Medication for Migraines

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My husband has many, many migraines and has tried so many medications. Nothing seems to be working. He has tried Zomig, Imitrex, and now Relpax. The relpax is beginning to not work as well as it use to. I have shared with him all of the migraine "triggers", and have tried everything to ease some of the pain when he gets an attack. He has lived with these migraines all of his life and sometimes has to go to the ER to get morphine to ease the pain because it is so severe. Does anyone have migraines like this and if so what medication is working for you? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

For acute migraines, Zomig is my miracle. For prophylaxis, my neurologist has tried me on several anti-seizure medications. The one that has helped the most is Topamax. Though in high dosages can cause some memory problems. But 25-50mg daily is ok. Good luck. These things are terrible. I suffered from headaches daily before the Topamax.

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for acute migraines, zomig is my miracle. for prophylaxis, my neurologist has tried me on several anti-seizure medications. the one that has helped the most is topamax. though in high dosages can cause some memory problems. but 25-50mg daily is ok. good luck. these things are terrible. i suffered from headaches daily before the topamax.

that's not possible..........this according to a neurologist who deals with headache pts and even assists neurosurgeons in certain surgeries. :chuckle

my mom went to him for her daily common migraine problem, and he said it's not possible. makes you wonder how doctors can be so stupid.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.

I've had migraines since I was a toddler, and gone through many different treatments, and preventatives.

Currently I'm on no preventatives due to my Type 1 diabetes. All beta-blockers lowered my awareness of a low blood sugar, so can't do those. For treatment, I have Fiorinal and 800 mg of ibuprofen, then move onto DHE (Migranal) which 8 times out of 10 works within 30 min. I used to take the triptan drugs, but they stopped working after a few years. The Migranal is a nasal spray, a little different from the Imitrex one, but works much better for me.

I also use Phenergan or Compazine as soon as it gets bad, whether I have nausea or not. My neuro says that these drugs do have some qualities that help with pain. I find the Phenergan works better than the Compazine does though.

If all of these fail, and they usually do 3-4 times a year, I end up in the ER for treatment. I ask them to try a shot of Toradol first, because occasionally that will work (and I don't want them to think I'm drug seeking, which I sometimes feel they do with any migraine pt. that walks in), but the doc sometimes won't if I've taken ibuprofen w/in the past 4-6 hours. Then they just go to 50mg of Demerol and 25mg of Phenergan IM. (I refuse all IV Phenergan, since it KILLS my veins. But that's another story!) That combo will give me a definite hangover-feeling, but that's 100% better than the pain, any day.

They did give me, on purpose for some reason, 100mg of Demerol and 50mg of Phenergan one time when I was in. O.M.G! I was "hungover" for 2 days! It was horrible. I hated feeling that out-of-control, loopy and sleepy and high. So now I ASK exactly how much they are giving me, and make sure they try the lowest amount possible first.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.
That's not possible..........this according to a neurologist who deals with headache pts and even assists neurosurgeons in certain surgeries. :chuckle

My mom went to him for her daily common migraine problem, and he said it's not possible. Makes you wonder how doctors can be so stupid.

Geez, I can't tell you how many times I've heard THAT! Apparently it's not possible for a low blood sugar to trigger a migraine either, even if you get down into the 40's, then rebound into the 300's. That has absolutely no effect on the brain. None. Zero. ;)

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

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I can take care of most of mine with Excedrin Migraine. If that doesn't work, I take either Imitrex or Relpax...but they make me feel like total you-know-what, so I try to really avoid it.

Vicodin and Darvocet have no effect at all.

I went to the ER for one once and got Morphine, Phenergan, and Toradol IV. Pain gone immediately, assumed it was the Morphine. Went to an urgent care once b/c I was at a meeting there and didn't have my own meds...they couldn't do IV, only IM...told them about the IV cocktail that had previously worked for me. They gave Morphine and Phenergan IM first...nothing. Gave Toradol and that's what took it totally away. I believe it comes in an oral form. Not sure if it would work as well, but it's food for thought. ;)

A friend's wife takes Topamax daily, and DHE sometimes as well...good results with both.

