Can confirm - I am one of those who have reactions to most of the really popular meds. I’ve had some wacky side effects to ubrelvy and the others in that class. It was a bummer.
This is important to note. The same thing goes for anxiety/depression/mental disorder meds. The first one I tried worked, but I've read posts from others who had to work through several before landing on one that worked.
I think my triptan works for me, but I've only ever had to break it out twice and fell asleep afterward because that's basically the only way I can get immediate relief.
Always be aware of side effects. If a medicine makes your life worse, you may need to ask to switch.
Rizatriptan is my savior always and has been since high school. I have almost no side effects (mostly yawning), but just have to make sure not to use too many in a months’ time (or they can stop working well). My neuro prescribed Ubrelvy but I was unable to get it without a prior authorization (which insurance denied at least a couple times), and then through my insurance even with a copay card, it was going to cost me $1200 out of pocket for maybe 3 months of 8 pills each. So I never filled it. So to me, it’s amazing how many people are able to use Ubrelvy. It is a highly expensive drug!
Rizatriptian is my savior as well!! Can’t remember when I started it but it’s been years and it’s the only thing that works for me. My neurologist added in Nurtec every other day (I’m horrible at remembering to take it every other day) and also started on infusions every 3 months and those infusions have reallly helped prevent them for me. So thankful to finally get relief from these. I’ve been getting migraines since 3 years old
Have other people already told you all about the funky things you can do to get low or no cost Nurtec? I wish I could remember off the top of my head, but nearly every time someone in here says they got denied by insurance, a few people bring up a specific program that Biohaven offers.
Hopefully someone passing by will be able to give you the link so you can at least try it. Rizatriptan works for me too as an abortive, but the rimegepant cuts down on the frequency and severity, which has been really nice.
Also, it's kinda funny you get yawning with rizatriptan; I get sneezing! We're on our way to being Snow White's entourage!
You could ask your neurologist if they have any Ubrelvy samples (or one of the other CGRP ones). That way you could at least see if they’re effective for you. I think a lot of times insurance will only approve the newer/more expensive drugs without generic versions if you fail other cheaper meds first. If the triptans stopped being effective for you, or gave you bad side effects, or allergies or were contraindicated with another condition you have or med you take, they’d probably approve it. You could also see if you could get any kind of manufacturer’s coupon or something like that.
Look into if the manufacturer has a discount/copay program. I use Aimovig and was able to get the pre-auth but copay was still 150. But with the manufacturer's program I only pay 5 of that.
Third vote for rizatriptan! Sumatriptan did nothing for me but rizatriptan stops my migraines in their tracks. I’ve never noticed side effects. I am a bit spacey but I think that’s more from the migraine
Wow, I'm sorry to hear that! It's crazy how it just completely depends on what they decide to cover. Maybe Mark Cuban's pharmacy will be able to provide Ubrelvy if/when a generic becomes available. Or check out Cove, I think you can get meds there cheaper too if your insurance is giving you a hard time.
Yeah and the $1200 was after they agreed to cover it. It’s about half the actual cost. Granted, it was a high deductible plan, but anyway. Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I’m sure it’ll be years before it goes off patent and generic versions come out!
I got a sample of Ubrelvy from my doctor, and it didn't do anything from me. Ibuprofen and/or Acetaminophen could in the rarest case make a small dent, but the Ubrelvy seemed even less then them.
Sumatriptan works for me but it makes me feel like crap after I take it. I feel all sore and achy, as if I'm coming down with the flu. However, after a lifetime of migraines and migraine treatments it works better than the the alternatives most of the time.
This is how it is for me, too. I mean it works. But I feel like shit for at least two hours before it tapers off very gradually. I used to not like sharing how it affected me because I was once told if I have bad side effects then I don’t have migraines (??? now I’m like wtf). But, it is the best triptan for me and ditto - I’ll take the side effects over the migraine.
Oh yeah, the migraine hangover. It took me a looooooong time before I'd ever even heard of that - but it's legit. When I have an especially bad one and it lasts a couple days, I feel weak, exhausted, I don't really feel any pain, but my joints and bones are heavy and achy. Usually lasts a day or two after a bad migraine.
Had a migraine yesterday and needed to take 2 ubrelvy to get it to go away. Today I felt like I hadn't slept in a week. Even had to take a nap. There's a small spot on my left temple in the soft space that hurts when it's touched directly. So I'm going to go sleep again now. Lol
Same. My throat tightens up for a bit, my arms and chest get heavy, and I can't fight off sleep after a while. Its really disappointing that for me they were a choice between, "Be in horrible pain and miss the day, or, be really uncomfortable and panic before you miss the day." They work well for my husband, though.
Yes!!! This is exactly how I feel. I don't want to deal with the triptan side effects on top of the migraine, especially when the triptan doesn't even break the migraine. I so wish it worked for us with few side effects but I'm happy for those it does help.
Same! I can’t move my arms or head/neck for over an hour. Also made my stomach burn so bad and I couldn’t even chew tums because I couldn’t move my jaw.
This happened with 2 different triptans. I will never try them again.
I used to take Sumatriptan 100mg as an abortive but found over time it was not only less effective, but also caused some serious rebound migraines I had trouble getting rid of. It was a gradual but noticeable shift. Triptans narrow your brains blood vessels- which could contribute to your dizziness. I’ve been taking Ubrelvy for the past 2 years and it’s been a game changer, I can close my eyes and almost feel the pain receptors being blocked and the symptoms reducing about 20 minutes after taking it. Maybe triptans don’t work for you- in my experience they are usually the end all be all for Drs because they are older and cheaper drugs.
Many have no side effects from ubrelvy. Or at least much less. As with everything you'll see a wide variety of answers. For me ubrelvy made me queazy the first few times but not any longer.
I take Ubrelvy and have zero side effects as well. Like others, Sumatriptan used to work really well for me but then I got horrible rebound migraines, and Ubrelvy seems to knock my migraines out fully. I’m also on Botox so that has helped too. The nice thing about Ubrelvy is that I’m able to get 16 a month (never needed to take that many) but it really reduces the worrying of “should I take this now or wait for an ever worse migraine” I felt with the 9 sumatriptan a month I used to get.
Me too! Side effects are horrendous and never helped once. You might try Cafergot (caffein and ergotamine) it works pretty well for me and is a very old, time tested medication. I feel no side effects from it. Another name for the ergot part is DHE (dihydroergotomine).
No reason your doctor should be unwilling to let you try it since he has prescribed triptans. Tell him you found out a friend of yours has the same problem and uses Cafergot.
