Carole,

Yep, That's how it works.

Try the D3 method, it is helping me. Gotta play with the amounts of D3.. Everyones different. My best advise would be to act quickly, Don't wait around on this cause as you know it only gets worse.

Coach Bill

Verap. is the most widely used preventive with dosing go as high as 900mg. I would not increase, now, without your doc's O.K.

At high doses, there is the possibility of heart problems; rare but requires regular EKGs and the heart issues resolve quickly when you stop using it, i.e., not an issue which should scare you off Verap unless you already have a histsory of hear problems.
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Print and give to your doc.
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J Headache Pain. 2011 Apr;12(2):173-6. Epub 2011 Jan 22.
Cardiac safety in cluster headache patients using the very high dose of verapamil (=720 mg/day).
Lanteri-Minet M, Silhol F, Piano V, Donnet A.
SourceDépartement d'Evaluation et traitement de la Douleur Médecine palliative, Pôle Neurosciences Cliniques du CHU de Nice, Hôpital Pasteur Avenue de la Voie Romaine, 06002 Nice Cedex, France. lanteri-minet.m@chu-nice.fr

Abstract
Use of high doses of verapamil in preventive treatment of cluster headache (CH) is limited by cardiac toxicity. We systematically assess the cardiac safety of the very high dose of verapamil (verapamil VHD) in CH patients. Our work was a study performed in two French headache centers (Marseilles-Nice) from 12/2005 to 12/2008. CH patients treated with verapamil VHD (=720 mg) were considered with a systematic electrocardiogram (EKG) monitoring. Among 200 CH patients, 29 (14.8%) used verapamil VHD (877±227 mg/day). Incidence of EKG changes was 38% (11/29). Seven (24%) patients presented bradycardia considered as nonserious adverse event (NSAE) and four (14%) patients presented arrhythmia (heart block) considered as serious adverse event (SAE). Patients with EKG changes (1,003±295 mg/day) were taking higher doses than those without EKG changes (800±143 mg/day), but doses were similar in patients with SAE (990±316 mg/day) and those with NSAE (1,011±309 mg/day). Around three-quarters (8/11) of patients presented a delayed-onset cardiac adverse event (delay =2 years). Our work confirms the need for systematic EKG monitoring in CH patients treated with verapamil. Such cardiac safety assessment must be continued even for patients using VHD without any adverse event for a long time.

PMID:21258839[PubMed]
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Also print the PDF file, below, and use to discuss options with the doc.

CaroleA wrote on Aug 30^th, 2014 at 11:56am:

Hi Carole.
You can find helpful information here Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or .
You can also browse this long thread for more info and many personal stories about D3. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
-Pat

Of course being in Canada, I was unable to find a multi-vitamin supplement close to either the Kirkland or Citracal plus so I am going with the breakdown listed.  I do live close enough to the US border that I can get the Citracal plus so I will do that in the next week.

The only one I'm concerned about is the Calcium supplement.  "Accordingly, in order to minimize a possible interaction with calcium that may limit verapamil effectiveness, separate the verapamil and calcium doses by at least 8 to 12 hours.  Discus this regimen with your PCP, neurologist, or cardiologist in order to work out an optimum dosing schedule."

I'm currently taking the verapamil once in the morning and once in the evening, separated by 12 hours.  Is there any benefit or detriment to taking both the verapamil at one time?  That way I can allow the 12 hours to take the Calcium.

Thank you!


Carole

Thank you Maz, I will check that out