LP/Has anyone ever done the DHE treatments?

So my nuero's office called. The LP was normal. This is supposed to be good news right? It should be. However, I find myself almost wishing they'd found something they could fix.

Now that the results for this are in...I will be scheduled for hospitalization and DHE treatment. Has anyone ever had those? What do they entail?

Sorry never heard of this. Something else that varies across the pond??

LL, I'm sorry, hon. I know the adage is, "no news is good news" but I'm also very familiar with the feeling that, if they found something, at least you'd have something concrete you could fight. I remember the last time I went in for an MRI, I didn't want them to find anything, of course, but yet, I couldn't help feeling disappointed when they didn't, because finding something would mean there was a reason for the pain, and therefore an actual disease to fight.

Hang in there, sweetie. You will feel better soon. I have to hope that you will have better days ahead, you deserve them.

I have no experience with the DHE treatments, unfortunately, but I'll hope they bring you some relief. Hugs

I've done three rounds of DHE in the past five months. It's a relatively painless process, just uncomfortable because I was hooked up to an IV for 24 hours. I was in for 4, 7 and 5 days. Each time I came out feeling better, but unfortunately my M came back with a vengence. But I was starting out at a 10 each time.

They gave me Benadryl and Reglan with each dose to help with side effects. I got Torodol for the pain.

I understand being disappointed about the LP being normal and wanting to find something wrong. But you really don't want to have something wrong in your spinal fluid of all places.

PM me if there's a question you have that I didn't answer.

Rachel

I had IV DHE treatment in April 2009. I was hospitalized 12 days. The first three days I was on IV DHE every six hours. The IV was changed out every 3 days. By the end of my stay they had great difficulty finding a vein that would work for an IV. For the remainder of my hospital stay they alternated between toradol and norflex. While I was hospitalized and the meds kept coming every six hours, I felt pretty good. After I was discharged, picked up my meds at a local pharmacy and took a cab to the airport, I was miserable with pain again.

Because DHE is a vasoconstrictor, I find that I have difficulty warming my hands and feet, as well as my whole body sometimes.

I use injectable DHE now as one of my abortives. I usually receive relief within 1/2 to 1 hour, and it works more consistently than any other abortive currently (approx. 85%-90% of the time).

I hope you have good luck with it.

Becky

I've had DHE infusions several times since 2006. In Sept 2006 I was hospitalized because I had a 2 month migraine. I was in hospital for 5 days and got 3-4 DHE infusions. Didn't help at all.

In Sept 2007 I had a couple of DHE infusions outpatient at Swedish Migraine Institute in Seattle. No help at all.

In October 2008 I started a 1 1/2 year long migraine. I had many DHE infusions but they did it differently this time. I would go in to Swedish's infusion center and get hooked up to an IV, get saline, magnesium, and DHE. Never helped. One time they had to stop because it was instantly making me worse. I think it is because DHE has caffeine in it and I am very sensitive to caffeine.

Never had this done but I do use DHE (Migranol) nasal spray. Works 99% of the time - instantly if I use it immediately and 1/2 hr. to a few hours if I wait too long. Always works though. I get migraines about 3 times a week.

My experience is similiar to those already mentioned. My first time with DHE was in the hospital, 9 IVs spaced 8 hours apart. I was given anti-nausea medication 30 minutes prior to each IV. Eventually I worked up to being able to give myself DHE shots at home spaced 8 hours apart to break a bad cycle.

Hope it goes well for you.

Thanks for all the feedback.

I am going to be admitted tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

Crystal had two rounds of DHE when she was in the headache clinic. Unfortunately it did not work for her...HOWEVER, it did help many of the other patients in there. There were two other peds patients on the floor that it helped and they left pain free. I remember a patient that has had chronic M for years and she left pain free, too.

Something new can always give you new found hope. Everyone responds differently to each drug. Good luck, Hon. I hope this can be a huge help to you.

How did it work?

It didn't work. I've been refered to a headache specialist by my current nuerologist.

Well bummer it didn't work. But on the positive side - you can cross it off the list of things that may work.

Hope you feel better.

i did not have success. i did the infustions at the hospital. people have tv sets set up for patients doing longer term treatments.
i did not like it because it did not work and it felt like a lot of pressure in my chest. as others have said, the staff can give you other iv meds. to counteract the pressure and the nausea. i am glad i tried it, even if it did not work as i can now cross off another treatment on my list. the migranal nasal spray did not work either. felt uncomfortable and my nose was conjested.

still glad to try those esp. in hospital setting with nurses available to help you with any side effects. was worth a try for me.

rose