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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> amerge
        
(Message started by: michelle on Feb 16^th, 2002, 4:15pm)

Title: amerge
Post by michelle on Feb 16^th, 2002, 4:15pm

i'm getting hit right now....can someone please explain to me why amerge works somedays and not others....like today???

michelle

Title: I'll give it a shot
Post by Todd on Feb 16^th, 2002, 5:55pm

Hi michelle,

You didn't mention whether you are using Amerge as a preventative or as an abortive. I'll try to address both.

If you're using Amerge as a preventative, remember that it has a half-life of (I think) 8-12 hours. This is much longer than Imitrex, but it still loses effectiveness as time passes.

If you're using it as an abortive, you must remember that tabs take much longer to be absorbed into the system and distributed than does the injectable Imitrex. See my reply to Elaine's posts about Shadows on the General Board for my thoughts on this subject. In short, the trick to using a tab as an abortive requires learning to really read your ch signals and pop the pill asap.

KTSSU,
T

Title: Re: amerge
Post by bdenkew on Feb 16^th, 2002, 11:11pm

I agree with Todd. Also, for some reason I've noticed that the effectiveness of Amerge as an abortive varies for me with regards to the cycle. I had one last summer that I was able to get through using the Imitrex injection only once and the Amerge worked for the rest of that cycle. However, the horrible cycle I'm hopefully getting out of now, I had to resort to the Imitrex 8-10 times during the first week or so, before I was able to switch to Amerge.

Title: Re: amerge
Post by michelle on Feb 17^th, 2002, 6:51am

thanks todd & bdenkew,

ok, my preventatives are prednisone (currently being weaned) and depakote and using amerge tabs as abortive........ i do believe you were right as i let the demon go for about 5 minutes before popping an amerge so the attack lasted 2 hours. i just wanted to make sure because i can take only 2 a day and wanted to save them for the middle of the night attacks when the beast is the cruellest....... but i will read the signals better next time......like today....thanks so much for the insight......having all you people to turn to makes this disease a little easier.....PFDAN to all

michelle

Title: Re: amerge
Post by Ann on Feb 20^th, 2002, 6:17pm

Hey Michelle!!

I take amerge right before bedtime as a preventative. Not every night, just on the days where I get lots and lots of shadows. That way, I don't get hit during the night. It's very cool. You may want to try that..it's suppose to stay in your body 8 to 12 hours, which is about the amount of time I sleep! I hope that helps! :-/

Title: Re: amerge
Post by michelle on Feb 21^st, 2002, 6:38am

hey ann,

that sounds like a great idea, thanks. i was hit with one at 5a.m. this morning out of a dead sleep and it took the amerge 1 1/12 hours to kick in......why the hell did my doc say i had to wait for one to start before i could take the amerge???? PFDAN to all

Title: Re: amerge
Post by Ann on Feb 21^st, 2002, 6:46am

Hey Michelle!

My neuro wanted me to take it half an hour after taking an imitrex shot so the rest of the night would be pain free. I took it one step further and said..screw the waking up part..if I can sleep the whole night through, I'll be a lot better off. So far it's worked great...except that I'm incredibly groggy when I wake up. It takes me longer to finally wake up you know? But nothing a great big cup of java can't cure! ;D
Good luck and let me know if it works for you!

Title: Re: amerge
Post by michelle on Feb 21^st, 2002, 4:34pm

am i getting bad doctor advice here that is keeping me in more pain than needed at times???? my doc said that when i feel a ch coming pop an amerge tab but if it doesn't work....wait 4 hours before i take a second one.....cause ya know groggy in the morning sure sounds a helluva lot better to me!!! i'm down to 15mg. prednisone and a depokote as preventatives and amerge as abortive???