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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too much?
        
(Message started by: Chuffy on Feb 9^th, 2004, 3:58pm)

Title: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too much?
Post by Chuffy on Feb 9^th, 2004, 3:58pm

I am I hope coming to the end of a 6 week Cluster but am having to take on average two tablets a day.
I am now getting a bit scared that I am going to do myself in with this level of dosage.
The trouble is as i'm sure you are all aware is that I'm more scared of having a full blown CH.
Anyone else taken this much without bad effects?

Title: Re: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too m
Post by Samantha_Smith on Feb 9^th, 2004, 7:31pm

The Physician's Drug Handbook says:

6 mg maximum per attack, no more than 6 mg per 24 hour period, 10 mg maximum per week

It sounds like you may be just about at the limit. I used to take Cafergot suppositories and I found that it caused numbness in my fingers and toes when I used too much. The Drug Handbook says some people can have nausea, vomiting, and heart problems. You can also have problems with rebound headaches. When in doubt call your doc. Maybe there's some other med that's better for you.

Title: Re: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too m
Post by Chuffy on Feb 10^th, 2004, 5:06am

Just recieved a letter off my GP saying he is prepared to give me the O2, praise the lord! ;;D

Title: Re: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too m
Post by t_h_b on Feb 10^th, 2004, 7:06am

Congratulations on getting the O2.

You may already know about this, but OUCH UK has the proper regulators to go on the tank to dispense enough O2 for you. They will lend you one to try and I think they let you buy it if the oxygen works for you--

Title: Re: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too m
Post by Edski_1 on Feb 10^th, 2004, 7:27am

Cafergot worked relatively well for me, but scared me nonetheless...something about the possibility of ergotism. Nothing like thinking about dimensia and fingertips falling off to make you wonder if the cure was worse than the the sickness...

Nevermind that there is not a single case of ergotism ever happening from commercial ergotamine drugs, but just the possibility was enough to turn my stomach. But before I started taking topamax a month or so ago I was taking a cafergot pill roughtly once a day for almost 3 months...

While I suppose there are people for which ergotamines are the best choice I have to believe that this med has to be considered an "old" treatment" option. From all that's been said on this board the oxygen option is probably the better choice. :)

Title: Re: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too m
Post by Bob P on Feb 10^th, 2004, 9:59am

At the hight of a cluster I take between 20 - 30 tabs of cafergot per week. Never had anything worse than cold fingers and toes. It sures gets the doctors worked up though.

Title: Re: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too m
Post by Edski_1 on Feb 10^th, 2004, 11:41am

on 02/10/04 at 09:59:30, Bob P wrote:

It sures gets the doctors worked up though.

LOL! :)

Title: Re: The amount of Cafergot I have to take is too m
Post by mediccpc on Feb 11^th, 2004, 9:25am

Cafergot is a drug I use to take in the late 1970's. And you are correct you have to take tons to even touch this beast. I would recommend you find a different doctor and get on some other medication. Do you take the Cafergot SL or PB?