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kissmyglass
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A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« on: Jan 21st, 2003, 6:25pm » |
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Hi,
Again you are an amazing, amazing bunch of people. Thought i was the only one suffering this misery (headach, like I've herd it referd to, sure sounds like a serious understatement!) You should all pat yourselves on the back.
Can someone let me know the approximant cost (no insurance which is half my battle) of O2 & imitrex?
Also do the Docs give any of you a hard time giving up the O2? I can't get my hands on some fast enough but can picture them giving me a hard time & then I may possibly end up in jail.....
Also I hear you talk about "cycles" does that mean they come & go? I've had mine daily for over a year with no breaks or relief.
Really appreciate your time....
Kev C
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kissmyglass
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #1 on: Jan 21st, 2003, 6:31pm » |
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ooops forgot to ask if anyone gets any serious side affects from imitrex?
Thanks!
Kev C
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Karla
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #2 on: Jan 21st, 2003, 8:09pm » |
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Imitrix is very very very very very expensive. It is like $400-$600 for 2-6 doses. Galaxo Smith Kline does have a program where if you don't have insurance and you don't have alot of money they will give you some medicine for free or reduced cost.
There are eposodic ch sufferers who have cycles. They only have clusters for 2 weeks to 6 months. Then they are pain free the rest of the year. A small number of us are chronic. Which I am. You go year after year with little (2 weeks or less) or no break. We don't have cycles because we are always in cycle. lol.
Most drs are happy to prescribe o2 because it isn't a narcotic. Do a search on o2 to make sure you get the right kind of regulator and face mask. Drs can be very unknowledgable about giving you the right kind of equiptment. You can get o2 at your local fire dept but you would have to go there every time you get hit.
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Karla
suffer chronic ch
ch.com groupie since 1999
Proud Mom of Chris USMC Semper Fi
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domm
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #3 on: Jan 21st, 2003, 8:24pm » |
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KMG - you should look into Verapamil. It is a preventative that has made a huge difference for many of us, and its cheap, almost as cheap as aspirin. Its a calcium channel blocker that is primarily used for folks with angina and high blood pressure, but it works wonders for controlling CH attacks. Read up on it using the medical info button to the left.
good luck
domm
oh - and if you do get a script for it, try to get the instant release variety. It seems to work better for us than the sustained release types.
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lonenightowl
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #4 on: Jan 21st, 2003, 9:19pm » |
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Imitrex can have serious side effects for people with any heart conditions and is very expensive .For all the details go to-
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/sumitr.htm
also remember that some people are more prone to side effects than others,I don't have any heart problems that I know of but Zomig(another triptan)felt like I was having a heart attack.
The Doc should not have a problem prescribing O2 but if need be you can use welders oxygen,renting a tank and regulator and getting the tank filled would probably be cheeper than a couple shots of imitrex.
Verapamil is probably the cheepest and most effective preventative.
Hang in there you are closer than you have ever been to getting relief!!!
Peace and PFDN
BillyJ
[url][/url]http://www.clusterheadaches.com/wwwboard/index.html
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| « Last Edit: Jan 21st, 2003, 9:38pm by lonenightowl » |
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Hank
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #5 on: Feb 5th, 2003, 9:45am » |
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O2 has been helpful to me. Most of the time over the past 20 years it has aborted the headache, especially if I get to it early. I keep a tank at home and one in the car. I get it supplied by a medical supply house. I recently changed because of what I felt was overbilling of Blue Cross/Blue Shield. My current company provides me with an E-tank and regulator for $50.00/mo with a $15.00 refill when I need it (Billed to BC/BS). I could make the downsize because I'm doing quite well right now. When I crash I'll have to latch on to an M-tank again.
I used to own my own tanks, but nobody here would fill them, even if they were in certification. They will only fill their own tanks. They say its a liability thing, certainly has a profitability side to it.
Any thoughts about breathing 02 from a welding shop? Is there a purity concern?
Best of luck.
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Roxy
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #6 on: Feb 5th, 2003, 12:34pm » |
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My imitex, for 6 doses of the nasal spray, was $167. Before I changed insurance, BCBS would only pay for $1500 a year in meds. Doesn't really cover a lot when the abortives are that expensive. I don't know what the injections are, insurance did cover them.
Don't know what medical 02 costs either. I use welding, but I own the bottles. I know to fill two big bottles, it costs me $30. I rented a small bottle to travel with (don't know the size, but it's about two foot tall), and I'm paying $6.00 a mth. in rental.
Hopes this helps.
Tracey
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cbolony
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #7 on: Feb 5th, 2003, 2:13pm » |
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I have insurance pay 920.00 a month and they only
give me one statdose 2 shot or two vails.Only last me
two days and thats cutting them in half.When i go see
other doctors for other things that are wrong me i ask them if they have any sample imitrex statdose hanging
around because they know i have ch and they give them
to me for free.Two statdose 129.00 each these fuckers
are crazy.Going to try oxygen
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kissmyglass
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Re: A Few Dumb Newbie Questions
« Reply #8 on: Feb 5th, 2003, 4:45pm » |
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ooooo.... I have a friend who is a neurosurgeon....I'll have to see what he has in the sample room....maybe he can get me a few cases.... 
Really appreciate everyones help!
Kev C
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