OUCH(UK) Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headache

Donate

Advice Line

0800 6696 824

Hi newbie here and question on Sumatriptan injections usage please

4 posts / 0 new
Last post
#1 Wed, 12/06/2019 - 17:17
Stevie Gee
Stevie Gee's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 day 13 hours ago
Joined: 05/10/2016 - 15:05

Hi newbie here and question on Sumatriptan injections usage please

HI,

I was diagnosed with CH in 2016 but up to now I’ve had it relatively easy by only suffering in and around Autumn and then only for about once a day for about two weeks. I guess that I like one or two people on this site, suffered through ignorance and also with an attitude of that it wasn’t as bad as what some people were going through and it was only “ episodic “ after all ! And the this year , all that changed ! 3 weeks ago I started having 2 and 3 attacks every day . It was a challenge to get even an appointment with my GP practice but armed with my letter off a neurologist  and a download off the OUCH charity I attended. After explaining about CH and my problem, this GP tried to recommend everything except Sumatriptan injections as she hadn’t prescribed them before. I absolutely demanded that she had them prescribed as it was Friday and I needed them for the weekend and was having at least 2 a day . This was 7th June and since then I’ve received 12 injections and have had 13 attacks , yesterday having 4 . I have a review on this Thursday, 13th and am going to push for oxygen. But what I would like to know , is there a a maximum number of Sumatriptan injections you can use in a day ?

Thanks for reading my rant 

 

Wed, 12/06/2019 - 18:00
John S
Offline
Last seen: 4 months 3 weeks ago
Joined: 26/02/2014 - 14:41

Hello Stevie,

Well done for convincing your doctor to prescribe you Sumatriptan injections. Many doctors are not familiar with CH and the extreme pain they cause and how important the correct medication is. 

The maximum number of Sumatriptan injections in 24 hours is 2 and it is important you do not exceed this dose. You mention Oxygen in your post and this is the recommended treatment by NICE for the treatment of CH in aborting the headaches. There is no limit to the number of times you can use it and it is non invasive. It my own preferred treatment as an episodic sufferer.

Your doctor is able to prescribe Home Oxygen, it does not require a neurologist as many docs will tell you. I normally download the form from this site, fill it all in apart from the docs signature and present it to my doc who is now well familiar with my condition. 

You may want to consider referral to a neurologist at some point to confirm diagnosis but don’t let the doc use this as a barrier to prescribing O2.

Also the Ouch helpline is very good if you want advice, don’t hesitate to ring them if you need to.

John

 

Wed, 12/06/2019 - 18:16
John S
Offline
Last seen: 4 months 3 weeks ago
Joined: 26/02/2014 - 14:41

Just one other point about filling in the Oxygen form, I tick the 3 day box, my local British Oxgen Supplier don’t do the one day service and if the do same day they charge my surgery £250. The most important thing is to get your doctor or his their office to fax it to the Oxygen supplier the same day and offer to hand it to the office staff who deal with this. I hear so many times of people waiting weeks for oxygen, if handled efficiently it should be no more than 3 days and often sooner. You are in pain, you need it quickly.

John

Wed, 12/06/2019 - 22:32 (Reply to #3)
Stevie Gee
Stevie Gee's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 day 13 hours ago
Joined: 05/10/2016 - 15:05

Thanks John

Login to add comments

Share This

© OUCH(uk) 2024 | email: info@ouchuk.org
Registered Charity No. 1091919 | Registered in England Company No. 04339368