Medications List Update For 2007

List Of Medications Murdock Has Taken…

The list first part of the list was before I started getting migraines on any regular basis so all these medications were evaluated based on how effective they were against the short intense cluster attacks I was accustomed to at the time.

• Aleve (naproxen sodium): doesn't do anything for cluster pain.
• Isolyll: "makes me stupid but will kill pain" (1996)
• Amitriptylene (1996) Seemed to have some affect (no further notes)
• Maxalt: bad side effects. (2000)
• Zomig: seemed to sorta work a bit (2000)
• Imitrex: (injection) resulted in horrific off schedule rebound (2000)
• Prednisone: steroids. Makes me twitchy, insomniac. Unsure of effectiveness (2003)
• Relpax: I got samples, but I don’t think I got a chance to use them (2003)
• Vioxx: banned by the FDA (2004)
• Axert: prescribed in 2003 but not used; trying right now (2005)
• Frova: major side effects, dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, etc, but maybe helped (2004)
• Atenolol: may take 2-3 weeks to work. Can't tell if it did anything (2004)
• O2 on 2 different occasions. Some effect, but it never seemed to end the attack or offer more than minor relief. (2005)

Between late 2005 through mid 2007 I just sorta “toughed it out” I think, I wasn’t having too many rounds of bad clusters and when I did get a cycle it was short lived so I was trying to not take medication if it was not necessary. In 2006- early 2007 I started getting more long periods of constant dull cluster pain that was around the level of a really bad “normal” headache and I felt I could just deal with those but in July of 2007 I got started on the freaky 3 week migraine that lead me to seek help again.

• Depakote 250-1000mg: seemed to “change” the headaches a bit more they started coming and going more quickly and randomly and switching sides and type sometimes quite suddenly, Depakote is defiantly having some effect but overall I am not sure if it is making me have less pain overall, I am starting to have less severe headaches but I wonder if that’s due to the medication or just natural improvement. ( August 2007)
• Depakote 1500mg: Shortly after the increase to 1500mg of Depakote I have had a return to the “classic” cluster cycle with powerful attacks happening 1 or 2 times per day in addition to the lingering waves of migraine pain. This cycle lasted for many weeks and is just now starting to wind down. (September 26th – November 8th 2007)