Hello! I am new to the site and thankful to find that I am not the only one suffering with this type of headache. I started having CH when I was 19. Was put on Cafergot and Sansert. Cycle lasted about 6 weeks. Years went by with no episodes. Had one about 5 years ago, cycle lasted 4 weeks. I am now 2 1/2 weeks into my current cycle. Saw my PCP who stated me on 240mg of Verapimil and Imitrex nasal and inj. Then she increased the Verap to 300mg. Saw a Neurologist who put me on 100mg of Prednisone with a taper and changed my Verap to 3 80mg pills per day. I started that yesterday afternoon (Ok per MD). About 30 mins after taking, I had a headache. I had been having one episode daily in the evening either before bed or an hour or so after sleeping. Yesterday I had the first during the day. Thought it was a fluke so I took the second dose of 100mg Prednisone and an 80mg of Verapamil this morning. Again, 30mins later, I have a CH, about a 7 kip. Had to take the Imitrex inj to stop it. Have already left a message for the MD. I don't want to continue the prednisone if I will get a headache after and especially don't want to add another headache when I was dealing with one per day. Anyone else experience a headache after taking the prednisone? I think I had more success on cafergot. Waiting to hear back from the MD. Any suggestions?? 

I'm with brew, pred provides 100% relief for me, I use it on a taper while I wait for my prevent, lithium, to kick in. Hang in there....hope the doc can figure this one out.

Joe

mizro wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 5:25pm:


Wow, I would have guessed that it worked for a FAR higher percentage of people than that.

Where did that number come from?

Marc

I saw in some article about Prednisone working for 70%. But I have been reading so many articles, I may have the incorrect information on the percentages. Of course, I can't seem to find it now.

MattyAA wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 7:19pm:


Not a good idea to stop it WITHOUT talking to a doctor first. You can end up in a steroid crisis if you come down off of pred too fast.

(I've been in one, it can kill you.)

I have no idea if it works for me, as my response to it is hives and anaphylaxis. (Don't ask how, my allergist does not understand it, and no one else does either.)

There are some meds that, stopping them immediately, are merely a bad idea.

There are others - like prednisone - that, stopping them immediately and abruptly, can be downright dangerous, like Mystina described above.

My doctor told me that a person can start a prednisone taper and stop it abruptly after about 2 days with little risk, but once you've been on it for 3 days or more, you need to finish the entire taper. Otherwise some really bad shit can happen.

I only did Pred once several years ago.  During the taper I was PF.  As soon as the taper was over, the headaches came back almost immediately and worse.
Gained a crap load of weight too in just days.

Hey - good luck to you.  Predisone always worked for me from the first dose.  I'm sorry you are finding it rough going.  I did also find that as soon as my "threshold" dose was passed on the way down in the taper, the HA"s would come back, and come back stronger than before.  So I hope whatever you are ramping up on (verapamil) is taking effect.

good luck!

Just cuirous......how long are you usually on the prenisone taper.  Just finished a two week taper and started to have 2-4 hits a day.  Calling back tomorrow for more prednisone.

Cycle started two weeks ago....dr put me on lithium (900mg).  My last cycle I had great success with it......going to call dr. to see what he thinks about one more week of prednisone.

I'll ask him about it...thanks.

The previous cycle I had (almost 2 years ago now) I did a prednisone taper and it stopped the cycle. Was amazing! This cycle I am currently in (for over 3 months now) I tried a prednisone taper a month ago and it seemed to not have any affect at all on this cycle. I guess it seems hit or miss with me, but you know... next cycle down the road... i would probably try it again. Anything that would end it quickly, you know?
However, i am now on a larger dosage of verapimal, 480mg a day, and I have been PF for a little over a week. 

BudO wrote on Sep 9^th, 2009 at 2:07pm:

There's a reason for that. Your adrenal glands produce a big surge of corticosteroids when you wake up in the morning, and prednisone is replacing that during the taper.

A doctor prescribing prednisone should tell you to take the entire dosage in the morning, replicating the body's natural production. Unless there's an application that I'm not thinking of.