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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Magnets????
        
(Message started by: Edski_1 on Jul 10^th, 2004, 10:25am)

Title: Magnets????
Post by Edski_1 on Jul 10^th, 2004, 10:25am

June was a pretty bad month for my CH's...after a respite from them due to 3 months on topamax and about 6 weeks of PF living after I stopped el-Dopa...

But in mid-May I started to get them, and by the beginning of June I was prompted to start a journal again. Luckily I was not getting massive attacks more than once a day, but unlike my "previous" cycle (which I'm starting to think is still the SAME cycle, only interrupted by the topamax), I'm getting the attacks on the left side primarily, and a little more frequently at night. :'(

Towards the end of June my wife comes back from an arts and craft show with a magnetic necklace, and the report from the person who sold it to her that the necklace had "cured" his migraines. Skeptical, I nonetheless put the necklace on. Figured "WTF?"...

Well, it's been about 2 weeks, and my headaches, while not gone completely, have been significantly reduced in frequency and intensity. Coincidence? I'm not sure, but...

We have a Jack Russell terrier that limps pretty badly on his left hind leg. My wife bought the dog a necklace, and I noticed he wasn't limping nearly as much while the necklace was on him. A few days ago the necklace broke, and now the dog is running around with the same noticeable limp...

Any comments? I'm going to keep wearing the necklace-if it's placebo effect I don't care. I am feeling better... :)

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by UN_SOLVED on Jul 10^th, 2004, 10:33am

Placebo effect. Glad to hear you're feeling better.

If you think it looks good ~ it looks good.

If you think it taste good ~ it taste good.

Hopefully your cycle is ending.
Unsolved

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by miapet on Jul 10^th, 2004, 4:01pm

I don't know if magnets help clusterheadaches . . but I know they help other things . . .I worked in pediatrics, my docs were MDs and and DOs . .when my daughter suffered some kind of 'football players injurty' to her hip (skating in gym), instead of x-rays etc, we used magnet therapy, and it worked. She wasn't exposed to the x-ray, and it was non-invasive . . .we just taped the magnet to her hip every night for a couple of days.

ANYWAY . . .I hope you're heading for p/f time *smiles*

*positive light and energy*
miapet

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by don on Jul 10^th, 2004, 6:42pm

I use magnets.

Right now I have a neat imprint of Las Vegas on my forehead.

It was in the perfect spot on the fridge when I smashed my head into it.

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Root on Jul 10^th, 2004, 7:21pm

Magnets never did a thing for me.
Well actually they work pretty good on other peoples hard drives. [smiley=smartass.gif]

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Samantha_Smith on Jul 11^th, 2004, 10:12pm

Can it function as a "chick magnet"? Sorry........I just had to ask. I'm in a punchy mood right now.

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by floridian on Jul 12^th, 2004, 9:03am

I'm a bit sceptical that an ordinary magnet on the forehead would do anything for clusters. On the other hand, I would not be at all suprised if a high tech device were developed that helped by focusing a particular type of electromagnetic energy specifically at the trigeminal nerve or hypothalamus. Transcranial magnetic stimulation has been proven to help with several brain related disorders, including depression, mania, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.

Quote:

J Affect Disord. 2004 Mar;78(3):253-7.

Treatment of bipolar mania with right prefrontal rapid transcranial magnetic stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been suggested for the treatment of a variety of CNS disorders including depression and mania. METHODS: Nine bipolar (I) in-patients diagnosed with mania were treated with right prefrontal rapid TMS in an open and prospective study. Eight of nine patients received TMS as add-on treatment to an insufficient or only partially effective drug therapy. RESULTS: During the 4 weeks of TMS treatment a sustained reduction of manic symptoms as measured by the Bech-Rafaelsen mania scale (BRMAS) was observed in all patients. LIMITATIONS: Due to the open and add-on design of the study, a clear causal relationship between TMS treatment and reduction of manic symptoms cannot be established. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that right prefrontal rapid TMS is safe and efficacious in the add-on treatment of bipolar mania showing laterality opposed to the proposed effect of rapid TMS in depression.

Quote:

Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Mar;161(3):515-24.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in posttraumatic stress disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the right prefrontal cortex was studied in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions. METHOD: Twenty-four patients with PTSD were randomly assigned to receive rTMS at low frequency (1 Hz) or high frequency (10 Hz) or sham rTMS in a double-blind design. Treatment was administered in 10 daily sessions over 2 weeks. Severity of PTSD, depression, and anxiety were blindly assessed before, during, and after completion of the treatment protocol. RESULTS: The 10 daily treatments of 10-Hz rTMS at 80% motor threshold over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex had therapeutic effects on PTSD patients. PTSD core symptoms (reexperiencing, avoidance) markedly improved with this treatment. Moreover, high-frequency rTMS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex alleviated anxiety symptoms in PTSD patients. CONCLUSIONS: This double-blind, controlled trial suggests that in PTSD patients, 10 daily sessions of right dorsolateral prefrontal rTMS at a frequency of 10 Hz have greater therapeutic effects than slow-frequency or sham stimulation.

continued next post ...

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by floridian on Jul 12^th, 2004, 9:08am

Magnetic stimulation may also change the sensitivity of serotonin receptors. This article suggests that the 5-ht1A receptors become less senstive with repeated magnetic stimulation. Not sure what this means - triptans like imitrex stimulate the 5-ht1B receptors. Also not sure if using different frequencies or focusing it differently would have different effects, but I suspect it might.

Quote:

Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2004 Mar;:1-6. [Epub ahead of print]

Chronic rTMS induces subsensitivity of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors in rat hypothalamus.

