Posted by gary g (208.133.221.206) on August 18, 1999 at 15:13:27:
In Reply to: Melatonin and Benedryl posted by Claudette on August 18, 1999 at 14:24:19:
long ago discovered benadryl (diphenhyradine) is of noticeable help with MY cluster headache
when I feel the unmistakeable early warning signs of a cluster, I start loading on the bendaryl - maximum dosage around the clock, 3 or 4 before bed
associated drawbacks - drowsiness, lethargy, weight gain
I am ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED I have "blocked" many clusters this way - which is to say, they haven't progressed into the series of painful attacks
BTW- I believe the cluster episode as a whole starts some time, days or weeks, before the first diagnostic acute attack
NOT ALWAYS successful, but often enough that I always take a shot at it -
has probably cut actual attack incidence by 40 or 50 % over the last several years
the generic equivalent - our supermarket has it labelled Diphedryl, yours may be different - look for "diphenhyramine citrate" as the active ingredient