Migraine Medications

[Fuego1]

I’m on 100mg topamax, but not sure why since I haven’t noticed much difference with it. Also 100mg Imitrex can at least knock them way down IF I take it in time. Also flexiril because I have muscle tension, Zofran because my migraines make me puke. Tried tramadol for pain and it didn’t do anything. Part of the problem with imitrex is the limited number you get, and I understand why it’s not meant to be taken more frequently… If I could just take imitrex daily I could probably feel better (although sleepy).

I just got Botox injections today, waiting to see how it goes!

[Angela_Freda]

I would want to try each Triptan [Imitrex is one of about 4 or 5 great ones with different niches [ie the migraine type they work best on], as well as different dosing methods-pill, injection, nasal spray, melt tab,…] before going to a prophylactic like topomax.

Keeping a diary of what you eat, how much you sleep, allergens and other medical issues that might be related, stress level, etc. will help your MD narrow down the best treatment options for you.

Most of the manufacturers of the triptans have on their websites trigger lists and other help that might be good to look over.

[eclipse]

I did take propranolol for a while, but holy hell the weight gain was unbareable. No matter what I did I gained 20lbs and could not get it off…it was awful, plus my mood swings were terrible. On the Topomax, besides getting rid of the aura I do have to be careful of the low blood pressure. I can only take a very low dose and can only take it for 2 years before I need a break for a few months. I do also see a heart specialist twice a year who monitors the low blood pressure issue to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand.

The only reason we found this out was I suddenly started fainting. I could not stand for more than 5 minutes or down I’d go. It was scary and strange. My blood presssure had dropped to 70/50…scary low!! As soon as I was pulled off the Topomax, bam back upto 118/80 it came. So now I’m on a super low dose, just enough to keep the auras at bay but not enough to cause the drop in blood pressure or the “stupids” to take effect :D. The good part is the weight has come back off, but like others have said, I do have to remind myself to actually eat somedays!!

[Buttonwillow]

[QUOTE=LoriW;7425589]
Relpax is a lifesaver for me. I have other headaches as well as migraines but when my migraines hit, Relpax can literally get rid of them within an hour. The only problem is my insurance will only let me get something like 12 a month but that’s a whole other can of worms![/QUOTE]

Yup Relpax works. I was on Topamax for a while when I was getting multiple migraines per week but I had to stop. It made me a total zombie.

Regarding meditation - it should not cost hundreds of dollars. Go to your local zen center or buddhist center. It should be close to free.

[Laurierace]

Topamax was the devil in a pill form for me. I was on the lowest dose and still couldn’t handle it. The last straw was when I was driving up 95 with two horses in the trailer. I was trying to look at the horses via the side mirrors to see if I could tell which horses they were so maybe I could remember where I was going!

[Pin]

My migraine are often tension related.
For me Mersyndol (Australian trade name…contains paracetamol, codeine and doxylamine) do the trick, but it can’t drive or work… I have to sleep, and I am a bit foggy the next day.

They also help my back spasms (related to a fracture), and happily for me, they are OTC.

[Wayside]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;7440615]
Topamax was the devil in a pill form for me. I was on the lowest dose and still couldn’t handle it. The last straw was when I was driving up 95 with two horses in the trailer. I was trying to look at the horses via the side mirrors to see if I could tell which horses they were so maybe I could remember where I was going![/QUOTE]

Ugh, I was the same way, and I hated it. Thankfully my life was pretty routine while I was on it, because I’d be driving somewhere and then suddenly have absolutely no idea where I was. Since I didn’t go too many different places, I could usually figure out where to turn and get where I was going, but it was very disconcerting. It also gave me terrible burning nerve pain.

Midrin was always very effective in releiving my migranes (though it would knock me out so I wasn’t exactly returning to a fully functional state) but my understanding is that it was discontinued a while back.

When I was pregnant with my son, I had awful hormone induced migranes and I think they actually gave me Tylenol#3, since options in pregnancy are pretty limited.

Thankfully after having frequent and severe migranes for years, since my son was born (10 years ago) I’ve only gotten one or two a year. But I wouldn’t recommend procreation as a cure - there’s no guarantee, and it comes with all sorts of other problems :lol:

You have my sympathy. I hope you find something that works well for you and has bearable side effects.

[independentlyawesome]

Not a doctor, and you should definitely ask your doctor before taking any medications off-label.

But I take Nyquil - which has some acetominophen to dull the pain and makes me so sleepy I don’t care about the remaining pain and Zofran which takes away the nausea.

Mine are all stress-related, so managing stress (and my diet when stressed) has helped reduce the frequency. As much as I don’t want to eat green veggies when I’m super stressed, they are indeed good for me! (much better than what I like to buy at McDonald’s & Starbucks).

[Bank_of_Dad]

I take Treximet, a combo of sumatriptan and naproxan. It helps within 40 minutes. Sometimes I have to take a second dose. Its very expensive, but it helps.

