Tried searching the message board about this, but came up blank, so now I ask:

What's a good, cheap, reliable source outside the USA for online ordering of imitrex (or generic equivalent) injections, no prescription required?

I know there at least used to be such etailers out there, in fact I got some imitrex (imigran) from one in Brazil I think 7+ years ago.

I just wish I still lived close to Mexico where imigran is not prescription, and could be obtained quickly and cheaply by walking across the border to any one of the plentiful pharmacias.

I'm just trying to be prepared in case my situation becomes particularly desperate, what with so many hits per day now, limited imitrex prescription and insurance coverage, hi flow rate O2 not always working, preventative not working, over the counter stuff like Red Bull, melatonin completely ineffective.

If there is some kind of taboo on this board about recommending such sources of relief (hopefully not, that'd be pretty twisted IMO), I'd appreciate any PMs!

bejeeber wrote on Sep 6^th, 2009 at 8:07pm:

I'm just trying to be prepared in case my situation becomes particularly desperate, what with so many hits per day now, limited imitrex prescription and insurance coverage, hi flow rate O2 not always working, preventative not working, over the counter stuff like Red Bull, melatonin completely ineffective.

bejeeber, hows your cycle treating you? This description above isn't you right now is it?

Well the part of that that isn't me right now is that I have enough imitrex right now to last me maybe a week or so at this rate (4 half dose injections per day, taken when O2 fails).

Also, I've been on Neurontin almost 2 weeks now. I was on it during my last cycle and it shut my CH down cold when it kicked in after 2 weeks. That's actually why I had some extra imitrex laying about - I suddenly stopped needing it at all last time. Wouldn't it be swell if it worked the same way this time?  :) Wouldn't I be a naive fool to assume that will be the case though, since this beast is so notorious for changing tactics just when you think you got it whipped?  :o

So I'm realizing that I better get a contingency plan in place toot sweet, because this bugger is raging almost outa control, getting to 10 + hits a day, and they're not all going quietly.  :D

Canadian/Other Country/U.S. Pharmacy info
(Posted 9/1/05) 

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This info from CONSUMER REPORTS, 10/05:

Source of info about online pharmacies with a similar review process plus price information:

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Don't buy from Asia; recent stings have found 40% of meds being sold in some areas are conterfeit.

Okayyy hope is fading rapidly here due to reality check.

I guess when a pharmacist mentioned to me last year that a generic, cheaper sumatriptan was coming out, I believed the part about cheaper.

Not only is it very difficult for me so far to find injections online, when I do they are $184 for 1 or 2 for the generic. Nice.  :(

If you can't afford your Imitrex you may be eligible to receive it free From Glaxo Smith Kline the makers of Imitrex.

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Check into it.

Your doctor may have lower dose shot packs of Imitrex he can give you as well.

bejeeber wrote on Sep 7^th, 2009 at 2:44pm:

Okayyy hope is fading rapidly here due to reality check. I guess when a pharmacist mentioned to me last year that a generic, cheaper sumatriptan was coming out, I believed the part about cheaper. Not only is it very difficult for me so far to find injections online, when I do they are $184 for 1 or 2 for the generic. Nice.  :(

Hey Bejeeber,

Might want to look into other abortives man....i'm seeing if I can get this Zyprexa in my life tomorrow......I just need another abortive besides imitrex when i'm at work......u know....O2 is what I use at home, and trex so far is the only thing I have when away from home......another alternative abortive is just what might reduce the need for Imitrex so much....

Headache 2001 Sep;41(8):813-6 

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.

Rozen TD.

Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. THE INITIAL OLANZAPINE DOSE WAS 5 MG, AND THE DOSE WAS INCREASED TO 10 MG IF THERE WAS NO PAIN RELIEF. THE DOSAGE WAS DECREASED TO 2.5 MG IF THE 5-MG DOSE WAS EFFECTIVE BUT CAUSED ADVERSE EFFECTS. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and two patients became headache-free after taking the drug. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. IT ALLEVIATES PAIN QUICKLY AND HAS A CONSISTENT RESPONSE ACROSS MULTIPLE TREATED ATTACKS. IT APPEARS TO WORK IN BOTH EPISODIC AND CHRONIC CLUSTER HEADACHE.

PMID 11576207 PubMed

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Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.

