Posted by John R (24.4.254.3) on January 14, 2000 at 02:49:42:
Good news: no headaches bad enough for oxygen since 12/29 and no shadows to speak of since 1/6/99. (Actually this is obviously great news, but I'm so oblivious I haven't even realized how blessed I am.)
Bad news: I'm so spaced out I can't funtion, even though I tapered off the Sansert from 3 tablets 2mg each last Wednesday (1/5/99). I had my last Sansert tablet Tuesday (1/11/99).
I'm only on melatonin (2 tablets 2 mg each extended relief two hours before expected bedtime) and capsaicin (nasally 3x/day ointment in nostril same side as headaches--will keep up capsaisin 6-8 wks after headaches gone hoping for remission of yr or more) and feverfew (380 mg 3x/day Nature's Way, 0.2% parthenolide).
I was on Depakote also and went off of that hoping it the side effects would lessen. They only got worse.
Besides the weight gain I always get on Sanert, I've been confused, had quite a bit of short-term memory loss, light-headedness (kind of buzzing in my head when I would stand up or move my head, sometimes standing or sitting still), had short spells where I would loose my balance, been very sleepy and groggy. But since I was getting so many headaches each night that I couldn't work anyway, I went ahead and stuck with the Sansert.
I already had the side effects before I started the capsaicin, feverfew and melatonin.
Does anyone know how long Sansert (methesergide ?sp?) stays in your system? I checked the three pharmeceutical links and didn't see anything on that. It did say that I should taper off the Sansert over 2-3 weeks, not the less than one that I did it in. But my headache book says that's to prevent rebound headaches. I did have a headache all over my head Wednesday, but it was below a one on the cluster scale (it wasn't a cluster & three advil killed it).
Anyway, I want to thank DJ again for starting and maintaining this great website. And everyone for sharing and helping. I hope to be away for a while, but I think I'm addicted to you all by now.
I'll let you know if I the same luck as Alex Perez and the capsaicin keeps the clusters away for over a year like it has for him (and he was chronic,too). I'm not sure how long I should keep up the feverfew when the headaches are gone, but I'm going to take the capsaicin for at least 6 weeks after my last headache.
Oh, here's a link to an e-zine (electronic magazine) that had an article on the doctor in Houston that was using the capsaicin arthritis ointment in the headache-side nostril to cut short cycles (less effective in stopping individual headaches). I meant to call his (or her) office to see if there is anything new. But, suprise, surprise--I forgot... :-)
http://www.fiery-foods.com/zine-consumer/healing3.html
I would use the Find function (on MS internet explorer, you just hit Edit, then Find, then enter the word you're looking for) for the word "cluster" since the article is way down on the page.
The doctor was identified as Dr. Ninan T. Mathew of the Houston Headache Clinic.