Posted by Annemarie (212.238.33.13) on June 01, 2000 at 04:16:43:
In Reply to: Cluster Headaches posted by Lucy on May 31, 2000 at 23:50:44:
Hello Lucy, sad to meet you here for it means pain.
I used to have migraines and then after menopause suddenly developed clusters. I am on Verapamil now and very happy with it. Vera is NOT a painkiller and not habit forming. It stops nerve cells from gettin too much input which is a good thing in pain.
Verapamil usually keeps attacks off or reduces them in intensity. I use 80, then 160 and may go up to 320 a day but that's very rare. Heart patients who use it go up to 480 a day. So as a medication it is comparatively mild.
I use the oxygen to break attacks. After 5 minutes the pain does not mount, after 10 it is usually all gone. Oxy is a great thing, just don't stay on it for hours, you may get too much oxy in your blood. Otherwise it is safe as houses (okay, apart from safety precautions with the bottles.)
Your doctor sounds as if s/he knows what s/he is doing. This is one of the better treatments.
The bad news is... that it will not always work for everyone. You'll have to find out. But there is no danger in trying.
good luck with and mail me if you want more info
Annemarie