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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Imitrex nasal vs. injection
        
(Message started by: Sonnie_Parker on Dec 20th, 2005, 1:52pm)
Title: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Sonnie_Parker on Dec 20th, 2005, 1:52pm

Does the nasal inhaled Imitrex work as well as the injection?
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by E-Double on Dec 20th, 2005, 1:56pm
For some.

It didn't do the trick for me though nor did I care for the NS or any NS to be honest.

I prefer the jabs
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Sonnie_Parker on Dec 20th, 2005, 2:06pm

lol... I snorted Afrin or the likes for years so it wouldn't bother me unless it has some kind of bad smell... then again with the pain I'd be in I still might not mind it.

If it works I'm just thinkin' cheaper.  What I hate to do is try it... it NOT work... and then have to finish suffering through the CH.  Gives me chill bumps thinkin' about it.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by E-Double on Dec 20th, 2005, 2:12pm
You can split the doses of the jabs which in the end will save you tons of money.
You can also get a perscription for vials and also split so that you get more bang for your buck
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by unsolved1 on Dec 20th, 2005, 2:18pm
The only thing that works for me is the injections


UNsolved
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by pattik on Dec 20th, 2005, 3:31pm
Tried the nasal Imitrex....barely touched the headache.  Only the injections work for me.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Sonnie_Parker on Dec 20th, 2005, 4:45pm

Vials?

How does that work?  

Do you still use the Stadose Pen Injector?
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by chewy on Dec 22nd, 2005, 7:40am
You can use insulin syringes with the vials.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Melissa on Dec 22nd, 2005, 8:03am
Both worked for me.  The only differences I had was that the injections took 7 minutes to take effect, and the nasal sprays took 15 minutes, along with some gagging from it accidentaly going down the back of the throat. (yuck)
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Karla on Dec 22nd, 2005, 1:55pm
I use imitrix nasal spray 1) because I find it to be as fast acting as injection (6-15 min)
2) I am a baby with needles and hate the pokes
3) I always snort with a coke/cola to follow.  Prevents that bad after drainage.  

Try it you may like it.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Sonnie_Parker on Dec 22nd, 2005, 2:02pm

It looks like I can get the vials pretty cheap... at least cheap compared to the Stadose refills.

Do the insulin syringes work similar to the Stadose pen?

I was looking at some but they appear to be prefilled.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Sonnie_Parker on Dec 22nd, 2005, 2:17pm

Wow... 6-15 minutes?  Mine have been knockin' mine out in about 3 minutes when I inject in my left arm... same side as my clusters.  The longest was one time at 4-5 minutes.

In every case with mine it has been after breathing O2 for 20+ minutes with no relief and the pain has reached levels of 6-7 or better.  I can't even hold the O2 mask anymore and I'm fumbling around trying to get the Stadose pen loaded.

I have to place a cold wet rag over my forehead to calm the warm flush sensation I get but that only last about a minute or two.

If I can get these vials at 6-7$ each then I'll use Imitrex most of the time if the O2 don't work in 10 minutes or so.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Melissa on Dec 22nd, 2005, 3:00pm

on 12/22/05 at 14:17:44, Sonnie_Parker wrote:
In every case with mine it has been after breathing O2 for 20+ minutes with no relief and the pain has reached levels of 6-7 or better.  I can't even hold the O2 mask anymore and I'm fumbling around trying to get the Stadose pen loaded.

If I were to inject after more than 20 minutes into my attack, that'd be a waste of imitrex for me.  In order for the trex to work properly (which means quick), I'd need to inject at the first sign of an attack.  

Do you find that you can kill your attack so quick after so much time has elasped or do you think maybe the attack is already subsiding by the time you inject?

mel
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Sonnie_Parker on Dec 22nd, 2005, 3:20pm

I just recently started using Imitrex.  About the shortest ch I've ever had without O2 working was 30-35 minutes.  Typically they would closer 45-50 minutes.  That was before I went into remission.  Once I came out of remission everything changed... my ch's started lasting closer to an hour for whatever reasons... a couple were only 45 minutes but I had several that were lasting 2 hours.  The last 4-5 I had where I had breathed O2 for 20+ minutes and it didn't abort the ch... I literally though I was gonna die... I had no Imitrex and no relief and every single one was lasting 2+ hours and one lasted a little over 3 hours... that one was when I was on the verge of waking my wife up and telling her to take me to the emergency room and have them knock me out with something.

