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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
        
(Message started by: b.bop on May 6^th, 2003, 11:37pm)

Title: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by b.bop on May 6^th, 2003, 11:37pm

Hi, I've just been prescribed Verapamil and was after any useful feedback on its effects and pro's/con's of using it. Any of your experiences would be fantastic :)

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by MINDBLOWIN on May 7^th, 2003, 2:47am

Hi there
Ive been using Verapamil for 3 years now and found it the best preventative so far. I've found "for me" 480mg a day of the slow release Tabs to work best, My tip is DON'T forget to take them. If I forget even just one, I'll pay for it for days. :-[ They do take a week, I found, once you start taking them to work, so give them a chance. I really hope they work for you ;D

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by Kenzie60 on May 7^th, 2003, 5:20am

Make sure you have a good laxative on hand. A week into taking the Verapamil you will need it. Trust me. ;D You will need it.

Roseanne

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by JDH on May 7^th, 2003, 10:11am

on 05/07/03 at 05:20:18, Kenzie60 wrote:

Make sure you have a good laxative on hand. A week into taking the Verapamil you will need it. Trust me. ;D You will need it.

Roseanne

I agree Rosanne.

But on the other hand by being constipated you can get a lot more done when you normally would've been wasting time sitting on the toilet. ;D

"irregular" Jim >:(

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by runningwildjoe on May 7^th, 2003, 5:32pm

I'm on my 2nd week & I'm finding that (6) Metamucil capsules daily has kept me a regular guy. I like the fact that they have natural psyllium fiber in them & they're not as "immediate" as regular laxatives.
I was sorta of curious though that, since they're called calcium "blockers", does that mean my bodies being "deprived" of calcium?

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by eyes_afire on May 7^th, 2003, 5:55pm

Hi Joe. I'm glad your strategy is working. I'm lucky that verapamil has been helping me also. They are not 'calcium blockers', they are calcium channel blockers. Calcium channels in the brain help conduct nerve impulses. Calcium ions are good conductors of electrical impulses, so when calcium fills the channels, the nerve conduction can occur. Verapamil blocks the channels to dampen the nerve impulse which in turn dampens the smooth muscle response (which includes contraction and dilation of blood vessels... and unfortunately intestinal motility). So I don't think that verapamil will deprive you of calcium.

B.bop, to answer your question, if your current form of verapamil ever stops working, you may want to consider changing to a different form. Some people have success using the immediate release verapamil when the SR (sustained release) and ER (extended release) fail.

Good luck to all

--- Steve, one of many...

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by b.bop on May 7^th, 2003, 7:30pm

Thanks everyone, SO much! Its so good to have my questions answered by people that have first hand experince. Thanx bazillions! ;D

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by Wendy1 on May 8^th, 2003, 9:39am

I have to tell you.... It is a MIRACLE. I have been episodic for 20+ yrs. Run the normal cycle with usually every med, and 3-4 trips to ER. Been to Diamond in Chicago. Basically done it all and seen it all. I started a cycle approx 6 wks ago. I started on 300mg Verapamil once daily. Went to my neuro and he upped me to 240mg twice daily. (I actually upped myself to 360mg) and my cycle has been stopped DEAD IN ITS TRACKS! I had a couple small ones that O2 took care of, but I can honestly say, I have NEVER had this happen. I have had every single injection to abort a cycle and nothing had worked in the past.

I am thanking GOD for a miracle. Hooray for Verapamil.

KEY HERE IS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON A HIGH ENOUGH DOSE!!!!!

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by stuey on May 8^th, 2003, 11:15am

I've used Verapamil for about 3 years after I had the first cycle of attacks. At first it got me constipated but that sorta left. I also take it for high blood pressure. If I take two pills I do get constipated though. I just got through (I hope it's finished) another cycle and started taking 1 1/2 pill. So to me Verapamil might be a preventative but the attacks can still come back. I hope it works for you. Prednisone worked 3 years ago and stopped them but this time around I wasn't as successful cause after 5 days they started again. I have used Imitrex and Cafergot but that's the only 2 meds I have used that helped at all. Hope you find everything you need to stop yours.

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by els on May 8^th, 2003, 7:33pm

Two nice big glasses of Citrucel every day. Sugar free for me cause I'm doing Atkin's and can't have the sugar. Twenty pounds since Feb 1st in case anyone wants to know. ;D
els

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by gills on May 9^th, 2003, 6:57am

2 Tips

1/ Do not miss a tablet. It seems to hold the CH's back. I rely on Verapamil. 3 times a day fast release. If I miss one I will suffer big time.

2/ Buy a shoe horn.

3/ Try Imigran self injectors (Imitrex) as a back up to Verapamil. They are amazing. Instant total relief for me.

Gills

Title: Re: I'm new to Verapamil, any tips?
Post by NewHeadPLZ on May 9^th, 2003, 2:54pm

I've been a Verapamil for 6 months now very high doses at times, but they still seem to break through. Switched to fast release two weeks ago, no help. Started back on prednisone yesterday, no headaches since. Oh yea, the laxatives - a must ::)