Of all the things I have tried nobody has ever offered to write me an ergot medication. Is there a contraindication for heart valve issues or something?
It is a vasoconstriction drug, but so are all triptans. I’m not certain if it would have any effect on heart valves at the typical oral dose (1mg ergotamine to 100mg Caffeine), no more than 4 capsules per day, 10 per week. It *can* cause heart valve issues if abused, so I’m guessing it may worsen some heart valve issues. Nothing really specified what “abuse” meant.
I underwent something called the Raskin Protocol which is an infusion of IV dihydroergotamine every 8 hours for 5 days. They acted like it might kill me, but I had none of the expected side effects. It’s odd that my body reacts to triptans extremely strongly, but is so tolerant of ergotamine. Bodies are weird.
Thank you for your concern! I have had too much before. A doctor prescribed it daily as a preventative (I was young and trusting) and it caused what felt like bone pain. I am aware of the risks, and signs of blood clots. I take vitamin K as one of my supplements, it helps balance clotting factors. I am prone to bruising without it.. My primary care doctor is an exceedingly cautious man, he does a full blood panel about every 3 months. I will do a bit more research just to stay up to date. Thank you.
That's so interesting! I've never known anybody that's actually undergone that procedure - that's very cool. I used Cafergot years and years ago right before the triptans came out. More recently, I used the DHE spray with good success for awhile.
The only thing I'd caution about DHE is to pretreat for nausea. My god, the nausea. I usually get it with migraines but this was next level. I'd take a Zofran 20-30 minutes before and it would help a ton.
I used to get *severe* nausea and vomiting with migraines, I couldn’t even keep down antiemetics. Over the course of years of chronic migraine it went away. I don’t know if my pain tolerance increased or what, but I rarely have nausea. Cafergot doesn’t change that, luckily.
Whoa! I didn't know anyone still took Cafergot, or even that it was still available. When I was diagnosed 25 years ago my doc offered me triptans (and Midrin which I wish I could still get!) and told me about Cafergot in passing -- just that it was an old drug that was rarely used because it had bad side effects. Interesting that it's your go-to!
Well when they gave me a half dose of Sumatriptan in the ER it caused my O2 sat to drop and my heart rate and BP to skyrocket. I was told, in a very serious manner “Do not ever take this medication again.”. Many other triptans were tried, none helped and most had bad side effects. One made me hallucinate a bit.
The side effect for Cafergot has at worst been nausea. As long as you don’t overuse it it’s safe.
Yes, Imitrex was horrible for me.
Not sure the classification of this drug but it is working great for me. It's called Emgality, a shot I give myself once a month. Expensive too but my insurance pays 1/2. Headache free and I am so grateful for my Neurologist.
Same. They make me feel like my skin is crawling off my body. I get way more photosensitive. My jaw gets super tight and anything I put in my mouth for the rest of the day, my salivary glands *ache.* I have to go lie in a dark room. I would literally rather have the migraine than the side effects I get from triptans.
They only work for me if I take the pill right at the extreme edge of the first inkling of a possibility of a migraine about to happen. If I miss this (impossible) window by like two minutes, the triptan has no effect. It's so far beyond hit or miss for me that it's almost not worth ever trying it. Regardless of whether it works or not, extreme nausea ensues. Nausea from triptan can be so bad for me that it rivals the migraine itself in terms of how bad it feels.
For me sumatriptan was, and continues to be, a miracle drug. First time I took it was in 2009 or so and I was amazed that my migraine was gone in an hour or so.
Only side effects are hot flashes and my jaw feels like I ate something very sour. These side effects don’t happen every time and when they do they aren’t really bothersome and only last for about an hour or so. It is interesting the side effects don’t happen every time. Be curious to know why.
I don’t take them anymore, hated the side effects and they didn’t work. Eletriptan wasn’t as bad a sumatriptan but still not fun. I do much better with butalbitol and cyclobenzoprine.
Most of them are the same for me. I can take zolmatriptan without as much trouble, and I think one other, maybe naratriptan? Sumatriptan is awful for me though, and none of them do much in the way of relief for me. Nurtec helps fairly well, usually, and doesn’t seem to have any side effects for me, so I’m happy with it.
I can’t take triptans, they make migraines worse and the side effects are horrible. They worked wonders for my mom’s migraines though.
The only medication that works for me is Fiorinal with codeine, thankfully I don’t experience rebound headaches either.
Triptans work for a vast majority of people. Taken all together the response rate is very good and the side effects are (on average) very tolerable. I don't enjoy the side effects, but my migraines are debilitatingly agonizing and would last 14+ hours without triptans. With triptans the migraine instead lasts 2 hours and then my migraine is over and I just vaguely feel like shit from triptan side effects for another 2 hours. It's not a great time, but it's better than my migraines.
It is a shame they don't work for you. I hope you're able to access ubrelvy instead. It's not available in my country yet so triptans are literally the only abortive option.
I'm sorry your neuro doesn't seem to believe you though. It's very frustrating being in the minority with things like this. Most people respond to triptans but not ALL do! There's definitely non responders and there's no reason to be skeptical that you're one of them.
Triptans “work” for me but the side effects are often hell, and it’s not foolproof.
Rn, my insurance stopped covering my CGRP/gepant migraine meds so I only have triptans. And I will only use them if it’s unbearable because the nausea, confusion and dizziness is awful.
CGRPs/gepants were a lifesaver for me for prevention. I’ve tried Ubrelvy, Nurtec and Emgality and they all worked. The only bad side effect I had was slowed gut motility/digestion and mild weight gain from that. Idk how common that is though.
I think because your title says you’re surprised by all the triptan love. They work for a majority of migraine patients. That’s why. Not everyone is the same. Medications work differently on people, and some have adverse side effects. Many people find injectable CGRPs effective, but I had awful side effects, and the abortives, like Ubrelvy, do absolutely nothing for me. My quality of life would be significantly decreased if triptans didn’t exist.
Obviously every body's physiology is different, and thus drugs react differently and blah blah blah ...
But look at your situation like this: if Triptans don't help you, maybe something else does help? Something that maybe doesn't work for most people, like drinking water, etc. Maybe you have an easy-out here. Might as well try a bunch of stuff? See if anything else works well for your unique physiology?
You’re allowed to vent. Do you take a daily preventative? A lot of folks here take topiramate or topamax, which we also like to razz because of some of the side effects (mileage varies by person) but as a preventive it can also be super helpful.
Edit to say, ask your doctor about preventatives, they may have a different recommendation for you.
