Verapamil for Cluster Headaches User Reviews (Page 2)

• Clu...
• July 22, 2009

"Spent 20 years trying to get a correct diagnosis of what ended up being cluster headaches. Finally diagnosed by a neurologist and started taking verapamil hydrochloride 240 mg once per day during cluster cycles with amazing results. Takes up to 9 days to work, but boy, does it work! Amazing results for this cluster sufferer. Has made my life worth living again. Side effects are minimal. If you have cluster headaches, then you really need this miracle pill!"

• Clu...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 11, 2016

"I have been suffering from cluster headaches periodically for the past 3 years. Did some research online and decided to ask my doc for some verapamil. Last Christmas, I started taking it just before a holiday party and accidentally found out it also calms my anxiety. I was able to relax and talk to people like a normal person and actually enjoyed people's company. It was a while since I felt that way in a social situation, and I am so glad I came across verapamil."

• Han...
• September 11, 2009

Verapamil "Calan SR worked miracles for me. It doesn't stop the headaches; over a short period of time, the drug builds up in your system, and then you can feel an attack coming on (the eye starting to droop and some nasal congestion). Then, voila, the headache is aborted!"

• Mat...
• August 7, 2015

"I'm 41 years old and suffer from episodic cluster headaches for the last 3 years. First, I thought I had migraines, but the pain was so severe, and it returns every year, same day, same time for the last 3 years. I was devastated and did my own research. I'm now on 3 x 80 mg verapamil a day, and I'm cluster headache free. I do live in Mexico, and verapamil or verapimilo is available over the counter for 15.00 pesos (1.00 US $) for 10 pills (80 mg) without prescription. It's amazing! I tried the lowest dose first. Thank you, verapamil."

• Don...
• January 13, 2014

"This medicine is very effective. It did stop my cluster headaches the day after initially taken. However, the side effects (unusual weight gain, sinus pain, constipation, bloating, shortness of breath) have outweighed the benefits. Going to the Dr. tomorrow for alternative therapy."

• Mik...
• September 10, 2012

"I'm on my 3rd recurrence of cluster headaches, and this time I managed to get to the doctor and renew my verapamil prescription right away after my first attack, and it's worked immediately. I'm a solid week in now and have not gotten another attack. I'm on 80 mg 3x per day. It's worked well for me during past episodes, but I was really surprised that it controlled this recurrence so immediately."

• Ms6...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 7, 2015

"I was prescribed Verapamil a few years ago. I was suffering from uncontrollable cluster headaches, and no other medication seemed effective. Once started on Verapamil, using it as a prophylactic medicine against the onset of cluster headaches, I didn't get any more cluster headaches. This is a wonder medicine to me!"

• Mon...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 26, 2020

"Started using Verapamil after a year of cluster headaches, on advice from a neurologist (here in the UK). I was getting them nearly every night about a couple of hours after going to sleep. Some were truly terrible, lasting several hours. Nasal sumatriptan was a huge help, but did not prevent the worst attacks. Sleep disruption led to a minor breakdown at work, and I had to resign from my job. Started using Verapamil SR (slow release) 120 mg twice per day. Headaches stopped immediately. I had many months pain-free, an utter blessed relief. They then returned very faintly, but making me feel unwell for 2-3 days at a time. I increased the dose to 240 mg twice per day, and that has been better. I intend to lower the dose again after a while, to try to minimize the drug intake. But frankly, I am thankful each day for the scientists, doctors, and manufacturers who between them have created Verapamil."

• mst...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 10, 2015

"I'm a 56-year-old male and started having CH at age 18. Treatment is different for men than women as to what works best. I've had the best success with a neuro who fought to get my insurance to approve oxygen. Breathing 10 milliliters per minute through a mask at the onset of the CH while lying down in the dark, breathing slowly in through the nose, has worked every time and without all the side effects of prednisolone, verapamil, and the like. Essential oils, peppermint rubbed on the temples and back of the neck, which for me is the first indication of an onset, has proven effective too. Guys are expected to grow out of it in our fifties. I'm still hoping that happens as nobody truly understands the severity of this type of pain."

