Posted by Simon (193.113.185.132) on February 09, 2000 at 19:37:01:
In Reply to: Pain scale and treatment posted by Don Pearson on February 09, 2000 at 11:17:50:
Dear Don,
Another welcome from the UK.
Your comment about the Imigran jabs intrigues me.
I've had three different GPs since I started
taking them, and none of them has baulked at
prescribing how many I need. As a result, I always
get my repeat prescriptions for ten refill packs,
(ie. twenty individual injections). These scrips are
filled as often as I need.
Has your doc explained why he restricts you, and how
he thinks that helps you. I once thanked my GP for
his understanding on this, and his reply was:
"If that's what you need to function nearly normally,
that's what you'll have". I thought that was quite an
enlightened attitude, but then it occurred to me
that the Hippocratic Oath probably requires it!
If you worry about the long term effects, consider
three things:
1. there are many of us who have been on these things
for a long while now, and very few have had real problems,
(those have mainly been intolerance to the drug itself,
not the quantity)
2. you can use the Imigran tip on the left to extend the
benefits if you're concerned
3. I personally would worry more about the long term
effects of unmedicated clusters than I would about
a drug which "cures" the attack 100% reliably, and in
a matter of a few hundred seconds.
(I've been chronic for nearly five years, and have averaged
one and a half jabs a day over the last three - I've noticed
no adverse effects, though some of my sparring partners here
may disagree!!)
ATB
Simon