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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> My first Immigran experience
        
(Message started by: KenB on Jun 23^rd, 2003, 1:45am)

Title: My first Immigran experience
Post by KenB on Jun 23^rd, 2003, 1:45am

Hi all,

I'm back in Painland after a 5 year break from CH's. They came back about 4 weeks ago and I've been getting about 5 or 6 a week since then. 4 or 5 of them have been screamers! :o Anyway, went to a GP who was very helpful and took me through the various meds available with related side effects etc. I started with Migranat (Ergotamine and Caffeine) but I may as well have been eating tofu for all the good it did. Last week I asked him about Immigran and he prescribed the nasal spray. That night I felt one coming on so I used the spray. The pain kept coming for about 15 mins and then completely disappeared! Fell asleep shortly after that and had the freakiest dream (I was floating around the room and my cheeks kept filling up with air - weird :-/). Next morning I was woken at 6.30 with another one!! Aagghh!! My only option was to take a Migranat - which didn't work. The pain lasted about 4 hours - which is one of the longest attacks I've had.

I'm not sure if there's really a point to this posting - I know we all have our stories of pain and frustration. The thing that gets to me almost as much as the pain is the anxiety. It's going to bed worrying if you're going to get hit. It's getting up the next morning wondering where the next one is going to come from. Still, it's a relief to know that there are others out there who will read this post and know where I'm coming from and for that I am grateful. I don't think I could handle this if I thought I was on my own.

Thanks for listening to my rambling all the way from Dublin.

KenB

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by Mark C on Jun 23^rd, 2003, 2:03am

Welcome to the board Ken,
I know all too well the anxiety you speak of...we all do. Waiting for the other shoe to drop. The beast seems to lurk and hide...waiting for a weakness in our defenses...like sleep. What a cruel disease.

You or I will never have to suffer alone, wondering if anyone else could ever understand just how bad this hurts, both physically and mentally. A bunch of us here know. Welcome home and please...vent away.

PFDAN's
Mark

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by cathy on Jun 23^rd, 2003, 4:01am

Welcome Ken...sorry your getting hit so bad... :'(

maybe someone could answer this for me...with the nasal spray can you not use it more than once..?? just wondered as if you can and it worked within 15 minutes the first time, could you have not used it again....Wes was only ever prescribed the tablets so I really don't know the answer to this.

Thanks

PF vibes to you Ken and to anyone else who is in cycle at the moment.

Cathy :)

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by KenB on Jun 23^rd, 2003, 7:37am

In relation to the nasal spray - it can only be used once every 24 hours.

Thanks for the positive vibes :D

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by clavers on Jun 23^rd, 2003, 9:31am

Ken, get the injections. They work better, quicker, and longer.

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by KenB on Jun 24^th, 2003, 2:00am

Used the Immigran nasal spray again last night - took about an hour to work this time. Went back to bed - fell asleep and was woken up about 2 hours later by another one!! This one lasted about an hour again - fell back asleep and woke up this morning with another one which I still have - 2 hours later - this is really starting to drive me mad! What can I take to make it go away?!?!?!? ???

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by jmorgan52 on Jun 24^th, 2003, 3:26am

Ken

From what I have seen on this board and from my own exerience, the nasal spray works well for some but not others. It also depends on how you administer it, like a good nose blow before doing it, inhale deep, keep one nostril closed. It is quite hit and miss.

I have tried:

Nasal spray 6 times - no real relief inside an hour.

Tablet 6 times - sporadic relief if you take it quick enough, but mostly useless.

Injection 100's of times - worked every single time, in less than 10 minutes no matter how long you leave it before injecting.

Also tried Maxalt MLT 6 times - useless!!!!!! no relief at all.

John

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by cathy on Jun 24^th, 2003, 12:09pm

Hey sorry to hear that your still getting hit....you don't mention using O2 in your post...lots of info on O2 and lots good results....

btw...thanks for answering my question on the nasal spray...

Sending you PF vibes.

Keep us posted on how your getting on.