My triggers are too much computer, soy sauce, vodka, barometer changes, sun glare, when I was younger estrogen swings, headaches much more frequent since menopause now.

Sucks. I feel your pain. I haven’t gone the botox route yet.

[Fuego1]

I contacted my doctor after a couple nights of only 1-2 hours of sleep even with muscle relaxers, etc. and she prescribed a course of Prednisone. Anyone try this? Going to start it tomorrow. We’re having lots of rain and the change in weather kills my head.

[french_fry]

My background: I get the vise around my skull/cap on my head, sensitivity to light/sound/smell, will occasionally puke if it’s bad enough. When I was in my teens/early 20s they’d consistently come on at night and taking something (OTC or prescription) and then going to bed and lying perfectly still would help and they’d be gone in the AM. Now that I’m in my mid-20’s they seem to have changed (with my hormones?) and they come on at any time and often last a couple of days. Mine are stress, weather and (I believe) hormone related.

The Triptans worked for a little while but no more. Major rebound headaches without actually killing the initial headache. For a bit my docs thought they could actually be tension headaches and I’d get Toradol injections, which sometimes helped a lot and sometimes didn’t work at all. They prescribed the nasal spray version of Toradol, which did nothing. The OTC NSAID cocktail of Tylenol, Benadryl, Advil will help keep me from running screaming to urgent care but won’t take much more than the edge off.

Anti-nausea medicine (phenergen) occasionally really helps me. My doctor prescribed prednisone but I’ve been too afraid to try it. Mostly I just take a prescription dose of Ibuprofen and a Benadryl if I have a sixth sense that it may help.

I hope there’s a new idea somewhere in my rambling…

[Darkwave]

Large doses of oral magnesium sometimes work for me (like 500 MG). My neurologist has a theory that some migraines are due to magnesium deficiency, and that would tie in.

If I get a migraine (rare now that I know what my triggers are), I try the magnesium first. Then I hit the triptan (Amerge, in my case) if the magnesium doesn’t get it. Magnesium works about half the time.

[Fuego1]

Ok so the prednisone did nothing. I actually had medium-level headaches every single day I was on it.
Recent string of bad headaches, 2 nights of no sleeping and I got some new drugs! A lot of my headaches are tension headaches or they start as tension headaches and develop into migraines. Doctor prescribed Fioricet. I’ve taken it once so far and it seemed to work well. I took it at night, felt better and was able to sleep well. It’s a combo butalbital/acetaminophen/caffeine. Unfortunately it’s another one that they are rationing to me and I was informed that I can only have 10/month. “So only take it for the really bad headaches.” “Ok so what happens if I have 20 really bad headaches?!?”

[Laurierace]

Wow, that must be your insurance. I get get 30 Fiorcet at a time and can get it refilled as often as needed. I have had to take as many as 10 over the course of one headache (not all at one time) I take 2 to start with then one per hour until it is gone.

[FineAlready]

I have migraine with aura, and Frova has worked well for me.

[independentlyawesome]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;7480860]
Wow, that must be your insurance. I get get 30 Fiorcet at a time and can get it refilled as often as needed. I have had to take as many as 10 over the course of one headache (not all at one time) I take 2 to start with then one per hour until it is gone.[/QUOTE]

Or the doctor.

Most tend to be pretty conservative with the dispensation of pain meds, for very good reasons.

[Laurierace]

I don’t really consider that to be a pain medication. If that is coming from the doctor, get another one.

[tarynls]

Fioricet can be habit forming / addictive due to the butalbital in it.

Actually, the FDA made Fioricet a schedule III controlled substance for a short time (few months, end of last year into Jan or Feb this year IIRC). Fioricet is now under an FDA exempted Rx drug status, see below.

Info per fioricet.com: Fioricet® has received exempted prescription drug status from the DEA and is no longer regulated as a CIII product.

It’s not a scheduled drug or a narcotic per se, but it does have abuse potential.

[Laurierace]

I can see how pretty much any drug can be abused but the doctor should be able to tell if there is a potential problem by your refill pattern rather than rationing them. I went through a ton of them in December and January until I had sinus surgery where they found and removed a benign tumor. I would have spent a lot of time in the ER without those. Not only did my Dr not refuse to refill my script, she gave me dilatud too. I have taken maybe three since the surgery.

[spotted_draft_x_fill]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;7440615]
Topamax was the devil in a pill form for me. I was on the lowest dose and still couldn’t handle it. The last straw was when I was driving up 95 with two horses in the trailer. I was trying to look at the horses via the side mirrors to see if I could tell which horses they were so maybe I could remember where I was going![/QUOTE]

I know what you mean. My dr put me on Topamax too. I would be in the middle of doing do something or talking and poof, gone. I hate it. My headaches are still here but not as bad. I just hate, hate, hate it. I haven’t had relief or been able to think clearly in months!