David S. Klein, M.D.

New Treatment for Migraine

Imitrex, or sumatriptan, is a wonderful new medication used in the treatment of Migraine Headaches. Unfortunately, the injections cost over $40 each, the Imitrex pills that are currently available can cost over $10 each, and the cost may put this medicine out of reach of many patients.

Through the clever use of extraction technologies, sumatriptan can be delivered in a SUBLINGUAL vehicle, called a TROCHE, and in can be delivered to the patient at a small fraction of the amount paid for the commercially available injections and pills.

The troches cost around $4.00, and work in about 5 minutes, about as quickly as the injections. The commercially available pills can take up to an hour to take effect.

The sumatriptan troches must be custom compounded, and are a bit tricky to make. I have found two very competent sources for this medicine, but it is available by prescription only, and the troches can be mailed directly to the patient.

For the convenience of the patient, these pharmacies will allow payment by credit card.

NEW TREATMENT FOR SEVERE NAUSEA AND VOMITING

One of the most powerful anti-emetetics (anti-nausea) medications available is DROPERIDOL. Generally available only as an Intra-venous (I.V.) medication, DROPERIDOL is tremendously effective in treating nausea and vomiting, but I.V. administration is both costly as well as inconvenient.

We  have worked out a way to administer it as a sub-lingual (under the tongue) preparation called a troche, which is both convenient as well as inexpensive.

The DROPERIDOL is given to the patient once or twice a day, and is incredibly useful to treat nausea not only from pain and pain medications, but for nausea associated with cancer treatment and chemotherapy.

The cost per dose is several dollars, which is an incredible savings over many of the currently available, and often less effective approaches.

The compounding pharmacies listed below have been instructed as to the precise technique to suspend these medications, and we have found them to be very helpful in the past for many of the Pain Center patients. These medications are not simply "thrown into a blender," and the effectiveness of the approach is critically dependent upon the competence and skill of the compounding pharmacist.

David S. Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM, FACMIMS
Director, Pain Center of Orlando
www.suffernomore.com