So I started taking Celexa (Citalopram is the generic name) this spring in an attempt to get my migraines under control. It's an SSRI, and the doc said it just might help. Well.... it did. Made my migraines much less intense, although I still got them frequently, I could now tame them with pain meds. BIG help there!

Problem is.... now I'm in my CH cycle, and it has started off WAY worse than ever before BY FAR. I normally start off light, having only a few each week here and there (mostly at night) for the first month of my cycle or so. Not this time! It's been balls to the wall from the start. I'm getting hit CONSTANTLY, and the Celexa is the only thing I'm doing different this cycle than I have in the past.

Anyone else have similar experiences?? I talked to my doc about this, and I'm trying to taper off it now to see if that makes a difference, but it just seems odd that it would do this to me in the first place.

Just looking to compare notes with anyone who's had similar problems.

Thanx all, and PFDAN

Adam

SSRIs have been tried with cluster witout real success. You might explore the question at:
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE; good site by a Chicago area headache doc.

Bob Johnson wrote on Feb 7^th, 2009 at 9:39am:

SSRIs have been tried with cluster witout real success. You might explore the question at: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE; good site by a Chicago area headache doc.

I think the question is, is it a trigger for anyone else?

I'm on it, have been for about 4-5 years, if you count the time I was on Lexapro.

For me? It doesn't make my cycle worse. I had 1-2 weeks where I was vomiting almost nonstop, so I couldn't keep the Celexa down. I noticed no difference in my clusters when I was able to keep it down again.

You could always ask your doc to taper you off of it, to see if that is truly the cause. If it's not, or your migraines get worse, you could get back on it.

Mystina

Thanks for the input Mystina.  I'm currently tapering off the celexa, and it seems to have made a slight difference already (from 40mg/day down to 20mg/day so far).  Still have a few weeks of "tapering" to go, so I'm hoping it continues to improve.  

I was also given lidocaine to try a few ears ago.... After seeing the pic you posted last week, I now know why it didn't work for me!  ;)  I was just doing it all wrong!!!!  (LOVED that pic... priceless!! Thank you for sharing it!)

Best,
Adam

Hey Adam, I just wanted to see how you were doing?

My headache specialist wants me to try to see if going down from 80mg to 40mg will make a difference in my clusters. I'm pretty nervous about even trying it, but I figure I'll give it a go.

From what Ray mentioned in the thread, it works best if you tilt your head at a 45 degree angle to the effected side. It takes a while for all of the syrup to get in there for me. You can also combine it with the 02, too. :D

Anyways, PFDAN.
Mystina