Posted by Kevin M (152.163.213.66) on May 30, 2001 at 21:29:23:
In Reply to: ok, last night sucked!!! posted by dawn on May 30, 2001 at 18:56:30:
you had some doubts about it. In your post a little back I told you it would test your faith.
A key thing about waking up at night is that you are awaken, and you know the pain is there, but not that strong yet. In a dreamlike state, at that time, you may lay there for a few minutes thinking it is just sitting there and will go away. This will keep you from reacting fast enough. The minute you are awaken, use the nasal spray, even if it doesn't seem intolerable yet. This will get it in you while the beast is working up steam. Being woken at night is not a rebound headache, so there is no reason to hesitate to see if it worsens.
Make sure you have the 20mg dosage because it also comes in 5mg dose. Actually, it was a good thing you only had two doses because it is not at all good to take two within hours of each other.
First, make sure it is 20mg, then use it immediately upon waking up. Then I usually use an aspirin/tylenol combination (250mg of each) right away too. To me, this has been the fastest acting oral combination. I find ibuprofen absolutely useless, even up to Motrin 800. Of course everyone has different remedies.
With the 'off the shelf' pain relievers, the earlier the headache is 'caught' the greater the liklihood it can be relieved. So now we got two things going.
With me, the nasal Immi takes 40 minutes, I check the time when I use it because when you are writhing in pain you need something to look forward to. Like when you know you only have 10 minutes to go, it helps you hang on.
The third thing, is one of the cooler ice packs. I hold it in both hands with a washcloth in each hand or a pair of soft cotton gloves. But put the ice pack directly on your temple, moving your hair aside. You will find the source of pain will keep moving slightly around the temple area, seemingly to avoid the ice. Keep moving the ice pack to where the pain goes to and keep it directly on the pain, wherever it wanders. This also works to keep you preoccupied while the time ticks down.
The Immi, being a triptan, constricts blood vessels in the head and reverses the inflammation around those vessels in the meninges (brain covering). It takes time to get enough of the Immi into the right place in sufficient quantity to head the beast's best.
This WILL do it, but DEFINITELY not pain free. I have coped this way at night and have gotten it gone to the point where I am back to normal and tired, so I then sleep well. Daytime headaches are a different story.
I am suggesting this because I also am not comfortable with the injections, being an older male who has smoked in the past, my GP who knows my family history will not recommend it for me. So.... this is the life.
Try again tonight. Love ya