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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Medrol
        
(Message started by: jon019 on Oct 24^th, 2005, 10:31pm)

Title: Medrol
Post by jon019 on Oct 24^th, 2005, 10:31pm

Hello All,

Started bad here. Didn't introduce myself properly. Regrets, but first impressions are just that and cannot be taken back. I apologize. For whatever it's worth, my recent experience.

Episodic clusters turned to close to chronic. Could not handle it anymore. After many years of being "strong"
and riding it out finally admitted I needed help and went to a neuro (recommmended by an OUCH member by the way).

What a knothead, asking for help is NOT a weakness, my God, as I have learned, it is a necessity.

Anyway, i found a gem. After 20+ years of visiting 10+ Drs I found one who really empathized. She listened while I described the 2-3 daily hits, nodded and I thought, ok here goes another. Then i described the terror involved with laying down and going to sleep and the hourly hits destroying any sembalnce of sleep. She actually winced. I am going to repeat that, she winced!

Right then I knew, maybe I had a chance. Her next statement convinced me. "Hmmm, well, I treat this condition VERY aggressively". Handsprings, joyous shouts, dances, whatever you can think i was thinking them. Didn't do them, but it was close...

First thing she did was an IV of Solu- Medrol with a taper of a 6 day medrol pack. Folks, after months of daily hits (2-3 per day and 4-7 per night) it stopped that very same day, Sept 14, I will never forget it. Added scripts for verapamil and topamax which I am still taking. Probably just as important, don't know.

It is now Oct 24 and I have been PF since. God is good, we will see how long it lasts. Not recommending, just describing my experience.

My research shows this is a very powerful corticosteroid which should not be used more than once every 6 months. i count every day day hoping it will last that long.

Do your research, consider the options, appreciate the PF days, and know that whatever happens, the folks here at ch.com provide the support, comfort, knowledge and laughs unavailable anywhere else.

Regards

Jon019

Title: Re: Medrol
Post by unsolved1 on Oct 24^th, 2005, 10:54pm

Solu Medrol has been very good to me to. I've taken it often.

Glad to hear you found a good neuro and some pain free time.

PF Wishes
UNsolved

Title: Re: Medrol
Post by Mr. Happy on Oct 24^th, 2005, 11:19pm

on 10/24/05 at 22:31:54, jon019 wrote:

Added scripts for verapamil and topamax which I am still taking. Probably just as important, don't know.

They're just as important, if not more so, than the steroids and the break they're giving you. The whole point of the `roids taper is to give prevents time to kick in.
Getting Verap AND Topo on the first go-around is pretty aggressive. You may have a Keeper Doc.
Only problem with Topo is you need to increase doses slowly, which is kind of tuff if you're a 2-3 week episodic (which ain't you.)

Luck.
RJ

Title: Re: Medrol
Post by jon019 on Oct 26^th, 2005, 10:24pm

Thanks Mr. Happy,

I plead brain cramp. Of course the follow ups are as important as the steroid buster. Tolerating the verap fairly well. Have reduced the Topomax to 15 mg/day and still getting the "fogs" (spelling harder than usual, conversation affected). Still longing for Gator's fish tank to stare at when it gets slow at work.

Haven't worked up the guts to go "no Topo" yet since the dance always looms. Thanks to you and Ben I have in my possesion a shiney new clustermask which I have yet to use and "almost" wish I could try. Damn, I could have used it for so many years that it holds a certain allure.

Ah well, soon enough.....

Regards

Jon019