So... I don't think what you are saying is the case... but I can't say for sure.  What I do know if O2 aborts a ch for me, it is usually in 5-10 minutes... and only a few times has it taken 15-20.  Those last few times I gave it the benefit of the doubt at 20 minutes and gave up due to the pain levels.  

Another thing that may be causing the O2 to not work everytime is my mask and flow rate.  I have the regulator right now that only goes up to 8 lpm with a regular mask.  I just received my clustermasx today and have a doctors visit this afternoon to try to get one of the big tanks and a higher flow regulator to try out.  I'm hoping that will work better for me as well.  Sometimes the O2 will knock out a ch in the 5-10 minute time but then another will attack in less than an hour... sometimes less than 30 minutes.   They repeat until the biggie comes that want abort.  I breath the O2 for a good 10 minutes after the ch, except once I only did 5 minutes, but they still come back.

Now since I've been on higher dosages of Depakote and Verapamil I've only been having one or two attacks per night (mostly one) and some nights none... but when I do have them they seem to be worse.

As we all know... with chronic there just seems to be no rhyme or reason with many of our patterns.  Back when I was episodic I could tell you exactly what time every night and almost to a minute how long it would last.  Man how things have changed.

Sorry for all the rambling!
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by Mr. Happy on Dec 22nd, 2005, 9:37pm
Sonnie,

Keep track of this seller on EBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/OXYGEN-REGULATOR-REBUILT-BRASS-FITTINGS_W0QQitemZ5648888278QQcategoryZ75080QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) for 870 regs that hit 25 LPM. You should be able to score one for under $30 del'd.

http://i10.ebayimg.com/03/i/04/8d/fd/e3_2.JPG

If you have trouble getting a high flow 540 reg for large tanks, I still have a few left in the Box-O-Goodies. $12.50 plus actual shipping. Directions for Turbo Charging found here (http://ouchpanj.org/cgi-bin/yabb//YaBB.pl?board=Projects;action=display;num=1129920879).

http://mushys.com/pix/540reg.jpg

Always own your own stuff.
RJ

PS: I forgot. Bugger the Trex altogether, and go with the Zomig snorts. Huff till it kicks in.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by nancyc on Dec 23rd, 2005, 12:05am
The nasal spray did not help me alot...took too long to work and then only did half the job.  
I need to ask a question.  I can only get three stat doses per month on my insurance..i went to the Doctor today and he wrote the vials for me...wonder how many of those i will be able to get on insurance?  He had never seen the vials before....i showed him one that one of my angels here flew to me....he was surprised they were out...My neuro has learned alot from this ole clusterhead in the last three years..he even learned about ch.com from me LOL...smiles,nancyc
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by zwibbs/Scott on Dec 23rd, 2005, 12:28am
When Immitrex first came out I used both the injection and pill form. The pill was worthless ( not 100mg) The injection was almost immediate. Then a few years later the nasal spray came out and I got a set. It did nothing, when compared to the injection. For me, the injection was wonderful. But my last cycle two years ago it was great for about 2 hours then I would awaken with another damn attack. This made me almost totally depressed so I came to the realization that I had become immune to the whole process.
Title: Re: Imitrex nasal vs. injection
Post by MJ on Dec 23rd, 2005, 10:10am

on 12/22/05 at 14:17:44, Sonnie_Parker wrote:
Wow... 6-15 minutes?  Mine have been knockin' mine out in about 3 minutes when I inject in my left arm... same side as my clusters.  The longest was one time at 4-5 minutes.

In every case with mine it has been after breathing O2 for 20+ minutes with no relief and the pain has reached levels of 6-7 or better.  I can't even hold the O2 mask anymore and I'm fumbling around trying to get the Stadose pen loaded.

I have to place a cold wet rag over my forehead to calm the warm flush sensation I get but that only last about a minute or two.

If I can get these vials at 6-7$ each then I'll use Imitrex most of the time if the O2 don't work in 10 minutes or so.


This is interesting as maybe the oxygen before hand increases the reaction time of the imi through the blood stream.
More advance oxygen = faster delivery. Maybe??

MJ


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