More on DHE: Home Therapy for Chronic Daily Headache?
I appreciated Ellen’s blog post on Home therapy for intractable Migraine. She mentions an interesting study, and brings up, once again, DHE migraine treatment!
DHE, or dihydroergotamine, has been a topic of conversation here more than once. See especially DHE Migraine Treatment: Why some people still use it and Levadex – inhaled migraine drug on the way. DHE has been used for migraine and cluster headache, and it remains a helpful treatment for many patients.
In her post, Ellen mentions a study in the USA reported on in Headache (from the American Headache Society) in January. The researchers wanted to find out how patients would react to a home based intravenous dihydroergotamine treatment.
This type of treatment is usually done in the hospital or clinic, which can make things a lot more difficult for many patients.
There are advantages and disadvantages to having treatment like this at home. But perhaps too often doctors default to the hospital visit, instead of considering some patients that may benefit more from home treatment.
The patients in the study saw good results. All had chronic daily headache (CDH), and in the end only one was still diagnosed with CDH. There were no serious adverse effects at all.
Though this was a very small study (only 31 patients), it may lead to more openness by doctors and specialists to new options in treatments – not only for DHE, but other treatments as well.
Thanks, Ellen!
For more, read Outpatient Home-Based Continuous Intravenous Dihydroergotamine Therapy for Intractable Migraine
3 May 2010 @ 3:33 pm
I had great success with DHE at home. My husband and I became experts at giving injections. Unfortunately the continuous use ended with dramatic results – mitral valve regurgitation. Luckily it healed when I stopped the DHE. The negative side of it is that I’m left with a slight murmur that is easily irritated by colds, the flu, allergies, and side effects from other medications.
9 November 2013 @ 12:01 am
I also use DHE at home. While it can be effective, on the occasions I go refractory an in-pt stay is useless when DHE is what I receive there. I have been told there are no other treatments (Botox did not work either) so I am left with no treatment short of opiate pain meds, which drs are reluctant to use. I am not aware of any detrimental results physically but cannot believe that the continued use does not affect the body in a negative fashion. Anything that makes me so nauseous cannot be good for the body long term.
16 October 2015 @ 11:13 pm
I was really tuhoced by your letter, Rodney. Like you, I have resisted acknowleding that I must respect my body and its signals. I cannot walk as far as most people. I cannot stand up as long as most people. Mostly I am struggling with creating a new identity since I became disabled. I really miss working in my field and I have attempted to find volunteer work that will fit within the guidelines of Social security. It is really tough to find something to do that is as meaningful as my work was.When I am in my pain doc’s office we always turn into a support group. That is one of the few times that I feel that I am among others who understand. I functioin well enough that family members do not understand why I need a power chair or opiates. They do not realize that I get in and out of family situations within the limits of my ability to function. I have heard chronic illness described as an enforced monastic life. It has become that. I try to go out every day because I know that isolating myself is depressing but I lack the energy to do too much. I think our docs do what they can within their skill set. I used to work with chronically ill people and for some of us there is no relief just maintenance. But I need to have people around me who understand or the isolation becomes intolerable.Beth
25 July 2017 @ 10:12 pm
DHE 45 was the best medication for chronic /rebound migraines. I have tried most all recommendations to no avail. However I quit my job and stress levels dropped. I requested a refill and being on my husband’s insurance with a new deductible plan, it going to cost $2600 and that’s with insurance picking up their portion. Now to hope the next suggestions from provider will be as effective.