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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> percocet  vicodin demerol as prevenative?
        
(Message started by: craniumcrunch on Nov 13^th, 2004, 10:35pm)

Title: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by craniumcrunch on Nov 13^th, 2004, 10:35pm

iam recent diagnosed ch and have had every kind of pain killer i could take for 1- 2 mons cant tell if cycle is winding down and iam still taking the opiates as prevenative has this worked for any1 else? seems to work if i stay on same regiment just have to get my nuero to see it my way he wants to put me on lithium does any1 else have direct expierience with lith

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by nani on Nov 13^th, 2004, 11:53pm

None of those painkillers will help a cluster headache, in fact, you could develop rebound headaches with them as well. Verapamil and lithium are a common preventative combo. I take both and Neurontin (an anti-convulsant) as well. See a neurologist who understands cluster headaches and you may find the right combination of drugs that can actually help you. Good luck, I hope you find some relief!

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by BobG on Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:03am

Please do as nani says.

Get off the pain killers. And, if they were prescribed by your neurologist, FIRE HIM! He's an idiot that knows nothing about clusterheadaches. If you are taking them on your own then...........
please, just get off them.

Lithium is a very common treatment for clusterheadaches. As nani says, it is usually used with verapamil as a preventative.

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by Jimmy_B on Nov 14^th, 2004, 8:07am

Dude,

I hope these aren't your 1st line meds against CH. I don't take lithium...so I can't respond about that med. But from what I here it works great. Opioids will not really prevent a Cluster & unless you've already run the gambit of other meds...I would try other preventives.

I get from your post that you're going to see a neuro & you're hoping he uses these meds...if I'm right...then go see him, see what else is out there & only use opioids as a last resort. Opioids definitely have their place in pain mgt. but for CH...there's definitely better drugs.

Godd luck,

Jimmy

BTW...are you episodic or chronic CH Sufferer?

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by craniumcrunch on Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:13pm

thanks for the input and ihope to god iam episodic only question does the lithium give weight gain? and if iam episodic do i need to take anything as prevent? seems ihavent had to dance for a week!

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by unsolved1 on Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:38pm

Chronics only know they're chronic after 1 year of headaches without a 30 day break.

I've never had Lithium make me gain weight.

Prevents may make your cycle easier to deal with, or it could draw it out for a longer time, it's a gamble I guess.

Whatever doctor gave you narcotics for the prevention of cluster attacks is an idiot. If it's working, preventing headaches, then you don't have clusters (IMO)

Unsolved

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by Chillrmn1 on Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:39pm

Just started Lithium along with the Verapamil I have been taking as preventative. I am not aware of weight gain as a result of the Lithium. Any help out there on this? I'd like to know too.

However, Dr has prescribed Prendisone to break my cycles and this works great and really increases my appetite. The Prendisone breaks my cycles within 36 Hours, but this time the CHs were back after about a week after running a 2 week treatment course. Obviously I'm episodic.

Oh, one more thing regarding the Vicodin; had a tooth extracted and was given Vicodin by the Oral Surgeon recently and was pain free until taking this pain medication. Within 3 days, my CHs were back. Will NEVER, NEVER take Vicodin again for fear of this.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Bob

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by survivor13 on Nov 14^th, 2004, 8:11pm

dr. had me on lithium for 4 months w/no success. as well as corgard, depakote, sansert, calan and caffergot. predisonne is the only thing that has worked as a preventive for me. one dr. put me on 60 mg. a day for 18 months. went from 158 lbs. to 205 lbs. developed high blood pressure and my bones were degenerating. my family dr. took me off of it and away from that dr.. probally saved my life.

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by nani on Nov 14^th, 2004, 8:57pm

Prednisone and other steroids are not meant for long term use. They can really mess your body up. If you are given prednisone, I believe that it has to be a short term and tapered administration. JMHO

Title: and dRe: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by craniumcrunch on Nov 14^th, 2004, 10:05pm

the info is very helpful and do know unfortunatley these are ch s had mri been to er 3 times have been to level 10 4 times and the painkillers dont prevent atacks they just dole the constant shadows and allow me to go to work and iam worried that ill have to be on meds of somekind or another with long term effects to the body on the other hand anything is better than wanting to stick my head in avise or the freezer can any1 relate? to the constant pressure laying in wait down toward the back of the neckfeeling like it wants to pounce and take you down or make you pace or scream and dance do these seem like episodic or chronics ?

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by unsolved1 on Nov 14^th, 2004, 11:19pm

Epesodic means that your headaches come in 'epesodes' or 'cycles' that last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months (generally speaking)

Chronic means that you have had headaches for at least 1 full year without a pain free period of 30 days, with or without meds.

Unsolved

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by Chillrmn1 on Nov 15^th, 2004, 5:04am

Yes, Nani is correct, no long term course for Prendisone/Stearoids. My Doc prescribes Prendisone to break my cycles like this: 7 days at 60 mg, the following 7 days are tapered at 50, 40, 30,......... This is suppossed to get me thru until the preventatives get in my system. I usually go 12 - 14 months or so until my cycles return. I don't take preventatives all thru this pain free period, but start them about 11 months after my last cycle ended. This lack of preventative may not be ideal, but prefer to keep the meds out of me as long as possible.

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by Chillrmn1 on Nov 15^th, 2004, 6:18am

Note to craniumcrunch: Hang in there - I know how frustrating and painful this is, we all do. My story - went 20 years misdiagnosed and no pain relief, properly diagnosed 7 years ago, and then it took this long to find a Neuro that knows his stuff, with me anyway. Follow the advise of others on this site - if your present Dr is not finding the right formula for YOU, try another Dr and another until you're satified. Lots of Neuros, in my case anyway, don't seem to know how to treat CHs. Strange, you'd think in this specialty they would all be up on it - not what I've found.

This is a great site for you to find out from others what works for them and then suggest to your Dr. Be careful though, I find their Egos sometime get in the way when a patient try's to tell them their business, be tactful.

Hope you're feelin better!

Regards,

Bob

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by survivor13 on Nov 15^th, 2004, 4:49pm

most of the knowledge i have about clusters has come from my own research. i think 2 of the 4 nuro's. i've had learned more from me about c/h's., than they already knew. they were there just to write my prescriptions. did see one dr. in fla. that explained my pain to me. YOUR HEAD IS IN A VISE AND SOMEONE TURNS IT AND STOPS RIGHT BEFORE YOUR HEAD EXPLODES. THEN EVERYTIME YOUR HEART BEATS SOMEONE STICKS A RED-HOT POKER BEHIND YOUR EYE-BALL AND TEMPLE.

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by craniumcrunch on Nov 15^th, 2004, 5:28pm

thank you all

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Nov 15^th, 2004, 8:29pm

I have just one link for you. Says it all:

http://www.future-drugs.com/admin/articlefile/ERN020304.PDF

Read it, print it out, take it to your doc. And ... stay away from narcotics. Otherwise, you'll have clusters in your head and a monkey on your back!

PFDAN,

Kris

Title: Re: percocet vicodin demerol as prevenative?
Post by Karla on Nov 15^th, 2004, 11:20pm

I used that combonation to keep me from blowing my brains out and runnnng to the er everytime I had a kip 10. It made the pain just a little short of bareable but keep me from being suicidal. It bough me time until i could find something that works to abort the ha and prevent them. I haven't had any ha in a couple of years now. The fentenol / duragesic patch does wonders.