Hi all!

Been struggling with the beast from about the age of 14. I am now 24 and am still fighting it! :P

Had a clean cycle of nearly 2 years and on Sunday it struck. I thought I remembered the intensity of the pain... Turns out I was wrong!   ;D

I have had great success with Maxalt RPD 10 usually working within 30 minutes. But at $10 a pop(converted from local currency), 2 attacks a day, and medical aid not willing to pay for it, I have to look for alternatives.

Today I have an appointment with a new GP. Going to get her to prescribe me some O2 as I have not tried it before. None of the other doctors/neurologists I have seen have mentioned it. Thanks CH for the heads up!!!!!

Anyhoo!! Have to get back to work now!

Thanks for the website and forum! It's truly a great place!

On a per dose basis this is much less and a number of us have found it as fast acting as Imitrex. Your doc can give you a sample and you will know with 1-3 uses whether it works for you.
=======
Headache 2001 Sep;41(8):813-6 

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.

Rozen TD.

Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. THE INITIAL OLANZAPINE DOSE WAS 5 MG, AND THE DOSE WAS INCREASED TO 10 MG IF THERE WAS NO PAIN RELIEF. THE DOSAGE WAS DECREASED TO 2.5 MG IF THE 5-MG DOSE WAS EFFECTIVE BUT CAUSED ADVERSE EFFECTS. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and TWO PATIENTS BECAME HEADACHE-FREE AFTER TAKING THE DRUG. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. IT ALLEVIATES PAIN QUICKLY AND HAS A CONSISTENT RESPONSE ACROSS MULTIPLE TREATED ATTACKS. IT APPEARS TO WORK IN BOTH EPISODIC AND CHRONIC CLUSTER HEADACHE.

PMID 11576207 PubMed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.

Hey Bakerman, welcome home! You haven't mentioned a prevent medication. One you take daily while on cycle to reduce number and intensity of hits. I use Lithium, blocks about 70% of my attacks. Verapamil is a popular first line prevent, Topomax has proven effective for some on the board.

And REALLY push hard for the oxygen. It's success rate on this board has been very high. Read the link on the left as it needs to be used correctly to be effective. The major keys are a Non Re Breather Mask, High Flow Regulator, at least 15 LPM, and get on it at the first hint of an attack. Been a real sanity saver for me.

Joe

bakersman wrote on Apr 15^th, 2010 at 3:00am:

Had a clean cycle of nearly 2 years and on Sunday it struck. I thought I remembered the intensity of the pain... Turns out I was wrong!   ;D

Yup, I also do that every two years .. ;)

Good luck with the 02, it's a life saver for most of us around here.


Lefty