Author |
Topic: imitrex is ok but... (Read 462 times) |
|
mikki717
New Board Newbie
Spoken like a true Smartass!
Gender: 
Posts: 6
|
 |
imitrex is ok but...
« on: Jun 18th, 2004, 11:32pm » |
 Quote  Modify
|
OK, Please let me introduce myself. I am the wife of a CH sufferer of 20 years. (His first cluster was 6 mos after we got married... don't even say it!) anyway... we have been throug every medication known to humankind, but I am still learning, because his cycles are now every three years, and new med come out often.
For the first several cycles he was yearly, then every two years, and now every three years. This is the third year. Until his last cycle, we had avoided imitrex due to rebound headaches. Then in "01, his MD prescribed Amerge ( imitrex) twice daily. Needless to say, it was addictive, and whenever he tried to end the amerge usage, he would have a DOOZY rebound with siezure activity. My point? Imitrex works for many sufferers... BUT... it can be addictive, so beware! Taper off if need be and consult a neuro, not just an MD.
|
|
 IP Logged |
|
|
|
Prense
CH.com Alumnus
New Board Hall of Famer
Kerry is an idiot!
Gender: 
Posts: 1607
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #1 on: Jun 19th, 2004, 3:36pm » |
Quote Modify
|
There is no substitute for imitrex...no generics or otherwise. Imitrex is imitrex and no, it is not addictive at all. That is not to say that it will not cause rebounds. Many non-addicting medications can cause rebounds.
Amerge is not imitrex...
Chris
|
|
IP Logged |
Where does the white go in a snowman when the snow melts?
|
|
|
Superpain
New Board Hall of Famer
GOT O2!?
Gender:
Posts: 1351
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #2 on: Jun 19th, 2004, 6:11pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Agreed.
Amerge is a completely different drug and triptans are not even fun to take, let alone addictive...
|
|
IP Logged |
Chris
|
|
|
mikki717
New Board Newbie
Spoken like a true Smartass!
Gender:
Posts: 6
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #3 on: Jun 19th, 2004, 6:39pm » |
Quote Modify
|
I beg to differ. Amerge is Naratriptan. Imitrex is Sumatriptan. Each is a Triptan (serotonin receptor agonists) for migraine headaches. Please see WEBMD at
http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/hw/migraines/hw116449.asp
Sorry. Same animal.
Now... the drug reps and drug companies do not say that it is addictive...they are not narcotics after all... but then why do I see it first hand with my husband, have his neuro taper him off the drug, and have several MD's recount stories of patients writing their own scripts for imitrex? Sounds addictive to me.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
mikki717
New Board Newbie
Spoken like a true Smartass!
Gender:
Posts: 6
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #4 on: Jun 19th, 2004, 6:51pm » |
Quote Modify
|
OK, I re read your post. Taken as the drug company says... it should not be addictive. My husband's dr had him taking it twice daily. Then after two weeks when his CH's stopped, he tried stopping the Meds. Wham a rebound plus extra. This had him into a cycle of six weeks, vs the usual two, and had the local ER telling us not to return, they could not do anything for him, I should take him to the nearest trauma center.
We have dealt with these clusters for 20 years. I do not suffer from them, but I know as much about them as he does, if not more so. (I was cognisant when the doctors were relating the info to us, plus I am a Pharmacy Tech.)
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Ueli
Guest
|
Quote:| Then after two weeks when his CH's stopped, he tried stopping the Meds. Wham a rebound plus extra. |
|
Now I'm really pissed off. Slandering the drug companies and spreading outright lies about triptan being addictive, causing rebounds and more such crap.
Small wonder when the attack return in full force after one stops the preventative treatment after only 2 weeks. But that is just the cycle taking its natural course, something entirely different from rebound. And yes, most clusterheads are "addicted" to the meds that bring relieve.
Click this Link to the OUCH-Library and read about:
1.) Sumatriptan overuse in episodic cluster headache: lack of adverse events, rebound syndromes, drug dependence and tachyphylaxis.
2.) Daily Sumatriptan for Detoxification From Rebound
3.) After Overuse, Type of Medication Determines Withdrawal Headache Symptoms
4.) Headaches from Excessive Use of Analgesics (Pain Pills) or Ergotamine
(BTW, we here all know the difference between Imitrex and Amerge, it was you who mixed it all up in your first post.)
PFNADs
Ueli 
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
don
Guest
|
Imitrex is not Amerge
Amerge is not imitrex
Niether of them are preventatives
Neither of them are physically addictive
Quote:| and have several MD's recount stories of patients writing their own scripts for imitrex? Sounds addictive to me. |
|
Name one MD who has recounted that story. I flat out do nor believe this statement.
|
| « Last Edit: Jun 19th, 2004, 8:48pm by don » |
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Roxy
CH.com Alumnus
New Board Hall of Famer
Gender:
Posts: 2282
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #7 on: Jun 20th, 2004, 2:22pm » |
Quote Modify
|
on Jun 19th, 2004, 8:17pm, Ueli wrote:
yes, most clusterheads are "addicted" to the meds that bring relieve. |
|
I used massive amounts of imitrex for well over a year, sometimes above and beyond six shots a day. It is not addictive. As Ueli states above....it is the relief from pain which is addictive. I could go without it.....just really didn't want to.
|
|
IP Logged |
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. (Einstein)
I used to have a handle on life....but it broke.
|
|
|
Woobie
CH.com Alumnus
New Board Hall of Famer
I luv you guys!!!!!!!!
Gender:
Posts: 3800
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #8 on: Jun 20th, 2004, 7:58pm » |
Quote Modify
|
Mikki - WOW....
