Posted by jeff glickman on April 14, 1999 at 16:26:46:
In Reply to: might be working posted by martys on April 14, 1999 at 07:49:02:
Hi. Last Friday (4/9) I increased my verapamil dosage
to 480mg. That was the day I say an anaesthesiologist
at the pain center here. It was to be a consultation
but turned into an emergency with a CH which began to
develop prior to my arrival there and which, by the
time they came to take me in, was full blown. I was
crying, moaning, squeezing my head, you all know the
routine.
A few things confluenced that day: the higher Verapamil
dosage; my determination to not use so much Imitrex; my
determination to successfully use O2; the issuance of
a script for depakote.
Amazingly, the shot they gave me to end that CH was
the last dose of Imitrex I've used. The O2 has been
a 100% abortive cure since then. I've had no major CHs
(all O2 remedied in less than 10 minutes) and none of
any kind in the day.
I had been having numerous one night and day. What
happened? Is it the Verapamil kicking in??? Is the
loss of Imitrex from my system responsible for the
change in CH pattern? I held off on the depakote to
give the Verapamil a chance. As you say, it just might
be working. This is the best week I've had in 1999,
though now that I've had a slight relative break, I'm
still scared shitless, and I suppose, always will be,
of the next one.
I wish to add that my HMO doc felt the Verapamil was
"obviously not working". Which it wasn't. But he was
not necessarily encouraging me to try the next dosage
level (I had been at 360mg, in a slow but steady build
up from 180mg.) However, it is because of *messages
written at this web site* that I learned that some
folks were taking Verapamil at 480mg while other
implied that it might take awhile for the drug to
have the desired affect. That's why I held off of the
depakote. Thank you, each and every one of you, for
providing enough info, insight, and intuition that I
end up having a less painful week than I've had for
three months.
To martys - are you noticing side effects from the
depakote or the combo you are using?