Hello everyone, Thanks to this forum and your advice I found a great nuero and have been on verapamil and O2 for a year or so. I had a follow up and asked for a refill of trex injection. My Dr. gave me some samples of sumavel 6mg(air injection)?
I was wondering if anyone has used them and have they been sucessfull in aborting CH. Imitrex works wonders for me and also very quickly. Thanks again to all and many pain free days!!!!!! :) :)

i just was given samples of that as well.    i've not used it yet and only will if i, for some reason, get caught without my o2.  i have read that it has worked for others though! 

pf wishes,

jeannie

Sumavel Dosepro is the same sumatriptan succinate (imitrex) that comes in tablets, nasal spray, and stat-pen injectors...  It's just administered subcutaneously without a needle.

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

[smiley=shocked.gif]

There's more info on sumavel dosepro at the following link:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Take care,

V/R, Batch

And after you recover from reading the price list you'll understand why I encourage folks to try this one (at abaout $3/dose and nearly as fast acting):

Headache 2001 Sep;41(8):813-6 

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.

Rozen TD.

Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. THE INITIAL OLANZAPINE DOSE WAS 5 MG, AND THE DOSE WAS INCREASED TO 10 MG IF THERE WAS NO PAIN RELIEF. THE DOSAGE WAS DECREASED TO 2.5 MG IF THE 5-MG DOSE WAS EFFECTIVE BUT CAUSED ADVERSE EFFECTS. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and TWO PATIENTS BECAME HEADACHE-FREE AFTER TAKING THE DRUG. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. IT ALLEVIATES PAIN QUICKLY AND HAS A CONSISTENT RESPONSE ACROSS MULTIPLE TREATED ATTACKS. IT APPEARS TO WORK IN BOTH EPISODIC AND CHRONIC CLUSTER HEADACHE.

PMID 11576207 PubMed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.

I used these last month (about four boxes worth-24 ) and they worked fantastic everytime.  I went right behind the file cabinet in the classroom and then continued working.  I actually felt less side effects than I remember with the injections (although it has been five years since my last needle imitrex so there may be other reasons for less side effects).  I didn't have the heavy swelling feeling I usually get in my neck or the flushing.  They hurt like hell and left a big welt on my stomach but it went away after a few hours.  My retail price was $665.00 for six.  My insurance copay was 25.00 and the doctor gave me a prescription card which Walgreens took and reduced my cost to $15.00 - not bad! 

I just used my first dose if this the other night. Within 30 seconds you can feel the triptan take hold. 5 min all pain is gone. However it leaves you wasted and sleepy. I only use it for the 2 am awakening.

Similar to RandyB, this is amazingly effective for me. Within 5 minutes I have complete relief. Some nausea and fuzzy head but that dissipates after 15 minutes or so and a nice trade off for the usual pain!  Very expensive though :(  Also it does leave bruise marks where you apply, whether it's thigh or stomach and I'm running out of room (you have to rotate the insertion points).

As far as Sumavel Dosepro ... It's the same exact thing as in Imitrex 6mg injection except it delivers the medication in a 'stream' so small that it goes right through the skin. without a needle. It can still cause you to bleed, bruise, and cause soreness at the site of injection, just the same as a needle can.

And no offense personally BOB, but I've seen you post that same article about Zyprexa a zillion times in the past several years, so I am assuming that it has helped you personally, but make sure they know all the facts:

SEVERAL THOUSAND LAWSUITS have been filed against the pharmacutical company making Zyprexa for serious and sometimes fatal side effects. And as always, with any anti-psychotic med, if you do NOT have any psychotic traits, it can cause psychosis. But most of the people & law firms that have sued Zyprexa makers have claimed that patients have developed diabetes and/or diabetes related symptoms, among other things such as diziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, hair loss, weight gain, insomnia, HEADACHE, etc. etc. etc. ....

(quoting from EHOW.com), "...
Over 20 percent experienced increased appetite and weight gain. Weight gain associated with Zyprexa use can be significant, and result in the related effects of high blood cholesterol and high blood sugar." & another quote from the same source, "...
Common psychological effects associated with Zyprexa include memory loss and personality changes."

