Feb 1^st, 2003, 11:16pm

Since Laurie brought it up........ok. I fess up. While takin Neurontin, I admit to several crackups with the car; I also confess that I kept forgetting whether or not I took my medicine while peering at my rather red and blothcy face in the mirror...... ??? Totally honest: I really did feel muddled and ditzted.............

BUTT!!!!............the cycle did seem shorter and preventative goals seem ( ???) to have been met...........

I may try this med again.......... 8)

::)