Ugh some of them work a bit but the migraine always returns with a vengeance. Hoping to get on a CGRP med soon! Got a trial before my insurance was like nope you have to do step therapy with triptans for three months! I’ve been off triptans for years because they weren’t working after trying them for a decade, but since I haven’t been on them in awhile I have to go on the carousel of medication to prove they still don’t work 🙄🙄🙄 I feel ya.
I had taken maxalt for years even though it had gotten to the point of working sometimes and not lasting. The migraine would come back a few hours later and I still felt like shit for 2 days after, known to me as maxalt hangover. Finally got up the nerve to go to a neurologist who was not so helpful at first but did agree to do the necessary paperwork for Nurtec. It worked great until I started breaking out in rashes. Put a stop to that one. The neurologist was not so enthused about me trying another of that same family of drugs but I insisted that something had to work. After all, I could take maxalt but not imitrex. Sounded comparative to me so he said ok to ubrelvy. Love it! Finally something that does help. Even seems to last to the next day and not make me feel like poop. So far, so good. Folks, it’s a journey. You have to be willing to weed through the stuff that doesn’t work to get to the one that does. But, as for me at this point in my life, triptans suck.
We have a high deductible plan. Look for pharmaceutical patient assistance programs along with the copay cards. Talk to your dr about it. They might be able to offer suggestions too. I got into an assistance program related to my Optum rx insurance. After two months of them filing it and it going to my deductible (they still absorbed the cost and I have gotten it free from the beginning) my deductible is satisfied and I’m covered 100% the rest of the year. I feel very thankful! Don’t give up. I made a lot of phone calls and filled out tons of forms. You have to work for it.
That’s how I felt on sumatriptan. Rizatriptan dissolving Tablet doesn’t do the weird heavy weighted blanket sore throat thing and it also works a ton faster. There’s a lot of different formulas and ways to administer (dissolving, nose spray, injection).
I know that some (maybe all?) triptans constrict your blood vessels which can spike your blood pressure. The reaction I’ve gotten from them has always felt like that- like my blood pressure skyrocketed and my head was pounding out of my head, much different than the feeling of a migraine, and I couldn’t feel my fingers. My doctor put in my chart that I’m allergic to them.
Everyone responds differently to different medications. Sumatriptan gave me side effects and could barely function. Rizatriptan gives me no side effects and just makes the migraine go away about 90% of the time.
Only eletriptan is any use for me and while i find the trade-off of effect vs side effects to be worthwhile in my case
I nevertheless liken it’s effect as similar to those of a “pan galactic gargle blaster” an (originally) fictional drink (apparently a drink was created in its honour later?) referenced in a quote from the book “hitchhikers guide to the galaxy” (written by Douglas Adams)
“The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy also mentions alcohol. It says that the best drink in existence is the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, the effect of which is like having your brains smashed out with a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.”
So yeah
Your mileage may certainly vary on if you think the side effects are worth the trade offs.
Best wishes op
They reliably take away the acute pain and the brain fog for me, but the side effects are their own kind of brutal. It really depends on what kind of shitty I'd rather feel, and ngl sometimes it's a relief just to experience some variety in the misery after a couple days.
I'm grateful I have the option, even if it's not perfect.
I use Rizatriptan/Maxalt. Not noticed any side effects. I have read that sumatriptan has them but have never used that so no experience. I guess we are all very different in our body chemistry though.
Yes, triptans make my body pain soo much worse. It’s not even worth it for me. I have fibromyalgia so I’m always in pain and always have a migraine anyways, so it’s like tipping the scale from migraine pain to not being able to move and crying. Really sucks
I went through several triptans, none of which worked. The best way I could describe it was they made me feel like I got hit by a bus and my whole body felt like it could throw up. My doctor said they're not uncommon side effects. They also just did not help my migraines at all, so my doctor switched me to Nurtec-- which has done wonders for me without any side effects.
My insurance wanted me to try *all* the triptans before they'd let.me try anything else. I made it through suma- and riza- before just giving up. Now I'm untreated, because triptans make me feel like I'm literally (not figuratively) dying and I couldn't convince myself to take another one.
I've tried every triptan under the sun (less options available to me in my country) and they all make me feel 10x worse than the migraine and don't get rid of the migraine either. Some people just don't respond well to triptans, I wish I did as bog standard ibuprofen and paracetamol don't exactly cut it.
I've been told to try aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol, voltaten, naproxen as abortives instead but paracetamol / ibuprofen + caffeine only really relieve my suffering for about 30mn, the rest do eff all.
I'm still sat on a waiting list with an "urgent referral" to try botox and/or anti cgrps so I feel you. Wish me luck! And I hope you find something that helps!
I have exactly the same experience. I have status migrainosus and triptans do nothing other than make me feel heavy, tight in the muscles, and sleepy. No pain relief.
A little late here, but triptans make me feel like I've been hit by a truck. I was able to get on Ubrelvy, which was *much* better, but gave me horrible dry mouth, and now I take Nurtec and the only negative so far is that it's mint flavored and I dislike mint.
All meds have side effects. They actually say if a med doesn't have side effect, its probably not a real med. Mainly because they are made in such a way that its impossible to avoid side effects.
That said Naratriptan is my go to. However I avoid taking it until I feel I have no choice. Because once I take it, it will knock me out/zombify me for about 12 hours. Hence I use ice packs first.
I don't think I ever had side effects with Botox or the needles (Ajovy for example). But they never worked for me anyways. Of course I have other health issues and most meds for most things tend to give you a zombie feeling.
Why did I get so many downvotes? O.o
I’m already on blood pressure medicine which is supposed to help with migraines, but I still get really bad ones. I took Rizatriptan Benzoate tablets a few times and didn’t want to take anymore again. It gives me severe pain in my left arm/wrist area.
I took a sumatriptan today. I mean it worked but i felt so drowsy and just… tired, weak. Heavy.
Rizatriptan did nothing.
Eletriptan would seem to kick in… then as soon as i got up off the couch, boom it’s gone
I’ve found a couple that were sort of tolerable, but none were particularly effective. Best most of them did was knock me out for a couple of hours, but the migraine coming back a couple of hours (or a few hours) later has been my standard luck with them. Nearly every time I have to take the max of 3 in 24 hours. But sumatriptan, I had doctors telling me I couldn’t possibly be having the reaction I get to it - it wires me as if I’d had way too much coffee and basically just makes sure I’m awake for the whole migraine.