• Dds...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2018

"I started experiencing what’s been diagnosed as cluster headaches at age 51. I worked out, maintained a healthy weight, and ate healthy. So I had no clue what this was and why they were happening, my very astute doctor diagnosed cluster headaches. Within 5 days of starting verapamil, my excruciating headaches dulled and then went away. It’s remarkable how quickly this drug worked. I also started taking a magnesium supplement. I feel lucky my doctor figured it out."

• Anonymous
• June 16, 2011

"My husband has suffered with cluster headaches for the past couple of years. His last cycle lasted 6 months, where he had 2-4 cluster headaches a day, every day. His doctor started him on verapamil, and he has been headache-free for a month now. We just love this medicine."

• stv...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 27, 2020

"I have suffered from cluster headaches for over 50 years. I was first diagnosed as normal migraines and treated as such, to no avail. I did extensive research and suggested to my Dr. that perhaps these were cluster headaches. I was given Imitrex injections, and they worked wonderfully-relief in less than 5 mins usually. The problem with Imitrex was they did not prevent reoccurrence. Finally, my Dr. prescribed verapamil, and I have been on it for 35-40 years-no headaches! I have tried to wean myself off gradually, but soon got my 'warning signs' of a cluster headache approaching. Went back to the usual dosage of 80 mg 2 times a day. It also seems to reduce my blood pressure."

• Fox...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 25, 2017

"Have had cluster headaches for over 10 yrs now. Long story short, I now get a blocker injection in my neck, prednisone, and verapamil twice a year. Additionally, I have oxygen at home, which has been a godsend. The headaches are gone within minutes. I've had 10 or more medications since I was diagnosed... oxygen and verapamil are the absolute best."

• Ger...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 23, 2017

"I am on 320 mg 3 times a day. I find that they soften my headache, but I still suffer a few headaches weekly (nowhere near how many I suffer without verapamil). My ankles have now decided to balloon up daily, so I need to rethink my treatment and may have to try something else as I'm not allowed a higher dose either."

• Ste...
• March 25, 2017

"Suffered cluster headaches since 16, had one in the Dr's office at 29 years old (thank goodness it was in his office). Put me on verapamil, that was almost 31 years ago. Still have the symptoms (sweating, temp rise, etc.) but not the pain. Wonder drug as far as I'm concerned."

• wil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 14, 2024

"2 x 120 mg of verapamil has helped me control chronic CH over the last 4 years. For 14 years before that, my CH was misdiagnosed as sinusitis and needed up to 10 g/day of aspirin for periodic CH. I still do get some light symptoms now and then, but only a few times every year need to take zolmitriptan tablets. Perhaps my dose should be increased, but at age 70 now, I prefer to keep it as low as possible."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 7, 2019

"I have been suffering from cluster headaches for about 10 years and diagnosed 5 years ago. Maxalt wafers helped but were taking too long to act. Then I got the sumatriptan injections, and it was a lifesaver as they work in less than 5 minutes. I am lucky to only get them every 3 years for 4 weeks, once a day and then gone until this last cycle. It has been 8 weeks, and I get up to 2 a night. Those injections work but at $140 a day and are almost impossible to find where I am. I was terrified knowing I couldn’t get the lifesaving pain relief I needed, so I went to a neurologist. It was actually 2 days ago. The plan is 10 days on prednisone and start verapamil and increase the dosage slowly. I am thinking of skipping the steroids as I am really worried about their side effects and just start the verapamil while using the injections I have left for pain relief until it starts working. Excited to see if it works, and the cost is so much lower too."

• clu...
• April 29, 2009

"Have taken 120 mg 3 x per day during cluster cycles for many years. Taper off when I think I'm finished with cycles. Sometimes takes a week or two to start working, but almost always eliminates or diminishes the severity of attacks."

