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Needleless Injection for Migraines
Bad news and good news, my fellow dysautonomians (hrm, methinks I just invented a word?) ...
The bad news is that my feeling of the fog rolling in yesterday turned out to be the impending doom of one of my really, really bad migraines coming on. For those who don't know, once in a blue moon I have these wicked migraines that put my "normal" migraines to shame. They drag on for several days at a time, laugh in the face of my usual migraine medicine, and leave me with cognitive symptoms that make me seem like I have severe Alzheimers (not exaggerating--it's BAD).
Well, at my last neuro appointment my doc had offered me a possible solution: migraine medicine administered in this needleless injection thing:
http://www.drugs.com/sumavel-dosepro.html
http://www.sumaveldosepro.com/
I'll admit that it was a little intimidating, but when you have migraines that evil (my fellow migraineurs understand), you're willing to try ANYTHING. I knew that in the mental state I'm in when these strike, I wouldn't be able to administer the injection myself so I worked with my home nurse and Mr. McDreamy so they would know how to give it to me when the time came.
Soooo, here's the good news. Last night, with the look of a deer in headlights, Mr. McDreamy mustered the courage to give me my first injection. A success!! And how!! Oh my goodness, does that stuff work FAST! I guess it makes sense, as it's heading straight for your bloodstream, that much like meds put in an IV you'll get that feeling of being WOWed by the speed of it working. In literally MINUTES I went from being unintelligible to talking normally, and likewise the rest of my symptoms just melted away one by one. In fact, within the first 60 seconds, I could taste the medicine in my mouth (if you've had IV meds, you'll understand that) and felt a slight tingling or stinging of it in my sinuses. In amazon.com terms, A+++++++++++++ would try again!!!!!!!11111!!!!!!!oneoneone!!!!!!eleveneleven!!!!!!11111!!!!!! ;-) Even though the injection creeped me out a little, if anyone else has considered this, or is looking for a different migraine medicine I definitely recommend talking to your doctor about this.
I guess it works so well because it works so quickly, and as many migraineurs know, one of the keys to getting migraine meds to work is how soon you take them once you feel the headache starting. The sooner you catch it, the better the medicine seems to work so maybe that's why this injection is better than the pills. If anyone else has tried it, I'd love to hear what you think--good or bad.
The company also seems to be primed to take their patent for this needleless injection delivery system and use it with other medications as well. I wonder what other meds will benefit from being able to be delivered quickly and easily by patients themselves this way ... ??
The bad news is that my feeling of the fog rolling in yesterday turned out to be the impending doom of one of my really, really bad migraines coming on. For those who don't know, once in a blue moon I have these wicked migraines that put my "normal" migraines to shame. They drag on for several days at a time, laugh in the face of my usual migraine medicine, and leave me with cognitive symptoms that make me seem like I have severe Alzheimers (not exaggerating--it's BAD).
Well, at my last neuro appointment my doc had offered me a possible solution: migraine medicine administered in this needleless injection thing:
http://www.drugs.com/sumavel-dosepro.html
http://www.sumaveldosepro.com/
I'll admit that it was a little intimidating, but when you have migraines that evil (my fellow migraineurs understand), you're willing to try ANYTHING. I knew that in the mental state I'm in when these strike, I wouldn't be able to administer the injection myself so I worked with my home nurse and Mr. McDreamy so they would know how to give it to me when the time came.
Soooo, here's the good news. Last night, with the look of a deer in headlights, Mr. McDreamy mustered the courage to give me my first injection. A success!! And how!! Oh my goodness, does that stuff work FAST! I guess it makes sense, as it's heading straight for your bloodstream, that much like meds put in an IV you'll get that feeling of being WOWed by the speed of it working. In literally MINUTES I went from being unintelligible to talking normally, and likewise the rest of my symptoms just melted away one by one. In fact, within the first 60 seconds, I could taste the medicine in my mouth (if you've had IV meds, you'll understand that) and felt a slight tingling or stinging of it in my sinuses. In amazon.com terms, A+++++++++++++ would try again!!!!!!!11111!!!!!!!oneoneone!!!!!!eleveneleven!!!!!!11111!!!!!! ;-) Even though the injection creeped me out a little, if anyone else has considered this, or is looking for a different migraine medicine I definitely recommend talking to your doctor about this.
I guess it works so well because it works so quickly, and as many migraineurs know, one of the keys to getting migraine meds to work is how soon you take them once you feel the headache starting. The sooner you catch it, the better the medicine seems to work so maybe that's why this injection is better than the pills. If anyone else has tried it, I'd love to hear what you think--good or bad.
The company also seems to be primed to take their patent for this needleless injection delivery system and use it with other medications as well. I wonder what other meds will benefit from being able to be delivered quickly and easily by patients themselves this way ... ??
Torodal makes me sicker then a dog, fiorcet/fiorinal (I think the 2nd is spelled wrong) work on tension headaches but when I get menstral migraines nothing helps except this natural progesterone cream. Normally I rub a 1/4 teaspoon on every day but when I get those headaches I rub that stuff on every hour.
