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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Warning for others
        
(Message started by: JCM on May 2^nd, 2003, 8:25am)

Title: Warning for others
Post by JCM on May 2^nd, 2003, 8:25am

Just a fair warning for others. I have been in a cycle for about 2 1/2 weeks now. I was prescribed medrol starting with 4 mg 6 times on the first day and reducing by 1 each day following. It seemed to work until I finished my last pill on Tuesday. I thought my cycle was over. I decided to have a beer and watch some hockey and basketball. That was the biggest mistake ever. I was awakened at 3:00 a.m. with the worst headache ever and it lasted until noon the next day :o. Actually I wasnt able to function until late that evening. I do not know if it was the beer I drank or a rebound from not taking the steroids. Has anyone experienced bad headaches after completing the steroid treatment? If so how long did they last? Any solution?

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by Sprecco on May 2^nd, 2003, 8:50am

About 10 years ago a doctor tried me on prednisone to break my cycle. 80 mg a day reducing to 0 in about 2 weeks. Blocked 100% of my headaches. When I got off the prednisone, had the WORST attacks of my life. It's almost like the beast is paying you back for blocking him out! These were 60 to 90 minute attacks that were an 11 on the kip scale. (I know it only goes to 10 but DAMN)Not sure if the steroid you were using are similar to prednisone but after two attempts we abandoned that. Good luck, mental attitude is everything in the fight.
Joe

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by JCM on May 2^nd, 2003, 9:29am

Joe,

That is exactly what I was taking and you are correct. I was about an 11 on the scale also. There was nothing I could do to relieve the pain, like you said the beast was paying me back for blocking him.

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by Bob P on May 2^nd, 2003, 1:29pm

Last cluster I went through 4 Medrol dosepacks. Each time the attacks stopped the first day but returned when I got down to the 2 tablet day.

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by Wendy1 on May 4^th, 2003, 8:10pm

OOOooooo, never, never drink till you are ABSOLUTELY sure.... learned the hard way! Prednisone is a miracle drug, but I've had to do a taper a couple of different times during a cycle, cause once you start reducing, they CAN come right back and you are back at step 1. GOSH I NEED A BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHGGGGGG :P

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by pinksharkmark on May 5^th, 2003, 11:52pm

Sprecco's description describes my experience perfectly, except in my case the headaches were 3 to 4 hours. Prednisone for me provided almost miraculous relief every time I would take a "burst", but only until the dosage level dropped below a certain level. Then The Beast returned and was he ever pissed! It is almost as if the prednisone didn't eliminate the pain for a week or so, but merely stored it ALL up to be delivered later!

By far the longest and most severe CHs I have ever endured have come in the few days following a prednisone "holiday". If there is such a thing as a Kip 11, it is surely experienced at the end of a prednisone session.

pinky

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by islandtimefl on May 6^th, 2003, 1:53pm

Geez. Now I'm terrified. My last dose of Prednisone is tonight. 100, 100, 100, 80, 60, 40 then twenty tonight. Am I going to get my ass kicked tomorrow or is this not the case with everyone? Any good results? The last few (stepdown) days have been easy but I have noticed a slight cluster whereas I didn't have one on the higher dose days. I think this cycle was about over but since it had lasted 4 months so far my neuro wanted me to try this. Any ideas of what I might expect anyone?

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by NewHeadPLZ on May 13^th, 2003, 3:05pm

Geez, are any of you taking Verapamil along with Prednisone. I do and although my Clusters return, they don't hit me that hard after tapering off.

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by islandtimefl on May 13^th, 2003, 4:01pm

I've been on Verapamil for about six (240 in am then 120 in pm)years now and although the clusters came back after the Prednisone treatment for me they weren't nearly as bad. I think the worst part was the fear of them. After looking at it on the internet I'm not too comfortable taking steroids. They made me feel pretty strange but nothing drastic. Never had the energy nor will to do anything though. The clusters are back now and I fear I may have gone chronic. They aren't too bad for a few weeks now but this "cycle" has lasted since January so far. I still hope and pray it is just a long cycle. Any input?

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by NewHeadPLZ on May 14^th, 2003, 7:41am

on 05/13/03 at 16:01:49, islandtimefl wrote:

I still hope and pray it is just a long cycle. Any input?

Wish I had an answer for that. My cycle before this one lasted 2 1/2 years. Then I got a break for about a year. Started back again beginning of last November. The ONLY thing that keeps them away is a high dose of Prednisone. I started tapering to 40mg two days ago. Did sleep well at all last night because of the Headaches again! Only about a KIP 5-6 but enough to wake me none the less.

Title: Re: Warning for others
Post by NewHeadPLZ on May 14^th, 2003, 7:42am

Ment to say didn't sleep well