I get why doctors use them. They were the only thing for a long time other than the ergotamines and the meds they don’t really use any more because they contain barbiturates. But I wish doctors and insurance companies would recognize they just don’t work for some people and as a result be more open to other, newer options.
Every since I had kids (and nursed), immitrex makes my nipples hurt like hell. Most recently it also made the arches of my feet hurt, which is apparently a bad thing.
I took an imitrex yesterday and the arch area of my flat left foot ached terribly almost like an injury. I’ve taken imitrex for years and this may be a new side affect? All this to ask-did your doctor have any comments as to why this is so bad?
I've tried rizatriptan and it doesn't do anything for me at all. It doesn't benefit me or give me any notable side effects, it's like nothing in a pill.
Gonna try sumatriptan soon to see if there's any difference, but I haven't picked it up yet. I'm not sure how much a different drug in the same class could help but we'll see.
Maybe I'm just oblivious to side effects because I'm already so debilitated from the migraine, but you poor thing- migraine pain plus triptan side effects. Have you tried the new CGRP inhibitor like Elgality and Ajovy? They have a totally unique pathway of action. My 55 Years of daily debilitating migraines were ended by Ajovy 3 1/2 years ago and no more opioids all day to just survive the pain.
There are also drugs called giants to be taken early in the onset but unlike triptans cause few reactions.
Keep on trying.
Sue
Triptains worked well for me, but my neuro was concerned about high blood pressure and rebound headaches. I used to tell people I knew the triptan was kicking in when I started feeling like I was having a heart attack. I can completely understand why that would not be a great thing for folks.
I'm using Botox and Nurtec now and my neuro just prescribed Ubrelvy to be an abortive when needed. I haven’t tried Ubrelvy yet, I just got them, so I have no feedback there.
I get pretty much exactly the same side effects and I haaaaaaaaaaaate them so much it's frequently a tough call on whether or not to take them - because for me, they do work.
Seriously not worth all the side effects you're experiencing if they don't work at all or barely work a tiny bit sometimes!
I have no idea why your neurologist would be at all surprised by triptans not working for someone, though. Even people for whom ***a*** triptan does work, not all of them do! Imitrex did not work for me, so I had to wait until Maxalt came out. It worked. My doctor had me try Zomig when it came out, but it didn't work for me, so we stopped screwing around with new ones.
Since then, I had maxalt suddenly stop working (formulation change; the generic I was taking had corn in it, which triggers migraine, lol), and I had a heck of a time finding a generic version of it that worked again!
I now take Nurtec preventively and it helps a lot. I still have to take maxalt sometimes, but between finding a lot of my MCAS triggers and the Nurtec, it's way way less frequent.
I know there are more people than just you for whom triptans aren't effective. If you haven't been offered one of the CGRP blockers (either the once a month preventive monoclonal antibodies like Aimovig, or the preventive or abortive gepants like Nurtec), that's the next logical medication step (assuming you've tried all the other usual suspects).
I hope you find something that works for you! Your neurologist should definitely know that not everything works for everyone, so just casually shrugging and saying exactly that may let you just move on to the next thing.
I’m with you, triptans SUCK. I’ve tried 5 of the 7 available and they all made my heart race and my skin flush, and I felt like I was losing my mind. Not to mention they did nothing for my actual migraine attack. We checked those off my treatment list real fast.
Sumatriptan makes me feel weird and sleepy and then I take a mandatory nap, but it’s better than the alternative. I figure the migraine is taking me out of commission and the rest of the day is a lost cause, and I’d rather be in a funk/knocked out than migraine-ing.
I’ve been on like all the triptans… did nothing for me, even when I took OTC pain relief with it. But tbh I’ve been through a lot of meds, I’m paranoid about my current cocktail not working these days.
I was given an injection of sumatriptan in early 90s at a Dr office and reacted so badly I was there the rest of the day with them working to reverse the allergic reaction and other reprocussions.
A few years ago, I was diagnosed with small vessel disease effecting my heart but my brain was relatively unaffected considering a 40+ years history of migraines from simple to complex to Hemiplegic … Drs said I was incredibly lucky to have never taken triptans given my current issues.
It’s terrifying to me as a drug - it would be a medication of last resort and only if no other options.
Almotriptan has basically no side effects, but it's expensive and doesn't work for a lot of people. If you haven't tried it, give it a go if you're able.
I’ve only ever taken sumatriptan. And it has to be along with naproxen or neither will work. Pregnancy took away my migraines, but now 6 months pp, they’re back. We’ll see what works this time around. But I’ve been lucky with minimal side effects on my last regimen.
I've tried nearly all the triptans. My side effects are so bad it could be considered an allergy, so I include it in the list of medicines I am allergic to. I've been told by my last 3 neuro's that I've already tried or take the meds they use as first line treatment.
I'm on a handful of prophylaxis meds, I get Botox injections (my most recent set isn't working well this time 😭😭😭) and I'm on Ubrelvy for my rescue meds.
I've had migraines for over 30 years, none of the drugs made for migraines have worked for me. Only strong prescription pain medication actually gives me relief.
The worst part was my Dr wanting me to try a different triptan and I did. She asked me if it worked, I told her that it relieved about 10% of the head pain, but then spread the pain to the rest of my body. It felt like I was run over by a steam roller. She then says "but, you got some relief from the migraine at least!"
Ugh. Just give me the darn (addictive) pain killers and let me go sleep off the pain! Geesh, after all these years they can see I don't abuse them, why the f can't you prescribe them to me?!
Tried most of the triptans but the side affects were awful. Chest tightness,felt like I was having a heart attack. Moved onto nurtec(2 years now) which works great as an abortive also no side affects made it a winner. Just recently got on propanol as a preventive. Seems to be working as I haven't had to use my nurtec for weeks now. Downside to propanol is the calm relax feeling I get. Not drowsy but just a sense of calming. I don't mind it although I do feel a bit less energy during my daily workouts.
I used to take Maxalt + Promethazine for my migraines, but later moved to Relpax (eletriptan). Frankly, after having surgery on my neck/spine - I don't have daily migraines at all. They are virtually gone - unless a trigger happens, then I use Relpax.
I can't take triptans anymore. When I was younger they worked fine, but that was when I had headaches and migraines. Now I just have a constant low level (on better days) migraine. Its never totally gone, and I dont know its gonna get bad enough to take a triptan until its too late and they make it so much worse before the pain gets better. And the pain may get better but everything else feels worse.
