new to verapimil

[big j]

should I take verapamil twice a day? I'm new to it and taking one every morning and ive made it most days of this cycle with only light pain or shadows during the day but I get my usual one an hour after I fall asleep and a second one when I feel back asleep last night( first time for that). I was taking Elavil at night but it didn't seem to do anything and I'm wondering if the verapamil should be taken again at night or if its the heavy caffeine holding em off during the day. I'm trying to get my D levels back up as I had quit it for a while

[FunTimes]

I was put on Verapamil 240mg to be taken 3 times a day, This made my legs feel tired all the time so I tapered mine back to one time a day in the morning. I did not notice much difference in the amount of clusters of intensity of them when I cut back. From what I hear the extended release does not work as well for some people. I also get hit as I am sleeping and just started to take benadryl along with the D3 regimen and things are starting to get better for me now. I also spent the last few nights sleeping in a recliner to try to keep my head elevated a little and that also helped. 

This does not answer your question but I hope it gives you a few tricks to try out. 

[big j]

thanks fun times, I should probably delete this post as  I think I may give up on the verapamil. I thought it was fast acting and now that I'm ten pages in the forums here the side effects and dosages seem extreme. I'm going to add Benadryl and or melatonin at night and hope the vitamin d has me in full remission soon. I've been "lucky", since I found my biggest triggers (low carb diet and or heavy cardio) they have never gotten to an unbearable or suicidal level and I have responded well to Elavil for a couple years and then Topamax for a few years. the vitamin d has been my only treatment the last couple years, I was worried it was causing other problems and had gotten off but am back on now. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PAGE(and others like it but I cant find the one I use to go to), while mine have been well controlled I still get stressed and depressed every time I get into a cycle 

[CHfather]

'j, you haven't mentioned oxygen.  you have it?

[big j]

10 minutes ago, CHfather said:

'j, you haven't mentioned oxygen.  you have it?

I have torches so yes but have not tried it with a full mask set up, my results have been very limited when I have tried. I work construction as an ironworker so keeping it available at work would be very hard but we have torches available depending and I have grabbed a torch and blasted o2 in my mouth while huffing and puffing as fast as I can and it has worked I think. I've tried at home but the ones I get at night are close to raging when they wake me up and by the time I get dressed and into the barn I think its to late for o2

 

[CHfather]

An attack that wakes you up and is already raging is harder to stop with O2, for sure.  You don't say how long your attacks are, but I'd be willing to bet that O2 could still shorten them.  spiny has mentioned putting a washcloth over the tip of a torch in her early days (I think).  Is there a reason you can't bring your equipment into the house and give it a try?  Ever tried an energy shot, such as 5-Hour Energy, to stop an attack?  Works well for many (again, you can down one as soon as you wake up with an attack, as you start on the O2).  For many, it doesn't keep them awake even if they drink it the during the night.

[spiny]

You are right CHF. I used our welding set up in the basement for months. Wet washcloth covering the tip. Just for cleanliness and a little added moisture.

Nocturnal hits are tougher to get going on right away big j. Mainly because you are not awake at the beginning to hit it. I would move it to the house - outside on the deck perhaps? Speed is of the essence. I would grab some caffeine first thing and then a robe and shoes and just book it as fast as possible. Just a suggestion.

[big j]

I may try o2 again but imitrex works so well its my go to for immediate relief  and its easy to carry at work. Hope I don't sound dismissive as I love all the help these pages and the people on them provide 

[CHfather]

'j,

Lots of people believe, and there is some research evidence for it, that triptans make attacks worse and extend cycles.  And trex is not good for you.  

You can split your trex injections, getting 3 or at least 2 from every injector.  https://clusterbusters.org/forums/topic/2446-extending-imitrex/

 

[Don O2]

Too much Imitrex can cause rebounds and failures. Too much oxygen does not. Used properly for CH, I stop 97% of my attacks with oxygen alone, with above 15lpm. We all do whatever it takes to stop the pain. I've had CH for 30 yrs,. Oxygen has helped 29 of those. When I first used o2 it stopped 50-60% of my attacks. More is better with o2.

I told my Neurologist, if I could only have one CH treatment, it would be oxygen. Minimum 15lpm with a Cluster Headache mask. With a bag.. I now use a 

demand valve. Like a fighter pilot mask, lets o2 out only when I inhale. Not cheap. I can got almost equal results with a 40lpm regulator and a 3 litre cluster mask.

You will find what helps you best. Doctors are behind the curve, so we must know more than they do. Take charge of our condition and treatments.

[FunTimes]

I was taking sumatriptan about 5 times a day at one point. I had both the shots and the pills. Pills took about 30 minutes to set in the shots in about 5. I then found out about the O2 on this site and gave that a try and kept the triptan as a backup if I could not get oxygen or did not have it with me. I then read about how triptans can make things worse if taken to much and since I knew I was way over the recommended daily dose I figured I would stop them all together. I stopped on a Friday night and had a hell of a weekend rolling around in bed with non stop headaches but it was well worth it. I still am getting headaches on a daily basis and I am working on that with the vitamin D and M but I do not have them like I did when I was eating the sumatriptan for every headache! I actually had my first pain free day yesterday for the firs time in a long time. I still keep a triptan pill or 2 with me at all times just incase the shit hits the fan but only take that as a last resort. I maybe take one every other month. Finding a o2 supplier to get me enough delivered to my house as often as I need it was a hard thing to get done but with a little yelling and fighting I now have a place that will deliver next day for me with a phone call. Fingers crossed that they dont have a change of management and I need to start my fight over again. 

Best of luck to you and I would get that o2 tank in next to your bed as soon as you can. 

[big j]

I hope I am back in remission and my main problem was letting my vitamin d get low and now it is back up. I have went nuts with the imitrex in the past, I could tell I was building up a tolerance as they would rebound sooner and sooner getting up to 4 a day. luckily I have responded well to medication and D and haven't had to use the imitrex more than a week before the long term treatment kicked in. the imitrex I just used expired in 09 so I almost feel I should use them instead of waste them( growing up poor we never threw anything away). as far as splitting them the next batch I got are 3mg and I also have vials I got 2 years ago and haven't used at all yet. the 3mg worked good because my insurance at the time gave 30mg a month so I got 10 instead of 6. 

[big j]

I keep meaning to buy a scuba breather to hook to my o2 tank, I think it should flow plenty and is on demand and then exhale through my nose. I'm sure I'm not the first to try this and maybe I will run into an issue but it seems it should work to me.