Posted by Steve (152.79.62.141) on September 09, 1999 at 14:47:38:
I have had clusters for approximately 25 years (1-2 HA per day for three to 4 months, with 1-3 year hiatus between clusters). The best I could do until recently was about 80% preventive control with Cafergot every morning and evening. Many neurologists now favor verapamil as first-line treatment for episodic cluster. I have recently used this (verapamil 80 mg qid) and added one Cafergot every morning about an hour before my usual morning headache. Result: perfect preventive control. I recently cut back to just the verapamil and have continued in perfect control. I know I am still in my cluster because I can occasionally feel the stirrings of a headache, but it never develops into one. When these occasional preheadache stirrings abate (I anticipate another month or so according to my usual pattern) I will taper off the verapamil.
If you suffer with clusters, talk with your MD about this.
Steve