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That's not possible..........this according to a neurologist who deals with headache pts and even assists neurosurgeons in certain surgeries. :chuckle

My mom went to him for her daily common migraine problem, and he said it's not possible. Makes you wonder how doctors can be so stupid.

hmmmm, don't know where you are, but this came from couple of different docs and it works. Have heard of others on the same.

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Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.
I know for sure that alcohol, direct sunlight, and caffiene withdrawal (when he doesn't drink as many sodas) is triggers for his migraines to start.

I have to share this story- I didn't speak to my mom for two weeks after this incident.

My fiancee and I went to visit my parents the last time he was home on leave (he's in the military, stationed overseas). My parents are in their late sixties/early seventies, and they have health issues- mom has DMII, HTN, and glaucoma; dad has COPD and glaucoma. My mother is the type that believes everyone should do as *she* does, down to the last detail...for instance, she told my fiancee (who is a paratrooper and very atheletic) that he shouldn't eat brownies after dinner, as it would elevate his blood sugar. Generally, she means no harm, so we laugh it off.

Well, the morning we left, we got up and had to have our coffee. At home, we make espresso, and both regulate our caffeine intake meticulously, as a drop will precipitate a *huge* migraine for both of us. We thought my parents' coffee was pretty weak, but each had three or four cups to make up for it. As the morning wore on, I realized I was getting a full-blown, massive migraine. I was getting dizzy and nauseated, and didn't have any of my prescription drugs on hand. My mother asked why I was so pale, and I told her about the migraine, adding that it didn't make sense, as I'd had plenty of coffee. She giggled and said, 'well, I didn't tell you, but it's decaf...that's what we drink because of having glaucoma, and you shouldn't drink so much caffiene anyway.' :angryfire The irritating thing is, she *knew* I had to have caffeine to keep from getting one...she said she'd just forgotten.

On our way out of town, we stopped at a Books-A-Million and each had a quad-shot mocha, but by then, we were both miserable. The next day, I put a can of coffee in my trunk so that doesn't happen again.

Neither of my parents have headaches, so they don't really understand what misery it is. i just know we won't visit again without our *own* coffee.

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Specializes in Inpatient Acute Rehab.

My son gets migraines. The only thing that helps him is Phenergan. That is usually for nausea, but it is the only thing that we have tried that relieves his migraines.

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Neither of my parents have headaches, so they don't really understand what misery it is. i just know we won't visit again without our *own* coffee.

Yeah, after all, "It's just a headache," right? :rolleyes: :angryfire ;)

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Specializes in Gerontological Nursing, Acute Rehab.

For my migraines, I went to a neurologist and was prescribed Neurontin, and was able to up my dose until it was effective. I usually take 1000 mg per day (2 in am, 2 in pm) as a preventative measure. I have Relpax to take when I feel one coming on. That works for me, but I haven't been on this regiment because I'm breastfeeding. I need to check with my doc to see what I can take while breastfeeding because my headaches are coming back fast and furious now. These things are horrible, and I'm sick of getting daily headaches with weekly "whoppers" that make me wish I was in labor rather than suffering from another migraine.

BTW, my hubby gets horrible headaches if he doesn't have his daily dose of caffienated coffee either!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Long Term Care.

My husband also suffers from what the neurologist calls rebound headaches because he can tends to take too much medication to try to fight the headache....he just keeps popping his pills...Ibuprofen, fioracet, phrenalin...he forgets what he took and when...you get into a circle of fighting the headache and then "coming down" off the medication which triggers another headache.....

I have to keep up on what he took and when...then tell him when to hold off or when he can have something .....he will listen to me and take my advice but he just does not pay attention to timing due to the pain .....ice pack does wonders for him also....I have had a few in my life and would not wish them on my worst enemy !!

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