Zyprexa did NOTHING for me and only screwed me up, but I do hope it helped you or someone else, but the facts are, it is NOT any kind of wonder drug and that article was written and posted BEFORE they knew about how many patients were developing diabetes & or death related to blood sugar levels. Not to mention all the other side effects this med can certainly cause.

I DO NOT consider it a safe drug, and I would NOT think ANY neurologist or headache 'specialist' would recommend Zyprexa anymore, considering all the new data and lawsuits out there concerning this drug.

Just a FEW Sources (Do your own searches if any of you would like to):

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Like I said, that is just a few links. There are many, many more that will basically say the same.

As with any medication or treatment anyone might consider taking, I'd suggest doing as much research about it as you can, talk to your doctor(s) and get 2nd opinions.

Respectfully,

I4B

I am assuming the sumavel dosepro comes in 6mg doses. I have found that the imitrex tip allows me to use only 2mg at a time, and that is enough to abort my headaches, tripling the dose I would get from one syringe. Dosepro won't let you do that. By reducing the shot to roughly 2mg I do not get the flushing and chest tightness that I would get with 6mg, or even the new 4mg stat pens. Just some thoughts. Blessings. lance

Imitrex4Breakfast wrote on Oct 2^nd, 2011 at 7:17am:

And no offense personally BOB, but I've seen you post that same article about Zyprexa a zillion times in the past several years, so I am assuming that it has helped you personally, but make sure they know all the facts:

I would agree.  If we're going to jump into the middle of a thread about a completely different drug we should at least point out that for some people this can be a VERY nasty drug.  (one of the worst drugs I have ever experienced) Just cause it's cheap does not mean you want it.  And no offense, but I think we already have more than one thread on Olanzapine.

Does anyone know how the sumavel dosepro compares in price to the regular trex injections?

Since Imitrex is now available in a generic form and the Sumavel Dosepro is not, the Sumatriptan (generic Imitrex) is cheaper. As far as brand name Imitrex injections vs Sumavel Dosepro (cost wise), the Dosepro is still slightly more expensive. (I have 8 Dosepro's & and a "few" imitrex injections). I try to use the oldest meds first as I have noticed that (long time) expired Imitrex injections can lose some of there strength, but still worked for me. I suspect the Dosepro would be the same (lose strength as time passes)

Sumavel Dosepro has been an absolute LIFESAVER for me.  Headaches are weakened w/in 30 seconds of injection and completely aborted w/in 5 minutes.  I have used 5 of them so far and have 8 left before I need to refill.  They have an AMAZING special right now on their website where if your doctor fills out the RX correctly you can get 12 pens for $15 with 6 refills at that price.  I'm going to stock up. I haven't had any noticeable side effects other than being a little sedated for an hour or so after the injection.

wimsey1 wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2011 at 8:08am:

I am assuming the sumavel dosepro comes in 6mg doses. I have found that the imitrex tip allows me to use only 2mg at a time, and that is enough to abort my headaches, tripling the dose I would get from one syringe. Dosepro won't let you do that. By reducing the shot to roughly 2mg I do not get the flushing and chest tightness that I would get with 6mg, or even the new 4mg stat pens. Just some thoughts. Blessings. lance

That is correct. The DosePro comes ONLY in 6mg strengths and cannot be altered in anyway (That I know of). I too get chest pressure and flushing with the 6mg dose, but it does kick in and work faster for me in the 6mg strength. I prefer the 4mg injections at first feeling of an oncoming cluster attack. If I have 'waited too long' and it's just too darn EXCRUCIATINGLY painful, then I reach for the 6mg injections for the quickest relief.

Hey there! Very late to the game, and a bit off topic, but I've been taking Sumavel DosePro injections (along with a long list of "prophylactic" medications that don't seem to work too well...) for HAs that occur 2-4x/week, for about six years, now. My analysis?-- The injections hurt like hell and I'd rather give myself an injection with an actual needle, but the upside is that you can throw away the used Sumavel injector in any trashcan, and you don't have to maintain a bio-hazard "sharps" container. The REAL upside is that you cannot vomit up an injection, as you can a tablet. Sumavel DosePro has kept me out of the ED many countless occasions. For severe instances, they're a god-send.

Just one man's opinion...