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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Kudzu - Trying to get started
        
(Message started by: Lizzie2 on Mar 29^th, 2005, 2:06pm)

Title: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by Lizzie2 on Mar 29^th, 2005, 2:06pm

Hey Gang,

First off...Nani, thanks for all the PMs trying to fill me in on Kudzu and the info I was asking about. Very helpful!

Now I just need to get a couple of ideas from the masses here. I just called my neuro because I'm pretty much stuck battling level 9-10 migraine daily (on the regular pain scale) plus several clusters/day and night. My neuro told the nurse to tell me that he doesn't want to change anything until I go in on the 6th. That is bad news for me...I know tonight I'm working in the ER from 3-11:30pm, and I have an incredibly intense schedule for the next 6 weeks or so. Somehow, I have to find something that will help, or I'm going to lapse into rebound by taking triptans or DHE or even pain meds daily to try to just make it through barely. Barely living, it seems.

So anyways...at least I want to give Kudzu a try since it sounds like it's been a very positive experience for those who've tried it so far! I have the following questions:

1. I just went to several places around Philly to try to buy it over the counter with no luck. Where's the best place to order from online? Is it a long wait once you order?

2. I know there's talk about verapamil and triptans conflicting with the Kudzu. I have a very stable BP on verap, but at this point I'm taking Amerge daily just to get by. Here's the rest of my med list...can anyone tell me if taking Kudzu is going to be a massive problem with any of these meds? Multivitamin, Magnesium, Verapamil, Nexium, Concerta, Gabitril, Ritalin, Klonopin...

Normally I'd use my resources and try to find out everything I can on my own...but I can't do that right now. I'm very short on time, and I have very little ability to read or spend time looking things up due to how much pain I'm experiencing. I know it works for migraine and CH so far, and most of you know I suffer from both.

Any help or suggestions that could be made would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks! And thanks again to Nani too!

Lizzie

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by nani on Mar 29^th, 2005, 2:08pm

Carrie...I also take ritalin and Concerta (sometimes- I don't take it like I should) and don't have problems. In fact...they used to be a sort of trigger for me and they haven't been since I started kudzu.

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by Lizzie2 on Mar 29^th, 2005, 2:11pm

Nani...

Sounds like me. I'm religious with the concerta because I take it every morning. But I often forget to take the ritalin dose. I actually haven't taken it in several weeks, but I'm trying to be much more accurate with my med dosing as I've managed to also miss my noon and dinner verap doses and my noon gabitril dose. I just have a hard time taking pills so many times a day. I couldn't even stay on the antiretroviral for a month as a prevention from the needlestick I had. I think I quit after about a week and a half.

What a great role model as a nurse, huh? <sigh>

Lizzie

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by LeLimey on Mar 29^th, 2005, 2:51pm

Lizzie I ordered from vitacost.com
I don't know how they compare to the others but I found them cheap and quick, no complaints at all. I hope it helps you, I'm sure it will! Whilst it hasn't stopped my hits it has certainly reduced the amount I'm having and also the severity so all in all I'm a much happier bunny!

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by Frank_W on Mar 29^th, 2005, 3:03pm

Ditto. I dearly hope it helps you, Carrie. Hang in there, kiddo. :)

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by Lizzie2 on Mar 30^th, 2005, 9:04am

Thanks for the input! As of my experience last night, I may need to put the breaks on this investigation because I've now been possibly diagnosed (pending some more testing next week) with Basilar Migraine. Triptans, DHE, etc are contraindicated for Basilar Migraine (at least I think...) so now I need to do some searching to see if Kudzu would also be contraindicated with this type of migraine added to my already large list of headache problems!

I would very much like to try it!

Thanks for the info!

Carrie :)

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by ozzy on Mar 30^th, 2005, 9:11am

Carrie,

I wouldn't discount kudzu so easily, need to look more into it, but I found the following on basilar migraine and triptans:

Quote:

Triptans in the treatment of basilar migraine and migraine with prolonged aura.

Klapper J, Mathew N, Nett R.

Colorado Neurology and Headache Center, Denver, CO 80218, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the use of triptans in migraine with prominent neurologic symptoms. BACKGROUND: As stated in their package inserts, the triptans are contraindicated in patients with basilar or familial hemiplegic migraine, and physicians are reluctant to prescribe these drugs to other patients with prominent or prolonged aura. METHODS: We evaluated 13 patients with basilar migraine, familial hemiplegic migraine, or migraine with prominent or prolonged aura who had received triptans. RESULTS: Excellent; no adverse events. CONCLUSION: The contraindication of triptans in basilar migraine should be reconsidered. Similarly, prominent or prolonged aura may not represent a reasonable contraindication to triptan therapy.

Publication Types:

* Case Reports

PMID: 11903526 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Ozzy

Due diligence is in order

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by ozzy on Mar 30^th, 2005, 9:28am

More stuff that I found,

It seems the whole triptans for Basilar Migraine subject is a controversial one at best. Now if you remember Triptans act mainly on the 5-HT1(B/D) receptors.

Kudzu does not work as an abortive, more like a preventative working on the 5-HT2(A/B) recptors, much like the fungi. (the way the act is different however, that whole agonist and antagonist thing, it gets complicated there)

Anyway, one of the drugs that used to be prescribed as a preventative for Basilar Migraine was Sansert (methysergide) which is no longer manufactured.

So in my non-medical, non-proffessional opinion, kudzu should not be any worse than the slew of medication that you are taking. Talk to your neurologist, print out the information (journal articles) from the original kudzu thread and take it from there.

Ozzy

Title: Re: Kudzu - Trying to get started
Post by Lizzie2 on Mar 30^th, 2005, 9:32am

Thanks Ozzy,

And I agree with you. Just want to spend a little more time checking into everything. I had taken Amerge and a pain med that morning, but I really don't know what triggered the Basilar Migraine..I guess that's the scary part. We figure I may have had others, but if I've ever had that kind of dizziness/memory loss, I wouldn't have gone to the ER unless I was working. Normally I'd just go to bed...except for the time with the mexiletine reaction.

I received DHE in the ER after having the attack, and I didn't get any worse....so maybe that says something right there...

Plus I was reading in a few texts...since it used to be called "Basilar Artery Migraine" it would make more sense not to take major vasoconstrictors. The old school thought was that the problem was literally with the artery and constricting it further could lead to stroke. However, now they know that it's probably more of a neurological issue than an arterial issue...coming from the brain stem...so they took out artery and just called it Basilar Migraine. This makes me think that maybe triptans, DHE, and others may actually be okay.

Still waiting to discuss this with my neuro at least by my appointment next week. I'd really like to give the Kudzu a try...so I'm hoping that I still can with no worries of aggravating an already very irritated head! ;)

Thanks for your info!

Carrie :)