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Zolmitriptan orodispersable

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#1 Mon, 01/09/2014 - 13:08
MelodyT
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Joined: 26/02/2014 - 15:05

Zolmitriptan orodispersable

I have at last had a couple of sleeping nights!

i have used a 5mg orodispersable zolmitriptan as a preventative on a number of nights now, (5x) and each time I have had no night time CH.

2x I have also used them in a day, when I have known that I have a day ahead where other options will be difficult, one was I was driving from Carlisle to London, and the other was a full day sailing course that I was booked onto. On each occasion it kept the CH at bay for at least 6 hours..... Afterwards I had recurring CHs for a period of 4 hours ..... But that happens most evenings and nights anyway!

so my question is..... I know that these tablets would not work as an abortive (too slow) but would there be a harm/risk if I were to use them more regularly as a preventative?

my concern of cause is dependence or tolerance developing.... But if I use them occasionally in this way, how harmful could it be.

im aware that A problem with this idea, is that if I do get a CH within a couple of hours of taking the tablet, I wouldn't be able to use the injection as an abort method, but so far that hasn't been a problem.

id value others thoughts on this.... And a word of warning the orodispersable zolmitriptan taste disgusting!!! But easily worth it for the hours that I am getting pain free.thanx

melody

Thu, 04/09/2014 - 11:43
kelt5
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Last seen: 8 years 4 months ago
Joined: 19/03/2014 - 10:29

Hi Melody

I hope you are well. 

Prior to my CCH diagnosis (together with Chronic Migraine)  I had been prescribed up to 42 x 2.5mg Zolmatriptan tablets a week to keep my 'migraines' at bay.  At my diagnosis my consultant advised that many of my headaches both CH and migraine were rebounds as a reslt of my high dependence on the Zol.  He suggested I de-toxed asap but would have a week long migraine as a result.  I did so and my partner, a former worker with heroin dependants, told me the pojectile vomiting, profuse sweating and feelings of death is upon me were very reminiscent of being 'back on the wards'.! However, that was only one day and  the rest of the week were very painful and lonely (all visitors were wise to adhere to the advice to  keep their distance) but it was worth it.

Two months on and I have only just accepted triptan injections to go with Verapamil and high flow oxygen but  I only have two doses a week to assist me in having 6 or so hours without theoxygen close by.  (I don't drive and we don't own a car)

I am not in the mind of giving advice and every CH sufferers situation/medication/symptoms are different.

Pehaps other more experienced forum users could advise you better than I.

Take carex

Thu, 04/09/2014 - 13:03
Phil
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Last seen: 2 months 2 weeks ago
Joined: 26/02/2014 - 17:02

Jeannie.
You're allowed 2 injections per 24 hours.
Your Doctor needs to be fed his own organs.
Try to keep him conscious during the ordeal.

Thu, 04/09/2014 - 14:50 (Reply to #3)
kelt5
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Last seen: 8 years 4 months ago
Joined: 19/03/2014 - 10:29

Hi Phil

Biggrin

I am keeping these injections to a limit because of my previous addiction.  However, my GP still needs his own organs fed to him!  I picked up my holiday script and he's prescribed sumitriptan nasal spray 20mgs which give me 4 days payback headaches instead of the Imigran 6mg injections so I have to see him tomorrow at 10am.

In addition he has been feeding me slow modified release verapamill for the last four months, according to the OUCH leaflet this is a no,no.

How on earth do I inform him of that?  He's already fed up with me reminding him of my consultants instructions for ecgs and the like?

jeanniex

 

Thu, 04/09/2014 - 20:24
MelodyT
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Last seen: 9 years 2 months ago
Joined: 26/02/2014 - 15:05

Thanx for that info Jeanie... I will definitely think more about this...... It did seem an awfull lot that you were on though. My injections are 6mg and I think the orodispersable zolmitriptan is only 5mg.

so really the most I would be taking would be in total 16mg. I appreciate the addiction and with drawer issues that you have mentioned, but did you also develop a tolerance to the meds?

i am seeing the neuro on Monday and will ask his advice, but it is always useful to have real life experiences from people too.

thanx

melody x

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 13:00 (Reply to #5)
kelt5
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Last seen: 8 years 4 months ago
Joined: 19/03/2014 - 10:29

Hi Melody

The more I took the less they worked.  My break from the triptans have helped a lot.  I can now see the oxygen working although, as I said in my previous post to Phil, the verapamill was the wrong one.  Hopefully I will see some change now I have the right one.  I will keep the injections to the absolute minimum because the withdrawal is so scary.

Jeannie x

 

 

Sat, 06/09/2014 - 13:22
Phil
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Last seen: 2 months 2 weeks ago
Joined: 26/02/2014 - 17:02

Back to the topic.
Mike developed the idea of taking abortives as a preventative.
It was such a success that I think now there is a trial going on.
(Scientific research, not criminal)

I think we use 'addiction' in a very broad sense. Every episodal preventative has the same questions, whether it's working well, the bout has ended or is it causing rebound.

This is why we need doctors, to monitor side effects and alter medicines for the best results.
But what we get are prats leaving us to suffer so they can save a few quid.

Mon, 08/09/2014 - 08:48
Mike
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Last seen: 8 years 9 months ago
Joined: 21/03/2012 - 12:43

I worked on the principal that I knew I would wake up an hour after going to sleep with an attack and had been injecting myself with the more agressive form of sumatriptan injections for many years it was surely preferable to take a sumtriptan tablet before going to sleep and be "protected" before the attack arrived. I did discuss this idea with Peter Goadsby and he said "we tried this as a prophylactic and it doesnt work" I suggested to him that it was actually tried as a random three times a day pill. The thing that wasn't considered was our "alarm clock" could be guarenteed at certain times a day. Peter sugested it was worth a try. In the eight of nine years I have used it I have never had a night time attack and I'm delighted to say it works for most sufferers.

 
 
 
Chairman OUCH UK

Mon, 08/09/2014 - 13:01
Val
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Last seen: 19 hours 29 min ago
Joined: 21/03/2012 - 15:16

Jeannie

Your GP could look at the BNF [ British National Formulary, GPs prescribing bible throughout the UK ] and it states quite clearly in section 4.7.4.3 on cluster headache that the drug of choice for the pain of CH is subcutaneous sumatriptan (Imigran injections) and high flow oxygen is also suggested.  Both are also recommended in the NICE [National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence] headache guidelines.

Regarding verapamil, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll forward the suggested verapamil regime from the Institute of Neurology, I would think that the Institute is a suitably prestigious enough medical organisation to get even your GP to prescribe verapamil correctly AND to ensure that you have the ECGs.  You might also like to point out to him that the OUCH website is linked to the NHS Direct website; that link was made at the request of the NHS.  So we are an accepted expert patient group.

Keep pressing for what you need from him, firm but persistent!

Val. ;)

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