guineapig, still leaking, still typing, checking in

[guineapig]

well, i've been out for a while. needed some time off i guess. good news is, i've found some treatments that actually help symptomatically. they're not inexpensive. will post'em later. they help confirm my hypothesis that inflammation, i believe of the meninges, is part of the pain mechanism which some of us suffer, and is a part cause of the headache.

dam the torpedoes and doctors, slow speed ahead!

[jimc]

guineapig, I'm very interested to hear what the new treatments are. My leaks have all been fixed, but I'm still not really functioning because my head hurts so much. I've been diagnosed at Hopkins as having inflammation of the meninges, just as you suggest. The drug they've got me on to reduce the inflammation is really cheap ($5/month), because it's a very old drug.

Jim

[vli1972]

My doctor said that my meningal sac (in the neck region) had changed when my brain was sagging. I believe it is a permanent change by way of his description . . . not going to go back to it's original shape and functioning because of the CSF leak. I am still dealing with headaches too, so I am curious to see what you found out.
Ginny

[guineapig]

Jim, what $5 drug do they have you on? what is the effectiveness of it?

i will be posting in a new thread re the new treatments.

[jimc]

Nortriptyline. It's an old anti-depressant that the doctor said no one prescribes for depression any more, but it has the side effect of reducing inflammation in the brain. The only weird side effect I've noticed is that I have long, complex dreams that I remember every night; I used to remember a short, simple dream about twice a month.

Jim

[guineapig]

Nortriptyline. It's an old anti-depressant that the doctor said no one prescribes for depression any more, but it has the side effect of reducing inflammation in the brain. The only weird side effect I've noticed is that I have long, complex dreams that I remember every night; I used to remember a short, simple dream about twice a month.
Jim


well Jim, fancy that! i checked out nortriptyline and found the below on wikipedia. nothing like increasing the hypotension!! thanks doc! i was put on a vaso diolating drug that increases blood flood by as it is, diolation. i disclosed this drug amongst the others on the patient intake form to see the wise wise wouter (schievink). not a word from him, not one word regarding that drug! no mention that it was increasing the pain mechanism and thereby the headache! when i asked him about it he gave an answer even dumber than not reading the intake form: "i thought it only came in injectable form." yahh, doc, like i inject 150mg twice a day. and if i did, what difference?!?!? idiot! uh oh, did i say that about thee wouter. God bless me.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nortriptyline
Side effects

Dry mouth, drowsiness, orthostatic hypotension, urinary retention, constipation, and rapid or irregular heartbeat. Some sexual side effects may be a problem as well. Less commonly, seizures and ECG/EKG changes have been reported, especially in overdose.

Alcohol may exacerbate some of its side effects and should be avoided.

However, the incidence of side effects with nortriptyline is somewhat lower than with the first generation tricyclics (e.g. imipramine (Tofranil®), amitriptyline (Elavil®)).