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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Ritalin as an abortive
        
(Message started by: Bob_Johnson on Jan 26^th, 2005, 10:41am)

Title: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by Bob_Johnson on Jan 26^th, 2005, 10:41am

Headache. 1998 Oct;38(9):710-2. Related Articles, Links

Cluster headache management with methylphenidate (Ritalin).

Mellick GA, Mellick LB.

From American Pain Specialists, Inc, Elyria, Ohio.

The authors report rapid cluster headache relief in a 43-year-old man with a 5-year history of refractory cluster headache. The patient described complete headache relief within 10 minutes of taking 10 mg of methylphenidate (Ritalin) when used to abort the onset of his headaches. Subsequently, a scheduled Ritalin dose taken each morning was sufficient to prevent his nightly headaches. In addition, 1 week of prophylactic methylphenidate therapy halted the series of cluster headaches. This is the first reported case of relief of cluster headaches with methylphenidate.

PMID: 15613186 [PubMed - in process]

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by nani on Jan 26^th, 2005, 11:27am

I wish it worked that way for me. :-/ I have adult ADD and should take it just to keep my life in order. It's kind of a trigger for me in the sense that my "regular" shadows are harder and longer and the next day is always a real b*tch hit wise. So my choices...less pain and more chaos...more pain and less chaos...
Who said life was fair?

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by Gator on Jan 26^th, 2005, 10:02pm

I hope they press forward with a study of this. It sounds like it not only worked to abort, but worked as a preventative as well. It sounds like the test subject was an episodic. I wonder how well this would work in a chronic? Going to show this to the doc on my next appointment.

Gator
SQUEAL little guinea pig!!!

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by eyes_afire on Jan 26^th, 2005, 11:05pm

There was a good bit of talk about this awhile back... surely in the archives now. In fact, I thought Dr Mellick posted here. I've never had a Ritalin dose work as an abortive for CH, but I think it may have helped a wee bit with shadows. I don't feel the effects of a Ritalin dose until 45 minutes after ingestion, so I'm having a hard time understanding how it would be used as an abortive... but then again, I'm a bit wacked. It's worth a go.

--- Steve

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by Gator on Jan 27^th, 2005, 4:22am

I'm not interested in using it as an abortive. I'm more interested in the statement that by taking every morning it stopped the night time hits and after one week, it stopped the cycle.

Talk about being screwed up, I still haven't found a preventative. Hell, it's 3:15 in the morning and I took twice the amount of sleeping pills prescribed at 11:30 and here I am. My body's as fucked up as a football bat.

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by gearhead on Feb 15^th, 2005, 11:41pm

I've been episodic for about twenty years, 1-1.5 years between cycles. My last cluster cycle was November, 2002 - March, 2003. Methylprednesolone, verapamil ramp-ups three times, O2, Imitrex, Occipital nerve block injection, Topamax(Dopamax), etc.

I also self-diagnosed my social anxiety disorder about one year ago. Several months later, after two nephews were diagnosed as displaying ADD symptoms, I read up on ADD. It was my life story. I reviewed my old report cards and school records (ADD is a lifelong condition) to confirm what I already knew. I took them to my first neurologist (not my headache neurologist). He prescribed, and I have been taking, Provigil (monafidil), 100mg, every morning since July, 2004. Provigil is a wakefulness promoter for narcolepsy. It's use for ADD is off-label at this time. Provigil increases the availability of the neurotransmitter Dopamine in the brain, improving memory and executive functioning like Ridalin (methylphenidate), but with minimal side effects. (The Air Force prescibes Provigil to fighter pilots instead of amphetamines).

I also consulted a top ENT plastic surgeon, and had septoplasty, rhinoplasty, and turbinate reduction to correct a severely deviated septum in January, 2004, with the goal of improving breathing, preventing sinus infections, and balancing pressures in my head and sinuses. Oh yeah, looking better too. (One cluster trigger is low oxygen levels in the blood. The ENT plastic surgeon was sceptical, but what does he know about headaches?)

I got my face back together, I'm getting my life straightened out, my confidence and outlook on life has never been better (see, I'm starting to reply on the message board!), and I'm hoping to stay out of cycle for the next fifty years!

nani, you should check with your neurologist about Provigil. It might be worth a try. It is very expensive if it is not covered by your insurance though.

As most of you already know, Clusterheadaches.com is truly a Godsend. Lord knows where I would be if I hadn't stumbled across this website in April, 1999. Controlling the beast was the first step in the battle to take control of my life. Thank you, everyone!

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by forgetfulnot on Feb 16^th, 2005, 1:23am

I think I would sniff Gas first, that stuff was the worst drug I ever used for C/H YMMV.

Lee

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by catlind on Feb 16^th, 2005, 7:34am

The provigil has been discussed before. It's great to hear from someone who has used it and by the sounds of it with success! Glad to hear of it!

Cat

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by vig on Feb 16^th, 2005, 9:39am

"a 43-year-old man"

1?

a study of 1?

Title: Re: Ritalin as an abortive
Post by Jimmy_B on Feb 16^th, 2005, 12:42pm

on 02/16/05 at 09:39:19, vig wrote:

"a 43-year-old man"

1?

a study of 1?

LOL, Vig...I was thinking the same thing. With a "study of 1", you could probably get the same results with accupuncture :o [smiley=laugh.gif]

Oh well, at least someone was helped.

Jim