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Hi, Has anyone else had problems trying to paste anything to a post? When I try, be it text I've written in another app or even a link to another post, I get a 403 error, and it won't let me do it. Only if I type everything out in the post will it let me submit it. MG

Verapamil was effective for me at about 70% decline in hits. In high cycle went up to 1020 mg/dy...DIVIDED doses and a pre med ekg and another when dosage increased significantly. The side effects can be bad...but are considered reversible with discontinuation. In low cycle I used 480 mg/dy...and conversation on ch.com indicates this is the "sweet spot' for many clusterheads. 40 mg/dy is useless unless he/she is concerned about BP issues or other concerns....seems doubtful... The immediate release worked better for me...the delayed release not at all. Timing the dosage to expected hit times was somewhat effective..... I avoided side effect of constipation with lots of water and fiber....sexual dysfunction has been reported but was not an issue for me. Typical therapy is to do a prednisone or methylpredinsone taper (IV and/or tablets) to "break" a cycle until the verapamil became effective...typically 10-14 days.... If I read you right I couldn't disagree with your Doc MORE. Unsupervised dosage change of a medication...... especially with minimal instruction is: nucking FUTS! Best Jon

Since many folks with CH need as much as 960mg/day for verap to be effective, a 40mg tablet isn't going to be very helpful to you in any event. And certainly the effects on your heart should be monitored. Also, if you're doing D3, you have to be sure to take the calcium at an 8-hour separation from the verapamil, which is pretty difficult to arrange. Here's what one leading CH expert has written about verap: Verapamil is more effective than placebo and compares favorably with lithium. Clinical practice clearly supports the need to use relatively high doses for CH, certainly higher than those used in cardiological indications. After obtaining a baseline EKG, start patients on 80 mg three times daily; thereafter the total daily dose is increased in increments of 80 mg every 10-14 days. An EKG is performed prior to each increment and at least ten days after the dose change. The dose is increased until the cluster attacks are suppressed, side effects intervene or the maximum dose of 960 mg daily is achieved. Side effects include constipation and leg swelling and gingival hyperplasia (patients must monitor dental hygiene closely).

I don't know about dose as It's been years since I took Verapamil BUT.. Please be very careful. If you have a healthy heart, that stuff can be terrible on someone that's healthy. It gave me PVC's (premature ventricle contractions), that took several years to go away after stopping the Verapamil. (That stuff is poison in my opinion). Some studies show it only has around 5% efficacy as well. Sorry not meaning to give bad news. Just want anyone taking it to be very careful of the negative side effects. They can be deadly. J

I know this may seem odd. But we have to laugh once in awhile at our cards we are dealt. I have had an attack pretty much everywhere cluster heads have had one....work, home, sex, in public at store.... But I have had some attacks in crazy places in my life, and thought what the heck....share.I cant wait to hear your replies. Ill start..... #1 Jay Lenos Garage #2 inside Johnny Cash's Last Limousine #3 Every concert I ever been too, standing 2 ft from Axel Rose and he looked at me like WTF.... #4 recovery room from brain surgery