HELP. In trouble dont know where to turn.

I am really hitting the Triptans and dont want to. My GP upped my allowance to 18 and said that's the limit....
I dont want to take that amount. Last month was bad 12 for first time ever.
So far this month 7. Had 5 days break and since Friday it wont go away.
I cant reach my neuro, and Migraine association say its out of their comfort zone of advice.
GP says just take them, dont let the pain win..
PLEASE any of you, what would you do? What can I do.
I CANT stand the pain I agonise over taking every damn triptan.
But it is scaring me how frequent they have become and where I go from here.
Its all going around and around in my hurting head and I am just getting stressed and confused.
If it wasnt for rebound etc scares, I would just take the triptans as I would with any other pain.....But they have us running scared..
FOR NOW I need to get through this month and just need words of support and encouragement which you are all so good at.
Please give me your view, you are the only ones that really understand what this is like. (keep in mind I live in England)
Thanks so much for reading
Your friend,
pen

Personally, I'd say take the triptans until you can get through to your neurologist. Then contact him or her with your concerns and see what they say. Hugs! It's a bad time of year for a lot of people with migraine. Added stress, disturbed sleep patterns, etc. all add up to lots of triggers.

When I have something available to take the pain away I take it. I often regret it later when I'm out of stuff, but I live for the moment.

Holidays are such a trigger/stressful time.

Charlotte (formerly joan)

Hi Pen,
sorry to hear that you're struggling so bad....
I have no limits with my abortive because it's an OTC.
However, I put weekly limits in bad times because I get scared by the use of certain drugs.

When I get too close to the limit, I switch to a more "neutral" remedy (paracetamol, aspirine), ice packs and entire days in bed...

In practice, I hang in there, suffer a lot and wait....

Ciao

Hi,

I understand why you are scared of taking too many triptans. Shortly after I was diagnosed with chronic intractable migraine/New daily persistent headache, my neurologist prescribed imitrex injections. They worked well at first and took the pain away for a day or so. I was a junior in high school at the time, at boardibg school. The neurologist i was seeing at the time only allowed me to take Aleve for the pain. The initrex lasted longer. Because I had only two choises for pain relief- imitrex lasted longer and helped a little more. My doctor did not give me a limit, just told me to take it when I needed it. So I ended up taking it about 4-5 time a week. When I tod my neuro, he said "you can't do that! you will damage your heart." I also found that I had some rebound from triptans.

Could you ask your dr abut something else to ar least control the pain when you do not want to take a triptans or when you have reached your limit. You could ask about midrin, another aboerive or a pain medication. I hope that this information helps.

P:ain free days,
sailing m

Thank you for this. I dont see what I can do other than take them when I need them and get through to the new year.
Then I need to find an answer, Lord knows what i might be.
Seem to have tried most things....
I dont suppose 2 bad months are going to push me into rebound or whatever....well i am told not.
Hate taking 12, but for now....seems you would all do the same...
Cant find anything else that works for the pain. Bit tight with the meds in England...
anyone suggest anything please.....NSAIDS dont work.
Thank you friends.
P

I can't tell you my method for dealing with triptans is what you should do, but I just don't bother with them unless I just need a migraine break for a day or so. Problem for me is the migraine always returns within 24 to 36 hours worse than the one it aborted. The more triptans I take the worse the headache is when it wears off. Once I just let the headache run it's course (12-15 hours in my case) I don't get a headache the next day or the day after that. Regular OTC stuff doesn't work and I don't like that narcotics make me constipated and cause rebound.

I have tried 5 different triptans they all have the same effect on me. These days taking absolutely nothing (abortive wise) seems to work best. It's hell during the migraine, but at least this way I don't have a migraine every day. The way I deal with it mentally (taking nothing) is that I tell myself that I am suffereing and miserable while taking abortives so what have I got to lose by not taking them? Suffer and be miserable? At least for me the suffering and misery without taking anything has a silver lining at the end. Less headaches.

Wish I had an answer or some good advice for you, Pen. I'm sorry you're suffering so. Like Brenda said, it is a bad time of year for many of us (me included).

Before the triptans quit being effective for me, my GP had me taking the triptan (Relpax) whenever an inkling of a headache creeped in (at the end, 4-5 days a week sometimes). After months and years of doing that, it became ineffective, and some of the headache specialists said that is what led to my chronic daily migraine.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take the triptans so you have some pain relief and worry about the consequences when you finally get to see your neuro.

Good luck and gentle hugs to you, Pen. Hope your head settles down so you can enjoy the Christmas season.

Becky

I understand your situation entirely and really feel for you and for others too as it sounds like a bad time of year for a lot of us. However, I would be careful about the triptans creeping up. I only say this as I've got myself into a no-win situation and am taking one virtually every day.

My GP was horrified when he realised (I thought he would have realised already by the frequency of the repeat prescriptions but presumably he doesn't sign them - I was hoping someone would say hey wait you're taking far too many, but as they didn't I kept on). He's worried about the vascular effect and also the liver, plus the fact they're probably causing rebounds.

He's insisted I go on what he calls a chemical holiday and is going to sign me off for 2 weeks in the New Year. Aargh. I am terrified

You have to keep taking them Pen to enable life to go on but a chat soon with your neurologist sounds a good idea.

Good luck and take care
Liz

My daughter has been in the same situation since March. I really hope that you feel better and find something to at least bring your pain level down soon.

