Posted by Jamy (209.180.171.188) on April 03, 2000 at 00:34:44:
It has now been over six months on Ritalin. It has been, so far, the most effective treatment for me. Better than the magnets. (An old joke) I have had two breakthrough headaches of such severity that I can't compare them with past pains. To help break this last cycle I was put on Norvasc 5mg and it did what was hoped. I did not stop the Ritalin during the bout. They were within a three day period and I think with added help of the Norvasc the cycle was broken. When I feel the threat of headaches I call my Doc and we up the dose of Ritalin until it's safe. I have learned not to wait before calling. Then I return to 5 mg twice a day. There is no speed effect, at least I don't feel one. I was a speed freak in my day so I think of myself as qualified.
I would be interested to hear if anyone else has tried this and what they have to report.
I had gone through the same litany of medications as most of us here and for me this has had the least offensive side affect problems.
I think of CH the same as I think of Diabetes. You're a lifer. This is the reason I kept searching for a medication with the least long term problems and hounded my doctors until they relented. This is not the flu or some other problem you "get over". This is as daily a battle as any and the long term affects of the medications should be on a par with the amount of relief. I have always told my doctors that if pain free is not in the cards, then pain managable should be the goal.
I hope this information helps.