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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Shopping List?
        
(Message started by: Sylvan on Nov 17^th, 2004, 10:15am)

Title: Shopping List?
Post by Sylvan on Nov 17^th, 2004, 10:15am

I'm heading to my local holistic med/health food store this afternoon - and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for supplements etc that may be helpful in dealing with the symptoms while i am waiting for the results of my lab work and seeking a better doctor who is willing to consider that women do get clusters instead of trying to treat me for migrains?

Things i am considering at this point:

Feverfew
Capsacian
Magnesium
Lidocaine

So far the midrin my dr Rx'd has been ineffective.

Thanks,
Sylvan

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by JJA on Nov 17^th, 2004, 11:35am

Some people say magnesium helps. I never noticed any effect though. I don't remember any reports of feverfew helping with CH, but you never know... If you can get melatonin and haven't tried it yet, that's probably your best bet. The 3mg pills are better for most Ch'ers because the most common dose is 3-12mg before bed.

Jesse

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by sandie99 on Nov 17^th, 2004, 11:38am

How about melatonin? Or is it possible to get that subscribtion-free there?
Anyways, when I'm going to see my doc next week, I'm going to ask for that.

I am eating regurlarly magnesium tablets. I am not sure if it helps with CH, but I am sure as hell scared to stop eating them...

Best wishes,
sandie99

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by don on Nov 17^th, 2004, 2:16pm

Forget that whole list.

Get some melatonin and a bag of frozen peas.

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by Sylvan on Nov 17^th, 2004, 2:49pm

Thanks for the suggestions!

Melatonin? It's available OTC here - what does it do? I don't see it listed on the meds page - either here or at OUCH.

And peas? To eat - or to use as an ice pack?

My S/O was teasing me last night - i actually had a PF night after a dinner of mushroom soup and grilled cheese. The last PF night i had was after a dinner of Linguini with assorted shellfish and mushrooms. So now he says i need to have mushrooms with dinner every night! (Lord how i wish that was the solution!)

Sylvan

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by E-Double on Nov 17^th, 2004, 4:11pm

MELATONIN!!!!!!!!!

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by Sylvan on Nov 17^th, 2004, 9:05pm

Thanks.

I got the melatonin. 3mg pharmacutical formula. The only inactive ingredient is rice powder.

Do i take 1 before bed?

I didn't have an attack last night - but I fully expect one tonight - especially since i forgot to eat all day - and have a 15 hour work day scheduled for tomorrow.

Making dinner now.

Sylvan

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by don on Nov 17^th, 2004, 9:37pm

Take one about 1 hour before sleep.

Melatonin will not put you to sleep nor will it keep you asleep. I t will give a better quality of sleep.

The frozen peas are for an ice pack. You can use corn but I'd eat that so I use peas. I hate peas.

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by Sylvan on Nov 17^th, 2004, 9:56pm

Thanks Don. Will do.

I do keep a couple of those gel type ice packs in the freezer - i may very well try one if i get another headache tonight. I remember that ice was very helpful for toothache pain once.

Sylvan

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by JJA on Nov 18^th, 2004, 8:18am

If just one pill isn't helping you can try increasing the dose. Melatonin didn't work for me until I took 9mg (3 pills).

Jesse

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by E-Double on Nov 18^th, 2004, 9:35am

on 11/18/04 at 08:18:40, JJA wrote:

If just one pill isn't helping you can try increasing the dose. Melatonin didn't work for me until I took 9mg (3 pills).

Jesse

ditto the above.

If you do increase ...IMO it didknock me out and kept me asleep. Atleast for me the use of melatonin wiped out my visits @ night. Only had 5 since July. The daytime is another story but atleast I was well rested and could battle everything else during the day.
The rest can also help with all the angst we get from these things.

Good luck!

E.

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by Sylvan on Nov 18^th, 2004, 11:08am

I may try 2 tonight. Took 1 last night - and actually had 2 attacks - first one at 12:55 AM that lasted 25 minutes. Then another at 2:40 AM.

Had a mild one while driving to work this morning too. First waking one yet.

Sylvan

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by JJA on Nov 18^th, 2004, 11:56am

This is a no-brainer, but melatonin doesn't work for everyone. If it makes your attacks worse you may need to stop. That being said, I wouldn't give up yet. It took me about a week to get any results.

Jesse

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by rbmb on Nov 18^th, 2004, 5:42pm

Although many people here recommend Melatonin, I took it once and it made my HAs much worse......had been getting one HA a night and the night I took Melatonin I woke up 3 times with HAs, two of them really severe. It might have just been coincidence, but I've never touched the stuff again.
Rich

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by marlin on Nov 18^th, 2004, 6:11pm

OK, I think I'm going to buy melatonin.

Since you guys all have experience, can you recommend a startup dosage and how long before hitting the pillow I ought to take it? I generally like starting on the high side as far as dosage is concerned so I skip the failures that always convince me to give up and try something else.

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by Mr. Happy on Nov 18^th, 2004, 8:54pm

on 11/17/04 at 14:49:32, Sylvan wrote:

So now he says i need to have mushrooms with dinner every night!

Er.........he's a whole lot closer to the truth than you might guess.

You can eat as much melatonin as you want, theoretically. There's no lethal dose or LD 50 listed anywhere.......but for most 6-9 mg seems to be more than ample, if it works at all for you. Did nothing for me.

You might want to look into the Mushroom Conspiracy (http://clusterbusters.com),
RJ

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by Wendy1 on Nov 18^th, 2004, 10:02pm

Sylvan,

Just my 2 cents but I've suffered approx. 23+ yrs. and yes, I am a female. I am episodic.

My last cycle (about 2 yrs ago) I had a huge dose of Verapamil (360mg twice daily) break my cycle. I have tried everysingle doctor, everysingle med, you name it, I've tried it. I was completely and utterly shocked by this. I was prescribed Verapamil in the past, but not this high a dose. I actually was prescribed 240 mg twice daily, but I uped it 1/2 a pill. I am just starting another cycle (one last night and the night before). I will keep you posted to see if the Verapamil stops the cycle before it gets a chance to crescendo.

I cannot believe that your doctor is ignorant enough to not know that females as well as males suffer Clusters. Wow, I'd be looking for a new doc. Email me if you need anything. Good Luck

Wendy

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by becky8 on Nov 19^th, 2004, 10:41am

Wendy,
Hi, I am actually a Wendy too. 360mg isn't high at all, people here will tell you that they are on much higher doses. I am on 360mg and I want to go higher but my neuro won't let me, but he let me take lithium with it. It's only been a week so I don't know if its gonna help or not. But I am chronic and in pain almost all the time.So if 360mg is working for you, feel lucky. You don't have to go higher, they say 480mg is what alot people take. Good Luck to you

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by pubgirl on Nov 19^th, 2004, 11:15am

Hi Wendy, another Wendy here!

You can go as high as 960mgs a day with doctors approval, monitoring for side effects and ECG's to check how your heart is handling it. I've know people go higher than this.

Wendy the Third aka Wendy the Brit

Hey! We have a cluster of Wendys! ;;D (God help the world)

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by floridian on Nov 19^th, 2004, 11:28am

A multi-B vitamin may help some people - no clinical trials, but some anecdotal evidence, and scientific research that the various Bs support the neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, etc).

Plus the magnesium and melatonin.

Title: Re: Shopping List?
Post by pubgirl on Nov 19^th, 2004, 1:42pm

a White wine bottle chiller sleeve. It will refreeze a flannel (not sure if that is the word you use over here) over and over again for ages.
Much better than a bag of frozen peas

one Wendy of many