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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Mixing Meds
        
(Message started by: jmc1106 on Oct 14^th, 2003, 8:51am)

Title: Mixing Meds
Post by jmc1106 on Oct 14^th, 2003, 8:51am

I'm a little concerned about how many medications my husband ends up in his system. His CH's seem to vary quite a bit. Sometimes a Percocet will knock them down, so he tends to try that first. He is also likely to have some ibuprofen in his system at this point, for the regular headache he has had all day. He might try a second Percocet. Then he'll yell at me to bring him a Maxalt. He is also taking Inderal as a preventative right now, though I don't think it is working. I'm worried about how all these things may be interacting. Should I try and talk him into skipping everything else and going straight to the Maxalt?

Thanks!
Jan

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by vig on Oct 14^th, 2003, 11:33am

he shouldn't be yelling at you to bring him his maxalt.
bad behavior is still inexcusable.

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by Bob P on Oct 14^th, 2003, 12:53pm

The percs have no place in treating CH. Chuck them or save them for recreational use.

Inderal is good for treating migraines but seldom helps CH. Switch to verapamil.

Take the Maxalt at the first sign of an attack.

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by Bob_Johnson on Oct 14^th, 2003, 1:01pm

Agree with BobP and would add: If he is taking OTC pain meds daily he is vulnerable for rebound headache, i.e.,headache caused by the med.

Your doc is not up to date in the meds being used. Might consider finding someone with more experience and explore the buttons on the left for med ideas.

Explore: www.headachedrugs.com for good guidance. This site is run by a headache doc.

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by jmc1106 on Oct 14^th, 2003, 1:31pm

Oh my goodness, it's not like my husband is some lazy slob yelling at his old lady to bring him a beer during the football game! If he's in the next room, down on the floor, and can't even see to get the package open, of course I expect him to yell for my help (and I hope to God he'd do the same for me!)

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by Bob P on Oct 14^th, 2003, 1:43pm

Good call Bob J. The OTC stuff is useless too. I took asprin by the handful one cluster bout and all I got was a duodenal ulcer. Never stopped one headache.

I'll tell ya JMC, when I'm in a cluster my meds are never out of my reach. And if some sadistic bastard has designed a package that takes a Makita and vice grips to open, I open them all while not hurting and put them in something easier to get at.

If he's gonna stick with Maxalt he shold look at the Maxalt-MLT. Melts under your tongue and is faster to work.

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by Prense on Oct 14^th, 2003, 9:44pm

MLT does melt and most (including me) would assume that it would work faster, but it just is not the case. Apparently, the pill version works quicker than the MLT...both at 10mg. Check it out for yourself at rxlist.com. I couldn't believe it either.

Anyway, if OTC meds are working, then what's the problem?? If they don't work, then DO NOT TAKE THEM. Percocet is for fairly mild pain control...CH is not relatively mild. Even demerol did not touch my attacks...however, we are all different. If your hubby is looking for consistent relief from the beast, I'd say try out O2. Otherwise, if the maxalt works, then use it. Many find much faster relief with imitrex injections. Some folks cannot take trex for various reasons, and some folks claim fairly rapid relief with maxalt.

FYI, maxalt, in any form, takes over an hour to reach its full potential from each dose. I am not saying that its full potential is required to abort an attack...just showing the absorbtion rate. It never worked for me at all.

Leave the narcs and OTC meds alone...just my opinion for what it's worth. Check out the O2, and if the maxalt takes too long, try the trex injections.

Best wishes for you and your hubby Jan!

Chris

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by jmc1106 on Oct 15^th, 2003, 4:24pm

Thanks, we will try the Imitrex injection tonight. We are going to try Prednisone too. The doctor was helpful this morning, and gave us a couple of samples. She also said it was not a problem to use both the narcotics and the triptans. A couple of Percocet DOES work for the milder headaches during the day, so we will continue to use it for that purpose. It doesn't help the ones at night though.

Last night was the worst, but the Maxalt did start to give some relief after about half an hour. I think he was asleep 10 minutes later.

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by Prense on Oct 15^th, 2003, 6:46pm

I hear ya Jan, and by all means you should follow the advice of your doc. Just tossing out the caution about the narcs and OTCs. It's not so much an issue of mixing meds...just pain management. Some folks end up in a vicious cycle with those as well as OTC. Take the med to kill the HA...med creates a new HA later on, take the med to kill the HA.... There is plenty of info about these rebound HAs. Not to mention, people can get addicted to narcs. There are other hazards associated with the over indulgence of OTC meds.

Consider that many cluster heads get hit 3+ times daily. That would definately be too much of those kinds of meds on a recurring basis.

Supposedly, trex taken over time in this manner doesn't create rebounds or an addiction. It just has the 2 per day limit which can easily be circumvented with the Imitrex tip link on the left. There are a few here who say they get rebounds from the trex though. Oh well...

Hopefully, the predisnone will kill the cycle quickly! You didn't say whether he was episodic or not...

Best wishes for you guys!
Chris

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by hyperacktive on Oct 16^th, 2003, 2:38am

Here is an article I found on WebMD regarding potential problems with mixing drugs that affect serotonin.

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/18/1689_51830.htm?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

If its already been posted, apologies for being redundant.

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by HypnoticFreddy on Oct 16^th, 2003, 7:53am

Percocet, or oxycodone, is not for fairly mild pain control. It is prescribed for the treat of mild to severe pain, and believe me........I am now attending NA meetings because I started ordering its cousin, Vicodin (hydrocodone) off the internet (can you believe this?!?). I love opiates, and that is a separate issue. As it has been said before, opiates such as Percocet, are not recommended for the treatment of CH's. And believe me......HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.

-HypnoticFreddy

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by jmc1106 on Oct 16^th, 2003, 8:13am

I think we'll be okay with this. Hubby has only been taking the Percocet once a day--twice at the most, and sometimes not at all. He does NOT like taking medicine! He is episodic, possibly has been for years but this is only the second episode where the headaches have gotten unbearable. The Prednisone may be working--he had a milder HA last night, got through it with a Percocet and cold compress. He'll only be on the Prednisone for 5 days, and then that will be it. I know that isn't a long-term option, but the doctor was hopeful that it might break the cycle. Crossing fingers, he did NOT have a cluster after falling asleep last night! Yippee!!!

Title: Re: Mixing Meds
Post by Prense on Oct 16^th, 2003, 6:11pm

Many people have good fortune with Prednisone. I hope it works out for you! ;D