Verapamil?

Hi all,

Saw a few threads on this drug from about a year ago.  Wondering if anyone has tried it since.  My neuro just prescribed it for me as a preventative.  I already have low BP so I am reluctant.  But I am up to about 16 migraines a month so I have to do something...

Thanks for any input.

Dox

I took it for about 2 months. I was also worried due to my low BP.  But it did not do anything.  No help with the headaches, but no side effects either.  Individual mileage may vary.

It's worth trying for sure. It's one of the heavy-hitters as far as migraine preventatives go. It performs well in clinical trials. It has some side effects but not the nightmare parade of the epilepsy drugs. It's also one of the few effective treatments for cluster. It's a life-saver for some, does nothing for others. You just have to give it a shot.

Platy

Several years ago, I was prescribed a 2 month trial of Verapamil. Before I started, I had low blood pressure. After I finished, I had (and still have) high blood pressure.

On the one hand, it did reduce the intensity of the pain by 2 or 3 points (levels) on the pain scale. This pain reduction seems to be permanent.

On the other hand, it increased the frequency of the migraines; from 2 to 3 times per month to 2 to 3 times per week.   This, also, seems to be permanent.  


I am currently on the Beta-blocker, Propranolol as a migraine prophylactic. It does nothing to prevent migraines, or reduce migraine pain. Nor does it lower my blood pressure.

Thanks, guys. I'm still debating. I appreciate your input.

I took it for a couple of years (2-5?). I had normal blood pressure before, during and after, unless I'm having a 'Colt 45' migraine, then I'm hypertensive. It helped when my migraines were sound/stress/tension triggered (working with children and the addition of the school aged one's noise/stress of the parent's arrivals was a daily 4PM trigger). Once I stopped working with kids, my trigger changed, and it became ineffective.