Longest attack I’ve ever had…

[sailtheworld79]

So I’ve dealt with these god awful attacks for more than twenty years now and they normally last between 3 and 6 weeks. I used to deal with them with no assistance, just suffered through. Then, I found oxygen through the help of you wonderful folks. While not perfect - I travel extensively for work - one hell of a lot better than powering through while wishing for my own demise. This summer my doc put me on Verapamil. It worked great to take the edge off and reduce the frequency of the attacks but now I seem to have a problem. I had that “feeling” I get at the end of a period where I figured it was all done after 5 weeks. I stopped taking the pills and the attack not only came back but came back way worse. I typically have very few attacks during the day but now I’m having them constantly. If I close my eyes and nod off I sleep for 15 minutes and I’m back on the air. This SUCKS!!!! So, anyone ever have this experience with Verapamil? Anyone ever hear of someone going from episodic to chronic? I’ll really be hating life if I can’t get some sleep soon. I haven’t slept more than 2 hours in the last three days. Thanks in advance for any info anyone has…

[Bejeeber]

Something that can make it difficult to definitively pin down whether a drug like verap is for sure the culprit for worsening and prolonging your experience is that this sort of thing can, and does, happen out of nowhere after 20+ years, even without pharmaceutical involvement. I sure wouldn't blame you for blaming the verap though.

And yep, the phenomenon includes getting hit at times of day you never, or seldom have before. For a couple decades I'd never had an attack in the evening prior to bed, I had become entirely confident it would never happen, then boom, welcome to evening attacks city (this during a prolonged and worsened bout).

Episodics like you'n me worrying that we're going chronic, even after only 8+ weeks or so in, is so commonplace, it is practically THE LAW, but not only is it unlikely, it sounds like it is way too early for you to have such concerns. Just trying to ease your mind there.

What you have going on there SUCKS indeed - the sleep deprivation and everything. Sorry to hear it, and I hope some of the non-pharmaceutical interventions we yammer on incessantly about here may work for you (I know you were talking about adopting the D3 regimen previously).

 

[CHfather]

Seconding Jeebs's observations:

1. You never really know about changing cycles. (But I guess I'd also mention that verapamil is one of those meds that you're supposed to taper down from when you're quitting.  It doesn't sound like you did that.  I don't think there's anything really known about the effects on CH of stopping abruptly, but if it has effects in other areas, I suppose that could affect CH, too.  How much were you taking (and in what form: extended release or immediate release)?)

2. Most people here strongly prefer the D3 regimen over verapamil as a preventive -- more effective; better for you. https://clusterbusters.org/forums/topic/1308-d3-regimen/

3. If you haven't already, consider the alternative treatments used by many here, which you can read about by clicking on "New Users -- Please Read Here First" in the blue banner near the top of each page.

 

[sailtheworld79]

Well folks, the past is killing me. I’ve got 5 10mg press I’m gonna try for the next 5 days. Hard to type with one eye. D3 didn’t work for me and I went through an M60 tank last night when it normally takes me 3 days to kill one. So so bad!!!