Cathy :)

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by KenB on Jun 25^th, 2003, 7:32am

Latest update - stopped taking Immigran Nasal Spray (damn thing doesn't seem to work!). Started taking Celebrex. Felt one coming on this morning so I took one - 15 mins later and there was no sign of pain :).

Hopefully I'll have some success from this cos my GP wants to use Prednisone next if this doesn't work and the thought of Steroids scares me a bit. I'll keep you all posted.

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by jmorgan52 on Jun 25^th, 2003, 8:01am

Sorry Ken, but as far as I can see Celebrex is nothing more than a fancy brand of the Aspirin "family" of NSAIDs. It's primary use seems to be as an anti-imflamitory for Arthritis.

I find ususally some relief from this type of drug very early on in my cycle when the pain levels are low, but a month into the cluster cycle and only imigran inj provides relief.

I am glad it worked for you, but I have some serious doubts that it will work when you have a real serious kip 10. May be you took it early enough before the pain really got a grip?

Please keep us informed of it's usefulness longer term in the next few weeks.

John

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by Ueli on Jun 25^th, 2003, 8:52am

Sorry John, but you are seeing wrong,
Celebrex (celecoxib) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) but Aspirin is not.
Aspirin has certainly nothing to do in the treatment of CH.
Celebrex has a excellent track record in the treatment of CPH. Many that cannot tolerate the heavy side effects of Indomethacine have great success with Celebrex.
Although Celebrex is not the first choice to treat CH, it is certainly worth a shot if other meds fail.

PFNADs
Ueli

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by Kwill on Jun 25^th, 2003, 6:03pm

Hey Ken! Also tried Immigran for the first time last night (100gm tab) but it might as well have been a placebo :( - still, after about an hour and a half, I found some cafergot that I thought I had finished (and which, in any case, has not worked for me for at least a month) - but, hey presto! pain eased off after about ten minutes!
I don't expect it to work again too soon, as I develop a tolerance with indecent haste to any good solution.

However - can the injection really be so effective if the tablet doesn't touch sides? Must investigate that a.s.a.p

take care - hope you find the magic drug. I must say, when something actually works, as it now and again does, it's like winning the lottery.

kwill

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by jmorgan52 on Jun 26^th, 2003, 2:02am

Sorry Ueli, but please look at
http://www.nsaid.net/

it says:

OTC and Prescription NSAIDs
Some NSAIDs are currently available over the counter at pharmacies. The other NSAIDs listed below require a prescription from your doctor (U.S.).

Common OTC names include:
ibuprofen (Advil®)
naproxen (Aleve® or Naprosyn®)
aspirin (Bayer®)
acetaminophen (Tylenol®) a non-opiod analgesic {not technically an NSAID}

Rx (prescription) names include:
celecoxib --Celebrex®
diclofenac -- Voltaren®
etodolac --Lodine®
fenoprofen -- Nalfon®
indomethacin -- Indocin®
ketoprofen - Orudis®, Oruvail®
ketoralac --Toradol®
oxaprozin -- Daypro®
nabumetone -- Relafen®
sulindac -- Clinoril®
tolmetin -- Tolectin®
rofecoxib -- Vioxx®

I reckon Aspirin IS and NSAID

John

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by jon69 on Jun 26^th, 2003, 3:43am

can the injection really be so effective if the tablet doesn't touch sides? Must investigate that a.s.a.p

Hi Kwill! When I was first diagnosed with CH around ten years ago, I was lucky enough to have a GP that knew of the condition. He prescribed me Imigran tablets very early on and they did work for me (providing they are taken very early on, preferably at the shadow stage). But they were useless if the attack was already full blown; if i woke in the night with the demon already visiting, I knew I was in for a rough ride.

I continued with the tablets for about two years I think before my GP told me about the injections (I think they had only just become available).

Next time I awoke with a CH already at the kip 7 stage, I took a shot and waited, rocking and pacing untill it kicked in. The relief about 10 mins after was incredible!

