We commonly refer to meds by their brand name which is misleading once you leave the U.S. The same med will usually have a different brand name in other countries and so it's best to compare meds by their generic name.

The issue of a lack of skilled docs is an eternal subject of discussion here. If you can find a doc who is willing to learn from you, via medical literature which we can supply to you, that will be to your benefit. Many of us have had to teach our docs so that they can treat us effectively.

Here are a couple of documents which you can print out and share with your local docs.

HERE ARE TWO MAJOR DOCUMENTS WITH RECOMMENDED TREATMENTS FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE, ONE FROM A U.S. PHYSICIAN, THE SECOND FROM EUROPE.
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Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor.  It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. Written by one of the better headache docs in the U.S.  (2002. Rozen)
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Treatment guidelines from Europe

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A. May, M. Leone, J. Áfra, M. Linde, P. S. Sándor, S. Evers, P. J. Goadsby:
EFNS guidelines on the treatment of cluster headache and other
trigeminalautonomic cephalalgias.
European Journal of Neurology. 2006; 13: 1066–1077.

Download free full text:
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(Thanks to "cluster" for link.)

Hi Roger,

Verapamil is the generic ("chemical") name of the stuff we swallow. It is marketed under about 50 different brand names worldwide. In Switzerland it is Isoptin or Flamon.

There is so much to say re Oxygen, Neuros, etc. that we do it best on the phone; see your PMs for my number.


                 

Just a quick follow-up on a tip that Wildhaus gave me a while back for all those of us in Switzerland (thanks again Michael!): the "Lungenliga" does deliver O2 to your doorstep! Armed with your GP's note (mine even called the Lungenliga for me) they'll get the good stuff to you the next day, if ordered by 4pm (except weekends, of course). The delivery is done by Carbaga, a local distributor of O2 and other gas-related products (such as camping gas).

According to the Lungenliga, Swiss health insurance will cover up to five 10L tanks per month. I shouldn't need quite that much, but am really happy to have found a reliable (and paid for) service!

The lady I spoke to today said the requests for O2 from CH sufferers have increased dramatically in the last year; I'm sure that this is also due to the good folks on this and other related sites, so keep at it, friends!!

Happy and and long PF periods to all of you,

Roger

Aha ... well, I'll report on my experiences with the heath insurance. The lady from the Lungenliga told me the recent CH cases had been no trouble with the health insurance, which is what I had heard from Wildhaus, also. Time will tell...

As for the mask, I'l see when the bottle arrives on Monday. Again, will report here.

Roger