"Normal" migraines I have yet to find a solution, but I will ask about this. Like you said when it comes Ill try anything.
"Normal" migraines I have yet to find a solution, but I will ask about this. Like you said when it comes Ill try anything.
It's been a while but I took fiorcet with and without codeine- both ways. I thought it helped some, I believe. Fiorcet was what my grandma said she used to use for her headaches when she had them. Toradol didn't touch my migraines.
I was plagued by 3 day "menstral" migraines from H--- every month for the last 20 years. I just commented to my husband that I haven't had one in 3 months since being on atenolol.
I was thinking of weaning myself off atenolol to see how my POTS/NCS does, but now I think I'll stay on it just for the migraine stopping benefits. Hmmm, maybe I can take it just for those few days.
I was thinking of weaning myself off atenolol to see how my POTS/NCS does, but now I think I'll stay on it just for the migraine stopping benefits. Hmmm, maybe I can take it just for those few days.
This may be something for me to look into. Toredol hasn't helped me in the past, and they can't find anything that will. My headaches seem to last months. Maybe this will help mine. Thanks for this info
Have you seen cathy's post asking about effective pain relief? She's been looking for something that works. Maybe you can let her know about how the fioricet has been helping you, in case that's something she hasn't tried.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dysautonomia-Autonomic-Dysfunction/-extreme-pain--pain-meds/show/1242173
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dysautonomia-Autonomic-Dysfunction/-extreme-pain--pain-meds/show/1242173
Wow! That's great news! I'm so glad this helped you and so quickly. I certainly know what it is like to have a killer headache. I will keep this in mind for my next "headache-from-hell." Always good to know about new treatment possibilities. That's great that Mr. McDreamy was able to give you the injection. He sounds like a keeper!
I got a shot of toredol for the first time a few months ago. It was helpful and I wonder why it had never been offered to me before. I have used Maxalt, which helps a lot but not always enough. Last December I had a HORRIBLE migraine, which was not responding to the usual Maxalt. My dr. gave me a shot of Toredol and also gave me a prescription for Fioricet. The Fioricet worked very well. I have a lot of tension headaches too and of course they accompany my migraines (as if one weren't fun enough??).
I have been using the Fioricet for pain in general and it has worked better than anything else I have ever taken (Flexeril, Baclofen, Ibuprofen 800, Tylenol w/Codeine). I usually need pain meds roughly 3-4 days a week. My dr. is willing to prescribe Fioricet but concerned about addiction/building up tolerance. So far I have not noticed any problems, no need for more pills. I usually take only one pill on the days I use it. So I am hoping that using one pill 3-4 times a week will not be enough to cause any tolerance/addiction. I am so glad to finally have something that works for pain after searching 13 years!
Anyone else on Fioricet? I am interested to hear about your experiences.
I got a shot of toredol for the first time a few months ago. It was helpful and I wonder why it had never been offered to me before. I have used Maxalt, which helps a lot but not always enough. Last December I had a HORRIBLE migraine, which was not responding to the usual Maxalt. My dr. gave me a shot of Toredol and also gave me a prescription for Fioricet. The Fioricet worked very well. I have a lot of tension headaches too and of course they accompany my migraines (as if one weren't fun enough??).
I have been using the Fioricet for pain in general and it has worked better than anything else I have ever taken (Flexeril, Baclofen, Ibuprofen 800, Tylenol w/Codeine). I usually need pain meds roughly 3-4 days a week. My dr. is willing to prescribe Fioricet but concerned about addiction/building up tolerance. So far I have not noticed any problems, no need for more pills. I usually take only one pill on the days I use it. So I am hoping that using one pill 3-4 times a week will not be enough to cause any tolerance/addiction. I am so glad to finally have something that works for pain after searching 13 years!
Anyone else on Fioricet? I am interested to hear about your experiences.
Yes, this is available in the UK, here known as the Sumatriptan injection. From what I have read on the UK websites this is a first line of treatment here.......but this is the first I have heard! Interesting.
x
x
Do you know if these are available in the UK? I will have to enquire. It will be interesting to see what other meds become available in this manner.
I am so happy that you have found something that WORKS and gives you relief.....INSTANTLY. I will have to inform my sister of this also as she suffers with migraines to the extent she is totally unfunctional when they HIT her.
I am so happy that you have found something that WORKS and gives you relief.....INSTANTLY. I will have to inform my sister of this also as she suffers with migraines to the extent she is totally unfunctional when they HIT her.
I had to read your post twice, I had the beginning of a migraine myself when I read your post and I thought it said 'needless' which really confused me. My sons migraines used to last for 3 to 5 days before they would send us to the emergency room for an IV of toredol. I am at least thankful that his migraines have stopped.
I'm so glad you had success with it! I looked briefly at one of the links you provided and found the drug was sumatriptan, the same medication as imitrex. So unfortunately, it doesn't look like a solution for me. With sumatriptan pills, it could give me chest pains though I used to take it anyway. Injections (not needleless ones)-the first one seemed to work quite well and I went to a ballgame with my work afterward (back in the days I was working). The second time I tried one, I was on the floor with abdominal cramps that made my migraine pale in comparison!!!
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