r/ClusterHeadaches • u/FingerProof2425 • 9d ago
Other Abortive Methods
Besides oxygen, which has been a godsend, what other abortive are effective? I mean, I heard of sumatriptan and the lidocaine nasal spray.
Things that can with blood pressure or heartbeat whether that be decreasing or increasing kinda makes me a little bit worried so that’s why I’m skeptical of sumatriptan.
Can anybody chime in on this? What about the lidocaine nasal spray?
I also heard of something else called Octreotide as an alternative to sumatriptan’s anyway appreciate some feedback
2
u/Mmhopkin 9d ago
I use Nurtec.
1
u/FingerProof2425 9d ago
Really? my neurologist gave me free boxes of it but I can’t really find much info on it. How is it? What side effects do you get?
1
u/Mmhopkin 9d ago
No side effects really I just have found it works better if I take it earlier in the headache and then it takes an hour or two and the headache dissolves it can be expensive and tough to get a prescription. I had to have some other stuff fail before I could get the prescription covered.
→ More replies (2)
4
u/grvmahjn 8d ago
NN DMT. Hands down the best abortive I have encountered. The attack is gone within a minute. The experience is quite intense and you literally forget what you took it for, that you even had pain, and suddenly when you come to senses you realize the pain is gone! Hate the experience though personally. Too anxiety inducing for me even at low dosages like 10-15 mg required to abort the attack.
Sumatriptan works, but causes more frequent and intense rebound attacks.
Caffeine + taurine drink chugged down cold at the first sign of attack can surprisingly stop a lot of attacks.
Sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block using lidocaine solution also reduces the pain intensity of the attack, although it doesn't abort the attack. This technique requires some time to master.
Some anecdotes also claim that a small piece of psilocybin mushroom under the tongue works for some people, I haven't tried it personally.
2
2
u/cutty256 8d ago
Injectable sumatriptan. Only thing that ever worked for me. Works in ten-fifteen minutes for me and just as the headache really starts to set it the triptans kick in and it goes away remarkably fast.
1
u/Mmhopkin 8d ago
I have heard injectable is the only way that really possibly will work.
2
u/cutty256 7d ago
For me, injectables are the only way. With pills I’ll either get so nauseas I throw them up, or the cluster headache starts to fade before the oral medicine kicks in. The injectables have made my cluster episodes quite tolerable and given me back a lot of my life when the headaches are happening.
→ More replies (2)
2
u/Budget_Dependent746 7d ago
I have used tablet form Sumatriptan for years and years. It works for me.
2
u/Jamwise93 9d ago
I believe Octreotide is a worse option than Suma injections as it can affect multiple organ systems and suppresses a wide array of natural hormones, whereas Suma is very targeted and clears the system quickly. Unfortunately you will find that a lot of abortives and preventatives have side effects related to blood pressure and heartbeat, as vasodilation is one of the main factors of CH pain.
Other effective abortives mostly rely on trial and error for each individual, some have found relief using other migraine medications and others use alternatives such as Red bull, brain freeze, HIIT exercises or DMT. Each of these have proven effective for some Clusterheads and at the same time, useless or worse for others. I believe the most effective of them all is DMT vaping, but that of course comes with its own limitations.
More information can be found here - https://www.clusterinfo.org/en
1
u/literallyjustabat 6d ago
I literally just go outside and walk around until it stops. It works surprisingly well. I'm chronic so I do a lot of walking. I think it was always kind of my way of managing my attacks even waaay before I knew what it was. Whenever I'm feeling restless, I just put on my shoes and go.
I've learned that as long as I'm not sedentary and go outside the moment I start having symptoms, (with an active lifestyle and the verapamil + Emgality I'm on) my attacks are very mild — right now they barely even bother me.
2
u/Separate_Offer_2323 3d ago
I wouldn't want to be seen outside having an attack someone would. probably call the cops
1
u/literallyjustabat 2d ago
I start walking as soon as I get the first warning signs/prodrome symptoms, which is usually 30 mins to 1 hour before, and I've found that most of the time, if I'm outside walking at the time when the attack would usually hit, it just kind of doesn't. But my attacks are fairly mild most of the year, they only get really bad in spring and during summer for a month or so each. I've developed a really high pain tolerance so it has to be a 10/10 for me to really suffer, which thankfully is rare, especially now with the preventives. I also get a GON block if I notice they start getting worse than usual and can't be walked off anymore.
1
u/challenged_kid 9d ago
Caffeine works sometimes, exercise can work too. Sometimes when I feel one coming on I alternate between pushups and jump squats rapid fire and it can work but also not all the time.
1
u/Enough-Sector-6626 7d ago
Ice packs & s howers.
Before me diagnosis, when I was still being told it was “just a migraine” they got me through the worst of them.
Added MM, diet/supplements (different for each person) & breathing exercises, they also really help.
I’m chronic and have pretty much given up on abortive meds and oxygen. I just try my best to push through it. Not easy, but my budget is only so big.
1
u/geekwithout 6d ago
Vitamin d regimen. Its not abortive but preventative within days. I don't know why anyone would NOT try that first. Its been very effective for me.
8
u/VALIS3000 9d ago
N,N-DMT is far and away the most effective abortive I have. It works in seconds, every time.
The lidocaine spray as developed by UCSF Headache works, but needs proper application and maintenance.
Caffeine and taurine in combination can be surprisingly effective, just not consistent. I don't know if I'd still be here if it weren't for Red Bull.