Just curious if anyone has had any luck with Cortef (hydrocort)?  Just got a script for dexamethesone to take 6mg twice a day for 4 days then 3mg for 3 days.  This seems like a very very high dose.  My wife takes cortef 25mg per day for adrenal insuffiency and wondered if this might be an option for me as well???
Thanks!
Mike

I haven't seen any postings by anybody using cortef and couldn't find any on a search engine check.

The dexamethasone, I've never tried it but a search on the board showed members who had. It worked for them but several complained about severe insomnia....with one guy going 66 hours awake! Are you starting any prevents while you to the Dex taper? Verapamil, Lithium, Topomax etc.?

Joe

Cortef as I have understood to get the equivilant of say pred. would be like 200mg a day, so I will give the dex a try, and if need be, perhaps throw a lunesta in there for any insomia.  I have started the lithium up to 900mg day, verapamil at 240mg X 3 day and melotonin 12mg night as well as pepcid 20mg X 2 day (the thought here is to help block histamines from the gut)  Just finished a DHE sub-cut 2mg/day X 4 days (this worked for 5 days) then the beast came back with 1 hit a day, but that one hit lasted over 5 hours at a 8-9, ended up at the family doctors yesterday and got a nubain/phenergan shot and the dex taper as well as flonase (wishful thinking)  Thank goodness my family doctor will look at whatever I find and at least give it a try to see if it helps.  He also said that cardizem may be more benefical so I am in the process of switching to it since the verapamil doesnt seem to be helping.  I know I should be thankful I am getting just one a day, but it is coming between 8-10 am every day and with my line of work, I can't be down for 4+ hours then completely wiped out afterwards.  Today my brain feels like it bruised, like someone took a baseball to my head.  My wife is looking into a nerve decompression that sounds somewhat promising. 
Thanks!
Mike

This is some what I found on Cortef

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Thanks Ginger, that makes sense why my wife takes it since she doesn't produce near enough fro, the adrenals.
I think after a bit more checking, going to try pred again rather than the dex that stuff is scary!

Good Luck Jace and keep us updated!

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Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor.  It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. Written by one of the better headache docs in the U.S.  (2002)
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Michigan Headache & Neurological Institute for another list of treatments and other articles:

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And see the PDF file, below....


 

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Cortef is a REALLY strong corticosteroid.  Has both very active glucocorticoid and mineralcorticoid effects.  Has much more mineralcorticoid effects than many of the other corticosteroids such as prednisone.  Can be used for inflammatory conditions, but because of the strength and mineralcorticoid effects is more often used for corticoid replacement caused by adrenal insufficiency.

Hope this helps some...
:)