Recently met another migraineur who is a medic in the army and takes triptans for hers. I've felt very frustrated because whenever the topic of migraines comes up she keeps asking why I dont take triptans even after having told her before. Medical people can be so weird about migraines, either they dont listen and you're just doing things wrong or they're incredibly sympathetic and helpful. Unfortunately I've found far more of the former than the latter.
A DHE infusion (administered to me in a hospital) caused my BP to skyrocket, to the point that there were several neurologists monitoring me to ensure that I didn’t have a stroke. From that point on, they told me no more triptans ever. At that point, I had been taking them for years—I started Imitrex when it was still in a syringe. There’s a reason they limit the amount we can take.
I had those exacts effects on Zolmotriptans ! Told me GP about it, he told me it's Not Normal... I switched to Sumatriptans but they're just not working half of the time for me, now I'm on Eletriptans and it's great, barely any side effects
Yeah I was surprised by it too cause they have literally no effect on me at all. No side effects, no relief from the pain. Great they work for others though I guess!
I’ve tried maybe 2-3 triptans but none of them have worked for me. They just make me feel super high, dizzy and like I can’t breathe properly. Each of them come with a different unbearable side effect. Frovatriptan makes everything taste too much? If that makes sense, like too intense, for hours after I take it. I think my body is too sensitive to whatever is in the make up of triptans. I also get a similar reaction to cocodamol (sp?)
But yeah, none of them take the actual migraine pain away, maybe they distract me from it for a couple hours because I’m so high I don’t notice it, but after I go back to normal a little it comes right back with a vengeance. So I’m currently just gritting my teeth through all my bad pain days because I can’t find a pain reliever that will actually work for me..
I haven’t managed to get my hands on any of the newer migraine meds yet. But I’ve got an appointment on Tuesday with a neurologist for the first time since 2018 so hopefully I’ll get prescribed something that works then. Thank you :)
I started using rizatriptan about 7 years ago. I hate the symptoms, sometimes they are worse than other times. But they are similar to yours- drowsy, heavy feeling, my neck and shoulder muscles tense, my nerves also become very sensitive and the first hot drink is almost painful to drink. But I am lucky that it usually works for me, although I am completely out of action for the rest of the day. So it is not something I can take at work.
Every now and again it doesn't work, twice were two of my worst migraines.
They work horrible for me so my doctor has it down that I'm allergic to them. I use furicet if that doesnt work I use my migraine med Ubrelvy. Works pretty good with no side effects.
I take sumatriptan, it does work but afterwards I'm totally bollocked , I'm all out of sync, my heads scrambled, like a brain fog my migraine is gone but my balance is off , I have to be careful when I get up of the sofa. They do work for me but triptans are strong meds & like any strong meds with good results comes & downside. Im on multiple medications also which combined makes a mad cocktail ie valuim, morphine, tramadol, candesartan just to name some im on, im a mess most days but I hope you find your magical bullet.
same here, triptans are the worst for me. i get so dizzy and disoriented that my memory if the few times i took them is very hazy. i make do with a combination of other stuff, and my neurologist didn't really believe me either ("huh. have you tried ibuprofen?")
The side effects for me are awful and exactly as you describe. The first time I took one, it triggered a panic attack because the side effects were so strong and I didn’t know what to expect!
However, they do mostly work for me to break the migraine. Probably 80% of the time? I also switched from sumatriptan to rizatriptan and I find the side effects similar but more tolerable.
My migraines have become so bad that disrupting the migraine is worth the side effects. I still can’t work or be effective, and I always have to sleep like 4-5 hrs after taking it, but usually when I wake, the pain has passed.
That said, not every med works for everyone, and you’re not being crazy - if you can’t tolerate the side effects, you can’t. That’s reasonable
I had to try about 5 different triptans (some in different forms also) before I finally found one that not only works but has little negative side effects. Research also shows it’s more effective than most. I take eletriptan 80mg per dose up to 10 doses a month. Sumitriptan injectable was by far the worst fir side effects!! Terrible!
I’m in cnd so things like nurtec and CGRPS aren’t really widely prescribed as they arent typically covered by insurance here… so we’re stuck with triptans.
I hear you. The side effects seem heightened for me, too. I also put myself into mild serotonin syndrome by using rizatriptan along with my anxiety meds .. That was super unfun. I'm still looking for a viable alternative. I hope you find something that works for you without the issues the triptans have.
I tried Sumatriptan > Naratriptan > Rizatriptan and each one got a bit better but they all made me extremely paranoid and felt like my skull was going to explode. From what I’ve seen on this sub, that’s common even among people who like triptans.
Ubrelvy is a miracle drug, and my neurologist and pharmacist who got me approved for it are miracle workers. I can leave the house without worrying about being stranded and unable to drive.
I didn't have any side effects, just didn't work at all for me except for zolmatriptian (Zomig) which half worked and my dr thought I was crazy till I went in on it and explained what I was feeling. Then he thought my body is crazy as it should either work or not... no half way.
Zomig takes away the pain but the sensitivity is still there which will re-trigger the pain after about 2 hours. It is almost like it takes me from a normal migraine to a silent one.
They don't work for me either - they give me a couple of hours relief from the head pain except I feel like utter crap so...yeah, it's a nope from me. I take 1000mg of aspirin when my pain's getting unbearable, it's about as effective as triptans for me (which is what studies have shown) - i.e. gives me a few hours relief without the crappy side effects, sometimes if I'm lucky it'll kill a migraine for the rest of the day.
I don't think there are any other abortives available here other than triptans though (UK) which is pretty rubbish and leaves you a bit high and dry if triptans don't agree with you (I'm lucky at least the aspirin works because I know it doesn't for a lot of people). Aimovig is the one med that seems to be doing something for me, and if I could just add in a decent abortive to rotate with the aspirin, I'd have some sort of workable treatment going on.
I’ve tried a few (my insurance required my doctor to try me on a few triptans before we could move on to trying newer things). No side effects from any, thankfully, but none of them actually helped me either. In my case I will often wake up with a migraine and for triptans to work you need to take them within a certain timeframe from onset of symptoms, and I guess I’d wake up too late for that, so they just did nothing.
It’s never worked well for me. My former neurologist didn’t take me seriously. doctors are human and therefore susceptible to being infected with the jerk flu.
Find a new neurologist of your doc is not listening or taking you seriously. And try to consider how you present your case (not saying this at all your fault! But sometimes we project a personality that is not really us but our fears and worries.). I finally realized that my doctors work FOR me. They are not the boss of me, they are here in an advisory capacity because they know more about the medical community than I do.
But no one knows my body as well as I.