Chronic administration of several antidepressants, notably the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) induces sub-sensitivity of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors in the hypothalamus. Chronic repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a form of treatment for depression which is often compared to electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT). rTMS was applied to rats either on a single occasion (acute) or daily for 8 d (chronic). Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, the rats were injected with saline or 8-OH-DPAT (50 gkg). The rats were killed 20 min later and trunk blood taken for measurement of corticosterone and ACTH levels. Chronic rTMS did not affect basal corticosterone or ACTH levels but significantly blunted the responses to 8-OH-DPAT, while acute rTMS had no effect on either basal or 8-OH-DPAT-stimulated responses. In common with several other antidepressant treatments, chronic rTMS reduces the sensitivity of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors in the hypothalamus. This effect may be significant in relation to the therapeutic mechanism of rTMS.

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Edski_1 on Jul 12^th, 2004, 9:42am

One quick blurb I saw stated that magnets didn;t seem to work for clusters...but did have some effect on migraines and tension HA's...

Now, as I've been keeping track of things, the old echos of neuros and docs gone by saying that there were elements of my HA's that fit somewhere in between CH and migraines starts to ring true. There have been a few times in the last month or so where I've had a constant pain in my right temple for a day or more...and at times superimposed was what seemed to be a CH on my left side...

Not saying that the magnet is "thing", but I've certainly had less need for ibuprofen and tabasco sauce...

Speaking of tabasco, that tack seems to be more effctive when I get a HA that's more of a "cluster" type. Yesterday was a wash with what I'm calling more of a "migraine"...right side, dull persistent ache that lasts FAR longer than any CH I've had. Woke up with it, but it didn't wake me up...tried the hot sauce, but it wasn't for another 10 hours or so before I got relief...

Odd disease, we all know that. Damn I hope that they cycle is ending, but my guess is it's going to stick around for at least a few months more...but it's not really that bothersome lately. In the past I've also noticed that within cycle I have ups and downs regarding frequency/intensity of the pain.

Oh well, just got to keep on trying. :)

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Prense on Jul 12^th, 2004, 10:09am

on 07/12/04 at 09:42:18, Edski_1 wrote:

ibuprofen

[smiley=huh.gif]

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Edski_1 on Jul 12^th, 2004, 5:03pm

No job, no insurance...very little money. Have to make do with what I can.

I have 8 zomigs left, trying to keep them for real serious events. Can't pop them for any little twinge. :(

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by don on Jul 12^th, 2004, 5:13pm

The makers of Zomig, Astrazeneca, have a patient assistance program........

http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/content/drugAssistance/patientAssistanceProgram/howToApply.asp

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Prense on Jul 12^th, 2004, 8:17pm

on 07/12/04 at 17:03:17, Edski_1 wrote:

No job, no insurance...very little money. Have to make do with what I can.

No doubt!

Does Ibuprofen work for you?

Chris

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Edski_1 on Jul 13^th, 2004, 6:32pm

Hard to say...I think that the pepper is probably doing the trick, or maybe just the progress of time.

A few times it seems that the tabasco (or wing sauce-seems to be a good one for me) have nipped an incipient HA in 10 minutes or so...I just take the ibu's as maybe a placebo.

And again, I'm not sure if I'm getting BOTH migraines and CH simultaneously. For CH, zomig has worked fairly quickly (10-20 minutes) int he past. I took one a couple weeks ago and it took an hour and a half before it cleared up the pain...but the pain that day (and the day before) was NOT a typical CH type...

And I will look into the Astra-Zeneca program. If I can get some more Zomigs for a reasonable price it would probably help a lot...

BTW-I did have a good job interview today, and the owner of the company wrote on my resume "callback" and told me I was inthe top 2 of about a dozen interviewed. And later today I got a call from a recruiter setting up a phone interview with one of the clients for tomorrow. So maybe the tide has reached it's low point.

Got to hope. :)

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Prense on Jul 13^th, 2004, 6:43pm

on 07/13/04 at 18:32:20, Edski_1 wrote:

BTW-I did have a good job interview today, and the owner of the company wrote on my resume "callback" and told me I was inthe top 2 of about a dozen interviewed. And later today I got a call from a recruiter setting up a phone interview with one of the clients for tomorrow. So maybe the tide has reached it's low point.

Got to hope.

Kick ass!

Chris

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by BobG on Jul 13^th, 2004, 6:55pm

Be real careful with magnets.

I've been putting some of those Super Oxyginated Tablets in my water to increase the oxygen content. When Don smacked his head on the Vegas magnet it fell (the magnet, not Don's head) into my water glass. Suddenly all the oxygen molacules went straight, side to side. Made the water to wide to swallow. Had to take a hammer and flatten the water and then slice it real thin. Ever try to slice water?

Magnets, schmagnets.

::)

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by don on Jul 13^th, 2004, 9:05pm

I'm going back to Vegas in September to replace the magnet BobG drank on me.

The things I have to do for the right magnets.

Next thing you know I'll have to waste an entire vacation in Peru hunting down butterflys.

Title: Re: Magnets????
Post by Charlie on Jul 14^th, 2004, 8:19pm

Magnets? Nope.

I saw this Penn & Teller Showtime show last winter:

Not satisfied with their findings, Penn and Teller demonstrate the power of suggestion - and twist the proverbial knife in magnet therapy's back - by setting up a fake doctor with fake medical equipment at a local mall. The "doctor" interviews a woman with chronic wrist pain, and treats her with a series of ever-larger demagnetized magnets, along with "Magno-Mitts" (a pair of oven mitts covered with fake magnets) and a "Magno-Hat." Even though the magnets have no magnetic properties, the woman claims feeling a "rushing sensation" when a magnet is waved over her arm, and having "more energy" when she wears the Magno-Hat.

Harmless I suppose but expensive too.

Hope things are looking up.

Charlie