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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Need some advice....
        
(Message started by: PatFan on Feb 6^th, 2004, 12:11pm)

Title: Need some advice....
Post by PatFan on Feb 6^th, 2004, 12:11pm

I began a cycle about a month ago and started taking 120mg X 2 a day of Verapamil and so far it has eliminated any headaches. I only have minimal shadows once in a while when the Verapamil is wearing off. I won't increase to my full dose of 240mg 2/day until I need to. I have read a lot about the success of melatonin and want to give it a try, starting with the .5mg and progress upward if I need to. And how long in between upping the doses should be given. Since my headaches are under control with Verap, should I try this melatonin thing or leave well enough alone. I would hate to screw the whole thing up and start having the bad ones again. Yet I do like the idea of controlling the headaches with non-prescription drugs, and melatonin occurs naturally in the body anyway. It might be difficult to tell if the melatonin was helping if I stay on the Verap and it was still controlling the HA's. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Title: Re: Need some advice....
Post by thomas on Feb 6^th, 2004, 12:29pm

Since you have this cycle "under control" I would wait until next time to experiment.

Title: Re: Need some advice....
Post by PatFan on Feb 6^th, 2004, 12:32pm

That was my "gut" feeling. Is melatonin all you take? It seems like I remember reading that you take Magnesium also.......

Title: Re: Need some advice....
Post by thomas on Feb 6^th, 2004, 12:38pm

Hot steamy shower 1 hour before bed, 3mg melatonin + 2mg time release melatonin 45 min before bed - don't go to sleep untill you feel the melatonin working. 20mg prozac and 250 mg of magnesium in the morning.

Title: Re: Need some advice....
Post by 9erfan on Feb 6^th, 2004, 5:13pm

Don't mess with what's working PatFan. Melatonin doesn't work for everyone. It didn't work for me and in fact SCREWED up my sleep cycle.

Title: Re: Need some advice....
Post by t_h_b on Feb 6^th, 2004, 6:58pm

Ditto, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I was taking verapamil for more than a year PRIOR to starting melatonin.

The verapamil helped with the intensity and frequency but in no way eliminated my attacks, which still occured almost daily. The verapamil also made them less predictable as to time and I never knew when I would get hit.

The melatonin worked for me from the first time I took it (0.3mg) and when I upped it to 0.5mg it almost completely eliminated my CH.

Melatonin is non-prescription in the US but it is prescription or banned in countries all over the world. It is a serious drug, a hormone, but it has escaped FDA regulation as a quirk because it does occur naturally in some foods. (I am not sure but I think the other non-prescription hormone is estrogen from soy sources.) I have read that the FDA has started trying to get melatonin off the shelves.

Melatonin being unavailable is a frightening thought to me. But thinking that you're better off on melatonin just because it's non-prescription is not really valid. It probably has more serious effects on your body (BRAIN) than verapamil.

Again, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Repeat it to yourself until you believe it!