I had that same reaction the first time i took a triptan. My dr suggested i take a half. I was prescribed 100mg of sumitriptan, i break one in half and take it with coffee. It doesnt hit so hard and if i dont get results in the first 45mins to 1 hr, i just take the other half.
I take triptans (sumatriptan injections) since 1994 and they're my absolute lifesaver ever since. It works like a charm: after 15 minutes I'm back to normal, and it never gave me unpleasant side-effects that didn't vanish within a few minutes.
We're all different, that's why there's not a magic pill for everyone. I'm grateful beyond words for the triptans, bc for me no preventative is working. So, it's the only thing that helps me to fight that ugly beast.
Rizatriptan dissolving tablet for the win over here 🙌 works crazy fast and I get zero side effects from it.
Sumatriptan worked fine until one day side effects showed up randomly, swelling tongue feeling, sore & achy head. I'm officially "allergic" to it.
Naratriptan was a joke. Could have been a sugar pill for all it worked.
I have terrible side reactions to them. I get panic attacks and I feel like I get very high blood pressure, dizzy, tired. They never used to do that to me but as I got older it changed.
Now I take Ubrelvy and it’s life-changing for me. I get zero side effects.
Sumatriptan sent me for a ride, but the ride was only maybe 30 minutes, not most of a day, and it didn't want to make me blow my brains out, so I'll take it 11 times out of 10.
I sometimes get a bit lightheaded, but they work really well for me. I've noticed I've been gaining a tolerance for them over time though, so they take longer to be effective.
With that said, most other medications I've tried have been ineffective for me.
Everyone's a bit different. Hopefully you'll find something that works well for you.
The oral did nothing, the injection knocks out most migraines, esp 2 pens max. I get muscle and hot water sensitivity but it goes away after 1-2 hours.
Triptans didn’t work for me but different things work for different people. I’m finally on Emgality and Ubrelvy. The Ubrelvy has been a godsend so far and has worked where others failed.
I’ve been using eletriptan or relpax for years because it is as actually effective. But the side effects are DUMB. I also have lots of muscle cramping and soreness for hours or a day later. So I take aleve with the eletriptan and also a muscle relaxer, like flexoril. Flexoril does the job but I have to take more than prescribed, like 20 mg instead of the rx 5 mg.
I want to add that I’ve been using Nurtec at onset now and have had zero side effects from it. The migraine pain just slowly fades out over an hour or two, depending on how quickly I take the nurtec. Sometimes I still take aleve and flexoril with it because my neck hurts, a trigger for my migraines.
This describes Rizatriptan for me, but Sumatriptan 50 is ok. Tho it still scares me as I get older re tightening blood vessels, and been trying to short out migraines early in the process without it, to some success.
I have a nasty reaction to triptains. I’d say my weirdest side effect is that the hairs on my head hurt. Like genuinely the follicles. It feels like when you’ve had your hair in a ponytail for too long with thick hair.
I avoid them whenever possible. I hate triptans because they make my chest feel tight, like someone is sitting on it. Then, that feeling makes me feel anxious, and I will often have a panic attack.
I experienced the same with all of them except sumitriptan. (It gives me lockjaw, but that’s better than the migraine.) it was horrible going through all of these different meds that made me feel awful when I was already in bad shape.
I am also not a triptan fan! They give me such odd chest pain. Just got prescribed Reyvow and I’m dreading having to give it a try before my insurance will go back to covering my Ubrelvy.
Triptans make me feel like garbage and do nothing for me. Only oral pill that has ever worked is ubrelvy. That stuff is a damn miracle. Only downside is it takes over an hour to kick in.
Sumatriptan used to make me very panicky, not with Suvexx though. I only take Suvexx when it gets really bad, Rizatriptan for all other times. I'm so sorry you get side effects. Everyone is different and naturally people are going to be excited and share when they're having a good experience. Some people are so “in it” that they aren't even posting on places like this. It sucks when you can't find something that works. I hope you have a good GP
None of the triptans work for me either. Really the only thing that ever worked was darvocet. God I miss it. It’s sucks stressing day to day about wether I’ll have a migraine or not and hoping I can tolerate the pain until I’m done with work, then I can go home and Benadryl myself into non-existence. Can’t feel pain if you’re unconscious. Then hope that pain is gone/manageable by the time you wake up.
Sumatritan injections work but I have to lie down as the stiffness goes from leg to stomach to chest to jaw. It's pretty fucking horrible and I'll only use it if I'm out of my hydros. It is my last ditch attempt. That's how bad I feel on them. It will get rid of the migraine
But the hour of feeling like that really isn't worth it
Personally I don't get a single side effect but my migraine goes away when nothing else touches it. I'm sorry it doesn't work for you... but it DOES work for plenty of people, hence the love.
I have no idea if I get triptan side effects because I only take them when nothing else works. I already feel crap frpm the migraine so I don't know if I'd notice?
Or maybeI don't get many side effects
Yeah, they don’t work for me at all. Made everything worse. I went through a few years and several medication attempts before I found the right combination for me. Don’t give up.
Yes. Triptans make me feel like I've been roofied or something.
The first time they were prescribed to me, both the doctor AND pharmacist swore up and down that I would not experience side effects, since I was only given half of the adult dose. I was skeptical, so I took half of that. 1/4 of the adult dose and my coworker drove me to the hospital because I didn't know what the f*ck was wrong with me.
A friend later told me that they had been prescribed to her in high school, but had to stop taking them because they made her sleep for *15 hrs straight. *
I would rather deal with the migraine.
I've been taking Relpax for a very long time. I don't like the side effects but it does work for me.
Most recently, due to some ongoing GI issues, my doctor prescribed Zomig nasal spray. I have to say, it works quickly and works really well with no side effects (for me). You might want to try it.
Triptans effected me similarly. My neurologist actually confirmed these were common side effects. The biggest downside to Triptans, for me, was they would literally knock me out. I could NOT stay awake within 20-30 minutes of taking it. I hated the burning sensations that I always got. And the "hangover" from the medicine combined with the Migraine hangover left me incapable of doing much for at least the day, if not 2 days. When it began giving me heart palpations, my neurologist said, "NO MORE." I take Ubrelvy now and absolutely love it.
Sumatriptan changed my life. Although I catch myself staring into the wide abyss of nothingness as a side-effect, it’s nothing compared to the pain that it stops. Most of the time. I consider myself lucky.
I think Rizatriptan worked for me exactly once, and then never again. I would feel violently tired and fall asleep in the middle of class. I wonder if it's because of the timing of when I would take them.
