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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Dexamethasone & cyproheptadine combo
        
(Message started by: j-rome on Apr 5^th, 2008, 11:07pm)

Title: Dexamethasone & cyproheptadine combo
Post by j-rome on Apr 5^th, 2008, 11:07pm

Just thought that I would share this combo of pills I take for my CH. During my last cycle about a year and a half ago I had tried these pillls and It ended my cycle. The only problem was that I was at the end of my 3 month cluster span so really didn't know if was the cycle ending or I had hit a jackpot pill combo. On March 23rd I had started getting my clusters again and each night they progressively got worse. I had 5 days of clusters strainght. Called my Nerologinst who treats about 60 cluster patients looked at my charts and said we should try this pill combo again. Well it's been 4 days since the pills were started and no clusters.
2 MG Cyproheptadine 3 x per day
2 MG Dexamethasone 3 x per day for the first 3 days then 2 pills for 3 days and 1 pill for 3 days

Hope this can help anyone else who has yet to find a good medication combination. ;)

Title: Re: Dexamethasone & cyproheptadine combo
Post by Gator on Apr 7^th, 2008, 11:50am

on 04/05/08 at 23:07:55, j-rome wrote:

Dexamethasone is a steroid. I see you are using it in a taper at the same time you are starting a preventative medication. That bodes well for your doctor actually knowing something about treating clusters.

Cyproheptadine (periactin) is an anti-histamine and serotonin antagonist that is sometimes mildly helpful for clusters. It is best used in conjunction with other meds for people with hard to treat CH. Fatigue and weight gain often are a problem for those who use it.

The steroids will completely knock out the attacks for many people, but the attacks tend to come back as they taper off of them. That's why it is important to start a preventative at the same time. By the time the taper is over, the preventative has had time to take effect, keeping the pain free time going or at least reducing the frequency and/or severity of hits. Pericatin is not known as a good preventative in its own right, but everyone is different. It may work for you and I hope it does.

Keep reading and have a backup plan in case the periactin doesn't work. In the signature line of my post, you'll find a link to a paper by Dr. Todd Rozen that outlines the most effective cluster headache treatments. Read it and print it out for your doctor if necessary.

Good luck!

Mike

Title: Re: Dexamethasone & cyproheptadine combo
Post by George_J on Apr 7^th, 2008, 12:29pm

Long ago, I was given Periactin (cyproheptadine) as a treatment for CH, although I did not take it in combination with Dexamethasone or any other steroid. I took it throughout two separate episodic cycles.

I did not find it helpful as a stand-alone preventive--not harmful, but not helpful, either.

YMMV. If this combination is working for you, I wish you all the best.

Best wishes,

George

Title: Re: Dexamethasone & cyproheptadine combo
Post by j-rome on Apr 18^th, 2008, 2:28pm

This combo is no longer working for me at all. I guess when your go headache free for a couple of days you pray to god your finally hit the jackpot and found the right combo. ER visit last week >:(