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        New Message Board Archives >> Oct-Dec 2003 >> Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylactic?
        
(Message started by: Carl_D on Nov 25^th, 2003, 9:12pm)

Title: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylactic?
Post by Carl_D on Nov 25^th, 2003, 9:12pm

And no, I don't mean as a condom (god you people have dirty minds.) ;;D

I mean as a preventative. The reason I ask this is, I have a few Trex tabs I am saving for OUCHfest to try and make it through the night without any f**kups.
One thing that has my curiousity peaked is that a injection of Trex is 6mg...but the tablets are 100mg. Just one of those things making me go Hmm.

[smiley=headbanger.gif]
Carl D

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by Jimi on Nov 25^th, 2003, 9:29pm

I have never tried it as a preventative. I used to use cafergot that way which worked pretty well. Imitrex has a long lasting pill called Amerge that releases slower. Not much good when one is coming on but I have thought that if I have another cycle that I would try that next time. That is if your GP will give you any. He might have some free samples around as they are also used for migraines.

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by Charlie on Nov 25^th, 2003, 9:45pm

No Imitrex when mine were hitting me but I tried Cafergot. It never prevented anything so far as I know but I didn't use the stuff right.

I have no brain.

Good luck Carl.

Charlie

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by forgetfulnot on Nov 25^th, 2003, 10:01pm

Carl. all the smart heads advise against this as well as saying it won't help, could it make things worse ?

Lee

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by don on Nov 25^th, 2003, 10:12pm

I'll try that to night. I'll get back to you with the results in August 04.

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by paul_b on Nov 25^th, 2003, 10:51pm

Not a good idea. I carry Im with me all the time but only use it when I feel an attack coming on.

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by Patrick_A on Nov 26^th, 2003, 12:11am

Ive done it Carl. Used and abused my Imitrex. I would take 1/4 of a Trex before bedtime and sleep good all night. BUT, It went back to them Rebound MF'ers. I started getting the CH's at all times of the day instead of my usual 1 or 2 a day.
I aint advising it though!

Patrick :)

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by rumplestiltskin on Nov 26^th, 2003, 12:11am

What makes it a bad idea?

My Neuro has perscribed using oral trex, frova, and other triptans as preventatives. I was surprised since I thought it wasn't a common practice. She rolled her eyes and said "trust me ....try it"

I havn't yet been able to afford it...so I can't say if it works or not.

later
Den

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by HanalaR on Nov 26^th, 2003, 12:35am

Hi Carl,

Just my two cents, but I've been using Amerge 2.5mg, cut in half for about 4 years now, as a preventative at night. No rebounds that I know of & my neuro told me to use it as a preventative because of it's long 1/2 life, which for a whole pill is about 8 hours. By the way, it's been working for me.

Hope that helps ::)
Chana

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by eyes_afire on Nov 26^th, 2003, 1:19am

Yes, a few times when the shadows were increasing before bedtime, and I had to get good sleep, I would take an imitrex pill before going to sleep. I don't truly know if it worked, but for those times I didn't get CH. Could also be good during the 'mandatory social functions'. I'm extremely stingy with my imitrex usage (praise Verapamil). For me, the pills are either a short-acting preventative or a slow-acting abortive.

--- Steve

Title: Re: Has anyone ever tried Imitrex as a prophylacti
Post by 5-string on Nov 26^th, 2003, 1:31am

I agree with Steve. I have taken Imitrex(pill form) when I feel a shadow closing in and getting worse and it usually keeps it at bay. Verapimil is the only thing my neurologist recommended as a prophylactic though. Never heard of Imitrex as one though.
Verapimil seems to do the trick for me....most of the time...
seeyalater,
...Mark..

Title: Imitrex as a prophylactic? Nyet.....
Post by Mr.Happy on Nov 26^th, 2003, 2:43am

Carl........

Man.......you been at this for a while......and just NOW you're asking this triptan question??? I asked Uncle Ueli a similiar query.........one year ago. Proof positive that triptan alternatives are alive and well. Here's his response, reprinted w/o his permission, let the royalties fall where they may......

All triptans in pill form are usually too slow to kick in as an abortive, in the range of half to one hour. I know only of one guy, who is terribly afraid of needles, who claims to abort an attack within 10 minutes with Imitrex pills, but he has a 10 minute forewarning of a oncoming attack and has to take the pill at the earliest sign.

One way to speed up the pills is to crush them / chew them up and washing them down with some coffee.

Rizatriptan (Maxalt) comes as MLT tablets, to be put under the tongue where they melt. Many get help from them in 10 - 15 minutes.

An entirely different use of the triptan pills is as short time preventatives. If one is taken before bed time, the nightly attacks can often be kept at bay. Here it the half life time is important. Imitrex is least suitable with only ~2 hours. Most of the other triptans have a half live of 4-6 hours.
My nightly attacks are well damped down by Verapamil, but I take some triptans before bed time to suppress then altogether, most of the time. I used to take Naratriptan (Amerge), 2.5 mg, and in better times half a tablet would do the trick. Three month ago I started with Eletriptan (Relpax) with even better results. Usually I take half of a 40 mg tablet. (Relpax comes in 20, 40 and 80 mg tablets, all at the same price [Pfizer can do that, being the largest ]. It is not yet out in the US market.)

For some time available is Frovatriptan (Frova). It is distinguished from the other triptans by the long half life of 26 hours, and that should make it very suitable as a preventative. However, the few reports on the message board were not very encouraging. But that could be because some less literate doctor just rx'rd the latest stuff, as the only preventative.

Praise Ueli with great praise.

Everybody's going to have thier druthers.......so pick your favorite colored pill, and see if it keeps the night time nasties away for you. Change pill colors as needed. Anything that ends in Triptan can't be all bad..........

Zomig R Us,
RJ