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Title: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by brewcrew on Sep 10th, 2003, 6:51pm The last week of August I was on a business trip to the Twin Cities, and the abortives (Maxalt and O2) stopped working. Drove home with a three-hour-long icepick in my eyebrow. My neuro had forewarned me that the next step would be hospitalization for the intravenous DHE-45 treatment: 9 doses spaced 8 hours apart. I knew it was time. I was utterly pain-free while I was in the hospital, and some of the nurses even made the comment that hopefully this should buy me up to 6 months pain free. When making his rounds, my neuro said the drug would be in my system for 36 hours after I left, and sure as hell, 38 hours later I get another one. The difference this time is that the abortives have started working again (thank God). Just wondering if anyone else has done the IV DHE-45 thing and how it worked out. It's been 11 days since I checked out, and just the last three days has the beast shown any signs of going away. For a week it was 3-4 times per day, almost as though he was extra pissed off for being held down while I was in the hospital. One other thing: my neuro put me on an additional med, Amerge 2.5 mg 2x per day, tapering to once a day after two weeks. I can't even tell if it's doing any good. |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by Karla on Sep 10th, 2003, 9:08pm Well I am glad to hear you got some pain free relief while you were in the hospital. Sorry the beast came back so soon after. I figured that it would return sooner rather than latter. I have tried amerge. It is supose to keep the beast away for 8 hours. I found it to be as effective as imitrix. Meaning it only keept me pain free for 2 hours and then I got hit again. I hope you have better luck with it than I did. |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by Kenzie60 on Sep 11th, 2003, 5:18pm Hi brewcrew, I also did the DHE Iv in the beginning of May. It just about stopped my cycle at the time. I have only had minor shadows after the treatment for about 3 weeks and I have been pain free ever since. Did they send you home on DHE injections? Roseanne |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by brewcrew on Sep 11th, 2003, 6:03pm Hi, Roseanne - No DHE injections. My current regimen is 240 mg verapamil twice a day, 300 mg lithium 3 times a day, and 2.5 mg amerge twice a day. Maxalt and oxygen as needed to abort headaches. Knock on wood, I've only had one headache since Sunday which aborted after 15 minutes. Also, the severity of the headaches has been reduced after the IV treatment. I'm certainly thankful for that. Bill |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by Kenzie60 on Sep 12th, 2003, 7:16pm Bill, ask your doctor for DHE injections that you can use at home. I was also on the Verapamil, Elavil, Topamax. My dosage was 480mg a day. They also gave me Zyprexa as an abortive. The Zyprexa works great, but it takes about 20 minutes to start to work. It is good for a Kip 5-7. Anything higher than that I use the DHE injections. Good luck and I hope you have PF days. Roseanne |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by Georgia on Sep 12th, 2003, 11:41pm This was my experience with DHE: Posted by Georgia (64.209.31.245) on April 27, 2001 at 04:02:20: I spent 5 days in the hospital getting an IV of DHE-45, and during those 5 days I was pain free. I truly appreciated the break. One day after I got home, however, the beast returned with a vengeance. I think he did not like being shut out and he is making up for lost time. I have been at a constant level 4 shadow since then, with peaks more often than I can take. The peaks are lasting between 9-12 hours, with the beast reaking havoc...switching from side to side every hour, at a level 10 each time. I get about a 2 second break in between the lovely little side flip. He doesn't waste anytime building to a 10 anymore, just hits with everything he has in one fell swoop. My ch are worse than they have ever been, so I can not say that the DHE did nothing. It did something alright. Tonight, it was so bad, I was certain I was going to die, I thought it impossible for my eye not to explode. If only I could rip my fucking eyes out...The worst part is that I feel like I put everyone through this whole hospital thing for nothing, got their hopes up only to have them dashed to the floor and shit on. It is really getting to the point where I can't take anymore. I am just plain worn out. Sore. Exhausted. I live in constant fear. Why won't he just die already? I was ready to. If I only had the energy to do it. I am grateful to have many wonderful people in my life that refuse to let me give up. Fight the good fight, I am told. I just feel like I am fighting a losing battle. My new neuro, the one who put me in the hospital is being a total ass. He refuses to answer my phone calls. You see, he