So has my son....he's had some bad days lately, and after the last appt we had, I don't know what else there is to do and that scares me. We are kind of feeling helpless as well. Sorry I can't give any good advice, just let you know that we feel the same way too.

I think it is awful that so many of us are having such a bad time.
I was initially told it was the autumn weather by migrane action.
I dont dispute this, but isnt it going on rather a long time...
I am tired of pain, tired of worrying about medication which helps me but might be hurting me....
No wonder we all get so stressed, and stress is supposed to be our worst enemy.
I have no reason for migraine and seemingly no triggers. So why do I have them, and why do I have to agonize over getting rid of the pain?
Right now, with just a few days to Christmas break I dont think there is anything I can do except take the damn Triptans.
I just hope I manage to finish the month without too many more than usual.
I hope that all of yu nice people mange to find some relief and at least partially enjoy Christmas.
We all deserve it, we suffer quite unreasonably and those that dont have it really dont understand.
But at least some of them support us and empathize.
If only that instead of drugs would heal the pain.
Thanks again. Going to bed, daughters birthday tomorrow, praying I dont have to take another Triptan...

Hi Pen,

My suggestion is similar to what others have posted. Take the triptan as often as needed (within reason, of course) until you can get in to see your doctor.

I believe you should discuss the use of preventatives. I don't know if you're on any but I am going on the assumption you aren't (or your preventative isn't working). Your neuro should be trying you on something that would lower the frequency and/or intensity of your episodes.

The worry you have posted about is a big trigger for me. Before I became the patient of my current doctor, I would fret about running out of my medications. I take an anti-depressant (more for the anti-anxiety than prevention of migraine), pain medications and a triptan.

Once your doctor has found something which helps prevent your episodes, then you shouldn't be as frantic about your triptan intake. You might even see if he will prescribe a pain med for those occasions when a triptan is just not enough. Chances are, if he's willing to prescribe pain meds, you will be limited as they can contribute to rebound, too.

For now, though, take your triptans and be good and easy with yourself. If you can, try to rest and if you are knocked by one of these horrid migraines, use an ice pack or heating pad (your preference) and make sure you get plenty of sleep.

Best of luck to you,
£eslie

Brief, on way to bed. Wednesday, daughters birthday managed no Triptan today....
Appreciate all your comments, thank you.
P

Seriously, what is going on? We're all in the same boat. Does anyone start to wonder what is triggering this? And we're all over the world so it's not geographical.

Pen - I'd take the triptans you can.

Rachel

Have posted this question to our migraine association here in UK....
It does seem about the worst I have know for me and many many others....
Anyone any clues....the experts keep blaming the weather.....
Whatever it is, i sure wish it would stop...
Another lousy head today, desperately trying not to take another triptan, had one on Tuesday...

hi pen so sorry to hear of your increase of triptans, i know this has become a problem for you over the last year or so, i have been in the same situation twice this year and on the last occasion, which was in august/sept i phoned the doctor in desparetion and she prescribed me, a beta blocker called propanonal, i take it twice a day, one tab in moring 40mg and one in the evening 40mg, it seemed to break the cycle, i know you dont get on well with preventatives but it is worth a go if you can, it broke the cycle for me within 48hours, i am still taking them along with 50mg of amitriptyline in the evening, its not great to be takin so much stuff but it has helped me (keeping fingers and everything else crossed), and i will stayed on it for as long as i can,

i am not headache free still get 2 days a week with bad head, but the ones i get get are alot less severe and can be virtually got rid of with diclofenic, paracetomal and an anti sickness along with resting, and they dont linger for days like they used to, however this is usually a better time of year for me, i will see what the springtime and all its pollen brings!

i hope you can find some answers, and i would be the same as you, worrying about rebound, it seems the more triptans i take the more i need, take care xx

theresa, thanks, having an early night having resisted triptan, hoping milk and honey might get me off to sleep.
cant take beta blockers due to low BP, but your point is well made...I need something.
Hope you are not too bad right now.

P

pen,

read through--you are really having a tough time.

outside of what everyone has said, and Leslie's suggestions, it's hard to make a change and try to find something to prevent new ones from coming on. i imagine it's one giant migraine that never stops...just varies in intensity every day.

without a doc helping out and prescribing, it's going to be tough.

my suggestion is try aspirin. drink plenty of liquids (some sports drinks like gatoraide help). pamelor can be helpful too.

i hope someone can see you. your vessels and nerves are pretty grumpy from the cycles, and the meds. a dose of steroids might help break the cycle.

sorry you're having a lot of bad luck with these monsters.

Howdy

1. Deal with the pain using available medications, for this month.

2. Look into preventatives.

3. Acknowledge that you have a serious neurological disease and it means that you will have "down days" ,,, days laying in a quiet dark room with ice packs or whatever helps you other than medication.

I believe we get in trouble when we fail to give the migraine episodes their due. We do share a very serious neurological disease. That disease will limit our lives. It is much better to learn to live with the necessary limitations of the disease rather than trying to live a "normal" life in spite of our serious disease.

That's the way I see things. Of course, I am probably out in left field.

Rachel328 wrote:Seriously, what is going on? We're all in the same boat. Does anyone start to wonder what is triggering this? And we're all over the world so it's not geographical.

Pen - I'd take the triptans you can.

Rachel

My husband has been making this point. It is odd and bad right now. He says it would be interesting if we that are suffering badly stated our location in the world and also wether town or country....He (ha ha) has a theory....well keeps him busy...
For the record I am in southern England north of London and live on the edge of a town besieged by traffic...