I don't know if this is the right place for me. I've been diagnosed as episodic and I'm experiencing my first outbreak in 3 years.
YUP! You are in the right spot!
Sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us. And this is JUST the right spot to introduce yourself! Welcome to the
nut house family! There are one or two of us that are nice ... The rest ... Oh well ... Every family has to deal with "that" type! LOL! (Just kidding, most are GREAT people!)
rar wrote on Nov 3rd, 2008 at 11:13pm:Is that normal for it start on the exact same date year after year?
For some, it is normal, but for others, NO ... I guess what I am trying to say, is that there is almost NO normal with this affliction. Yes there are general guide lines, but most have a lot of flexibility.
rar wrote on Nov 3rd, 2008 at 11:13pm:I was prescribed Verapamil and beta blockers for prevention with Vicoden for the pain.
Verapamil is a good start, but you might want to ask them to put you on a prednesone taper pack, along with it. The reasoning is that verapamil takes a week or two to get into your system enough to work. The prednesone starts up almost right away, but is dangerous to take for any length of time. So while the verapamil is ramping up, the prednesone works in the mean time. BUT, it does not work for everyone. Unfortunately, it is trial and error. Verapamil and prednesone is probably the most common starting point, and works for many.
I STRONGLY suggest you lay off the vicoden! It is a narcotic, that has marginal success in killing a cluster hit. AND it is highly addictive! PLEASE refrain from its use!
The verapamil and prednesone are preventatives, meaning they try to prevent you from having any hits. The vicoden is an abortive, which means it trys to abort a hit, once it starts. The preferred two abortives are 100% oxygen, and second, Imitrex injections.
I have been called an "oxygen pusher" and I guess that is true. 100% oxygen, at at least 15LPM (liter per minute) with a non-rebreathing mask is the safest, cheapest, and most effective abortive we have found. It is the one thing that has given me, and most of us, a semi-normal life. If you were to go to the medications section of this web site, and read the two threads up there about oxygen, it should answer most of your questions. If not, PLEASE ask them!
The second, and fall back abortive, most of us use, is Imitrex auto injectors. Don't let them talk you into the pills, as they take too long to abort a hit. The auto injector works in 5 to 10 minutes. There is also a nasal spray that some use, with almost equal speed efficiency. Imitrex DOES have some side effects that some have trouble dealing with, and it is VERY expensive.
Some over the counter remedies that some have had luck with is any energy drink with caffine and taurine in it, like Red Bull. Chug that sucker down at the first sign of a hit.
Ice or heat on your head or neck helps a lot of people. Trial and error on that as to whether to use heat or cold (a bag of frozen peas works best for me) and where to put it.
I am sure that others will jump in to suggest things also.
Welcome to the group, and PLEASE, ask any questions that you may have, and read READ
READ. There is a ton of information here!
Chuck