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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Prednisone pre-emptive strike
        
(Message started by: PPRanch on Jun 8^th, 2004, 7:39pm)

Title: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by PPRanch on Jun 8^th, 2004, 7:39pm

Hello all,
This is my second visit to Clusterville (and I HATE having to visit). My first visit was 3+ years ago ...at the time of my LAST cycle. It's the first time in 32 years I've ever gone that long without my little "character test". I recalled back then discussing with my neurologist that I "had a feeling " I was due for another cycle. It was that same "feeling that spared me another cycle about 1 1/2 years ago. I can't explain explain thie feeling but I'm sure many of you know what I'm referring to. (and NO it's not the "migraine aura". This "sense" occurs to me about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks prior to the onset. At any rate, 1 1/2 years ago I went to Dr. and began a regimen of Prednisone......voila! the demon never arrived. This time around I waited too long... inspite of having plenty of "warning", I delayed my Dr. visit (and Prednisone treatment) until a day or two before they started...The Prednisone held them off until I began weaning off of it.......and alas, here I am. I'll never ignore that initial signal again.

Rich

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by Gator on Jun 9^th, 2004, 2:38am

Dude, I can totally understand hating the REASON for seeking this place out. I hope that is what you meant. This place rocks with knowledge and pretty damn nice people.

Hopefully, if they ever stop coming at me in the first place, I will have some type of warning like you have and be able to do a prednisone pre-emptive strike.

Gator

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by floridian on Jun 9^th, 2004, 8:05am

I know what you mean about 'getting a feeling' - I usually have premonitory symptoms a few weeks before the beast arrives. Sleep changes - I don't need as much, go to bed late and wake up early feeling rested and energetic. Twitches in the eye and forehead. Tingles in the feet or hands. Those are signs to do something - for me, that means melatonin and 5-htp. For others, whatever works for them.

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by miarella on Jun 9^th, 2004, 11:52am

on 06/09/04 at 08:05:47, floridian wrote:

Those are signs to do something - for me, that means melatonin and 5-htp. For others, whatever works for them.

Hello floridian,

Does taking the meds when you are on the 'premonitory' phase help you in some way with your cycle?? Does it make it shorter or prevent it from starting or something, like prednisone does for PPRanch??

Thanks,

miarella

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by floridian on Jun 9^th, 2004, 1:14pm

Quote:

Does taking the meds when you are on the 'premonitory' phase help you in some way with your cycle?? Does it make it shorter or prevent it from starting or something, like prednisone does for PPRanch??

I think so, but it is hard to say. The beast is so unpredictable. Usually, my sleep gets whacked before a cycle, and then when a cycle hits, it gets even worse. When I use melatonin and 5-htp, I can usually get my sleep to be more normal. I believe that the past few years have been milder because of this - last year was a 'dry' cycle - no headaches, but I became very sensitive to heat, had my normal beast detecting twitching eye, and my sleep got weird (until I dealt with that).

The Cluster Headache Disease involves more than headaches. Lots of things in the nervous system, immune system, and metabolism are messed up year round even for episodic sufferers. Waiting until the beast arrives is not the best strategy in my opinion.

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by PPRanch on Jun 9^th, 2004, 6:03pm

Miarella,

If you get any signal AT ALL that hell is just around the corner, I strongly advise "proaction". When I caught mine 1 1/2 years ago, it took 1 regimen of prednisone......this time around, having waited too long, I tried 3 regimens before my neurologist finally said "no more this trip" and put me on lithium (which has thus far proven to be useless) I will be "monitoring" things very closely next time around

Ranch

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by miarella on Jun 9^th, 2004, 7:04pm

Well, I couldn't agree more with you guys. At least I will try to do something before I get hit the next time.

Although, I wish my warnings were more clear. I only get these weird feelings all over my right side (the side of the ha's), like stiffness on the neck and the back. Also, I become extremely anxious about everything and I keep saying everyone around "shut up, please, you are stressing the hell out of me" (yes, what a sweet doll, I know, lol). But I get those on a lighter version all of the time, so I am never sure. And before the last cycle I got no warnings whatsoever.

Anyway, preventive melatonin sounds fine to me. I' ll ask my neuro about it. BTW, is 5-htp an OTC med I wonder???

Ranch, I'm sorry to hear you had to swallow 3 rounds of prednisone and got no relief, ew, I hate those pills. I mean, it seems they are one of the most effectives, but i still remember the conjuntivitis from hell I got when taking pred. Yes, and I love to blame steroids for everything, lol.

Nice chatting to you,

miarella

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by PPRanch on Jun 9^th, 2004, 11:15pm

Mia,
Those "weird feelings" just might be the signal you need. It's actually pretty easy for me......during my free periods, I don't get anything even remotely resembling a headache......so when a couple of dewars is followed by even the slightest stiffness and head discomfort, I know it's time to say ciao to the dewars.........and hello to the prednisone ........for approximately 2 weeks. My problem is even I didn't believe it could be that simple and thus I really procrastinated this time :'(

Title: Re: Prednisone pre-emptive strike
Post by crazyauntboo on Jun 19^th, 2004, 5:44pm

I get those weird feelings too. Usually i get certain cravings and get really anxious. I also get a heavy feeling in the eye a few days before the cycle starts.
Unfortunatley predisone doesn't work for me at all.
All it did was make me really puffy and have incredible energy. I was moving furniture at midnight!
Haven't yet found any kind of preventative.
Lithium worked for one cycle but now it's useless.
Even verapomil does nothing. This last cycle I started going to an accupuncturist and taking chinese herbs.
This was along with my shots and o2 tank.
Believe it or not, the cylce ended shortly after.
Have no idea if it helped or it was the end of my cycle.
However, I am going to keep doing the accupuncture thing. Ya never know.