Author |
Topic: Pain Meds (Read 2431 times) |
|
Kevin_M
CH.com Alumnus
New Board Hall of Famer
withered branches grow green again.
Gender: 
Posts: 6184
|
 |
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #25 on: Jan 17th, 2008, 7:01pm » |
 Quote  Modify
|
Rich,
After the first couple cycles for me, just being able to abort these things came as a confident relief. However, continuing complacent that way for too long led to feeling like a slave to it every two hours in the following years, prevention became the utmost concern when I was willing to fight back again.
You mention a lot of abortives, important, but searching for a preventive med is a continuing step that may take time to get effectively right for you. Keep battling it in a way to keep it down longer. 
Preventive meds can sometimes help slow an accelerating hit, so a second look at oxygen can get to it more often. I know now I don't waken with it beyond catching too often, there are bad times. A hesitation in aborting will get me to a kip 7 easily but slower beyond that while the oxygen is working on it. Previously it was always much worse, sore head and all between hits.
Still, oxygen is not always effective in ridding it but can keep it down while very much less reliance now on a nasal spray Imitrex for me has its chance to work when it's stubborn and relentless. Used far less, it can seem more lasting sometimes.
Keep fighting, Rich. 
|
| « Last Edit: Jan 17th, 2008, 7:06pm by Kevin_M » |
 IP Logged |
|
|
|
Stinger
New Board Junior
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!
Gender:
Posts: 75
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #26 on: Jan 22nd, 2008, 12:58pm » |
Quote Modify
|
I was pretty heavy into stadol for a couple of cycles and I must say, I never had a desire to take after 3-4 months when I didn't have a headache. Stadol is pretty heavy duty stuff.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
StressFree
New Board Veteran
James4:8 I'm a moral failure, but there is hope...
Gender:
Posts: 158
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #27 on: Jan 22nd, 2008, 4:50pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Stinger,
Heavy duty - yes. But I did find it ineffective when used daily. Nothing worse than a KIP10 lasting for a couple of hours after already taking the strongest stuff in your arsenal! I've had the same problem with ergotamin (cafergot, etc) so it's not just a pain med issue. Alternating between the Stadol and Maxalt everyother day seemed to work well for me last time. Stadol is nasty stuff though. I can see why they feel there isn't a high risk of addiction. As strong or stronger than morphine, but with unpleasant side effects (odd dream like state and crappy feeling vs. euphoria).
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Stinger
New Board Junior
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!
Gender:
Posts: 75
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #28 on: Jan 22nd, 2008, 7:08pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Yeah, I found myself taking it for each headache and still getting another headache an hour or two later. I did slow down and use it only during the toughest of times.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Crappy
New Board Junior
__
Gender:
Posts: 87
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #29 on: Feb 20th, 2008, 2:38am » |
Quote Modify
|
This is a bit late, but for some reason I never received emails of replies to my earlier posts here about opiate pain killer use. Brew and Linda had responded to my 18 month stint of being prescribed opiates, which I suspect made things worse in the end. I had said I hadn't had problems with addiction, which is true, simply because the drugs I was given never provided any sort of "high" or need for increasing use. I took what I was given, and never felt any temptation or need to overuse them. My pain doctor said that chronic pain sufferers have a low single-digit risk of abuse compared to acute or short-term pain users. He also wouldn't prescribe "breakthrough" drugs like Vicodin or Percocet by themselves, because of the risk of addiciton and rebound pain, unless I was already taking extended release pain morphine sulphates, which release slowly and steadily throughout the day. This supposedly reduces the risk of addictive behavior. I definitely had physical dependance, because when I called him and said I wanted to stop taking them, I had to deal with a month of withdrawals, but it was just like having a flu. I still have the last unused bottle of morphine and percoset in my medicine cabinet, and never had any "cravings" for them.
What I found was that the drugs provided relief of simple shadows early on during the morning and early afternoon early on, but never during the late afternoon and not at all during the evenings and night, and didn't help at all with my "sleep problems." My end problem was misdiagnosis, and anyone who hasn't been properly diagnosed won't be properly treated. My "headaches" never went away.
Once you're properly diagnosed with CH, opiates, whatever the form, are the wrong mediation, period. Opiates won't help, but they may cause increasing fatigue.
