I am 39 - female - and have been dealing with clusters for a little over 2 years now, as well as migraines. I have only tried Verapimil as a preventaive - 120mg. I do not have high blood pressure and this exhausted me from my pressure staying too low.

I moved a little over a year ago and have had to start over with Drs. My stress level is off the charts!! I am on my 4th cluster cycle in 2011 and ready to give up! I have done 4 steroid packs this year - I hate them! I do 10mg of Melatonin every night at bed. Yesterday, my new neurologist prescribed Trazodone as a sleep aid/preventative - 50 mg. I took it around 9:30 and did not have uninterrupted sleep, although I don't remember dreaming.  Today, I am wiped! Is this a legit treatment and does it work? I need help and I need the preventative, but I work and can not be this sleepy. Are there more side affects that I should know about?

I see a counselor who does not think I need anti-depressants, and Trazodone is one. Does anyone have experience here?

Thanks!!

Glenna

Never heard of it.

    Potter

No anti-depressants are used for prevention. See the PDF file, below, for the latest evaluation report on commonlly used meds. (Print it out and share with your neuro as a tool for discussing treatment optiions. Might consider giving him a copy of the long manual, below.)

This manual is broader in content but you may find it worth reading as general information.

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE
ALL NEW!! HEADACHE 2010-2011
Robbins Headache Clinic

Free, 50-page. Covers all major headache Dx and
related issues.

PDF file.
===
Melatonin as sleep aid: several years ago a good study from England found that using 1/2-3/4mg melatonin was more effective than larger doses. You might try this, vs. 10mg, for a week and see if it's more effective for you.

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Thanks! I'll check it out. I don't need an anti-depressant, but I think this is also used just as a sleep aid. I wasn't sure if there was a new theory that connected sleep trouble with clusters. Got some reading to do....  :)

There is some suggestion that sleep apnea is a trigger for Cluster but not "normal" difficulty getting to sleep.

The class of anti-dep. you mention have long been used as a sleeping aid even when the issue of actual depression is on the table or not.

From my experience, trazadone is by design a heavy duty tranquilizer type medicine. Thus, it is normally used to help with sleep. When I took it, I remember it being strong enough to put down a horse. But, never have I heard of iit being used as a prevent. I think they may give it to you to try and keep you asleep through the night. Might I suggest you take a higher dose of melatonin and maybe use the time-released version. Has worked with some succes for me. Best of luck and PF wishes.

Pfunk 8-)

Pfunk - how much Melatonin do you take? I'm at 10 mg now. How high is too high?

Glenna

I tried trazadone for depression and while taking it it did nothing for my ch.  It is very strong medicine and does make u very sleepy.

I am not 100% positive how much melatonin would be too high but I have heard alot say they take 12-15mg. Currently, I take 15mg time released every night. It helps me get to sleep quite well and normally does a very decent job helping me stay there. Trazadone never realy did much except to give me that dopey dragging feeling when I woke up.

Pfunk 8-)

It's an antidepressant commonly prescribed as a sleep aid.   It's not addictive so if someone complains of insomnia it's one of the first options given.

There are a few "antidepressants" that can be used as a preventative, such as wellbutrin, but they very rarely work and so generally they're one of the last things tried.  I tried WB and I suspect I was given it more because my neuro was very concerned with depression ABOUT my CH than her thought that it would affect CH at all.   IDK that it did help, but I did have more vivid dreams and I suspect I coped with the pain a little better.

I've read that there is some concern that any medication that is given as a sleep aid could cause a downward spiral and make things worse as they negatively affect REM (dreaming) which is thought to be one of the healing stages of sleep.  I've never been able to find a study supporting that though, so it may be only supposition.