Posted by Bill McC (198.64.206.92) on November 22, 1999 at 00:04:42:
In Reply to: Hello posted by Carl D on November 21, 1999 at 16:27:07:
... The strategy that my Doc and I worked out was to beat the HA's down at every first sign. Yes, they do seem to build and need to relieve them selves. Yes, the ones after a suppressed one DO seem to be more intense than usual. However, the trick we used was to try to KEEP them down and don't let them build momentum. It is noble to suffer the pain, but this is senseless pain, and serves no purpose other than for the pain's own benefit.
I typically go into this denial phase, hoping that the pressure is an ordinary tension HA, and full well knowing that it is not. I don't get very many "normal" HA's. Especially in a cycle period. So, rather than wait the 10-15 minutes trying to decide if the HA is going to be bad enough to take the expensive meds or not, use the Imitrex NS. It seems to be a lot less expensive than the injection. My Doc likes the NS because it is "less traumatic". I didn't know what he meant at first, then it came to me, that the pain likes the added trauma of making me stab a needle in my arm. The NS is so much "kindlier and gentle" than the syringe.
Sure, a couple of really bad ones broke through during this treatment, and yes I suffered because of it, but that only made me more determined to snuff them out at first sign of an attack. And yes, maybe I snorted a couple of NS packs that might have otherwise not been necessary for that instance. BUT, it sure felt good not letting them get above a 3 or 4, and looking for the end of the cycle.