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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Inderal Question
        
(Message started by: Tiannia on Jan 13^th, 2004, 3:07pm)

Title: Inderal Question
Post by Tiannia on Jan 13^th, 2004, 3:07pm

ok. I had a gp put me on inderal last July (80mg, I think) , I have been taking it nightly since then. My refills are almost out and I am not sure if they have helped at all or not. Is this a drug that I can just stop taking or do I need to get the refill and get weened off of it? My mom, the med goo roo who takes a ton of crap told me that I cont just stop taking it, but I would like some input here please.

Tiannia

Title: Re: Inderal Question
Post by Prense on Jan 13^th, 2004, 7:20pm

I have no idea...personally, I stopped cold at that dosage with no problems after a month on it.

Maybe a question for the doc or pharmacist...

Chris

Title: Re: Inderal Question
Post by chronic_chic on Jan 13^th, 2004, 10:34pm

i stopped it cold, too, but it might not have been at the same dose. i took it 3 years ago, and i have no clue what dose i took. not a high one. just call like 1800Eckerd or something like that and ask a 24 hour pharmacist...they'll tell you straight up and then you can decide for yourself. I always ask them blunt things like when my meds say don't drink...I say, "Will it kill me if I have a drink on this?" They are great about giving you the real facts. :)

~Lizz

Title: Re: Inderal Question
Post by LSUnut on Jan 14^th, 2004, 3:27pm

The pharmacist isn't going to be able to give you a clear answer to your question based on the drugs usual indications (unless for whatever reason they are familiar with CH and its use as a preventative, but I don't remember covering that in my medicinal chemistry class with the pharmacy students). Remember, inderal is used for blood pressure and usually at higher doses. It's ill-advised to tell someone with hypertension who might be taking 240mg/day to just stop taking it for fear of a very severe rebound cardiovascular event. If you don't have high blood pressure to begin with, you'll probably be ok stopping that dose. I take inderal (40-80mg/night) during my episodes and stop when it's over, just as others have mentioned they abruptly quit. But, it never hurts to ask, good luck. ;;D

Title: Re: Inderal Question
Post by Bob_Johnson on Jan 17^th, 2004, 9:32am

If you are using it for cluster--generally a waste of time. This is a old timer for migraine but does not work well for cluster compared to many new choices we have.

Why not call your doc's office and tell them you want to stop using it and what is their advice on tapering or not.
A visit is not needed.

If you are forced to use a GP for cluster, suggest you get one of the following. You can offer information to him to guide your treatment. IF he won't work with you this way--find another doc.
---
HANDBOOK OF HEADACHE MANAGEMENT, 2nd ed., Au. Joel Saper, MD, 1999, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. A highly condensed volume for doctors but good for "advanced" clusterheads who have a grasp of medical terminology and medications. Covers all types of headache with the section on cluster being brief. Sections on general considerations in treatment and on medications are important.

MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $49 at Amazon.Com. This volume is better organized and easier to read for nonprofessionals compared to Saper's book. It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.