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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> confused!!!!
        
(Message started by: biker_babe on Oct 28^th, 2005, 3:45pm)

Title: confused!!!!
Post by biker_babe on Oct 28^th, 2005, 3:45pm

hi debi here again, thanks for your replies, there are a few things that im confused about firstly does anyone out there understand the reason for gp giving me antidepressants!!?! am i alone in shouting "im in pain not depressed" if anyone else takes these can u help and do they work? cos mine aint!! the other thing is my gp has not even mentioned any of the meds u guys take am i allowed to go back and say hey what about these!!! and shove some info in front of her nose [smiley=huh.gif] sorry to go on but trying to get a grip of all this, last couple of things, honest, also been told by u know who, thay O2 not been proven to work they just bulling me right, you all seem to get on ok with it!! and what is "kudzu" thanks keep well and dont let the beast win :)

Title: Re: confused!!!!
Post by Kevin_M on Oct 28^th, 2005, 4:10pm

on 10/28/05 at 15:45:12, biker_babe wrote:

does anyone out there understand the reason for gp giving me antidepressants!!?!

...do they work?

A neuro prescribed Paxil once, it went by the wayside within 30 days, slowly down tapered. He was able to diagnose clusters but not treat them. When it's not effective, let her know soon. It's good at least to ask what she is willing to try next so you know what direction she is headed. Don't know the Brit med system but a third doc was a charm for me. Do you have abortives in the meantime? If no, I'd contact again for cluster headache abortive, now, any effectiveness that antidepressant might have could take awhile.

Quote:

the other thing is my gp has not even mentioned any of the meds u guys take am i allowed to go back and say hey what about these!!!

similar experience with same neuro and gp. Starting by letting the doc play doctor when they don't know clusters can be a mistake, I learned. I mentioned a common preventative to test the doc's resistance to what could be a successful med and if the doc was willing to talk about it for future consideration, that could go too slow though. Now I know what I need.

Quote:

sorry to go on but trying to get a grip of all this, last couple of things, honest,

two posts, took me over a thousand to catch on to two things, I'm an idiot. ;) Big, big, big room for any questions you have here.

Quote:

also been told by u know who, thay O2 not been proven to work

This is not a good sign. The real proving ground is here, O2 is a definite keeper for most.

Title: Re: confused!!!!
Post by E-Double on Oct 28^th, 2005, 8:00pm

http://www.clusterheadaches.org.uk/home/index.cfm?address=../home/txt_welcome.cfm&added=Dec2001&code=AD

Title: Re: confused!!!!
Post by zanychef on Oct 29^th, 2005, 2:58am

hi debi
i have no idea why you got those
ask for a referral to a neurologist a.s.a.p!!
the british national formulary or bnf states that the only abort is imigran subject in injection form!
he sounds like most other g.p's without muh idea of what is going on use ouch uk for doctors info print that out maybe that will put him on the right track!!
ian

Title: Re: confused!!!!
Post by Gator on Oct 30^th, 2005, 12:05am

I wouldn't get too freaked out about the different meds you might be prescribed as time goes by. If something doesn't work after a reasonable trial period, then tell the doc it is time to try something else. All of the medications we take are "Off Label." There are no cluster headache specific medications, with the exception of possibly Imitrex and it falls in the category of "designed for someone else, but works for us, too." Many clusterheads do not have high blood pressure, yet Verapamil is very effective against ch. Most of us don't have epilepsy, but Topamax and Depakote- anti-seizure meds - sometimes work. And of course, clusterheads ain't crazy, but anti-psychotics, like Lithium have been known to work. Sometimes none of these things works alone, but paired with another med works fairly well. Verapamil and Lithium are a good example of this.

My Second neuro gave me Allegron/Nortriptyline. He told me it is given to patients with chronic pain, not necessarily for the anti-depressant effect, but because it also affects the way your brain interprets pain. It has been known to help some people deal with the pain better. Also, anyone who suffers constant pain or repetitive bouts of severe pain can become depressed. Double bonus if it helps.

Another frequently prescribed anti-depressant with cluster headaches is amitriptyline. I don't know what it is called where you are. Here it is also called Elavil.

I wouldn't wait for your doctor to finally get around to prescribing the proper meds. I would take the documentation available here and present it to him/her and say I want to start here. You and the doc should work together as a team to find the treatment that works best for you. If the doc refuses to listen, then if possible, it's time for another doctor. When it's all said and done, the doctor works for you. S/he can be fired, but don't burn any bridges if you can help it. You never know if your next doc will be dumber than the one you have.

I really wish you all the luck in the world with this.

PFDAN,

Mike