Reglan for migraines

[Aneroo]

Anyone else familiar with this practice? I've seen it used several times for migraines while I'm at work.

DH woke up this morning with a cluster headache. From what I had read in the past, I remember reading treatments for cluster headaches and migraines were similar. So we decided that he might try Reglan- he did, his headache was improving 20-30 minutes after intake and is now gone.

My MIL was downstairs, and started drilling me on Reglan and how it's used for headaches. She's a CNM, and is interested in this for her area of practice.

Main question- Is there somewhere I can find info on using Reglan for headaches instead of an antiemetic, or is it just one of those not approved uses that gets used that way anyhow?

[PAERRN20]

I have not done a lot of Reglan IVP....but I have done the Compazine IVP. From what I have seen it almost always works. More of the older doctors use it compared to the younger fresh crop of docs.

[map9118]

Hi, I never usually do this, but i was looking up side effects of reglan because i was told thats what they gave me through an IV a little while ago. I was having a major headache with vomiting, that lasted a few days so i figured i finally better goto the er, i suffered from migraines for quite some time now, but they were just getting out of control, so i went to the emergency room. they first gave me a ct scan to rule out a tumor, and then i had reglan thru an iv with benydrl, and it took my headache away with in 30 minutes by 80%, came home and slept 2 more hours and now its gone, but i still feel really out of it right now, i read it can mess with motor skills, and make people feel like jumping out of their skin also. and i definitely feel like i got shot with a tranquilizer. hope this helped someone. thanks.

[FLAreN]

Reglan use for headaches is an off-label use. There has been some research linking dopamine and migraines. Reglan works on the dopamine receptor in the body. Unfortunately long-term use of reglan may cause tardive dyskinesia which is also seen with patients who have parkinsons disease. It is NOT recommended for long term use and is mostly used for patients with a history of post operative nausea and vomitting. Reglan is used to increase gastric motility.

You are not supposed to push Reglan as it can cause all the side effects everyone who has tried it has noted. Benadryl is given to "calm" these effects. Usually giving it over 10-15 minutes IVPB is best when the patient is awake and not sedated.

It is totally unclear how it works on migraines. Sometimes migraine attacks are accompanied with gastric dilation as well as nausea and vomitting. Increased levels of dopamine has been shown to reduce these symptoms. There are other receptors as well that affect nausea and vomitting but it has been noted that increasing dopamine levels decrease migraines.

Hope that helps!

[ammil87]

I was at the ER yesterday for piggy backing hemiplegic migraines that had spanned over 4 days. After I was triaged I was given an IV and they put a dose of reglan in my IV. All they told me was "This might make you a little drowsy."...they didn't tell me that it might make you feel jumpy or anything like that. Within 5 minutes I felt like I was having an anxiety attack. I will never allow that medication to be givent o me again. Oh, and it didn't do anything for the migraine either.