Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> How high are your lithium and verapamil doses...?
        
(Message started by: taraann on Jan 25^th, 2005, 1:15pm)

Title: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses...?
Post by taraann on Jan 25^th, 2005, 1:15pm

Just curious. I was just upped on my lithium to 1200mg a day (600mg 2x a day)

Also she said I am maxed out on the verapamil 480mg a day (240 mg 2x a day)

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by Gator on Jan 25^th, 2005, 1:36pm

I went as high as 1200mg on the lithium. No good.

I went up to 480mg on the Verapamil. No good, either. Doc didn't want to go higher on me even after I asked him about it. Heck, after a dose of trex by bp was 138/66 without any Verapamil. Verapamil can be given up to 960mg depending on your bp.

Tried them together: 900mg lithium and 480mg verapamil. Nothing. Sucks.

Gator

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by Margi on Jan 25^th, 2005, 1:40pm

Mike was at 900 mgs. lith and 720 mgs. verap. He started it near the end of a cycle (4 years ago now), though, so we're not sure if that's what finally booted it out the door or if it just ended on it's own.

Gator, I know I'm sounding like a broken record here but have you ever tried either verap or lithium alone (I mean not combining them)? Mike's at 600mgs a day right now and more breakthoughs, so we're dropping him back down to see if we can regulate him again. K, I'll shut up. *ducking and running* ;)

Taraan - 1200 mgs a day is quite high. Are you going for blood screening? If not, you should ask your doctor if you should.

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by taraann on Jan 25^th, 2005, 1:57pm

on 01/25/05 at 13:40:36, Margi wrote:

Taraan - 1200 mgs a day is quite high. Are you going for blood screening? If not, you should ask your doctor if you should.

Yeah I was just checked and my levels were really low she that's why she thought it was fine to up the lith. Getting rechecked in 1-2 weeks.

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by Gator on Jan 25^th, 2005, 2:38pm

on 01/25/05 at 13:40:36, Margi wrote:

Gator, I know I'm sounding like a broken record here but have you ever tried either verap or lithium alone (I mean not combining them)? Mike's at 600mgs a day right now and more breakthoughs, so we're dropping him back down to see if we can regulate him again. K, I'll shut up. *ducking and running* ;)

No need to shut up or duck and run, Margi. I know you are truly concerned and I appreciate it. Yes, my neuro had me try the verapamil alone which didn't work. Then he had me try the lithium alone starting at 300mg and working up to 1200mg. Nothing. Then he had me try them combined. Still nothing.

Here's what has been tried so far (I may have left some out - memory problems): OTC meds alone and in various combinations, Percocet, Demerol, Melatonin, Fioricet, Indomethacin, Topamax, Prednisone, Nortiptyline, Verapamil, Lithium, Depakote, Trileptal, Tegretol, Halcion, Sonata, Relpax, Zomig NS, Imitrex and Oxygen.

I can abort with O2, Zomig NS and/or Trex. Ice seems to help the O2 work faster. Prednisone reduces the frequency and severity while I am on a high dose, but quits working as I taper off of it. None of the preventatives I have tried thus far have worked.

I think that I am just one of those unfortunate few whose clusters are intractable. My neuro has retired and I am working with my regular doctor to see if we can try some of the things, my neuro dissmissed as ineffective in his experience. Like we all know here: Even if a med doesn't work for most people, it may work for a few. That's why I am suffering through a loud ringing in my ears to see if the Tegretol will work. So far - no. Neurontin will probably be next and then who knows. Probably replace the Nortriptyline with Effexor or something like that. At least we're moving forward.

It's been 15 months without a break. There are others that have suffered much much longer than I have. I'll keep fighting and hoping the next drug will work. In the mean time, I'll try to be here as much as I can to help others.

PFDAN to all,

Gator

Editted for spelling.

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by taraann on Jan 25^th, 2005, 2:55pm

Oh wow Gator! Your tried med list is about the size of mine. The verap and Lith did NOTHING for me last time and nor did anything else. Then I was med free for many months and this time round I am getting relief. Dont' know if it was the med free period or not. Something to consider for you maybe? I have yet to find a working abortive.

Vibes that SOMETHING works for you very very soon!

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by Margi on Jan 25^th, 2005, 3:10pm

Gator. Please tell me you're not mixing the triptans? You know better than that. Rememer what happened to Roxy by doing that? Please don't go down that same road.

So, you're on tegretol, o2, zomig and trex now? Is that right? Don't you just love being a guinea pig? (i think that's what's made my Mike allergic to doctors.) I'd sure research the Effexor before trying it, Mike - anti-d's can go either way with clusterheads. Sometimes scarily so.

We're really wondering if Mike's imitrex use is ramping things up for him now - it's known to cause more frequency and disrupt any pattern that was prevalent. I think we're proving out that theory. I worry that you may be too, Gator.

Please keep digging - your key is buried SOMEWHERE, Gator - we just have to figure which rock it's under.

BIG hugs.

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by Gator on Jan 25^th, 2005, 3:40pm

Thanks Tara. One day :-/

Not to worry, Margi. I know better than to mix triptans. That was just a list of the meds I have tried all together. I tried Relpax a long time ago, but it didn't work fast enough and I didn't like how it made me feel. I had to switch from Zomig NS to Imitrex because of swithcing insurance coverage. I am currently on Tegretol, Sonata, Imitrex and O2.

Insomnia is part of my problem. The Sonata was supposed to knock me out. Sleeping pills don't work on me. At least none I have tried so far. As far as the anti-depressants, I am suffering from severe depression. The Nortriptyline is for depression, but it isn't working very well. My doc is looking into another med that might work better.

I know what you mean about being a guinea pig. I hate doctors and I hate taking meds of any kind, but I hate these damned attacks even worse.

I hope things get straightened out for you and Mike. It looked very promising at first. Hopefully it will settle back down.

Oh, well. Onward and upward.

Hugs right back atchya!

Gator

Title: Re: How high are your lithium and verapamil doses.
Post by ccbiggsoo7 on Jan 27^th, 2005, 2:46am

Gator, maybe try the verapamil, lith and neurontin trio. It worked for me!