Quote:

Huh?

I am taking dihydergot( dihydroergotamine) not as a
preventive but as an abortive in the beggining of a crisis with a coffee or an energy drink and nothing else for the next 6-8 hours.If another crisis after six hours pass hits back i repeat this.
If it is before six hours pass i prefer another coffee or energy drink with an icepack on face.
(but be careful as i haven't ever discussed it with a neuro so all these it's my own risk)

For night hits there are lots of posts for melatonin helping having a good night sleep.You should give them a look

But i never thought of ergotamine and dihydroergotamine as preventative but rather as an abortive when and if needed.Don't know what to say.

pf wishes

I take DHE injections to abort CH attacks.  At first the injection worked like imitrex, but as time passed it became necessary to use O2 along with the DHE to abort an attack.  When I use this combination, even though it is sometimes awkward, it prevents another attack for at least 24 hours.

Thank you for your replies. I also read the websites that Bob Johnson gave another poster, and found the articles extremely informative. I now have more questions on the medicine that my doctor prescribed, as it seems it causes internal scarring of organs etc. I have to check into all this; the more I read, the more let down I get as to ever getting rid of this thing. It seems the side effects of the meds are more lethal than the disease!!   Madaline.

Well it is after midnight now.The first of my nightly attacks started at 9:30PM and I am now so overdosed on caffeine that it is letting up. About a K-5 now so I will take something to try to get a couple of hours sleep before next attack. Night all.  Madaline.

As BobP notes: if your doc is considering Sansert--there are very well known problems with prolonged use. Common to take a break from use every 6-months and this prevents the side effects.

IF you are, as I assumed, asking about ergo. to get thru the night, then no problem. The night time dose is 1mg and even at this low dose, the side effect potential is well recognized and so dosing limits over X-time are published.
As with any med, we must have knowledge to balance benefit & potential risks. A list of side effects is a statement of POSSIBILITIES. It is not a PREDICTION of what will occur. Wisdom calls for knowing both the risk and asking the doc what to look for, i.e., symptoms of side effects.

I can't actually read the name of the medicine, (due to doc's handwriting)  but I am taking the prescription to the pharmacist to see what she can tell me about the med. Will let you all know what she says.  Madaline.

clavers wrote on Sep 11^th, 2009 at 10:04am:


The insurance corporation can be pretty ugly sometimes. I was surprised when they let me have O2 without any hassle.

Your doc is reaching deeply into the bag of old timey meds! As you can see from this abstract's date--and it was the only hit I received--it had some effectiveness and so, likely worth a try.
------------

Headache. 1997 Jul-Aug;37(7):437-42.Related Articles, Links
Methylergonovine maleate as a cluster headache prophylactic: a study and review.

Mueller L, Gallagher RM, Ciervo CA.

University Headache Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine, Moorestown 08057, USA.

Methylergonovine maleate (Methergine), an ergot derivative with vasoconstrictive properties, has been cited as an effective treatment for vascular headaches. Few studies are available to support its use in headache management. An uncontrolled pilot study of 20 episodic cluster headache patients confirmed its effectiveness and tolerability as an adjunct cluster headache prophylactic. Decreased headache frequency was reported by 19 of 20 patients (95%), and 15 of 20 patients (75%) reported decreased intensity of headaches within 1 week of initiating therapy. A review of methylergonovine's pharmacokinetic, molecular, and tolerability profile clarifies its mechanisms and clinical role in headache management.

Publication Types:
Review

PMID: 9277027 [PubMed]
========

But I wonder if your doc has tried any of the more curren crop of meds????

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

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)
================
Michigan Headache & Neurological Institute for another list of treatments and other articles:

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or