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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
        
(Message started by: PhilipSuarez on Aug 21^st, 2002, 9:59am)

Title: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by PhilipSuarez on Aug 21^st, 2002, 9:59am

I'm desperate...... low on Imitrex, 3rd set of clusters this year, haven't slept in days and depressed, so after over a decade once again, I'm gonna try something else. Anybody out there have any experiences to share on the use of Amerge??? really apperciate it.
PHIL

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 21^st, 2002, 10:27am

Phil: Sorry for the pain. There seems to be agreement that Amerge is not useful for cluster because of a slow onset (but long life). It's a reformulation of Imitrex for migraine (because Imitrex has too short a useful life for some folks).

Look below for my two messages on Zyprexa. I'm finding better than Imitrex nasal spray and it aborts my attacks in 20-minutes.

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by Ueli on Aug 21^st, 2002, 11:14am

I only partly agree with Bob. As Naratriptan (Amerge) takes more than half an hour to kick in, it is not suitable to abort an attack. However, with it's long half life time (about 4 hours) it can be used as a short time preventative. I take an Amerge at bed time, and it usually keeps the night time attacks away.

PFNADs
Ueli

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by rick on Aug 21^st, 2002, 2:21pm

Most definitely not suitable to abort an individual attack, it just takes to long to kick in. But be careful using it as a preventative. I took it 3 days in a row once, and was pain free on those 3 days. On day 4, I woke up with an attack that had me screaming and sent me to the E.R.. It was the single worst attack I ever had. Overuse of the triptans always made my attacks more frequent and more severe.

Peace,

-Rick

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by Jaybee on Aug 21^st, 2002, 7:30pm

I found that amerge did abort the day's pain, but left me groggy and unable to do anything except sleep the day away. Normally, my clusters are over by 9 or 10 in the morning, and I can do some work. I will use my remaining amerge if I get a kip 9 or 10, but I have only had about 6 headaches this summer at the 4-6 kip level. For the most part, I am sticking with my regimen of magnesium, b-vitamins, turmeric, ginger (and a time released melatonin before an early bedtime).

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by barbee on Aug 21^st, 2002, 11:45pm

;) ;) ;) ;)

Amerge worked for me like it did for Rick. Taken at bedtime assures you of a good night's sleep, without a ha, but a bit groggy the next morning. But, not more than 2 times in a row. Three is pushing it. So save it for when you really need sleep. Good luck!

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by Karla on Aug 22^nd, 2002, 8:35am

I tried amerge and found it did not abort my clusters frequently enough for me to bother taking it and it is as expensive as imitrix. I realize everyone is different and it may work for you. I highly recomend trying it. Hope it works for you.

Karla

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by Linda T on Aug 23^rd, 2002, 7:29pm

Dear Phil. I would take a 50mg tab of imitrex together with 1mg amerge when my first attack of the night hit (around 10p). Everyone above is right. Works really slow. I would just stand in a hot shower and wait until it was over.

Upside: I did skip my 2a hit and then still got my 6a hit. It did allow me to get a block of about 6 hours sleep per night.

Downside: I started to do this every night. I think the beast got pissed. My attacks started coming in the daytime (when they never did that before). Sometimes hits started and 10a and continued until 6p (45 min. ch 45 min break, 45 min ch, 45 min break, etc. ). I swear it was the amerge sending my ch's all over the place.

Do what you gotta do! I wish you all PFDAN always, Linda T

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by Ann on Aug 24^th, 2002, 9:19am

When I am in full cycle, I will get attakcs both day and night. By taking amerge before bedtime, it would allow me to sleep the whole night through. Trust me....sleeping the whole night through made it a lot easier dealing with the daytime attacks. I took amerge at bedtime for 2 months. I weened myself off of it by taking half doses for a few weeks. I would however get rebound headaches if I skipped a dose...Although it sucks as an abortative...I wouldn't be able to deal if I didn't take it as a preventative.
Hope this helps

hugs
Ann

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by barbee on Aug 24^th, 2002, 10:00am

???How did you get enough Amerge for nightly pills for two months? I'm allowed only 9 per month

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by Karla on Aug 26^th, 2002, 11:19am

I can have 6 every 3 days. I think that it is just different insurance policies/companies allowing different amounts.

Title: Re: Any input on Naratriptan (amerge)?
Post by gtar_man on Aug 26^th, 2002, 5:11pm

Well, it seemed to work much the same as Zomig for me - used it when the attacks started and definately aborted the attack, but made my chest hurt like crazy, since it's a vasoconstrictor. MY neuro (at the time) prescribed it in conjunction with Zyprexa which put me down for the count and major grogged me out in the morning. I try to stay away from both Zomig and Amerge since I'm 52 and don't think a heart attack is the answer I'm looking for. Yet, anyway.