Posted by Hal (38.26.2.49) on June 26, 1999 at 15:42:24:
In Reply to: Imigran posted by Bob Kingsley on June 26, 1999 at 10:46:32:
Have your doctors tried calcium-channel blockers, yet? If not, it’s definitely worth a try. My doctor prescribed Verapamil, a generic brand of c-c blocker and, hence, quite inexpensive, compared to Sumitriptan. For me, it has really worked well to prevent cluster headaches. Unfortunately, each of us suffers The Demon in his own way. So, if you haven’t already tried Verapamil, don’t be surprised, when you do try it, that it doesn’t work for you. If you’ve already tried Verapamil and you know that it’s no help, perhaps you haven’t tried Atenolol, another c-c blocker that has been shown to prevent cluster headaches. Its generic name may be Chlorthalidone. The United States Pharmacopeia, unfortunately, covers only names used in the US and in Canada.
One of the side-effects of Sumitriptan is that it can raise blood pressure to dangerous, heart-attack, levels. C-c blockers, on the other hand, are high-blood-pressure antagonizers. So, lightheadness and even swooning are side-effects.