give up my imitrex injections.

My episodes seem to get longer by a week everytime I get them, and I don't know if its because of the amount of imitrex I take when I'm in a cycle, but by what you all seem to believe it very well could be... However, I'd rather endure an extra week instead of give up my only easy and fast relief. I have O2 but like I've stated before.. my insurance doesn't pay but 20% of it and carrying an O2 tank around is almost impossible considering the variation and amount of things I do daily.

I don't know, am I crazy? Doctors tell me that Imitrex is a horrible drug to take, very bad for you in the long run... but when I'm having a CH and I'm without my O2, it's a lifesaver. Does anyone else feel this way?

Well my longer episode has been 5 years now....

When I had my trex, if you had tried to take it away I would have broken your fingers though.  Even after the doctors revoked my use of ANY triptan or ergot compound, I kept 6 vials of trex in the cupboard;  After being told if you use triptans and/or ergots you risk dropping dead, and it's a high risk, I still kept those vials. 

I have used 2mg shots here and there over the last 4 years as I needed them for very severe attacks, 9's or 10's after more than 2 hours and nothing else in my arsenal was working. 

So yeah, even though I KNOW that the trex made my hits far more intense, and longer, and the opinion of a couple of different headache specialists is that it was a large part of why I went from a clockwork episodic to a random chronic, I knew it would bring relief, every time.

I wouldn't go back through the post triptan phase after heavy use again, but if I had it available to me, I would continue with judicious use that didn't interfere with other treatments.  I would think the problem for most CHers is trying to make 6 vials of 6mg each last over a 4 year period.  The tendency if you have a sure fire abortive available, is to reach for it.  And I don't think you could talk me into ever returning to regular daily use again, even minus a cardiac condition, just because of the way it made my hits sooooo much worse.  I much prefer a 45 min. attack over one that is 3 hours long and a 2 hour break, then another 3 hour attack, etc. etc. 

I don't imagine there is anyway any specialist, or even us sufferers, that can *definitively* say that trex was/is responsible for turning one chronic, but that is one hell of a longer cycle....

So if I had it to do over again, I would probably find a different way.  I didn't have the same result with Maxalt MLT tabs, nor with zomig nasal spray;  But I also did not use either of those to the same extent I used trex.

Perhaps moderation is the key.

Cat

Quote:

but when I'm having a CH and I'm without my O2, it's a lifesaver. Does anyone else feel this way?

Heres the short answer.

Yes.

What Seaworthy said.

Ummmm.... Yeah... ANYDAY!!! forsure, 100%!!!! The pain to me is so unbareable its.... lets put it this way, i was in the ER the other night and before the shot came, the doc asked if there was anything else he could do for me and i asked if he had a 9mm stuffed away in his pocket.. thats how bad it was... you get the point here.. i would take the extra week WITH trex anyday!! I support and feel for you guys everynight, i'm 4 weeks into my horrible cycle right now, missed the opening to the winter olympics this year (my wifes Canadian, how disappointing is that) because of the beast!

Take care all,

Shane from Texas!!

I stayed on prednisone for 9 months early on in my CH career....without my doctors knowledge of course, when I eventually told him he had a cow!

My point being, it comes down to the most personal of choices, how you want to handle YOUR CH. I'm convinced trex extended my last cycle from the normal 2-3 month to an 8 month cycle. If my oxygen stopped working tomorrow I'd be reaching for the trex in a heartbeat. ;)

Joe

PS: in NO WAY am I advocating a 9 month pred taper, I suspect that may yet come back to haunt me as I age. :-/

I try to use as little as possible but, yes, that's the way I roll as well.

I've been using "alternative therapies" (see START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE) exclusively for over 3 years now with great success.   That said, I have kept a pred. taper and couple vials of trex in the fridge for a few years now.  The pred was "discarded" a month or so ago, but even with the alternative success, I'm not ready to part with my trex backup plan. 

I have no insurance, so a 5 pack of vials is 10 to 15 aborts should the alternatives quit working.