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Title: imitrex is ok but... Post by mikki717 on Jun 18th, 2004, 11:32pm 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. |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Prense on Jun 19th, 2004, 3:36pm 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 |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Superpain on Jun 19th, 2004, 6:11pm Agreed. Amerge is a completely different drug and triptans are not even fun to take, let alone addictive... |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by mikki717 on Jun 19th, 2004, 6:39pm 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. |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by mikki717 on Jun 19th, 2004, 6:51pm 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.) |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Ueli on Jun 19th, 2004, 8:17pm Quote:
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 (http://www.clusterheadaches.org/library/medications/imitrex_rebound.htm) 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 [smiley=smokin.gif] |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by don on Jun 19th, 2004, 8:46pm Imitrex is not Amerge Amerge is not imitrex Niether of them are preventatives Neither of them are physically addictive Quote:
Name one MD who has recounted that story. I flat out do nor believe this statement. |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Roxy on Jun 20th, 2004, 2:22pm on 06/19/04 at 20:17:27, Ueli wrote:
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. |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Woobie on Jun 20th, 2004, 7:58pm Mikki - WOW.... :-/ Hi ROxY ... ;;D |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by thomas on Jun 21st, 2004, 2:44pm 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. |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Superpain on Jun 21st, 2004, 4:19pm on 06/19/04 at 18:39:09, mikki717 wrote:
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? [smiley=huh.gif] 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. |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Superpain on Jun 21st, 2004, 4:32pm on 06/19/04 at 18:51:01, mikki717 wrote:
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? :P |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by alleyoop49 on Jun 22nd, 2004, 1:21am 'nuff said and well said! ::) |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Superpain on Jun 25th, 2004, 4:54am Damn Ally... Way to kill a thread... ::) Where'd you go mikki? Help is here.... |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by UN_SOLVED on Jun 30th, 2004, 5:30pm 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 |
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Title: Re: imitrex is ok but... Post by Superpain on Jul 1st, 2004, 6:43am I second that! Or maybe I firsted it.... Anyway, we are in agreement. ;) |
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