Hi Bejeebers,

A few years ago I was taking the triptans I had hoarded over the year....I made sure I filled every months worth of my Rxs just so I would have enough when my cycle came around....The problem is I started getting my usual hits....2-5 per night and then as I kept taking them the hits came much more often...day and night and I got a real heaviness in my chest around my heart....My G.P. had me go to the Cardiologist to make sure I was ok there....I was.....BUT....the hits just got worse and worse....Then I had found the article somewhere Dr. Goadsby seemed think that the same meds we take for the clusters seems to be possibly causing episodics to become chronic...and that they could cause rebounds.....I stopped the triptan I was taking cold....and went to plain O2 to abort the HAs.....Not easy....but I did survive that cycle and that is the reason I try try try NOT to use triptans anymore if at all possible....It works so well to begin with....that you get hooked on using it for every HA....and bam....you get hit after hit after hit.....well...at least I did....since I really can only speak for myself ....but I would say...be careful my friend with the triptans...

I am thinking about asking for the Zyprexa myself....However I want to remember that O2 aught to be my first line of defense before I start with meds that screw up my body in other ways.

Praying for your cycle to break soon brother....I appreciate all your posts here.  You are a blessing.

Karen

godsjoy777 wrote on Sep 8^th, 2009 at 8:47pm:

....Dr. Goadsby seemed think that the same meds we take for the clusters seems to be possibly causing episodics to become chronic...

Whoa - that part gets my attention big time. Sobering indeed.

I do know that I've been using the imitrex since it first came out - what was that, around '93 or so? 15 years ago? Anyway I've been lucky SO FAR that my cycles have continued to spread farther and really way farther apart.

My greatest hope this time actually is that the darn Neurontin I'm on here will finally kick in like it did last time as shut the CH down, goodbye triptans.

Thanks Karen  - here's hoping the O2/Zyprexa does the trick for you and covers you 100%, and thanks to you too,  Lawrence, Bob - I do believe I may ask the new neurologist I'm going to this week about that nutty Zyprexa.  :)

sumatriptan 4.50 a dose
Today at 2:11am      I am an episodic. So I don't come here all that often. My last episode was spring of 2008. I didn't as I don't now have insurance. so as many of you know sumatriptan can be expensive. I went to the internet and let my fingers do the walking. I found an online pharmacy

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with out prescription that sells sumatriptan nasal in a 10 dose applicator for 45.00.
I was skeptical to be sure and one must be careful of the applicator (sometimes I don't feel I get a proper dose, and of course you don't want to do it again and get to much), but I took a chance and it works for me. I'm not telling you to take a chance like I did. I am just telling you what works for me.
Guido

Guido your fingers walk much better on the internet than my do - I searched but didn't didn't find that site, Thanks for the link!

I see they're based in Vanuatu, an island chain that in my apparently horrific geographical ignorance, I didn't even know existed.

I wonder if the meds actually ship from there, or if that's just the business address.

Can I ask how long it took for you to receive your nasal imitrex? I see on the site it says 7 to 14 days.

Their $35 price for suminat (imitrex) injections is soooo much cheaper than I've seen anywhere else.  :)

I got it last year so that means I have had a year to forget. I don't recall it taking long at all. what I did cause I was so skeptical the first time was call the 800#. There was this nice sounding British lady on the other end. I felt a little bit better. Now last night (of course after I posted) by clicking home and searching this site it seems the nasal (i simply can't afford the injections) unavailable, but the page still comes up with that addy. I did however find two other sites today that might be hopefully helpful.

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and

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I hope these are helpful to you.
Guido

bejeeber,

Pick up a bottle of calcium citrate with vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc.  It sounds like you're at the low end of the pH range with high acidity...  When that happens to me, I've found the cluster headache triggering mechanism becomes hyper effective... and the number of attacks a day spikes!

The mineral supplement tablets (3-4 a day) will act as a buffer and raise your blood pH back to the neutral range...  That should cut the frequency of your attacks and make the oxygen therapy more effective.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Interesting - I have been taking magnesium chelate before bed lately, something I do when the old midnight charlie horse leg cramps come to town and rudely let me know I'm magnesium deficient. Or is it just high acidity? Hmmmm...interesting.

This place  START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE also has the injections for cheaper than you can get here.  You can get a 6 pack for what it costs for 1 here.  WOW   :o

JustNotRight wrote on Sep 9^th, 2009 at 6:18pm:

This place  START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE also has the injections for cheaper than you can get here.  You can get a 6 pack for what it costs for 1 here.  WOW   :o

Hey Ginger, can you buy this stuff on here with no prescription? :-?

