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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Don't know if it's meds or time for it to go
        
(Message started by: Orneryolefart on Dec 14^th, 2003, 6:56am)

Title: Don't know if it's meds or time for it to go
Post by Orneryolefart on Dec 14^th, 2003, 6:56am

I must be truly a rarity...over 70 yrs. old and still having CH's. Been having them since 1959 but this is the first attack in 8 yrs. Anyhow... was hospitalized about 2 weeks ago... took 2 demoral shots to get me down. At discharge, Doc put me on 40 mg Prednisone and 900 mg Lithium Carbonate per day..for 5 days...reducing the Prednisone 10mg per day every 5 days. Used Imitrex and oxygen for abortives. Have now had 5 PF days and nights. Don't know if it is one of the meds, both of the meds or whether it was time for the beast to leave. Have reduced the Lithium to 600mg/ day.
Orneryolefart

Title: Re: Don't know if it's meds or time for it to go
Post by Bob_Johnson on Dec 14^th, 2003, 8:08am

Appears that the Pred is working; it should abort the cycle very quickly. The idea is to give quick relief with the Pred. giving time for the Lithium to start working. (All of the meds used for preention take days to weeks to become effective.)

But the bottom line is that there are no clear clinical signs that an active period of attacks has ended--short of stopping the meds and seeing what happens. One of the enduring frustrations with cluster.

I suspect your doc will have to stay on the lithium for several months and then stop and watch.