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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Sumatriptan Can you O.D.? (Imigran etc)
        
(Message started by: calebgg on Jan 5^th, 2005, 8:12am)

Title: Sumatriptan Can you O.D.? (Imigran etc)
Post by calebgg on Jan 5^th, 2005, 8:12am

I have been advised by my doctor not to take more than two injections per day. (6mg of sumitriptan/0.5 ml). But when you're having more than two attacks a day, it is very tempting to take another one (if you can afford it...). I have managed to resist on my third attack per day, except for once - when I had my fifth attack of the day (it was the first time that I had ever had more than four attacks in one day).
I didn't have any negative side effects (as far as I know). But can you overdose? What happens if you do?
--calebgg

Title: Re: Sumatriptan Can you O.D.? (Imigran etc)
Post by unsolved1 on Jan 5^th, 2005, 8:46am

yes. Too much can cause you to have a heart attack / stroke.

Unsolved

PS. I've done 36 mg in 1 day before.

Are you taking full doses and have you tried using smaller doses ?

Title: Re: Sumatriptan Can you O.D.? (Imigran etc)
Post by Bob_Johnson on Jan 5^th, 2005, 4:29pm

This report is the only thing I can find at the moment. There has been at least one report posted here about episodic cluster folks using multiple doses per day without ill effect.

Headache. 2004 Feb;44(2):178-82.

Frequent triptan use: observations on safety issues.

Robbins L.

Department of Neurology, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill. 60062, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the safety of frequent triptan use over extended periods. For a small group of patients with refractory migraine plus chronic daily headache, triptans are effective. METHODS: This retrospective study primarily evaluated the cardiac safety of daily triptan use in 118 patients and, in addition, hematologic tests were assessed. Each patient had utilized a triptan for a minimum of 4 days per week for at least 6 months. Patients with rebound headache had been withdrawn from the triptans. Most patients (97 of 118) averaged 1 tablet daily; most would occasionally go for several days without a triptan. Forty patients had taken a triptan for 6 months to 2 years, 37 patients from 2 to 4 years, and 41 for 4 or more years. RESULTS: Routine hematologic tests were performed periodically on all patients, and no abnormalities were attributable to triptans. Almost all patients had an electrocardiogram, and no abnormal electrocardiograms were felt to be related to triptans. Cardiac echocardiography was performed in 57 patients. The 10 abnormal echocardiograms were not due to triptans. All 20 cardiac stress tests revealed normal findings. Adverse events were minimal; 9 patients described fatigue due to triptans, and 5 had mild chest tightness. CONCLUSION: This long-term study of 118 patients indicates that frequent triptan use may be relatively safe.

PMID: 14756859 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Title: Re: Sumatriptan Can you O.D.? (Imigran etc)
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Jan 5^th, 2005, 8:04pm

Going beyond 12mg/day can lead to problems like stroke or heart attack. You only need to think about how it makes your blood vessels constrict to understand why that could happen.

Many people here get good HA relief from 2-3 mg per injection. If you can't get a script for multidose vials to try this, you might try the Imitrex tip on the left side of this board.

Using this method, if you only take 1/3 of a dose each time, you can cure 6 HA's a day - if you take 1/2 of a dose, you can cure 4 a day - and you're still under the daily limit of 12mg.

Good luck!

Kris

Title: Re: Sumatriptan Can you O.D.? (Imigran etc)
Post by calebgg on Jan 6^th, 2005, 3:34am

Thanks for all your posts, I appreciate it. I have been using full doses... didn't realize you could take smaller doses, until I saw the picture of the q-tip method. I will try... thanks.

Title: Re: Sumatriptan Can you O.D.? (Imigran etc)
Post by heprat on Jan 6^th, 2005, 12:15pm

I highly recommend using O2 instead of the Trex and only using the trex when the O2 doesn't work. Much cheaper with zero negative effects and no concerns with OD. I've had nights with 5-6 attacks and if I was depending on the trex would have gone out of my mind.

The trex is convenient and effective but (and this is based soley on my personal experience - your mileage may vary) can lead to longer cycles, more attacks, nasty shadows, and ugly arguments with insurance companies.

Do yourself a favor and check out O2.