I was started on amitriptyline in December - took it for one month only and weaned myself off. It was only 10 mg and it turned me into a total nutcase - full of anxiety, crying all the time, I couldn’t handle it. If it had a hand in getting rid of my severe migraine vertigo then it worked because now the vertigo is sporadic and not as intense.
My doctor suggested the next step would be Topamax - I heard it was one of the worst ones for personality changes. Right now I’m on nothing - just plugging away trying to treat my triggers naturally through diet, exercise, stress reduction, vitamins etc. I have migraine symptoms every day and so far only one or two days have been unbearable. The rest I’m managing.
I guess my question is through everyone’s experience on this board, is there a preventative med that is considered more tolerable? I know it’s different for every person but if I decide that I need to try another med, what would your suggestions be? My doctor is very quick to write Topamax and I kind of want to stay away from that one based on stories I’ve heard or should I?
I get atypical migraine - all the aura, numbness, tingling, strong phantom smells, tinnitus and pressure on back of head but not so much the headache. I usually get the vertigo right before I get the actual migraine. I was told beta blockers are not good for people with atypical/complicated migraines.
HI
It is so hard to say because it all boils down to your particular brain chemistry. From my perspective, I would say to try Celexa at a low dose and work up slowly. It is easier to tolerate than a lot of others. Amitriptyline affects both norepinephrine (stimulating) as well as lower amount of serotonin. So if you were getting tweaked out from the NE, the Celexa is strictly serotonin.
If neither of these work for you, it is probably a different system within your brain that needs balancing, and the next area to try would be either an anticonvulsant (Topamax etc…) or a mood stabilizer…like Lyrica and or/Neurontin. Neurontin has a pretty low side effect profile. Sometimes you even have to have more than one class of meds to really get a handle on things.
Good luck!
Kelley
I’ve had really good results (although it took time to kick in) on metoprolol (aka lopressor - a beta blocker) but this was via my GP so maybe she didn’t know they weren’t supposed to be good for atypical migraines?
Hi Tamsha,
I take propranolol (beta blocker) and pizotifen (but not sure where in the world you are, as it’s not available everywhere). I have no side effects at all from the propranolol, and nothing serious from the pizotifen either (although it has enhanced my appetite and I have put on some weight). So personally I’ve found both of these meds really easy to tolerate.
Kelley’s right - everyone is different. I have heard however a lot of people struggle with Topamax. I’m on Prothiaden which is really pretty easy to tolerate - just a week or so of settling in but nothing serious. The side effects for me are weight gain and lack of libido. Sigh.
I tried nortriptyline for one month and had a horribe time, terrible insomnia, very unusual reaction. I also tried Topamax but only lasted 3-4 days on that; it made my mind feel very weird, I just couldn’t think plus it gave me nausea.
I’m currently on Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker and except for constipation (ugh!!), I don’t have any side effects. I’ve been on it for about 3 months.
unless you’re Scott of course when it will turn you into a space alien
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:lol: So true, so true.
Vic – just reading the words on the label sends me off. Topamax. Damn, I’m dizzy again.
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Scott, I have the answer. Go to Officeworks and get a bunch of stickly labels made up which say VALIUM, on a backdrop of a calm blue ocean and with smiley faces all around. Affix that label to EVERY med you have.
Alternatively, stick it in ball of bocconcini :lol:
I have the same problem as Scott so dont know how I will get on with the prothiaden again. Years ago, I could tolerate it so thought I would give it a go.
Probably get a good nights sleep and wake with migraine, thats what is happening lately. Anything that makes me sleep, I wake with migraine, so its either no sleep (3 hrs if I am lucky) and feeling dizzy and like a zombie all day, or sleep and migraine
Christine,
Have you tried any of the following?
Benadryl?
Phenergan?
Remeron?
Trazodone?
I am trying to figure out if it’s the histamine or the serotonin that has you messed up with these meds…Have you tried Melatonin? And also Tart Cherry juice is supposed to work too…it makes the body produce more melatonin or something like that. Try to google it. No sleep is a big trigger for me…for MAV and mostly for mood…I get so depressed and anxious when I don’t sleep. Luckily, I have been okay for a while now, but looking back at those days makes me cringe.
