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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Seen any of these with my motivation?
        
(Message started by: DerbyDemon on Aug 23^rd, 2004, 7:25am)

Title: Seen any of these with my motivation?
Post by DerbyDemon on Aug 23^rd, 2004, 7:25am

Went two years without a HA. Then in June the demon decided to nest on the right side of my head. Used to be I could knock him out with a round of steroids. Now after three rounds he still is still lurking about. The stats:

Late June: .5 HA per day
July: 5 HA per week/.5 per day
August: 5.75 HA per day/1 per day

Meds:
Verapamil 160mg 3x per day
Topamax 300 mg in AM
Topamax 200 mg in PM
Depakote 1,000 mg in PM
Verapamil 480 mg in PM
Paxil 30 mg in PM
Indocin 75 mg (at onset)

Other than Depakote, these are same meds and doses I've been taking with great success for years. Have never had any problems with side effects. Now I'm dragging. Really lost all motivation for life (not a suicidal thing) and job. Energy and spirit low. Who stole my motivation and have you seen any of the above with it? Corny and crass comments always brings a smile.
Imitrex Inject (at onset)

Title: Re: Seen any of these with my motivation?
Post by karma on Aug 23^rd, 2004, 9:12am

At 480 mg./day for a week the verap had the same affect on me with the addition of shadows all day everyday. Yesterday I cut my self back to 240/day with the intention of tomorrow being may last day using it. I had one k8 yesterday and no shadows and a much better outlook on life this morning.
I'll probably get shot for asking the question but here goes.
With all the meds. your taking you've had no improvement on the number of hits. Why continue to take them?
I am episodic and was getting hit three times a day with k9's when I was trying to abort them with Zomig and I started getting hit 5 or 6 times at nite. I quit the Zomig when I started the Verap.
My ususal cycle is 2 -3 weeks every couple years. I have become a believer that through meditation and calmness techniques the cycles remain short. Xanax helps. The hits still come But less severe and less often now. I'm over the peak and things are improving.
Everyone is different and CH is a M.F. But that is what works for me.

Title: Re: Seen any of these with my motivation?
Post by IndianaJohn on Aug 23^rd, 2004, 9:54am

wow that's alot of meds! For me, the depakote really made things much worse by several orders of magnitude. Form what you've written your taking960mg/day of verap which is typical for a lot of us, I only take 480mg/day.

Are you on any steroids? Prednisone works well for me (I'm on it now).

I am not trying to second guess anyone, but it does seem that you are taking an awful lot of meds. From my own experience I have found that taking many meds can make a cycle much longer. And the wrong combination can make things much worse.

I'm currently on Prenisone taper at 40mg right now. 480mg verap. And Imitrex nasal sprays for abortive that I try to use only when I really need it.

Hope this helps

Title: Re: Seen any of these with my motivation?
Post by DerbyDemon on Aug 23^rd, 2004, 1:35pm

It is important to stress that during my two years of being HA free my list of meds was virtually the SAME. The heavy dose of Verapamil was preventative. I was just put on Depakote AFTER three rounds of steroids didn't work. In the past one round of steroids knocked the sucker right out.

I've never had any bad side effects from the medication with the exeception of feeling unmotivated at times. This episode really has me down and out. I'm gobbling Indocin like a kid during halloween and poking myself with Imitrex like a junkie. They look funny at me at Walgreens when I come in every other day.

My neuro is agressive, but thank God I found her. Before her no one could alleviate the pain or tell me what a CH was.

Title: Re: Seen any of these with my motivation?
Post by IndianaJohn on Aug 23^rd, 2004, 2:09pm

Were you on your meds before your cycle started? I was on my verapamil, and I think that it's not working now because I was on it before my cycle started.

my 2cents anyway...Hope you're getting some relief.

Title: Re: Seen any of these with my motivation?
Post by Biker on Aug 23^rd, 2004, 10:08pm

CH knocks all the motivation out of me. Currently on a predisone taper, and 240-360mg.verap, Im pretty much pain free, and really busy catching up on all the stuff I didnt do since the cycle started. When I feel my cycle going away, I cut back on the verapamil. That stuff makes me feel sluggish, but sure beats the CH.