Well I ordered some $35 per injection imitrex generic from 'em yesterday with no prescription (even though I do actually have a prescription), so since Ginger is totally ignoring you  :D ;D, I think I can answer "yes" to your question Lawrence.

bejeeber wrote on Sep 11^th, 2009 at 2:44pm:

Well I ordered some $35 per injection imitrex generic from 'em yesterday with no prescription (even though I do actually have a prescription), so since Ginger is totally ignoring you  :D ;D, I think I can answer "yes" to your question Lawrence.

hey jeeb
You ordered the one manufactured in India?
The generic injectable I usually get is the one Manufactured by GlaxosmithKline....looks like they're out of stock on that one right now....

but even then....my generic is cased in a different box than the one they're showing....

well if u can buy these with no script that might come in handy when you run low and your insurance comp wants to tell you how much YOU need for 30 days..... :D

Oh..uh yeah I bought the Suminat.

I guess that's the Indian one? Looks like I coulda researched what I was actually buying a little better there!  :o

Now I suppose I better try'n find out what's the difference in quality between Indian and Glaxo made. Has anyone here looked into it or tried the suminat?

Dumb question:

You folks are tossing around links to buy meds from unconventional places.

Just curious.......

Have any of you actually invested/injected medications from these places?

Marc

I've successfully ordered and used imigran from Brazil in the past, and Guido says in the post above that he used the nasal imitrex from this site with success.

Personally, I'd much rather have affordable imitrex available locally and not have to be messing with unknown sources, but to paraphrase: If you know what a true K10 is, and Hi flow O2 isn't always working for you, you will let nothing stop you from getting your imitrex injections. Nothing!  8-)

Fair enough.

As a 13 year chronic, I've spent serious time walking in those shoes. I just tend to cringe at heavy Imitrex use because while it kills every hit, but can cause more hits to come. Again and again and......

Vicious cycle for many of us.

I wish you enough.

Marc

I have to agree about the potential downsides of imitrex, and  as an admittedly lucky episodic, I consider it a last resort stop gap, when other abortives aren't working, and while still in vigilant pursuit of an effective preventative.

In that particular scenario it has been a godsend (albeit an EXPENSIVE one) for me in the past. I'll report at the end of this episode whether the lucky streak continueth.  :)

Lawrence wrote on Sep 11^th, 2009 at 1:38pm:

JustNotRight wrote on Sep 9th, 2009 at 6:18pm: This place  START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE also has the injections for cheaper than you can get here.  You can get a 6 pack for what it costs for 1 here.  WOW   :o Hey Ginger, can you buy this stuff on here with no prescription? :-?

As far as the site says Yes you can buy it without a prescription.

I haven't purchased it from there, no need to at this time, but it's definitely worth bookmarking it.  <Edit>If you're willing to risk ordering it from outside the Country, if that's even legal.

And No I wasn't ignoring you just haven't been on much or seen your message until now that is.
;)

Bejeeber,   Please check your PM's

    Linda

FWIW, regarding the Suminat orderable on the site that Guido found, I ran across this comparison of Suminat and Imigran:

A bioequivalence study of two brands of sumatriptan tablets

P. Usha Rani, M. U. R. Naidu, T. Ramesh Kumar, J. C. Shobha, T. Vijay, K. Ravi Sekhar and E. Chandra Sekhar

Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, India


Received 13 May 1996.  Available online 10 October 2001.
Abstract

In this double-masked, randomized, crossover, bioequivalence study, two 100-mg tablet preparations of sumatriptan (Suminat® and Imigran®) were compared in 12 healthy male subjects (mean ± SD age, 25 ± 6 years). Pharmacokinetic variables—mean maximum plasma concentration, time to reach mean maximum plasma concentration, and the mean area under the plasma concentration-time curve—were not statistically significantly different for the two treatment groups. Vital variables, such as blood pressure and heart rate, also did not show any significant between-group differences. Statistical analysis revealed no difference in the two formulations. In can be concluded that the two tablet preparations of sumatriptan are likely to be bioequivalent.

Ginger, thank you for the link to GSK for their help with trex supplies. I lost my job last May and have been unemployed and uninsured since. Got a script and some med money from my mom so went to the pharmac and thought i could get some trex for a couple hundred bucks. Boy was I wrong! 4 doses (8mg which i planned to split up) came to $787! There's no way I could afford that.
Rush Limbaugh always talks about how most people could afford to self insure. Obviously he's coming from a different perspective than most people.
Thanks for the link. I'm making the call tomorrow.