• Ric...
• March 8, 2017

"Have had headaches for over 25 years with every doctor going through the same regime of drugs. Finally got seen by a pain doctor, and he immediately asked if any doctor had talked to me about Cluster Headache (CH). NOPE!!!! Started off with 180 mg of verapamil, and Cluster Headaches went from 18 or so a month down to 12. After upping the strength to 240 mg, I'm now down to 7-9 a month. A complete life changer, and glad I stopped seeing a neurologist - my pain doctor saved me and could be happier. I’d rather have 9 CH a month instead of 18."

• wan...
• October 8, 2017

"I'm a 36 yr old male suffering from chronic cluster headaches since the age of 19. For the first 15 years, I would get 1-2 attacks daily, with a week being the longest without an attack. I tried everything from nerve block injections to pain meds, with nothing being effective and doctors thinking I only suffered from migraines or just wanted pain meds when all I ever wanted was any kind of relief. A few years ago, they started getting worse, and the attacks increased to 4, 5, even up to 7 a day. Imigran 6 mg shots helped when I got one at work, but who can take that many shots a day or live in that kind of pain? I finally read about verapamil online and tried 240 mg a day first, and it completely changed my life. Unfortunately, they have now returned."

• Dil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 6, 2020

"I have suffered from cluster migraines for nearly fifty years. The only help I received was from methysergide until the medicine was withdrawn. The neurologist tried me on other remedies, but none had worked. I then changed to verapamil 3 x 80 mg a day, this helped but did not really remedy the situation completely. I now take the verapamil with one 0.5 mg clonazepam twice a day. The result is amazing, from my normal clusters lasting three months at a time, I am now completely free of pain. As with others, you get the sensation of a migraine, weeping eye, etc., but with no pain. Of all the medicines tried over the years, ranging from lithium to oxygen, this is by far the best for me. I’ve been in my latest cluster (they last for about twelve weeks, with an eighteen-month gap between episodes) with not one real migraine. I do have triptan injections as a backup, but have never needed to take one."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2020

"I’m a 43-year-old male in good health. I get episodic cluster headaches about every 2-4 years, lasting 4-8 weeks. My cluster headaches started in my early 30s. I only take Verapamil during a cluster cycle. My neurologist prescribed Verapamil ER 240 mg as a preventative at that time. With my most recent episode, breakthrough headaches that require a triptan were gone after 2 days of Verapamil and 4 mg methylprednisolone. After about 3 weeks of onset and 2 weeks of no prednisone, I still have symptoms and headaches, but not the debilitating type. I can work and go through most of my normal routine without much issue."

• Pet...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 15, 2017

"Suffered cluster headache for 14 years. Verapamil is great. Usually, I can stay cluster-free on 240-360 mg/day, but having a bad episode at the moment and on 960 mg. This is the worst I have had for many years, and I think brought on by season change and a recent bad cough, which lasted around 6 weeks. Also, Imigran injections as an abortive work very well. I notice that a few people mention taking Verapamil SR (sustained or slow release). This is not the drug you need, I promise you. You need the fast release Verapamil without the SR. I was mistakenly prescribed these when first diagnosed, and while they helped, the positive difference when switched to the non-SR drug was staggering."

• Swe...
• October 14, 2015

Verapamil "I take the stuff twice a day (sometimes more, depending), and I find it very effective. It takes a few minutes to kick in, so as soon as you feel a CH coming on, pop one. It also works as a preventative for CHs; I take one as soon as I wake up. I also take Rizatriptan, which works crazy good, but they only prescribe ten pills per month, so use sparingly."

• The...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 10, 2018

"I’m a 29-year-old female, and I’ve had cluster headaches since I was 15. I first got on verapamil around 18 when I finally had a diagnosis and a good doctor. It’s been very effective for me. The thing is, it mucked up my hormones and made me lactate (!!), so I had to take other medication to control that. I’m now withdrawing progressively from verapamil as we want to have children, and the medication gets through the placenta and breast milk. So far, so good, so I might be in a time without headaches. Crossing my fingers for it to continue like this!"