Verapamil for Headaches

[Mei Mei]

I cancelled the Friday appointment and found an anesthesiologist recommended by someone from our group that lives in DC.   He's out of the country until the 6th and I'm leaving for Taiwan next Friday and am coming back on July 13th so my appt is July 14th at 9 am.   I pray that it works.   Too bad I have to go on this trip with the neck and skull as is.   I just started Neurontin.   So far it's not touched it.   My knots are hard as a rock.   Knock Knock!!!

I'm so happy for you about the pregnancy.   I don't know what Category C means.   Please explain.   I'm on Topamax and have been for several years.  It really helped my Myofacial pain, a kind of fybromyalgia.   I'd love to see your baby someday.   Wish I could drive to Conn.  I'm here in Maryland with my 95 year old father.

Take care lady,
Mei Mei

[Captain Deb]

I think my nerve blocks lasted about 5 or 6 weeks.  After 2 I was just getting them for special occasions--driving to Missouri for a wedding, going to the beach.  For me they were sort of an insurance policy.  I am seriously considering having more since I had 3 occipital migraines in 6 days recently.  Taking Imitrex is about as effective as a sugar pill--an $11.00 sugar pill at that!

Capt Deb

[Mei Mei]

Wow, Deb, that's a lot of pain for just 5 or 6 weeks' gain!   I was hoping for a permanent gain.  Damn!  I am sick of this neck and Occipital pain and lump.   Are we going to live with this forever?   Are we doomed?  I didn't know I signed up for this.   I feel like I am in prison.   It's a life sentence!!!!!!!!!

Hugs,
Mei Mei

[Mei Mei]

I saw my neurologist , Dr. Schlosberg in Washington, today for a followup on the Verapamil and he upped the dose from 200 to 240 and gave me more sleeping pills since it interferes with my sleep (keeps me up till 5 a.m.).  I'm afraid upping the dose will bring me more sleep problems but had such a killer headache last Sat. night that I almost went to the ER, even ice which usually helps hurt the back of my neck.  He wants to see me after a month and brought up starting Lyrica if this doesn't bring relief. 

I asked if the pressure in the back of the head would ever go away and he said it was probably nerve damage.  I brought up adhesions and he brought up a plastic surgeon at Georgetown but we should go this route first.

Mei Mei

[jennifer7]

Hi Mei Mei
When you went to the anesthesiologist on the 14th did he give you a neuroblock?
Did it help?

My headaches are getting worse as time goes on, has any one found this to happen too?
The neuro I saw earlier this month seems to think if I take topomax for 6 months it will break the cycle and the headaches will stop.  I love his optimism, I'm going with him on this (I have to)

keep smiling
Jennifer

[Mei Mei]

The nerve blocks didn't help me at all and I had some scarring on my kidneys that showed up in the Cystoscopy earlier in the month so he is weaning me from the Topomax.   I have been taking 200mg for years and now he has me on 150 for a weak and then 100 for another week.  and then 50 and then none.   It seems  Topomax he says causes Kidney stones.    He thinks I may have issues with scarring.   I might have to see a plastic surgeon next year but we'll see how this Verapamil works with the Ambien to help me sleep.   The Verapamil does keep you awake.  I am on my first day of 240 mg of Verapamil.

Hugs,
Mei Mei

[yardtick]

Lyrica might help, I have been on it now for at least 8 weeks and I have noticed a difference.  I honestly think there is no medication that will totally take away the pain.  I am not a pessimistic person, I just have this opinion from all of the different drugs I have been on and reading everything I can on pain.  If a drug can help ease the pain than it is successful.

Anne Marie

[Mei Mei]

Thank you.   He suggested Lyrica and I don't know why he wants to wait a month to put me on it.   He wants to try the increased does of Verapamil first to see how it works.

Mei Mei