Hi ROxY ... 
|
| « Last Edit: Jun 20th, 2004, 7:59pm by Woobie » |
IP Logged |
|
|
|
thomas
Guest
|
Naritriptan, sumatriptan, zolmatriptan all of these are used ONLY TO ABORT a ch, not as a preventive. If your husband's doctor was having him take them as preventives then he is a stupid m*th*rf**k*r.
|
|
IP Logged |
|
|
|
Superpain
New Board Hall of Famer
GOT O2!?
Gender:
Posts: 1351
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #10 on: Jun 21st, 2004, 4:19pm » |
Quote Modify
|
on Jun 19th, 2004, 6:39pm, mikki717 wrote:I beg to differ. Amerge is Naratriptan. Imitrex is Sumatriptan. Each is a Triptan (serotonin receptor agonists) for migraine headaches. Please see WEBMD at
http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/hw/migraines/hw116449.asp
Sorry. Same animal.
Now... the drug reps and drug companies do not say that it is addictive...they are not narcotics after all... but then why do I see it first hand with my husband, have his neuro taper him off the drug, and have several MD's recount stories of patients writing their own scripts for imitrex? Sounds addictive to me. |
|
OK... A bear and a dog are both mammals.... If you'd agree that a bear and a dog are the same animal. I'll agree trex and amerge are the same animal.
Again... Not addictive.
Can triptans cause rebounds? There is a good chance, yes.
If it's not addictive why would people try to write their own scripts? 
Because they are experiencing a pain that even though you've witnessed it for 20 yrs, you still have no idea how fucking bad it is. Maybe their dumbass doc won't give them enough? I don't know... But it's not addictive.
Believe me. I've been addicted to just about everything that has addictive properties at one time or another. And imitrex is not addictive.
Can a user become dependent on it? Hell yes!!!
Because being pain free is very addictive!
Will that user continue to be dependent on it once the headaches go away? No way. No one that has done a triptan would want to use it for any reason except to escape the pain of a severe headache.
I'm telling you, triptans are not fun or enjoyable in any way, except for the pain relief. As a matter of fact the feeling is pretty scary, therefore alot of people don't use it because they can't handle the way it makes them feel. And unfortunately, unlike narcotics you are not left with a pleasant sensation or buzz after the headache. It's more like a suffocating, constricted, slightly choked, sort of drowning feeling. Hmmm. DOES NOT sound addictive to me.
|
|
IP Logged |
Chris
|
|
|
Superpain
New Board Hall of Famer
GOT O2!?
Gender:
Posts: 1351
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #11 on: Jun 21st, 2004, 4:32pm » |
Quote Modify
|
on Jun 19th, 2004, 6:51pm, mikki717 wrote:OK, I re read your post. Taken as the drug company says... it should not be addictive. My husband's dr had him taking it twice daily. Then after two weeks when his CH's stopped, he tried stopping the Meds. Wham a rebound plus extra. This had him into a cycle of six weeks, vs the usual two, and had the local ER telling us not to return, they could not do anything for him, I should take him to the nearest trauma center.
We have dealt with these clusters for 20 years. I do not suffer from them, but I know as much about them as he does, if not more so. (I was cognisant when the doctors were relating the info to us, plus I am a Pharmacy Tech.) |
|
You have just proven to me that you don't know shit about clusters...
If you knew half of what I and alot of other people around here know you would not go to the ER. OR you would go in educated and tell them that there ARE things they can do to help. You would seek out a different doc. You would not be using a triptan as a preventative. And you wouldn't say stupid shit like amerge and imitrex are the same, and addictive.
Your doctor, neuro or otherwise has done you a disservice.
He needs to be on an effective preventative strategy of meds, and use triptans only to abort the BAD headaches. And if used correctly Oxygen is actually the safest and most effective abortive of choice for most of us.
So instead of coming into a room of people that have more combined expertise in this subject than any one doctor in the world, spouting absurd statements that are a direct result of your miseducation... Why don't you read up and ask some questions instead, and there's a better than average chance that we could lead your husband to getting some relief... Mmmmkay? 
|
|
IP Logged |
Chris
|
|
|
alleyoop
New Board Hall of Famer
Wake me up when it's all over.
 
Gender:
Posts: 1143
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #12 on: Jun 22nd, 2004, 1:21am » |
Quote Modify
|
'nuff said and well said! 
|
|
IP Logged |
I know that the Good Lord won't put any more on you than you can stand, but sometimes I wish He weren't quite so PROUD of ME!
|
|
|
Superpain
New Board Hall of Famer
GOT O2!?
Gender:
Posts: 1351
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #13 on: Jun 25th, 2004, 4:54am » |
Quote Modify
|
Damn Ally... Way to kill a thread...
Where'd you go mikki?
Help is here....
|
|
IP Logged |
Chris
|
|
|
UN_SOLVED
New Board Hall of Famer
I need a fully-automatic Imitrex injector !!
Gender:
Posts: 733
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #14 on: Jun 30th, 2004, 5:30pm » |
Quote Modify
|
I am 'addicted' to PAIN RELIEF .... not Imitrex. Wish I never had to take another shot in my entire life. There's absolutely NO BUZZ or HIGH whatsoever. Plus it actually makes the headaches worse (temporarly) for alot of us before it kicks in and helps. Why would anyone want to use Imitrex besides for pain relief ? To me .... I feel like it's my 'insulin' !
Unsolved
|
|
IP Logged |
I'm STILL alive ?
|
|
|
Superpain
New Board Hall of Famer
GOT O2!?
Gender:
Posts: 1351
|
|
Re: imitrex is ok but...
« Reply #15 on: Jul 1st, 2004, 6:43am » |
Quote Modify
|
I second that!
Or maybe I firsted it....
Anyway, we are in agreement. 
|
|
IP Logged |
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home
Help
Search
Members
Member Map
Login
Register
Reply
Notify of replies
Send Topic
Print
Remove
test rss