Think you are going to be good TeeJ.  I have been on 360 mg/day Verap since around this time last year.  Everytime I tried to lower the dosage I got those damn shadows - and occasionally just a normal headache (maybe a migrane).

Anyway - last week got my first real hit in along time.  Didn't last long, and wasn't real bad, but got my attention.  Then this week I started getting many shadows and then got a hit on Wednesday that made me use up one of my Imetrix injections (which I ration because of the cost!).  Anyway - Wednesday night started my Pred taper that I had arranged, up my Verap dosage - and other than the normal side effects of the Pred, been great.  Working much faster than last time because I think I caught it much earlier.  Last year I was in the middle of a bad cycle when I started so it took a few days longer to take effect.  Sounds like you are in the middle too - but it sounds like it is working now.

Also - unlike most of the poor brothers and sisters on this board, I never stop having my beer - after five years of experimenting I cannot find any real trigger to my head aches - so why give up one of life's finer pleasures? 

Good luck

Just got through Autumn with no CH's. Now i can also enjoy one of life's finer pleasures. Cheers.

Hi TeeJ and Welcome to Clusterville

  You're very fortunate to have found this family early-on in your bout with the beast.

  I'm a head trauma CHer . . .  hit my noggin (almost knocked out) 1/01 . . . attacks started.  By the time my wife found this site for me (2/02), was having 6-8 attacks daily, sometimes 3-5 at night . . . . most 20-45 min, Kip 5-9, and the occasional 1-2 hour + horror.   Copied info off this board, took to doc and got started having some control of the beast. 

  I  used Verapamil to good effect for three years.  Didn't stop the beast, but reduced the frequency and intensity to a level I could usually kill easily with the 02 (daytime hits).  Night hits are already ramping fast by the time he wakes you, so you have  to use more 02 to stop the ramp and finish him off.   Proper flow-rate and mask is essential for best results.  If the regulator you get is an 8 lpm, go to ebay and get a 15 (works fine for me) or 25 lpm regulator.  You should get (if your doc knows his business) a non-rebreather mask (the one with the bag . . . will be a 1 litre bag) . . . . then order an O2ptimask with the big green 3 litre bag . . . .MUCH more effective . . . and always remember to get on the 02 at the first sign of attack.  Much better to kill him at a Kip 2-4 in five minutes than huffing and dancing for 20 minutes.  The "E" tanks you will get from  your med supply will give you 45 min of 02 at 15 lpm.   That's 6-8 aborts for small hits or two big hits.  I kept 20 tanks ($10 each exchange . . . no deposit . . . but prices vary wildly depending on where you are)

  Re the Verapamil.  Had my first PF day in over a year when I hit 240 mg (had 3 attacks that night, but it was a WONDERFUL day).   Got as high as 480mg (many take considerably more and often with other meds like lithium), then settled on 360mg regular maintenance dose.   Don't be surprised if you have some constipation as dose increases......many do (I did), but that's easily controlled with diet change or stool softeners.

  I stopped the Verap in 04, post surgery and prior to chemo . . . attacks had reduced in frequency/intensity most likely because of the large ammounts of water I was/am required to consume to prevent UTI's (had bladder/prostate removed) . . . .. see "water X 3" (button on left above yellow "oxygen info".   Water therapy does work for many . . . it IS NOT easy to do.

  BEST NEWS . . . . After being chronic for over ten years, I've now gone 18 months without an attack using the D3 regimen.   It's my hope that it will work for you also and you won't have to live with the very real FEAR of the beast.

  Be Safe,   PFDANs

    Richard

TeeJ

  My opinion is that you're doing great!  Am I correct that you haven't gotten 02 yet?

  General opinion is that the MINIMUM effective dose for Verap is 240 mg . . .  then increase to manageable frequency/intensity (with 02 to abort) . . .  so if your hits/shadows are currently low level and not ramping to "dance" stage, the D3 regimen might already be starting to work for you.

  Try a gel pack or bag of frozen peas . . . I always kept two gel packs in the freezer.  The first time I tried ice I made the mistake of keeping it on my eye or forehead for too long which (for me) brought on an additional and unwanted shot of pain.  But if I kept moving it about the face/eye/forehead/neck, (all the while huffing 02 and after slamming a Rock Star (I like the orange), it seemed to shorten the abort time.  I always carry a 1/2 gal insulated mug of iced water when I'm away from the house and always have a bandana with me . . .  so if the 02 didn't kill him in a few minutes, could dump some ice in the bandana.  Got lots of strange looks driving down the road huffing on the 02 and swabbing my face/eye with a bright red bandana.

  My triggers were alcohol, exhaust fumes, petroleum products (like carb or brake parts cleamer) . . . . and the triggered attacks always seemed to ramp faster and higher and took longer to abort.

  I've been away from the board for a while and haven't taken Verapamil in years so I can't really comment on when it would be comfortable for you to stop same and rely solely on the D3 regimen.

  Keep reading, keep asking

    Be Safe,  PFDANs


      Richard

Gotta love the sound of that!

Joe