doesn't talk to patients on the phone. He can't make any money that way. And he is just refusing to give me anything worth a shit that will stop this fucking pain. I see him tomorrow and I pity any person that has to deal with me right now. My tolerance is gone. I am sorry, August. I know this is not what you wanted to hear. But I thank you for asking, and for listening. And thank you to all of the wonderful, brave people who sent me their love, their support, their strength. It means the world to me. And Dennis, my sweet, galient protecter, thank you especially. It is impossible for me to feel cursed with a friend like you. OK - I have ranted and raved enough. I will let you know what happens tomorrow and if the doc survives. :) Thanks for listening. Peace and love, Georgia |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by brewcrew on Sep 13th, 2003, 8:15am Roseanne - Thanks for the tips. If it gets bad enough, I will ask for the injections for use at home. Right now, the Maxalt and O2 will abort them in 15-20 minutes. Georgia - Eeegods! What a friggin' nightmare! I pray to God that it doesn't get that bad for you or anyone ever again. I'm not sure I'd have the stones to make it through what you describe. This week has brought with it a much needed reprieve, with only one HA last Tuesday. Gotta go to the lab Monday so my neuro can check my serum lithium levels. While I detest all the side effects of all the meds, I have to say: Good God, is it great to be able to sleep through the night once in awhile! It appears as though all of your kind thoughts and prayers have worked. Thank you! Bill |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by Karla on Sep 13th, 2003, 9:50am Just wanted to comment on something I just noticed. You stated that you were taking Amerg2.5 mg 2x a day and maxalt as needed. From everything I have read in the inserts of these 2 meds and from what I have been told by my neurologist you are not suppose to take these together within 24 hours of eachother. You may want to be sure you understood your drs instructions correctly and then if he insist get a second opinion. I have had 4 neuros tell me not to take two different triptans together within 24 hours. I was taking imitrix and axert, imitrix and zomig, imitrix and amerge and had to be very carefull not to mix them within 24 hours. Hope I made this understandable. Karla |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by brewcrew on Sep 13th, 2003, 11:01am My neuro said that when the pharmacist tells me to be very careful not to take them within 24 hours of each other, I should just smile and nod my head. In reality, he mixes triptans all the time. It was one of my first questions, and his response was that the FDA doesn't take the time to do any controlled triptan mixing experiments, so they just tell people not to mix them. I guess it might be a problem for someone who has a weak heart. But thanks for paying such close attention. The level of caring around here never ceases to amaze me! You're a peach! Bill |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by UnsolvedEquation on Sep 13th, 2003, 11:34pm I've had DHE several times. The last time was just 2 weeks ago. It always makes me feel fine while i'm on it, then...like you....the beast comes back quickly after it is stopped. I've never noticed my preventatives not working because of it...then again...preventatives never work for me....Only Imitrex. Once a doc at the ER gave me a shot of DHE IV after I had 8 Imitrex injections that day. I told him "You're gonna kill me"...Sure enough , my BP jumped WAY up. I had to get meds to bring it down quickly or I was risking a heart attack right then adn there. It was like 230/130 !! I wouldn't mix DHE and the triptans...It's 'double dippin' ! |
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Title: Re: Just Did the IV DHE-45 Treatment... Post by brewcrew on Sep 14th, 2003, 8:10am UnsolvedEquation - As I read back through my post, I can see that I was not very clear about what I was mixing and/or double-dipping. At no time was I taking any triptans at the same time any significant amount of DHE was in my system. My neuro said that mixing triptans (in my case Maxalt and Amerge) is fine as long I didn't exceed any of his recommended dosages of either. And I was using one (Amerge) as a preventative and the other (Maxalt) as an abortive. I will admit that there were times after having taken a Maxalt that my heart did a little jump from time to time, but I don't think he would have given me the green light to do both if there were any problems indicated on my EKG or blood pressure readings. In fact, while in the hospital, my BP readings were always in the 120/70 range, and that was while I had a full dose of the DHE corsing through my veins. Unlike you, I've never had to take 8 doses of any abortive in a day, so I can't even imagine.....:o Bill |
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