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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
        
(Message started by: floridian on Apr 28^th, 2004, 12:02pm)

Title: Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
Post by floridian on Apr 28^th, 2004, 12:02pm

While triptans are most commonly used to abort, some people on this board have disccussed their use as preventives. This article discusses the use of Eletriptan (Relpax) for short term prevention, claiming that the number of headaches are typically reduced 40-50%.

Relpax costs around $20 per tablet, so am+pm doses would cost $40 per day if insurance doesnt' cover it. (That's about the same cost per dose as Amerge), somewhat more than the older triptans.

Quote:

Headache. 2004 Apr;44(4):361-4.

Eletriptan for the Short-term Prophylaxis of Cluster Headache.

Zebenholzer K, Wober C, Vigl M, Wessely P.

Department of Neurology, University of Vienna (Austria) Medical School.

Background.-A beneficial prophylactic effect from eletriptan 40 mg given to a single patient with cluster headache was observed. Objective.-To further evaluate the efficacy of eletriptan in the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache. Methods.-We treated 18 patients; mean age, 40.5 years (standard deviation [SD], 9.9). The number of cluster headache attacks was recorded during a baseline period of 6 days, and during 6 days of treatment with eletriptan 40 mg twice daily. The primary outcome measure was the reduction in the number of attacks during the treatment period. Results.-In the 16 patients who completed the study (2 patients were lost to follow-up), the mean total number of attacks decreased from 10.9 (SD, 5.6) during baseline to 6.3 (SD, 3.7) during treatment with eletriptan (P=.01) The reduction in the number of attacks exceeded 50% in 6 patients. Conclusion.-This small open-label study suggests that eletriptan 40 mg twice daily may be useful for the short-term prophylaxis of cluster headache.

Title: Re: Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
Post by Prense on Apr 29^th, 2004, 3:57pm

I wonder what the negative health effects for treatment such as this would be on long term usage.

Title: Re: Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
Post by Lizzie2 on Apr 29^th, 2004, 4:07pm

I meant to ask my one neuro this when he emailed me about the study he did on Frova and CH prevention. I know that my neuro at UMDNJ told me the max amount of time that I could do this with Amerge was 2 weeks. Never got past 4 days though because of insurance limitation.

Title: Re: Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
Post by Samantha_Smith on Apr 29^th, 2004, 5:42pm

My neuro had someone on Frova for a two month period for CH prevention. Apparently, she was withdrawing from a medication and needed extra protection against CH. Perhaps Relpax and Frova are tweaked a little differently than triptans like Imitrex, Maxalt, etc. and therefore are safer. I don't know though...personally I'd still be a little hesitant but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Title: Re: Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
Post by Prense on Apr 29^th, 2004, 7:57pm

Perhaps my question was not stated how I really intended.

I wonder if the long term (>2 months) usage (daily) of this triptan has been studied...

Title: Re: Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
Post by chbob on Apr 30^th, 2004, 5:29pm

on 04/28/04 at 12:02:05, floridian wrote:

While triptans are most commonly used to abort, some people on this board have disccussed their use as preventives.

Works for me. ;;D

I use 2.5mg Zomig ZMT as a preventive when I just gotta have 8 hrs. HA free. Many times it lasts 12 hrs. I don't do it more than once or twice a week and don't recommend it for use continuously long term. :-X

Title: Re: Fresh Research - Triptans for Preventing
Post by Renee on May 2^nd, 2004, 8:38pm

Relpax is my abortive and when I use it i am pf for a good 10 hours afterwards. I've tried trex, zomig, etc. and Relpax has been a lifesaver for me. The side effects are less noticeable also.

Only negative is it is a pill and takes about 20-30 min. to kick in.

If I knew I had to be pf for something and, since i'm chronic, knew there was a great chance i would get hit during the needed pf time, i would take relpax a couple of hours before the needed pf time.

I've spoke with another relpax user that also gets 8 hours of sleep after using relpax during a ch.

good luck and i hope this helps
renee