Posted by Jeff Bull on October 28, 1998 at 08:58:11:
In Reply to: Cluster headache, Verapamil and Imitrex Questions posted by Daniel W on August 17, 1998 at 11:50:30:
THIS IS GREAT. FINALLY SOMEONE TO COMPARE NOTES WITH.
I AM TAKING 360 MG A DAY AND IT SEEMS TO BE HELPING MY HEADACHES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD CALL MINE CLUSTER HA OR MIGRAINE BECAUSE I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE "BOUTS" SO MUCH AS MUCH AS A POTENTIAL HA MOST ALL THE TIME. I WAS TAKING 240 MG A DAY BUT IT WASN'T HELPING MUCH. THE INCREASE IN DOSAGE IS RECENT AND I SEEM TO BE SEEING SOME RESULTS. SURE HOPE SO.
I WAS USING THE IMITREX PEN INJECTOR UNTIL LAST YEAR, WHICH RESULTED IN ALMOST INSTANT RELIEF, BUT BECAUSE I WAS DOING IT THREE TO FIVE TIMES TIMES A WEEK THE DOCTOR PUT ME ON TABLETS OF 50 MG SUMATRIPTAN, IMITREX WHICH TAKE AN HOUR OR SO TO WORK. NOT AS GOOD BUT AT LEAST IT KILLS THE PAIN. THE DOCTOR WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE I WAS TAKING THREE TO FIVE TABLETS A WEEK ON A 240 A DAY DOSAGE OF VERAPAMIL.
WITH MORE VERAPAMIL HE HOPES TO DECREASE THE DEPENDENCY ON IMITREX. HE INSISTED THAT MORE IMITREX RESULTS IN "REBOUND" HEADACHES, A DIRECT RESULT OF USING ANY MEDICATION, PAINKILLER, IMITREX OR EXCEDRIN FOR MIGRAINE (WHICH I HAVE FOUND WORKS ON A MILD HA). FOR THIS REASON HE WANTS ME TO NOT USE ANY IMITREX AT ALL. CAN THIS BE BECAUSE MEDICARE HAS TO PAY A FORTUNE FOR THE IMITREX HERE IN THE US? MAYBE IT IS NOT THE "REBOUND" PROBLEM SO MUCH AS THE EXPENSE. HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS PER PRESCRIPTION!!!!
WITHOUT MEDICARE I WOULD BE UNABLE OBVIOUSLY TO AFFORD IT.
I WAS TOLD THAT TWO INJECTIONS IN A DAY WOULD BE "DANGEROUS" OBVIOUSLY OUR FRIEND DANIEL HAS USED THAT MUCH BEFORE AND NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS.
IS THE PRICE HERE IN THE US WAY OUT OF LINE, I WONDER.
I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A SURGICAL APPROACH.