My gp wanted to know if I wanted to try it.
Said if it worked it might be a faster abortive then imitrex pills.
Still have my samples of alsuma and sumeval.
Just trying to stock up for his ass before he comes calling again.
Any thoughts?

I would like the injections.my neuro has given me several samples of each.
My gp is just trying to find me less costly abortives because I have No insurance .

How quickly and at what dosage?

Neurology. 2007 Aug 28;69(9):821-6. 
Zolmitriptan nasal spray in the acute treatment of cluster headache: a double-blind study.

Rapoport AM, Mathew NT, Silberstein SD, Dodick D, Tepper SJ, Sheftell FD, Bigal ME.

Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. alanrapoport@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of zolmitriptan 5 mg and 10 mg nasal spray (ZNS) vs placebo in the acute treatment of cluster headache. Design/ METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, three-period crossover study using ZNS 5 mg, ZNS 10 mg, and placebo. Headache intensity was rated by a 5-point scale: none, mild, moderate, severe, or very severe. The primary efficacy measure was headache response (pain reduced from moderate, severe, or very severe at baseline, to mild or none) at 30 minutes. Logistic regression was used to account for treatment period effect as well as for cluster headache subtype effect. RESULTS: A total of 52 adult patients treated 151 attacks. For the primary endpoint, both doses reached significance at 30 minutes (placebo = 30%, ZNS 5 mg = 50%, ZNS 10 mg = 63.3%). For headache relief, ZNS 10 mg separated from placebo at 10 minutes (24.5% vs 10%). Zolmitriptan 5 mg separated from placebo at 20 minutes (38.5% vs 20%). For pain-free status, ZNS 10 mg was superior to placebo at 15 minutes (22.0% vs 6%). Both doses had higher pain-free rates than placebo at 30 minutes (placebo = 20%, ZNS 5 mg = 38.5%, ZNS 10 mg = 46.9%). Side effects were mild and seen in 16% of those attacks treated with placebo, 25% of attacks treated with ZNS 5 mg, and 32.7% treated with ZNS 10 mg. Conclusions/Relevance: Zolmitriptan nasal spray, at doses of 5 and 10 mg, is effective and tolerable for the acute treatment of cluster headache.

Publication Types:
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

PMID: 17724283 [PubMed]
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Imitrex pill is not for Cluster because it acts too slowly. Injecion is first choice. But see, left of this page, "Imitrex tip", to reduce costs.
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Print out the PDF file, below, and use to discuss options with your doc.
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If you don't need more than 1-2 doses a day, print following and talk with your doc about a trial. Some of us have found it almost as fast acting as Imitrex injection. After discovering it, I never used any other abortive med!
Plus, on a per dose basis, it's the least expensive abortive we have.

Headache 2001 Sep;41(8):813-6 

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.


Rozen TD.
Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. THE INITIAL OLANZAPINE DOSE WAS 5 MG, AND THE DOSE WAS INCREASED TO 10 MG IF THERE WAS NO PAIN RELIEF. THE DOSAGE WAS DECREASED TO 2.5 MG IF THE 5-MG DOSE WAS EFFECTIVE BUT CAUSED ADVERSE EFFECTS. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and TWO PATIENTS BECAME HEADACHE-FREE AFTER TAKING THE DRUG. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. IT ALLEVIATES PAIN QUICKLY AND HAS A CONSISTENT RESPONSE ACROSS MULTIPLE TREATED ATTACKS. IT APPEARS TO WORK IN BOTH EPISODIC AND CHRONIC CLUSTER HEADACHE.

PMID 11576207 PubMed

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Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.
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While oxygen is effective and many here love it, it's action stops quickly when you stop using it. Some Clusters can last awhile and docs recommend not using O2 for long periods (hr +)--and if you do need it for long periods, cost starts to run up.

It's an argument for trying different abortives (PDF article) to find one which is, for your body, fast, long lasting, acceptable re. $. (One reason I like olanzapine--on a per dose basis, about the cheapest abortive.)

Much slower than the injection but still work for me, have a drink ready though as Kranskie says as the taste is vile!

Hiya,

Chronic and in low cycle right now....but when the O2, verapamil, energy drink didn't work....5 mg Zomig NS has been my abort of last resort for many yrs.... 99% effective rate and in 5-8 mins. Imitrex injects make me feel "ooky".

Hella expensive and always a fight with insurance company but worth it...and the feeling of having that little bullet in my pocket is immeasurable.

Check out the O2 thread for proper use advice.... and the Vit D thread too (didn't work for me but 80% success rate) and maybe you can keep the pocket bullet unused...

Best

Jon