I have always wondered if taking preventatives actually prolong the cycle.  I kinda feel like they need to work themselves out or they won't go away.   I'm able to get them to go away on Verapamil but then they just come back when I quit taking it.  I've never understood how you are supposed to be able to take the preventatives for as long as a typical cycle would be and then supposedly, after a certain amount of time (8 weeks for example) you can stop and they will just magically be gone until the next time.  Any thoughts on this?  I would love to hear them.
Thank you!!

A rough analogy: you break you arm; doc repairs the break; puts you on pain med until the break is largely healed; you stop using it.

heretheyareagain wrote on May 12^th, 2011 at 12:46am:

I've never understood how you are supposed to be able to take the preventatives for as long as a typical cycle would be and then supposedly, after a certain amount of time (8 weeks for example) you can stop and they will just magically be gone until the next time.

Well, as Bob said, it ain't magic, nor is there a "typical" cycle although we share many things in common.  Verapamil works when the CHs are triggering, and isn't needed when an episodic finds the triggering mechanism turned off.  I am chronic for the past 4 years and so remain on verapamil. The one time I tried to titrate off even my chronic cycle ramped up. Blessings. lance

Personally, they did last longer for me when on a prescription preventative.  But that's just my experience.