Hi Eroc,
The prednisione is a 7-10 day taper dose until the Verapamil
Kicks in. What dose of Verapamil are you on a day?

Hoppy.

I've been having a crazy obnoxious cycle myself, a "never seen" before kind, scares the hell out of me.  I think it has to be the climate shifting so dramataclly this year.  When I started using verap years ago I started in the middle of a cycle, no taper, it did not make my cycle any worse and after 2-3 weeks I entered a period of remission unlike any I had ever known since this curse started. 

As far as the pred, I'm already on my second taper of this season.  It's been great, like a vacation in a bottle, it would be even better if I didn't have prednisone in me but to me it's better than hits every 2 hours which is pretty much where I was at too prior to the taper. 

Good luck to you, drink lots of energy drink!

What dose of Pred is typical to provide relief?  My Neuro prescribed me a 120 mg taper.  Then on top of that lithium which he states counteracts the psychotics effects of the pred.  Then the verapamil on top of that. 

Chemical cocktail.  The D3 isn't working for me and I have been working with Batch to find out why.   

Vitamin A retinol is very hard to find. 

We also have had a very strange winter up here in Minnesota .

Eroc wrote on Mar 16^th, 2014 at 8:26am:


I ususally get this 60mg/5 days, 50mg/3days, 40mg/3days, 30mg/3 days, 20mg/3 days, 10mg/3 days.  It has completely blocked this cycle so far...NO headaches with the prednisone.

Pred makes me aggressive, hard to get sleep, and all puffy faced but I would gladly go through it as opposed to the cycle it broke.  Just wish it would last forever.   

My first reaction was: sharp doc!

Dosing on the Pred and Verap are standard. The relativelly fast tapering down on the Pred. avoids side effects for most people but, report side effects, of course.
The side effects, which can be serious, affects people who are using it for months.

Pred knocks out the cycle rapidly. Verap. taskes several days to start working, hence, this standard initial treatment  package.

Hoppy, 

Check out my profile pic up close.  That is from the previous bout.  The used Trex count is much lower this time but adding up. 

I inject the auto injectors into a vial and then dose down depending on the HA to as little as two MG of Trex.  We had a little arts and crafts fun at the Neuro office three years ago during my last bout which I completely went through on Trex as I hadn't figured out the O2 as of yet.  Now with an opti mask and welding regulator I am able to get O2 to work.  Most of the time!

I did decide this morning to throw the book at it and too the pred, lithium, and day two of the verapamil .  Started the taper at 110 mg for three days then begin the taper. 

After a busy day working with heavy shadows and a light but constant pressure on my cluster side I am sitting down and mentally preparing for another night of hell. 

I will keep you all posted through the night and can't begin to express how much all of your support means when few really understand how much this disease hurts and how hard it is to cope with. 

I'm praying for pain freed days.   

Thanks again,

Eric

Update:

It's been a pretty strange week.  Shortly after starting the pred taper I came down with a damn cold. 

I have however been full on HA free with the exception of this afternoon.  I got off work a little early and thought a nice nap was in order.  Well after about a 45 min snooze I woke up with a kip 2 ish that wouldn't really develop and wouldn't go away either.  So I gave it about 2 mg of Trex SC and was good after that. 

I am at the 80 mg day of the pred taper and today's experience tells me the beast is waiting. 

I really am struggling with all of this, this time around.   I can't remember it being this rough and constant.  Really having trouble keeping my head up. 

I guess one day at a time!  One hour at a time! 

I will try to get some sleep! 

Thanks for everyone's support!

E

Greg,

Had a much better day.  With the pred keeping all hits at bay. 

I think it was the nap that threw things into the lurch.  I am on the slow release verapamil 120 mg 4 times a day. 

I am at 70 mg of pred tomorrow dropping by 10 each day.   My apprehension is that I have to travel to Las Vegas on the 1st for business for five days, and am thinking of extending the taper out for an extra week.  I have extra from a previous cycle I didn't use.  I really don't want to chance having a bunch of CH's whilst traveling. 

I also have been talking with Batch pretty regularly,  regarding the D3 and what I have been taking.  I apparently have a rather finicky body and if it is to work it will be due to a finite detail.  Not just the d3 itself.  Added in actual B12 and doubled the vit A retinol.  Hopefully something will work in that regard.  My levels when tested 1 week prior to this bout were at 78.1 ng ml .   I am going to try and get another test done prior to my trip to see where I am at now.  I have been on a maintenance dose of 20000 iu daily for the last three years.  I was worried I was going to be very high however that was no the case. 

Any thoughts as to what level to stop tapering for an extra week would be? 

Either way I really appreciate the support one can get on this forum.  So few including the wife really understand the pain.  As this bout goes on the frustration level claims. 

Either way have a good night. 

Eric

Hi Eroc,
You should probably ask your prescribing doctor his/her thoughts of what dosage to stay at and how to best taper over an extended time period. 

I've done extended Pred tapers and am not a fan of side effects, however when in cycle, I am willing to take anything to stay painfree; so I understand your situation completely. 

Make sure to PM me a few days before you arrive in Las Vegas and we'll make plans to meet up if you're interested.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

Jason1212

How much time did you have between pred tapers? And how long after to ran out of pred did it take for the CH's to return?  I have three days left and am getting nervous.

Thanks,

Eric

Update for those who are following.   My Neuro extended my pred taper by about a week at 40 mg a day and I have also upped my verapamil to 600 mg a day.  I am also on 1200 mg day of lithium as well. I have not had a CH in two days and the one hit I did get was like a Kip three. 

I have however been getting a what I would call a tension headache in the back of my head the last two afternoons.  Very similar to say when you had too much to drink the night before headache. 

I sleep it off over night and wake up feeling great.  I have also been taking the D3 regimen at night after my typically late supper so I'm not sure if it has to do with that or the 3 monster energy drinks I have been consuming during the day. 

I am still waiting for my latest D3 results, but I expect them to be high.   

If anyone has a similar experience I would love to know how to kill the minor headache.  I haven't taken any ibuprofen or other general drug for fear of an interaction or something.   

Any day without a CH is a good day in my book so I am pretty happy.  The key seems to be staying busy. 

Again any thoughts are appreciated.   

Have a great day all, 

Eric

The HA is on both sides and I would describe the location as back and low in my head. 

I would not describe it as a shadow as I am very familiar with those and they typically hit up front closer to my eye. 

I also wonder if it could be dehydration,  with all of the meds my fluid output has been elevated.  So much that on Friday I went in for more blood work to try and determine what drug could be causing the problem and to try and see if it's related to blood sugar problems.   

I probably won't get those results back until Monday or Tuesday. 

E