Kelley
I have found the stuff with anti histamine helps but knocks me out for only 4 hours and I wake with migraine. I have some of the baby Benedryl to try.At the side of me I have 5 HTP, L tryptophan, Sleepeaze herbal, Nytol, Sominex (havent tried the Sominex yet (Promethazine) as bit scared that it says dont give to babies under two or they can stop breathing, as I get palpitations at night. I remember taking Trazadone in the past (cant remember the effect). Melatonin didnt work. Amitryptiline works but the SSRIs give me instant migraine and dont help the sleep. I tried the cherry juice (no effect).
Havent tried the Phenergan or Remeron (will look these up). What worked for you? This mostly started when my hormones dropped. When I tried Progesterone 200 mg a night a few months ago I slept well again. I am trying just 100 mg at night at the moment, but it doesnt seem to be working this time.
Everyone is different of course and you have to take what you hear with a grain of salt so to speak.I am curious, however, to know more about these “personality changes” that you mention with Topamax. Haven’t heard much about that with all the other side effects that people have experienced. Can anyone here comment on this? (I ask because I am on it!) Thanks.
Christine,
My experience on Remeron was awesome…i slept great and my anxiety went to nill…then after about 6 weeks, it stopped and I was unable to take more. As you go up in dose, you lose more of the sleepiness and get more NE…so that didn’t work for me. But I was only taking 5mg at night and it was great. My sister just starting getting panic attacks and anxiety and asked her Doc to put her on it and she says she feels like she’ s on the beach in Mexico drinking a Pina Colada…she hasn’t felt so good and relaxed in forever. She is also fighting for her life waiting for a lung transplant, so for her to say that says something! She takes 15mg which is the usual starting dose.
Promethazine is great for me with no side effects except for sleeping incredibly well…my husband keeps sneaking into my supply as he loves the sleep he gets on it too…and he doesn’t have any trouble sleeping, but it’s just a different sleep. You wake so rested. For me, the best thing of all is the dizziness is gone. But it doesn’t work linear for me…I have to stop it every 10 days, take a 2 days break and it seems to reboot the break. It could be how I metabolize it…I don’t know, but I"m on my 2 day break now and I usually get really sad because I don’t feel near as well…my doctor wants me to try Abilify…so that might be an option.
BTW, I tried Progesterone too as my levels were really low and I didn’t notice anything except it messed up my period and I was getting it very sporatically…so I stopped it…no MAV affect one way or the other…
Kelley
Hi bcrelief - I’ve been taking topamax successfully for almost 3 months now and for the most part can say that it’s made me feel more normal and more like my old self. However, at certain doses for certain people it can cause everything from depression, agitation, suicidal ideation, aggression, etc. If I take the a full 60mg per day for several days I begin to feel a bit very cold/flat/negative/depressed-ish. But thankfully I’ve been able to maintain mostly at 45mg. in split doses during the day while working with food triggers as well. As always, the meds affect everyone differently. And, they can turn on you later on and either seem to stop working or side effects can surface that you did not feel before. That’s why there’s so much time spent on this forum discussing meds. It’s really a bit of a crapshoot.
Gail : )
Thanks for the response. I already knew most of that - have been on this site a while and research meds out the wazoo for my own treatment, lol - but thought maybe there was something more specific regarding personality changes. I’m on Topamax 75 mg and the only thing related that I noticed was that I have more of a short temper/agitation. I think, however, this has gotten a little better the longer I have been on it (over a year now?) Overall I have to say that with all the side effects, I can tolerate it at this level, for it has helped me greatly (I had to come down from 100 mg). I also take klonopin at a very low dose, btw
Best, Bonnie
Sounds like you are getting a good result from the promethazine so I think I should give that one a go. Is this all you are on now? Does that keep the MAV away?
The Remeron also sounds good.
I am so sorry to hear about your sister, I hope she gets some good news soon, also that must be adding to your stress. I am so glad the Remeron is helping her.
I did take 100 mg progesterone for the second day, last night and it actually worked this time, I slept a lot, did wake after 3 hrs got out of bed and nearly fell over, dizzy but not vertigo, another couple of hrs and was OK, then caught up on some much needed sleep. The progesterone cream didnt work at all, it has to be the gel caps.
i have been great on Nortrytiline…got to 40 mgs and am really well. No side effects.
I have been lucky.
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Hi Penny – this is really great news. Is it premature to call this a success story yet? If it is, it would be wonderful if you could write a pargraph for the Success Stories thread about what you did to get well again. It’s always such a plus to hear about somebody who has beaten this junk.
