Posted by Renee (152.163.205.73) on February 26, 2000 at 12:34:36:
My neurologist asked me once if I had ever contemplated suicide during one of my cluster headaches. My first thought- what a dumb ass! How could he ask a person like myself that suffers like I do that kind of question! I quickly found out that he is NOT a dumb ass, that he knew more about CH than any doctor I'd ever met. I am new to this board and have been kinda sitting back reading the post on the board. I'll share a little that MAYBE will help some of you. I have suffered from CH FOR 22 Yrs and have a brother that has suffered for about 15 yrs. We both support each other and I can't imagine not having someone to share my pain with through out all of these yrs. About 5 yrs ago I finally found a neurologist that could help me, studies CH, and put me on the right medicine! His name is Dr. John Warner and he is a neurologist at Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville Tn. (HEADACHE CLINIC) Dr. Warner put me on verapamil and it has changed my life! I take 6 tablets 80 mg of verapamil a day during my cycle and I DON'T have ANY CH if I take my medicine like I'm suppose to. If I forget a dose, Wham! My brother had chronic clusters, a lot of ER trips, oxygen that didn't help, time realeased verapamil that did nothing and he finally got help when he went to see Dr. Warner. My brother was put on 8 tablets 80 mg of verapamil a day at thet first visit with Warner and he hasn't had a CH since that day! He his cuts dose back to 5 or 6 a day after he is 3 or 4 days into his cycle. Our doctor seems to think the KEY is the 80 mg of verapamil! As far as side effects, the only thing we've had to deal with is constipation and one can do things to take care of that! It seems like if verapamil in these doses helps both of us that it might be worth a try for some of you out there. I know that Dr. Warner has helped a lot of people. Something else I'll share with all of you about the doc. At one of the last visits that my brother and I had with him, he took a picture of us for a poster that he was doing for a convention. He took pictures of CH patients and just regular people and placed them on a poster to show people that we do not have " LION " like faces or look retarted! He is trying to get that taken out of the medical books! So.... he is a doctor that is out there pulling for us! I don't live in dread, terror when I go to sleep or have little thoughts of suicide at any time, ANYMORE! I know that verapamil must not work for everyone. For those that would fly to the moon to get help for this it might just be worth a try. I'd like to know how many of you have tried verapamil and what your experience was. DJ you must be a very compassionate person and I thank you for this site.
Renee