Guest Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 im curious what TYPE of verapamil those that take are using. is it SR? ER? i know there are even a few other kinds. is it capsule or a tablet? what dose is effective for you? do you stop taking it, or taper down when your cycles run their course? do you attempt busting methods while on it? does it help or not? AO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fireface Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I did Verapamil and prednisone one year and thought it was the miraculous cure... my high cycle stopped within 24 hrs. The next year it did nothing...as a matter of fact...I thought Verapamil made it worse... It was tablet form... Seems like substance P figured a way around it. Just like everything else. Not sure if it was SR or ER... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alleyoop Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 is it SR? ER? i know there are even a few other kinds. ER 240 mg x 2 I believe: ER = Extended Relief SR = Sustained Relief HCL = verapamil hydrocloride I believe that HCL is recommended for CH, but ER works for me. is it capsule or a tablet? Neither - caplet what dose is effective for you? 480mg daily do you stop taking it, or taper down when your cycles run their course? Being a primary chronic, I don't ever go completely PF, although I do have high and low cycles. I tried to taper off of the stuff a number of times, but every time I get down to 120mg, all hell breaks loose. Maybe I'm just a wimp. I know I have tremendous respect for those that have been successful at titrating off of verapamil. do you attempt busting methods while on it? Yes. does it help or not? Definitely, although I believe busting would be much more successful if I could ever get off of the verap. bobb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hipshot Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 It took my attacks away for well over a year, together with lithium. Mine was Verapimil SA. 180 mg twice daily. A blue caplet. In the end the attacks broke through after varying doses several times. constantly had to get blood work done because it caused thyroid problems. I had to take Mirilax laxative nightly and still couldn't go potty but once a week at best. Whew! talk about shit a brick! My Pulse was mid 40s. BP 90's over 60's. Trembling...shakes, ED which sucked big time. Nausea every morning to the point of vomiting. I couldn't even stand in the shower long enough to take a proper shower. I would have to get out of the shower and sit down to dry myself. The shit about killed me. I could barely get out of bed toward the end. All I wanted to do was die. My Neuro finally took me off of it and recommended a ONS trial which I did and wished I wouldn't have...another $30k down the drain I tapered off, and didn't really realize how near death I was, and how bad I felt till that poison was out of my system. Never again. No way, no how. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hipshot Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Hey agent. I may have regrets about my post. Let me rephrase it. If you can get a year pain free by taking verapimil...I would take it. It got me through some really tough times. Who knows what may happen in a year. I didn't really have noticeable side effects for a while. I did get totally pain free from lithium and verapimil. In the end it didn't work out for me...but for a long time it was a life saver. I know your story and I feel for you. Take the verapamil and perhaps lithium too since they are prescribed together most of the time....I think? Haha Hellifiknow. You gotta do what you gotta do. It may be just the break your body/brain need...short term anyway. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 no problem dan its been almost a year of no script meds and busting since i stopped, a little progress was made but not much so ya know if this shit keeps goin on i need to do somethin when i was in the er for my low heart rate i was also on darvocet for my hips, which has been takin off the market because it is known to cause heart attacks . . . i swear they (doctors) were trying to kill me also when i was on verapamil, i was on SR, 360mg 2x a day i was breaking tablets and not getting a consistent dose so i asked for something that i didnt need to break, go figure my idiot doctor changed it to ER and thats basically when i lost control this is why i am asking the questions that you see, and thanks for those who answered my questions thoroughly like i was hoping for i know the side effects believe me AO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 just too add, im not giving up on the busting . . .i had 48 hrs pain free, no o2, had a low kipper maybe a 2 that didnt disapate on it's own this afternoon, 7 mins of o2 in the last 54 hours, thats a record this year, and last year just creating a plan for if or when things knock me down and wont let me back up btw crappity smack lithium, that shit is bad, bad news, i was toxic at 900 mg, but it was effective, although i was a super zombie, 500 mg wasnt toxic but it was ineffective, plus firing kidney stones in the urinal at work and pissing blood for 3 days is not cool by anymeans, plus the shit hurts pretty good, nothin near a cluster but still, u seen the seinfeld episode with kramer and his stone LOL AO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest theraginasian Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 It took my attacks away for well over a year, together with lithium. Mine was Verapimil SA. 180 mg twice daily. A blue caplet. In the end the attacks broke through after varying doses several times. constantly had to get blood work done because it caused thyroid problems. I had to take Mirilax laxative nightly and still couldn't go potty but once a week at best. Whew! talk about shit a brick! My Pulse was mid 40s. BP 90's over 60's. Trembling...shakes, ED which sucked big time. Nausea every morning to the point of vomiting. I couldn't even stand in the shower long enough to take a proper shower. I would have to get out of the shower and sit down to dry myself. The shit about killed me. I could barely get out of bed toward the end. All I wanted to do was die. My Neuro finally took me off of it and recommended a ONS trial which I did and wished I wouldn't have...another $30k down the drain I tapered off, and didn't really realize how near death I was, and how bad I felt till that poison was out of my system. Never again. No way, no how. Dan This is EXACTLY what is happening to me. I started getting Clusters 18 going on 19. Started taking Verapamil ER 180mg at 19 going on 20. Oxygen quit being effective at aborting by about 21. Switch to Chronic at this point. Luckily, I haven't needed Lithium. Each time the attacks get worse, increase the Verapamil. After a grueling year of turning 24 and having the worst of my life: frequent, even with steroid tapers. I was just starting to get control around the last convention. I still had some break throughs while visiting, but they were getting less frequent. By the time December rolls in I'm finally PF, but I'm up to 480mg daily! I take two massive horse pills of 240mg ER each morning, and up until recently, I've been able to manage the Nausea. However, now I find myself with the EXACT symptoms you describe: Extreme morning nausea to the point of vomiting. It gets better as the day goes on, but I can still sometimes feel the sickening during the day. I used to only feel it during the day, now it's much more. Trembling, Shakes (I just always figure I'm extra nervous!). Miralax just as you describe just to be able to poop! I'm going to see my Primary Care tomorrow about it, and will probably look at tapering down! I'm just so worried to bring the beast back... It's really this kind of shit that tears us all apart, isn't it? Lucky to have this place and you all... Much Love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.