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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Out of luck ? 
        
(Message started by: guy on Sep 20^th, 2003, 5:25pm)

Title: Out of luck ?
Post by guy on Sep 20^th, 2003, 5:25pm

I'm new here and hopeing I'm not out of alternatives . I got a 18 month break by useing Norvasc ( calcium channel blocker ) and prednisone . They appear to be no longer affective . My life has totally gone to hell suddenly , a feeling it seems you all know of .
I plan to see if there are any other groups of medications that are helpfull ( I remember trying a seizure medication that didn't work . ) I'll ask a doctor , but you guys (and ladies ) are the real experts , with a wealth of experiance in sorting it all out . Are there any other meds I've overlooked ? ( not counting imitrex types ? If any of you have any Ideas I'd be so greatfull , it probably beats the drill in the head Idea I thought of last night . Thanks , Guy ???

Title: Re: Out of luck ?
Post by ClusterChuck on Sep 20^th, 2003, 5:51pm

Guy, sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us.

Have you read the drugs listed in the OUCH site? I think the most effective preventative that a lot of people use here is verapamil. Some have to take as much as 900+ mg per day, but it does work for a lot of people.

The most effective (excluding imitrex) is pure oxygen. Read up about it at the button on the left.

Also, look at the medication survey to see what people are taking and what is working for them.

Let us know how things are working out for you.
Chuck

Title: Re: Out of luck ?
Post by eyes_afire on Sep 20^th, 2003, 6:09pm

Hi Guy.
It seems that the favorite calcium channel blocker among clusterheads is verapamil (aka: calan, covera, isoptin, or verelan). I'm mentioning this in case you want to exhaust your options with calcium channel blockers before moving on to the nastier meds.

There may be a couple of things you can try with verapamil, provided you talk to your doctor first:

1. Increase the dosage if your doctor allows you. For many clusterheads, this helps.

2. Change to a different formulation. Many clusterheads find that immediate release verapamil works better than ER or SR (although there are some who are having success with SR, myself included).

In either case, you should consult your doctor first.

--- Steve

Title: Re: Out of luck ?
Post by Bob_Johnson on Sep 25^th, 2003, 7:41am

The medical literature is full of stories about a med being effective and then failing. Why is another unknown. But you are not alone on this one.

Suggest you explore the meds button on the left of the page. Also go to: www.headachedrugs.com and search for the section on cluster meds. Look for the two books which this doc has written; two of the best I've found.

Very important, if you have the option, to find a doc with experience in treating headache. Large numbers of docs have neither the training or experience to allow them to be effective.

Title: Re: Out of luck ?
Post by Flash on Sep 25^th, 2003, 12:50pm

The only truely effective treatment is shrooms. They are the best weapon we have, everything else is feeble.

If you really don't want to suffer with CH then visit:

www.clusterbusters.com

Title: Re: Out of luck ?
Post by tommyD on Sep 25^th, 2003, 5:26pm

Flash has a good point, if maybe a little overstated. Not all the options are "on the left." And shrooms seem to be the best treatment yet found.

I just did a quick look at the medications survey results on the left.

Imitrex injections are the most effective treatment of the medications surveyed, and they are about 75 percent effective at best, and that is as an abortive.

The best preventive on the survey: steroids (usually prednisone). They are about 68 percent effective, and come with a whole wagonload of nasty side effects.

Next best: calcium channel blockers (usually verapamil), about 58 percent effective.

My conservative estimate, based on reports of those who've tried it, is that shrooms are 80 to 85 percent effective. Pinksharkmark, who has seen more reports than I have, puts it at 90 percent.

And figure this into the equation: long-term preventive, very few doses required, little or no long-term side effects, very low toxicity, non-addictive, very inexpensive, no hassles with doctors, HMO's, insurance companies...

Worst drawback: an "overdose" can lead to a psychedelic trip, which can be very enjoyable or very unenjoyable, or anywhere in between, for a few or several hours.

So check out www.clusterbusters.com. Whatever you try, good luck.

-tommyD

Title: Re: Out of luck ?
Post by Prense on Sep 25^th, 2003, 6:20pm

on 09/20/03 at 18:09:12, eyes_afire wrote:

I'm mentioning this in case you want to exhaust your options with calcium channel blockers before moving on to the nastier meds.

Definately do this if you can!