Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> What Works and What Don't
        
(Message started by: duck_soup on Feb 1^st, 2004, 1:22am)

Title: What Works and What Don't
Post by duck_soup on Feb 1^st, 2004, 1:22am

I've been getting CH since 1980 yearly but have been free the last 3 years. I'm episodic with cycles lasting 6-8 weeks. When things are bad, I'm getting 2-3 per day, which would last up to 4 hours if I ever let them go. I've tried verapimil in previous cycles with not much success. Because of the limited length of the cycles, I've always fought them with abortives, O2 and imitrex. During my last cycle, I tried taking half the imitrex injection and it worked great. However, this time it was working up until when my cycle really hit it's stride. Now when I take half a shot, it makes the CH real bad (like it always does), but instead of going away, it stays bad until I take the other half of the shot. Also, it seems that the O2 is not working as well except when I get one at night and the pain is just bad enough to wake me.

What does work is prednesone. I use it when things get real bad and I'm starting to wig out on the imitrex. I just started my taper yesterday and I can feel things starting to relax. I'll finish up in nine days and I always hope that they're gone, but usually I'll have to get through the whole 6-8 weeks. I usually go off the prednesone and wait until they build up again before going back on (usually 1-2 weeks), since it supposed to be bad for you to stay on it.

My questions for the group are:

1. Does anyone else treat them this way and just wait them out?

2. Does the half imitrex dose work at the beginning and end of the cycle, but a whole 6 mg is needed in the middel? I'm male, 6 ft 200 lb if that makes a difference.

3. What is the group's experience with prednesone? It seems to really help me when I get hot and heavy into my cycle. It might be bad for you, but 2-3 shots of imitrex per day can't be good either. Also, on my prescription plan, a taper of prednesone costs 69-cents compared to about $15 a shot for imitrex.

Thanks in advance for the info.

Rick

Title: Re: What Works and What Don't
Post by TxBasslady on Feb 1^st, 2004, 1:50am

Rick,
I have never used the imitrex. You will find alot here on the board in re to what mixtures of meds work for most.

The Prednisone worked wonders for me...the 1st day of my taper, the ha's were gone. That was 142 days ago.
I have had no ha's, and no shadows. However, the Pred does not work for all. Most that take it, the ha's return as soon as they begin to taper, or within a day or so after the taper their ha's return. Just another example of how different we all are.

There is a link to the left that shows how to divide the trex into 3 doses. Seems for alot here, the 1/3 shot works. Looks like it might not work for you though.

I thought I had read somewhere....maybe in the posts in the General or maybe Med board that the Imitrex could cause rebound ha's. I am not certain of that....and I certainly am not a dr. But since the meds affect us all differently, you might need to check with your dr and find a better combo of meds that will work better for you.

I sure hope you get what you need to fight the beast!

PF vibes,

Jean

Title: Re: What Works and What Don't
Post by Stevieray on Feb 1^st, 2004, 3:52pm

I used the Imitex nasal spray to abort my CHs. The pills took too long and I couldn't get the injectable. They said it wasn't available. That's OK cuz I don't really relish the idea of sticking myself with a needle anyway. The NS is so easy to use anyway. I'm also on Li and Verap. PF day #17 now

Title: Re: What Works and What Don't
Post by Giovanni on Feb 1^st, 2004, 5:46pm

Hello,

The prednesone seemed to work in one of my cycles, but for two others had nothing but complications and the headache immediately returned during the taper. I developed thrush, gained 10 pounds. Personally, I never do it again. Having said that, many people here have used it with success.

Imitrex dosage seem to vary between individuals. If I use anything less than 1/2 doesn't work. On some headaches one needs a full stat dose. The key to the shots are to take them quickly when the headache starts rather than when the headache is fully developed.
Probably a good plan would be to try the O2 then the imitrex if not successful.

Also, look up the links on melatonin. Some of us had luck with this and is readily available OTC and cheap.

Good luck

John

Title: Re: What Works and What Don't
Post by Artie on Feb 2^nd, 2004, 7:22am

My husband has chronic clusters. He is on verapamil and depakote as preventative and uses imitrex or amerge for breakthroughts. For several years he has benefitted from prednisone tapers. He still has to take the vera/depakote, but it reduces the amount of imitrex/amerge he has to use. He used to do the tapers 2-3 times a year, this past year he needed them every 8 weeks or so. Last month the prednisone stopped working at all. I think the bottom line is that prednisone can be helpful for some, but there are alot of side effects with long term use (loss of bone mass, immunosupression, water retention, personality changes and more) . Also, you can become resistant to it, so use it with great care. Hope this helps. Artie