After diagnosis, the proper dosage of Topomas kicked the "fatigue" considerably. I'm still waiting for my magic cocktail to get rid of the attacks, and unfortunately the Topomax seems to have stopped working. O2 high-flow also seems to only delay my attacks, so for now I'm a chronic with no magic bullets.
|
|
IP Logged |
The plural of "anecdote" is not "evidence."
|
|
|
Emily
New Board Old Timer
Gender: 
Posts: 279
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #30 on: Feb 20th, 2008, 10:24am » |
Quote Modify
|
I'm glad you pointed out that painkillers won't help.
Now that I have a proper diagnosis and relief routine going, I realise that the painkillers were making things SSSOOOO much worse in those early months. I now don't take any aspirin, paracetamol or any medication with alcohol in it because the slightest thing just sets me right back (even cough medicine! Be careful and read the ingredients!).
Have you thought about melatonin? I use that along with o2 and energy drinks and I am doing ok (for now).
Just some extra things for you to think about!
Em
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Linda_Howell
CH.com Alumnus
New Board Hall of Famer
Hearing is one thing. Listening is another.
  
 
Gender:
Posts: 6721
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #31 on: Feb 20th, 2008, 9:45pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Quote:| I definitely had physical dependance, because when I called him and said I wanted to stop taking them, I had to deal with a month of withdrawals, |
|
I am happy that you posted this. I wish only for the best of outcomes for you.
Linda
|
|
IP Logged |
Kindness, is gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us.
|
|
|
Ace
New Board Newbie
Gender:
Posts: 42
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #32 on: Feb 21st, 2008, 6:41am » |
Quote Modify
|
If it were me, I would stay away from the opiates as much as possible. Regardless of addiction, they can make your CH worse, produce horrifice rebound headaches, and actually cause some permanent damage to CH Sufferes.
I take Tramadol (Ultram) for the pain and prohylactically. I also take Adivan and Excedrin Migraine prophylactically. I will do a short (5 day max) prednisone taper if need be.
With this regimen, I am almost CH free (maybe 2 times a year)
FYI.
|
|
IP Logged |
My Head Hurts Too
|
|
|
Charlotte
CH.com Alumnus
New Board Hall of Famer
I love YaBB 1G - SP1!
Gender:
Posts: 1932
|
|
Re: Pain Meds
« Reply #33 on: Feb 21st, 2008, 9:25am » |
Quote Modify
|
The thing that has made the difference in my quality of life has been this message board. My first advice received was "Get a new doc", "He works for you", "Fire the doc", and I did. The support I have received here has meant more than any meds. The way you guys are here for me and they way you share life's adventures makes me rich. I've been here 2 years now, chronic whatevers.
Regarding meds, I take 80 mg Verapamil 4 times a day for my ch, 50 mg Indomethacin 2 times a day for my ph, and right now finished my 2nd pred taper and am taking 10 mg every other day for the occipital headaches, for which I also use a low dose of vicodin - about 1/2 pill 3 times between 4:00 a.m. and noon, to take the edge off and help me get through work - on bad days, and none on good days. (no, the vicodin does not help w/ch but it does for my occipital headaches.)
Anyone who has chatted with me in the evening knows, I get those odd occipital headaches which last about 10 minutes and hit on one side, overlapping hit on the other side, back and forth, sometimes only once each side but sometimes for hours. (They resemble a very mild ch but start in the back, go around the side, and hit the inside of the front and down the eyeball, and are more distracting than painful.) This is what I use the low dose of pain meds for, but only in the a.m. to get though the beginning of getting ready for work, and getting my start of the day done.
My supervisor is so great. For example, yesterday I emailed her that I had taken all my meds but was having a really bad day, and would know by 9:30 a.m. if I was going to be functional or needed to leave. She responded back, no problem, and the meds did cover me and I made it. But I had the "Out". It could have gone either way.
During the evening, many times Jen/Polly Pockets coaches me through my 10 minute hits much like a labor coach coaches a woman in labor. Thank you so much, Jen. KJ, Tony, and Kirk help me so much, too. And Charlotte/Cash/Mamaswimchica has walked me through the pred tapers and nerve block step by step and made such a difference. I love the rest of you in chat, too, Ray, Davy, etc. - you are the icing on my cupcake.
Pain pills can help with other headaches, other pain, but nothing helps like moral support and a good doc.
Charlotte
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home
Help
Search
Members
Member Map
Login
Register
Reply
Notify of replies
Send Topic
Print
test rss