Is heavy night sweating common with higher dosage?

Sheets and pillow absolutely are soaked ever night.

LasVegas wrote on Nov 21^st, 2011 at 6:07am:


This is what they call "hot flashes"...usually happens with females...what is your story 

never happened to me...but i did stay at a motel 6 once

Due to see neurologist in 1 week.  He prescribed me 240mg daily.  He went out of the country for past 2 weeks and although his office mgr was able to reach him daily, I thought nothing of asking permission to increase dosage.  Since I met with the doc a few weeks ago, I have since increased my dosage from 240mg to 480mg, as outlined in previous posts.  I go to the local drug store and check my BP every other day and is within normal range.  Also, no signs of dizziness, lightheaded, tightness in chest, etc.

Been on 480mg for 1 week now and still being hit an (average over the week) of 3x/nightly and 2x/day (Average total 5 within 24 hr period) + I have lingering annoying shadows that last several hours at a time that o2 does not rid.  I am debating on increasing again to 540mg as I feel desperate.

My concern, besides continuing attacks at this increased dosage, is most prescribing doctors have a policy against self administration without prior doctor approval. 

When I go to my appt next week, I am concerned he will discharge me as a patient.  I realize I should've consulted 1st before increasing dosages, but didn't and what's done is done. 

Advice?

No change in the past week at 480mg with my frequency nor intensity and still the long shadows as previously mentioned.

This is so frustrating, never had a cycle this long!

O2 slave here!

Went to neurologist, $300 cash visit for 15 minutes, who was disappointed I didn't start Topomax he wrote script for.  Told him I didn't want 1, 2 or all 3 of the side effects common i've learned about Topomax...stupidness, moodiness, weight loss.

Was honest with him and told him I increased to 480mg Verapamil and need another increase.  He said he would not increase mg without EKG and cardiologist recommended report stating what Verapamil mg dose is acceptable based on cardiologist recommendation.

Jeannie wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2011 at 9:23am:



Jeannie are u on prevents and doing the seed's ?

LasVegas wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2011 at 6:21am:


Checking out your heart is reasonable. I hope you have insurance. I have a spot in my heart that doesn't conduct properly and my dosage was low and just recently was raised to 480mg per day.

It takes time to develope a relationship with a dr or neurologist. Mine respond to emails & that saves me payments for visits.

Can you request a copy of the neuro's report from customer service so you can see what he wrote in your chart. That way, if he is wrong or has made a mistake, you can communicate about it or decide to finhd another neurologist who is willing to help you.

Went to Cardiologist this morning. 

EKG is normal.

Cardiologist wrote note "To whom it may concern...his blood pressure, heart rate and EKG are normal at current daily dosage of 480mg Verapamil.  For blood pressure and other cardiac indications 480mg of Verapamil per day is the maximum recommended dose.

If the neurology literature supports the safety and use of higher doses for cluster headaches I have no objection as long as his heart rate stays above 50/min, his systolic blood pressure stays greater than 90 and his EKG remains normal."

After I left cardiologist office, I immediately drove this hand written doctor note with copy of my EKG to the neurologist office and left this paperwork with the receptionist.

Less than two hours later, I just received a phone call from the neurologist who told me he did his research and can not find anything in any neurological literature to support an increase above 480mg.

I told him there are plenty of neurologists who prescribe higher doses than 480mg of Verapamil for CH's.  He told me I can either go to one of those neurologists or provide him with sound neurological literature promoting the safe use of higher than 480mg of Verapamil.

If anybody has any medical literature that shows higher dosages of 480mg Verapamil is proper treatment for CH's, please post link here on this thread and/or PM and/or email it to me.

This is bureaucratic bullshit at my painful expense!

It looks like you had a good day in being able to progress to what hopefully for you will be a more effective dose whilst at the same time getting the reassurance that the dose you're currently on is fine for your heart.

I hope the $ paid out returns dividends for you.

As usual, what works then may or may not work now. I've taken 960 mgs of verap with no relief. Now as a chronic in high cycle I started a course of verap after a 6 month hiatus. I was up to 480mg and headaches were lessening in frequency and intensity. I dropped to 240mg with no changes. I also started Batch's D3 regimen 2 1/2 weeks ago and I think that deserves most of the credit. FWIW.

up to 640mg, 1 week of PF nights, still getting daytime shadows up to 3 hours unless I abort also still getting at least 1 but not more than 2 attacks everyday, blood pressure on the lower side but don't give a shit as the trade off for sleep and minimal attacks is worth it

I hope this does it. <3

tomorrow will be 3 weeks PF and going to start my taper down and beer test this weekend, fingers crossed for good luck