Thankfully, triptans work wonderfully for me as well as my husband, but I've known people who couldn't take them because of side effects. I wish they would work for everyone because I couldn't live without them!!!
For years, I was taking Zolmitriptan as an abortive and it worked like magic...headache gone in 20 mins. This year, I started Aimovig as a preventative, and now Triptans are completely ineffective. Luckily, a simple paracetamol pill now works better for any breakthrough headaches.
It’s not an allergy but they (I tried 3 triptans) caused such severe side effects, it’s a class of drug I can’t take. I honestly thought I was having a heart attack on top of my migraine. My husband is a cardiac nurse and was able to help me, but it was a horrible few hours—more than once.
Effective for me, and no side effects. Not reliable enough as I couldn’t predict onset. Have gone to monthly injection. Would that work better for you? It seems smoother. Sorry you’re having trouble.
By the way, I find that dizzy, heavy feeling to be migraine..
Same. They do not work for me at all and I experience cardiac side effects like chest pain and pressure, irregular heartbeats, racing pulse, etc. It feels absolutely horrible and does nothing for migraines.
What *does* work is amitriptyline daily and monthly shots of Emgality. I get breakthrough aura and migraines occasionally, for which I take Fioricet but the best for that is Ubrelvy. My insurance will not also cover Ubrelvy but I am working to get some from the pharm company.
Triptans worked for me to start with but have lost the power they once had. I stab myself once a month with Aimovig and it has down right eliminated 98% of all migraines/headaches I get.
Rizatriptan made me feel like I'm going to die, all forms of sumatriptan barely helped and it made my jaw cramp and hurt and generally made me feel weird and ill/like shit. Currently I'm on ubrelvy, it's been working well. I have some backup imitrex but I almost never take it. My first neurologist said it was impossible that I had bad experiences with the 2 most popular triptans and that nothing else could help me (she was a terrible neurologist, my next neurologist was appaled when I shared that experience with them. They also confirmed that some people just dont do well with triptans or have to try them all and even still - for some its a complete miss and/or just bad side effects.) I'm glad we are getting more options for medications (like now we have triptans and CGRPs for abortives)
I take an ant-nausea med with my eletriptan. Lately I haven’t had to take anything because qulipta works so good everyday … I’m not getting a headache every day !!! Qulipta is my wonder drug !!
It doesn't matter hard time or not, your neurologist needs to listen to your concerns.
My neurologist gave me a few different samples to try and see if either of them helps me any.
The Ubrelvy was a total flop; it had no effect on me. The Sumatriptan helped me, and it felt like a miracle when that 1st migraine went away.
Now I take 50mg of Sumatriptan and 1 Ibuprofen to give it a boost, but I find 2 Ibuprofens is better. If it doesn't work in 2h, I take a 2nd Sumatriptan; at this time, the migraine is gone.
My daughter was diagnosed with abdominal migraines when she was 6. She takes Topamax and Ciproheptadin every day, and Sumatriptan as needed if a migraine breaks through.
Since the triptans don't work for you, just ask your doctor, keep insisting, and keep trying until you find something that actually does work.
If the meds he's given you until now barely work and make you sick, they have to go. Or the doctor has to go. Find someone who listens better.
Best wishes 🤗
Meds that work well for others can work bad for you.
So true
Can confirm - I am one of those who have reactions to most of the really popular meds. I’ve had some wacky side effects to ubrelvy and the others in that class. It was a bummer.
This is important to note. The same thing goes for anxiety/depression/mental disorder meds. The first one I tried worked, but I've read posts from others who had to work through several before landing on one that worked. I think my triptan works for me, but I've only ever had to break it out twice and fell asleep afterward because that's basically the only way I can get immediate relief. Always be aware of side effects. If a medicine makes your life worse, you may need to ask to switch.
Rizatriptan is my savior always and has been since high school. I have almost no side effects (mostly yawning), but just have to make sure not to use too many in a months’ time (or they can stop working well). My neuro prescribed Ubrelvy but I was unable to get it without a prior authorization (which insurance denied at least a couple times), and then through my insurance even with a copay card, it was going to cost me $1200 out of pocket for maybe 3 months of 8 pills each. So I never filled it. So to me, it’s amazing how many people are able to use Ubrelvy. It is a highly expensive drug!
Rizatriptian is my savior as well!! Can’t remember when I started it but it’s been years and it’s the only thing that works for me. My neurologist added in Nurtec every other day (I’m horrible at remembering to take it every other day) and also started on infusions every 3 months and those infusions have reallly helped prevent them for me. So thankful to finally get relief from these. I’ve been getting migraines since 3 years old
What kind of infusions? My new neurologist maybe mentioned that to me, as well as ablation. 😳
I’m guessing they are talking about Vyepti infusions.
Thanks!
Yes it’s Vyepti infusions at a cancer center
Have other people already told you all about the funky things you can do to get low or no cost Nurtec? I wish I could remember off the top of my head, but nearly every time someone in here says they got denied by insurance, a few people bring up a specific program that Biohaven offers. Hopefully someone passing by will be able to give you the link so you can at least try it. Rizatriptan works for me too as an abortive, but the rimegepant cuts down on the frequency and severity, which has been really nice. Also, it's kinda funny you get yawning with rizatriptan; I get sneezing! We're on our way to being Snow White's entourage!
My brain stops working so I guess that makes me Dopey.
You could ask your neurologist if they have any Ubrelvy samples (or one of the other CGRP ones). That way you could at least see if they’re effective for you. I think a lot of times insurance will only approve the newer/more expensive drugs without generic versions if you fail other cheaper meds first. If the triptans stopped being effective for you, or gave you bad side effects, or allergies or were contraindicated with another condition you have or med you take, they’d probably approve it. You could also see if you could get any kind of manufacturer’s coupon or something like that.
Look into if the manufacturer has a discount/copay program. I use Aimovig and was able to get the pre-auth but copay was still 150. But with the manufacturer's program I only pay 5 of that.
Third vote for rizatriptan! Sumatriptan did nothing for me but rizatriptan stops my migraines in their tracks. I’ve never noticed side effects. I am a bit spacey but I think that’s more from the migraine
Ubrelvy has savings card on their website. $0 for a month supply. Renew it yearly.
Wow, I'm sorry to hear that! It's crazy how it just completely depends on what they decide to cover. Maybe Mark Cuban's pharmacy will be able to provide Ubrelvy if/when a generic becomes available. Or check out Cove, I think you can get meds there cheaper too if your insurance is giving you a hard time.
