Posted by John B (204.17.44.211) on September 07, 2000 at 00:51:09:
In Reply to: NEURO DRS. posted by skor on September 06, 2000 at 23:54:32:
Hi, Gary,
I see you have posted several times over the past couple of weeks, and haven't really gotten much of a response. I'll try to do my best. I understand that you wear a patch for pain relief, and that you can't use Imitrex; oxygen doesn't work. Have you tried verapamil or Topamax as preventatives? When you tried oxygen, were you using a non-rebreating mask (the type with a bag on it) that allows you to get 100% pure oxygen?
Verapamil in higher doses, 480mg/day, is one of the best preventatives. Verapamil combined with Topamax at 200mg or even 300mg/day may be needed. If that is not effective, one of the antidepressants may be added to help control serotonin levels.
I have left out Prednisone, which is a first-line preventative, because I figured that if you can't take Imitrex, you probably can't take the steroids either, but check with your doctor.
Going back to Oxygen, many people have thought that it didn't work for them only because they were using a standard mask at 6 or 8 liters per minute. It didn't work for me like that either. When I started using a non-rebreating mask with a bag and one-way valves that provides 100% oxygen at a flow-rate of 10-12 liters/minute - bingo! Oxygen began knocking my clusters out within a few minutes provided I caught them when they were just getting going.
Good luck, Gary; hope this helps.
LYG
JB