Do you suffer from migraine

[diggernotdreamer]

I have been getting migraines for about 7 years now, since a breakdown of my health which I am now overcoming with the help of daily anti viral drugs. The virus affects the nerves in my spine, but since taking the drugs for 6 months ,touch wood have had no recurrence in that time. At my six monthly appointment with the neurologist, he asked me how my migraines were and I told him they were occurring on a weekly basis and I took imigran to control them, I get two on prescription and get the rest over the counter which you can't do in the South of Ireland, but you can in the North. He was a bit horrified and said that was too many migraines to get and taking imigran once a week not a good idea. He has now put me onto 10mg amitriptyline daily as it has been found to be helpful with migraine and neuropathic pain. Has anyone else any experience of these kind of migraines or been put onto this medication, it really bothers me that this was used in the past as an anti depressant.

[Jandra]

I wouldn't worry. A normal dosage for antidepressant purpose starts at 75 mg a day up to 300 mg(per a site on internet, I am no expert). So that's quite a bit more.

Use for neuropatic pain etc ususally is around 5-25 mg a day , mostly just 10 mg. I've had this dosage for fibromyalgia, but it didn't bring me so much so I stopped using it.

This should give you no/negligible side effects. I'd worry more about the other medication you've already been taking so often. I can imagine you want to be careful, but Sometimes it is taking the lesser of two bad things.

[diggernotdreamer]

Thanks for your response Jandra. I have only taken two of these tablets and something a bit odd has happened, I have no neck or lower back pain, which is a first for me, usually I am locked up in the morning and it takes me some time stretching and moving before I am unlocked, there are a few other subtle nerve related problems which seem to be better, I wouldn't have thought two tablets would have done this but if this is a result of this drug I will keep taking them

[Ellendra]

I had recurring migraines when I was a teenager, got them almost every day. It turns out that my neck had gotten slightly out of alignment during a horseback riding accident, and the act of looking down at a textbook to read was triggering these migraines. Fortunately a chiropractor was able to fix it.

[Jandra]

Good to hear that the tablets seem to be doing something positive for you, even if unexpected. Now to see for a couple of weeks whether it also keeps the migraine away.

[matowakan]

Hello,
I am on 80mg of amitryptaline per day,also epilim and pro-panalol. This is all to prevent migraine aura and migraine. I also take on a ad hock basis when I first get the aura - amalgran.
I am waiting to see a neurologist in Feb but have been on this dosage of meds for about 14 months.
I still get the aura but cant tie it down to a pattern or trigger. I don't have dairy,coffee, chocolate, alcohol or artificial sweetener and havnt done for about 12 years or more since I saw a food allergy man.
I do sleep very well at night!!!But have not noticed any real adverse effects apart from the fact that my appetite has increased and I have put on 2 stone in the last year.
However also worth mentioning that i have M.E. and other related medical probs but dont know if this causes the migraine aura or not!!
I am happy to help with any questions about amitryptaline as I have been on and off it for the last 12 years.

[diggernotdreamer]

Blimey, you are on a big dose, makes my 10mg of amitryptaline look tiny. I think it is having some kind of effect, I haven't felt migrainey for some days now, usually I get one over with and I can feel another one starting soon after. I have noticed that my urine is a bit darker than normal, my sleep patterns haven't changed yet but the Neuro doctor said they would take abouth three weeks to really take effect. Did you start on a low dose and have been moved onto a higher one, I did wonder if that might be the case if I start low, thanks for your reply, people don't realise how debilitating this can be and some think it is just a 'headache' !!!

[matowakan]

It always makes me laugh when some people say they have a migraine when all they have is a bad headache!!
I started on 20mg a day then went up to 40 and now 80. I take 2 pills in the morning with one epilim,2 at lunchtime and then 4 at night with another epilim and a propanalol. Although I still get the aura I don't get the headache ,the sickness I feel is the sideeffect from the amalgran which I take when I first get the aura. I find that if I can sleep straight away for an hour or so I can just about cope with the rest of the day.However I have noticed that I am feeling increasingly worse after taking one over the last few months. I see the neurologist in Feb so it will be interesting to see what he says.
I find that I sleep for at least 10 hours a night.But that could be due to winter time and the ME. In summer I manage on 8 with no problem but seem to hibernate in winter!!

[marshlander]

I had recurring migraines when I was a teenager, got them almost every day. It turns out that my neck had gotten slightly out of alignment during a horseback riding accident, and the act of looking down at a textbook to read was triggering these migraines. Fortunately a chiropractor was able to fix it.

I too suffered dreadful migraines 2 or 3 times a month from early teens to late twenties. Violently sick, flashing lights, headaches like an axe through the side of my skull - out of it in bed for days. Shortly after I met husband to be, he persuaded me to try chiropractor and although not an instant cure, the frequency reduced immediately. I can't remember exactly when they more or less stopped altogether. Certainly at least 10 years since the last.
Chiropractor said that my neck was out of alignment due to a diving accident.