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http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> I'm Curious ? http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1460084432 Message started by Hoppy on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:00pm

Title: I'm Curious ?
Post by Hoppy on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:00pm

I'm curious! When in a cycle and taking Verapamil or similar as a preventative, how can you tell whether the [smiley=evil.gif] has left or not?

Cheers Hoppy

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by jon019 on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:09pm

Interesting question....for many years I used verapamil...sometimes 1000 mg/dy...even then it was only 70% effective in reducing hits. Episodic then....tho I just stayed on full time as it was "painful" to ramp up when the next cycle started. I suspect that you "know" when the usual pattern is "less so"...YMMV...

Best

Jon

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by CDog on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:16pm

If I miss a dose the next HA is stronger. Verapamil doesn't stop the HA's for me, just makes them less strong...

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by Hoppy on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:27pm

G'day Jon,
The reason I ask this question is because being a Spring and Fall clusterhead myself, I never used any preventatives, only abortive meds, Migral, Zyprexa, and then before starting the vitamin D regimen, Imitrex, so I new when the beast had gone! No more attacks.

Hoppy

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by AussieBrian on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:30pm

Hoppy wrote on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:00pm:

...how can you tell whether the [smiley=evil.gif] has left or not?

We must be the only people within medical science to use the Beer Test as a diagnostic tool.

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by Hoppy on Apr 7^th, 2016 at 11:42pm

Aussie Brian wrote, We must be the only people within medical science to use the Beer Test as a diagnostic tool.

So what your saying is, if your on a preventative and keeping the beast at bay, you'll still get an attack if still in a cycle and you have beer?

Hoppy

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by AussieBrian on Apr 8^th, 2016 at 12:16am

Nah. Passing the Beer Test means having a beer and not getting hit, which proves you've beaten the bastage yet again!

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by Mike NZ on Apr 8^th, 2016 at 1:26am

AussieBrian wrote on Apr 8^th, 2016 at 12:16am:

Nah. Passing the Beer Test means having a beer and not getting hit, which proves you've beaten the bastage yet again!

Well for those of us who can pass the beer test when in cycle, it isn't a useful test.

However for me when I was using verapamil as a preventive it was never 100% perfect, so I'd still get a few CHs, so my end of cycle detection was based on not getting any CHs over a few weeks when I'd have expected to have had a few.

Title: Re: I'm Curious ?
Post by AussieBrian on Apr 8^th, 2016 at 7:15am

Mike NZ wrote on Apr 8^th, 2016 at 1:26am:

Well for those of us who can pass the beer test when in cycle, it isn't a useful test.

No test is perfect, of course, but this one has been around Clusterville for a while and has brought great joy to those who've found they can finally pass it.

Gotta love that happy dance!