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        Supporter's Corner >> Supporter's Corner >> Can't take imitrex
        
(Message started by: bethdawn on Sep 18^th, 2002, 2:02pm)

Title: Can't take imitrex
Post by bethdawn on Sep 18^th, 2002, 2:02pm

Hello again,
We just got back from the neuro. Found out hubby can't take imitrex because of his prior heart attack and triple bypass. Doc up'ed vermaprilmil (sorry i can never spell that right) to 120mg pm and 40mg am plus 10 liter O2 at onset of CH. Ch's occur at least 3-4 per day daily since May '02. (This cluster) Any other suggestions? We have tried to stay away from all foods containing tyramine just in case, but nothing really works. Stress of not working and having to stay home with a two year old 9 yr. old & 11 yr old seems to be increasing severity. Hubby has not be able to work since '97. I welcome any and all help. God bless you all.

Title: Re: Can't take imitrex
Post by Ted on Sep 18^th, 2002, 2:15pm

He upped the Verapamil to 160 mgs daily? Man. He's still on wayyyyyyyyy too low of a dose. At the bear minimum he should be taking 240 mgs daily. And that low a dose hardly helps many clusterheads. Sounds like the neuro has to read up on verapamil usage to treat clusters and not high blood pressure. You might want to get some of the medical info from this site and OUCH's (and not posts discussing it but actual medical articles) and let him read it. 160 mgs most likely won't help your husband any more than whatever lower dose he was at.

Title: Re: Can't take imitrex
Post by Bob P on Sep 18^th, 2002, 2:17pm

Doc Robinson, at the Vancouver convention, stated that you need levels of verpamil that would give a cardiologist a heart attack! He has patients as high as 1080mg/day. Not a typo - 1080mg/day!

Title: Re: Can't take imitrex
Post by Svenn on Sep 18^th, 2002, 3:53pm

I just wont to add my medications for breaking out of cycle.But remember that i`m not a doc,just another clusterhead from Norway

Verapamil Retard 120mgX5-7/daily during cycle
Oxygene alone at 10ltm for 15 minutes or combined with imitrex-shots does miracles.The shots should start working in 6-9minutes.a few secons after that you are almost painfree
Prednisolone in high doze for 10 days 80mg
then over a 3 weeks periode step down like 60-40-30-20-10-5mg /daily

This is the miraclecure for me,but i`m not a doc.just another clusterhead from Norway

I also have a bad heartcondition.Had a heartattack Nov 12.But quitting the shots is no option for me.I think that the shots is Gods gift to us clusterheads.
The thing that i don`t understand or found the answer to is how i after the attack has had only 9 light clusterattacks."singleattacks"And before i was diagnosed as a cronical.
But so it has been said."I do not reccomend heartattacks as a treatment for cluster".Its a bit extreme for that.Dont you think?
Take care my friend

Your friend in Norway Svenn

Title: Re: Can't take imitrex
Post by bethdawn on Sep 19^th, 2002, 8:30am

So Sorry Ted :-[ I meant 240 mg am and 120 mg pm verapamil. Is that still waaaaaaaaay low? The stress of this is rather hard on me too!

Title: Re: Can't take imitrex
Post by Ree on Sep 19^th, 2002, 7:53pm

thanks you guys for picking up the slack... i havent been well the past few days... A cold on top of my usual bad Migraine week for the month...

Seems like a low dose to me too... Dave takes Neurontin for a preventative and he starts with 240mg 3x a day... ree

Title: Re: Can't take imitrex
Post by stevek on Sep 24^th, 2002, 1:31pm

At 240 mg verp. wasn't doing much for me, at 480mg it is a big help. I hope you find some relief.

take care, stevek