Posted by gary g (208.133.217.78) on August 07, 1999 at 12:01:44:
In Reply to: Ercaf posted by drummer on August 07, 1999 at 09:08:00:
"ercaf" is generic Cafegot (a Sandoz brand name for the original)
my pharmacist said he doesn't know of a prob getting this
from posts on this board, it appears the problem w/discontinuation is with a form which ALSO included phenobarbitol
ergatomine tartrate (ercaf, Cafergot) is a derivation of ergot, a wheat fungus plus caffiene
it is NOT a painkiller, per se-
it constricts the blood vessels - which often brings me some if not total relief from the pain caused by the vascular component of a CH attack
then the caffiene increases BP to compensate for the reduced diameter of the blood supplies
(pretty basic physics actually - smaller pipes, higher pressure, to deliver the same flow)
(that also is why it has the warnings about gangrene, blood pressure, circulatory problems & possible stroke as side-effects - good medicine but dangerous - BE CAREFUL)
sounds like the version with phenobarbitol (a narcotic, loosely speaking)has been discontinued
there was also an inhalant version for a while, but I understand that was pulled from the market after a relatively short period
my own Rx scheme for years has been to avoid combination drugs , and select on an as-needed basis from the "menu" my DR & I have worked out as most effective/safest for my individual case
this depends on the patient & DRs relationship, because the DR puts a lot more control in the patient's hands, which can obviously be a problem in some cases, buit the ideal thing in others