Do you pre-medicate for migraines?

[izziebean]

I have a new neurologist who is really pushing for me to premedicate for my migraines. It's true that I had migraines everyday for about 4-5 months last year. But then, I had 4 full months without them. Lately, they have started again. I'm having at least one a day.. sometimes with a day off. I'm switching off between taking Tylenol and Butalbital (so that I the tylenol doesn't destroy my liver and I don't get addicted to taking the butalbital).

He really wants me to start taking a daily medication to try to prevent the migraines. My problem is that the med causes drowsiness... which I already fight everyday. If I had started this last fall, then I wouldn't have had 4 months of no med and no migraines. I mean for a while life was pretty good.

Now, of course, the migraines suck, but they are manageable with my meds. The meds I have to take to rid the migraine make me numb, but I'm still able to function somewhat.. do laundry and watch tv. I'm terrified of going on a daily med that is going to make my fatigue worse... where I will just struggle to get out of bed altogether.

Does anyone premedicate for your migraines? Did you have drowsiness at the beginning? Did it get better? Did your migraines go away?

[MaggieMoon]

I have visual and regular migraines, and they tend to come in clusters, or patterns. I will go months without them, and then months with them.

I do pre-medicate for them, and yes! it helps. I do get sleepy from the meds, but quickly adapt and dont find sleepy an issue after just about a week. It does help lessen the frequency and severity of them.

I hope you find answers. Migraines are miserable things.

[Jenni O]

Hi there izziebean...sorry you are having such migraine problems. I don't want to sound like the migraine guru, but I have migraines every day. I take a preventative, which I have taken for 3 years. It is Topamax. For me, it has had some strange side-effects such as strange food flavors and now I am unable to drink anything carbonated. I also take a prescription strength of Naproxen a couple times a day. According to my neuro, over-the-counter meds like Tylenol, Excedrin, and Motrin can cause a "rebound headache" which means it will go away, but when your body can tell that the medicine is gone, it will over react and cause a worse headache. I also take Amytriptaline and Ultram for my migraines daily. I take these at the end of the day to avoid getting that "stoned or hungover" feeling. The only one that I take throughout the day is Naproxen. If all of these fail me, I will then go to Hydrocodone...but, only in an emergency, or, I will go in to my doc to get a shot. However, that completely knocks me out. And who has time for that?! Again, this is only what I do...I know that everyone is different. Like MaggieMoon, I get the migraine as well as the migraine with aura. Sounds and light make me get sick to my stomach and I end up with vertigo. It may not sound like the "preventative" works...but, without it I know my migraines are much worse.

As a sidenote...at my most recent neuro appt., he said that he was toying with taking me off of the Topamax and putting me on Lyrica. I know it is usually used for Fibromyalgia, but it can also be used for the neuralgia pain that I have. He also says that people with migraines usually respond well to it as a preventative. He also says Neurontin can be used. However, I have had bad results from that.

Wow...this was long-winded! Sorry if I sound like a know-it-all. I don't mean to. I have just had migraines for over 20 years. Good luck with your search for the best combination for YOU!!!

[JadeVictoria]

Hi Izzie,
By premedicating do you mean Topomax? I was on Topamax a couple of months ago to try and stop my migraines. I started of at a low 25 milligram dose. I didn't have any side effects, but it isn't effective at that dose. After a month I went up to 50mg and my problems started. I was so tired I laid on the ground to try and stretch my back out because of a spasm and my daughter woke me up there 2 hours later. I was in such a fog.

The bad thing about Topomax is that you can't just quit taking it if you don't like it. I had to wean of it for another 3 weeks. It also messed with my cognition. I know this is a miracle drug for some, but it didn't work well for me. If you do decide to use it pay attention to how you're feeling. The side effects can creep up on you without you realizing it. Jade

[Red7172]

I also use a pre-medicating med. The trick to the meds is finding the one that works best for you. I think my first med was topamax but the side effects were so bad I had to stop. I don't remember the next one I just remember it was a blood pressure med but I have borderline low blood pressure that at my check-up appointment I was taken off that one. Then I tried a two more then I finally got one that works well with hardly any side effects. (amiptripyline..sp)

My headaches aren't 100% gone but now when I feel one coming on I can take 1 or 2 advil and it actually will knock the headache out. I could never do that before usually I would have to take 800mg every 4 hours just to function.
I also only get a headache maybe once a month now instead of 4-5 times a week.

I would suggest trying one of the meds if it doesn't work you can always try another.

[Victorya]

There are many drugs that are used as a prophylaxis to prevent migraines. I took Verapamil (old blood pressure med.) for years. I tried Topamax, but it cause some cognitive issues.

[jsoxfan618]

Hi izzie,
I do pre-medicate for migraines. Like most everyone else here, I take Topamax. I started out on 25mg twice a day. It was helpful, but the side effects were too much, so I cut down to just once a day. Has never made me drowsy though. Since I cut down I haven't much in terms of side effects and it still seems effective. There are other medications though like Depakote and Nortriptlyne. I tried Nortriptlyne for a while and it wasn't helpful at all. The only side effect I seemed to get from that was really bad indigestion. i haven't tried Depakote, but I understand that it can cause, among other things, weight gain. You should really have a good talk with your neuro about this. Hope this was helpful.

[skeezix]

I don't pre-medicate

Hi izziebean,

Well it seems as though I am in the minority when it comes to premedicating for migraine.

I have had migraine for over 25 years, migraine with aura, and occular migraine. I often get them for months at time like you, then nothing.

I have chosen not to take any "preventative" drugs. The side effects are too risky for me.

I was advised at the headache clinic to use VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS. The three I take are RIBOFLAVIN(B2)400mg daily, MAGNESIUM 400 mg daily and COENZYME Q10 100 mg three times a day.

You should check with your doc before taking the magnesium, if you have any kind of kidney problem.

I also try to avoid my triggers and get the proper amount of sleep.

I have reduced the number of migraines I get by about 75%.

A great book to read about migraine is: "The Migraine Brain" by Carolyn Bernstein

Good luck.

[izziebean]

Wow thanks everyone for the great information and for sharing your stories. I guess a lot of us with m.s. suffer with migraines. I can still function most days unless it's the kind with the light/sound issues. It's maddening to think that they went away for so long and then started up again. Keep wondering 'what am i doing different now?!'. I guess that's why I should journal like my neurologist back home wants me to do.

Topomax is what the doc prescribed. I'd be working my way up to 2 pills in the morning and 2 at night. I'm so exhausted from having to taper down off of meds. Although I've tried many meds to take everyday, none have lasted long term and usually end up with awful side effects causing me to have to go through horrible withdrawals to quit. My best friend has advised me to not start taking the topomax yet since I'm starting chemo again in two weeks.

So for now, I'll just suffer through this. I'll check into the vitamins that were listed (and book). I just realized that i've stopped going as many places since the migraines kicked in again because of the fear of getting one while out. Hmmmm maybe later this summer I'll give Topomax a whirl.

Deciding which meds to take for m.s. seems to be one of the hardest things to deal with when ya have the disease.

**hugs**