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Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Newly diagnosed sufferer...Q: Imitrex forms http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1470773161 Message started by death2clusters on Aug 9th, 2016 at 4:06pm |
Title: Newly diagnosed sufferer...Q: Imitrex forms Post by death2clusters on Aug 9th, 2016 at 4:06pm
Hello, everyone. Last Monday I began getting this intensely painful headaches...the worst pain I've ever encountered...around the same time of the day and "pretty much" every other day. The headache lasted anywhere from an hour and up to 3 hours (only once it lasted that long). The pain was always on the right side of my head around the temple and eye. I would cry from sheer pain and go from rocking back and forth in a ball to pacing back and forth in my room as I couldn't concentrate or sit still.
I just moved from AZ to South Carolina recently but I was finally able to set up an appointment with the family doctor around here. He told me it sounded like "cluster headaches" and prescribed me Imitrex injections in which I was told to inject the moment the pain began. However when I asked if there was anything I could do to prevent them from happening he just told me to come back in a month and if they were still coming more than once a week that we'd talk about possible preventative treatment. Okay...so that sucks. Turns out I was only given 2 injections and it would cost me $300 more just to get 4 more if these worked and that was supposed to last me a month. That really irritated me as I had 4 of these headaches last week and six are supposed to last a month? I already suffer from anxiety attacks and depression in which I was doing really well with these past six months until the headaches arrived. Well...a headache came on today at an odd time, as these generally appear around 11:30-12:00 but today it was 2:15 PM. Another oddity (but a blessing) was that I had gone 2 days in a row without one for the first time ever. Again, it's only been a week since these have been happening so it's probably too small of sample size to know a specific pattern just yet. When the headache came on I injected myself and after about 5 minutes it went away so it appears that it does work. Now here's my question...since I only get 6 injections a month and they cost me over $300 I was considering ordering some from Canada but it appears only the sublingual formulations are available. Does anyone know how these may compare to the injections? Do you just take one the moment you feel the cluster coming on as I'd do with the injection? And one more question, are there any possible supplements/vitamins/OTC meds that can be used to help prevent future clusters or at least help limit the pain of future attacks? I heard Melatonin can help so I've been taking 10mg at night the last few nights. I've also heard something about vitamin d regimens...any clue what that is? I don't know just how educated a family doctor is with things like cluster headaches so are there any questions I should be asking him next time I meet? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would do just about anything to help limit the pain from these headaches. :'( Side Note: I'm prescribed Lyrica, Provigil, Trazadone for fibromyalgia. I also take Phenibut to help me sleep through the night without constantly waking. Any of these potentially harmful for these headaches? When the headaches first started I was taking Ibuprofen + Tylenol in the morning but they did nothing but hurt my stomach so I discontinued that. Sorry for the long read guys...just have so many questions as this is all too new to me. |
Title: Re: Newly diagnosed sufferer...Q: Imitrex forms Post by Traveller on Aug 11th, 2016 at 8:52am
D2C - My neuro prescribed Zomig nasal sprays for me instead Imitrex. They are both Triptans and work fairly well as an abortive. You have to push both your doctor and your insurance company hard to get more than the paltry 4/month doses. These drugs are used primarily to treat migraines which are far less frequent than CH, and for insurance companies in particular, there is really no history on CH, so they just fall back on their Migraine data.
My experience was that these the medications are far cheaper in both Canada and Europe. You really need your doctor to go to bat for you on this. If he/she won't do it, you may need to look for another doctor who has some experience and sympathy for those suffering from CH. Best of luck. |
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