I once read somewhere, or perhaps my GP told me, that one of the peculiarities of CH and migraines in general, is that during an attack the stomach cannot absorb any medication, making any pain relief taken orally extremely hit and miss so this may account for your experience with the tablets.

I have always stuck with my injections since that first time, and I strongly recommend you try them. I'm a newbie here and from what I see so far, most people who use the injections would agree. I did try the nasal spray once; for me that didn't work, so it was back to my trusty jabs.

Only prob with the jabs, as you may know, is that doctors are sometimes reluctant to supply them in the quantities some sufferers need as they are expensive to produce, and you are limited to two shots in any 24 hr period.

A note to Ken - Sorry that after five years you're being hit again. Stick with it and just have faith that you will return to normal again. Keep us informed.

Wishing you and all fellow sufferers relief and love.

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by ijunG4 on Jun 26^th, 2003, 7:36am

About various forms of sumatriptan intake:

I've never bothered trying tablets, but I doubt they could work fast enough to abort an attack. Survey results seem to back this.

I suppose I'm one of the few that prefers nasal spray over injection.

I just get too much nausea and dull nasty pain behind my neck using injection, even with only 3mg dose.

As for nasal spray, I have to agree that the effectiveness is highly dependent on technique. Be sure to read the instructions, blow your nose, and use the nostril with the better air flow. I also "stack the odds" of a successful abort by combining Be Koool pad on my neck and taking std. dose of Excedrin. Of course, it helps to administer any countermeasures as early as possible when it becomes a bona-fide attack.

When I use the nasal spray successfully (90% of the time), I can almost feel and visualize the chemicals making a difference instantaneously. The times when nasal spray are ineffective, I can usually tell that I botched the inhaling due to sub-par conditions such as applying while driving, spray not "misting" enough, etc.

We should each use what works best for us, but nasal spray does have the advantage of convenience and ease of use. I can use spray during work at my desk, during meetings, etc. without getting too much "suspicion", but I imagine many people might think the injection would be a bit wierd. Some people will just never understand why anyone would have to use injections "just for a headache", so at least the spray allows me to get relief immediately for maximum effectiveness without raising unnecessary questions, esp. at work.

Even so, I have to stockpile my supply all year just to barely get by during my cycle.

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by jon69 on Jun 26^th, 2003, 8:44am

Hi ijun
Yeah I can see how the nasal spray is more convenient to use - fortunately, my attacks almost always occur at night, so I don't need to worry about people seeing me inject myself in the ass! Like you I can almost feel the chemicals rush trough my viens to my head.

Would like to try the spray again but I would be scared in case I got it wrong - not worth the pain if I did.

Forgot to mention, I also use the oxygen which I find great if the attack is cought early enough! If nothing else, I find rocking to and frow while breathing steady with the mask quite soothing at times

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by KenB on Jun 26^th, 2003, 9:44am

The Celebrex seems to be keeping the pain at bay - haven't had an attack over a 3 or so for 3 days now. Not sure if it's the meds or maybe I'm coming to the end of this cycle. Either way it's better than this time last week which can only be a good thing! ;D

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by ijunG4 on Jun 26^th, 2003, 9:54am

Hi jon,

I agree with all of that.

I know exactly what you mean by "not worth the pain" when the spray happens to misfire. I also started injections this cycle specifically because even with 90% success rate of spray, the 10% is agonizing pain, sometimes becoming "pure hell".

If not for the lousy side-effects I get with injections, I would have preferred to use it for the reliability...

I'm starting to get more and more attacks at night, so I'm going to ask my neuro to see if I can start on oxygen. There's no way to have enough Imitrex for day use otherwise.

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by jonny on Jun 26^th, 2003, 7:04pm

I find that buffrin works in ten minutes when I wake up with a HA.

..................................jonny

Title: Re: My first Immigran experience
Post by KenB on Jun 27^th, 2003, 3:30am

Pain free last night - still not sure if it's the Celebrex or maybe it's the end of a cycle. This is my 1st cycle for 5 years so I've sort of forgotten how it feels (not the pain obviously - but the cycle stages). Fingers crossed for a 2nd PFN in a row! :)