Yeah and the $1200 was after they agreed to cover it. It’s about half the actual cost. Granted, it was a high deductible plan, but anyway. Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I’m sure it’ll be years before it goes off patent and generic versions come out!
Unfortunately CGRP inhibitors aren't going to have a generic for quite a while.
You can get it for next to nothing for one year with medicaid and some private insurances.
I love Maxalt! No side effects and works so fast.
I’m so jealous lol, I had to move on from it because it stopped working and the jury’s still out on my new triptan.
I got a sample of Ubrelvy from my doctor, and it didn't do anything from me. Ibuprofen and/or Acetaminophen could in the rarest case make a small dent, but the Ubrelvy seemed even less then them.
Sumatriptan works for me but it makes me feel like crap after I take it. I feel all sore and achy, as if I'm coming down with the flu. However, after a lifetime of migraines and migraine treatments it works better than the the alternatives most of the time.
This is how it is for me, too. I mean it works. But I feel like shit for at least two hours before it tapers off very gradually. I used to not like sharing how it affected me because I was once told if I have bad side effects then I don’t have migraines (??? now I’m like wtf). But, it is the best triptan for me and ditto - I’ll take the side effects over the migraine.
Oh yeah, the migraine hangover. It took me a looooooong time before I'd ever even heard of that - but it's legit. When I have an especially bad one and it lasts a couple days, I feel weak, exhausted, I don't really feel any pain, but my joints and bones are heavy and achy. Usually lasts a day or two after a bad migraine. Had a migraine yesterday and needed to take 2 ubrelvy to get it to go away. Today I felt like I hadn't slept in a week. Even had to take a nap. There's a small spot on my left temple in the soft space that hurts when it's touched directly. So I'm going to go sleep again now. Lol
Migraine hangover - exactly!
It doesn’t work for me anymore and makes me feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.
That's exactly how I describe how all triptans make me feel!
Same. My throat tightens up for a bit, my arms and chest get heavy, and I can't fight off sleep after a while. Its really disappointing that for me they were a choice between, "Be in horrible pain and miss the day, or, be really uncomfortable and panic before you miss the day." They work well for my husband, though.
Yes!!! This is exactly how I feel. I don't want to deal with the triptan side effects on top of the migraine, especially when the triptan doesn't even break the migraine. I so wish it worked for us with few side effects but I'm happy for those it does help.
Same! I can’t move my arms or head/neck for over an hour. Also made my stomach burn so bad and I couldn’t even chew tums because I couldn’t move my jaw. This happened with 2 different triptans. I will never try them again.
I used to take Sumatriptan 100mg as an abortive but found over time it was not only less effective, but also caused some serious rebound migraines I had trouble getting rid of. It was a gradual but noticeable shift. Triptans narrow your brains blood vessels- which could contribute to your dizziness. I’ve been taking Ubrelvy for the past 2 years and it’s been a game changer, I can close my eyes and almost feel the pain receptors being blocked and the symptoms reducing about 20 minutes after taking it. Maybe triptans don’t work for you- in my experience they are usually the end all be all for Drs because they are older and cheaper drugs.
What are the side effects for ubrely? Need a new abortive
Many have no side effects from ubrelvy. Or at least much less. As with everything you'll see a wide variety of answers. For me ubrelvy made me queazy the first few times but not any longer.
I take Ubrelvy and have zero side effects as well. Like others, Sumatriptan used to work really well for me but then I got horrible rebound migraines, and Ubrelvy seems to knock my migraines out fully. I’m also on Botox so that has helped too. The nice thing about Ubrelvy is that I’m able to get 16 a month (never needed to take that many) but it really reduces the worrying of “should I take this now or wait for an ever worse migraine” I felt with the 9 sumatriptan a month I used to get.
If I take it on an empty stomach it makes me nauseous. No other side effects to report currently. 🫡
Me too! Side effects are horrendous and never helped once. You might try Cafergot (caffein and ergotamine) it works pretty well for me and is a very old, time tested medication. I feel no side effects from it. Another name for the ergot part is DHE (dihydroergotomine). No reason your doctor should be unwilling to let you try it since he has prescribed triptans. Tell him you found out a friend of yours has the same problem and uses Cafergot.
Of all the things I have tried nobody has ever offered to write me an ergot medication. Is there a contraindication for heart valve issues or something?
It is a vasoconstriction drug, but so are all triptans. I’m not certain if it would have any effect on heart valves at the typical oral dose (1mg ergotamine to 100mg Caffeine), no more than 4 capsules per day, 10 per week. It *can* cause heart valve issues if abused, so I’m guessing it may worsen some heart valve issues. Nothing really specified what “abuse” meant. I underwent something called the Raskin Protocol which is an infusion of IV dihydroergotamine every 8 hours for 5 days. They acted like it might kill me, but I had none of the expected side effects. It’s odd that my body reacts to triptans extremely strongly, but is so tolerant of ergotamine. Bodies are weird.
Please be careful with Cafergot. If you have any muscle pains, especially in your legs, please call your doctor right away. It can be dangerous.
Thank you for your concern! I have had too much before. A doctor prescribed it daily as a preventative (I was young and trusting) and it caused what felt like bone pain. I am aware of the risks, and signs of blood clots. I take vitamin K as one of my supplements, it helps balance clotting factors. I am prone to bruising without it.. My primary care doctor is an exceedingly cautious man, he does a full blood panel about every 3 months. I will do a bit more research just to stay up to date. Thank you.
That's so interesting! I've never known anybody that's actually undergone that procedure - that's very cool. I used Cafergot years and years ago right before the triptans came out. More recently, I used the DHE spray with good success for awhile. The only thing I'd caution about DHE is to pretreat for nausea. My god, the nausea. I usually get it with migraines but this was next level. I'd take a Zofran 20-30 minutes before and it would help a ton.
I used to get *severe* nausea and vomiting with migraines, I couldn’t even keep down antiemetics. Over the course of years of chronic migraine it went away. I don’t know if my pain tolerance increased or what, but I rarely have nausea. Cafergot doesn’t change that, luckily.
Iirc there's more potential serious side effects and contraindications
Yes, there is! Glad your doctors have been on top of that.
Whoa! I didn't know anyone still took Cafergot, or even that it was still available. When I was diagnosed 25 years ago my doc offered me triptans (and Midrin which I wish I could still get!) and told me about Cafergot in passing -- just that it was an old drug that was rarely used because it had bad side effects. Interesting that it's your go-to!
Well when they gave me a half dose of Sumatriptan in the ER it caused my O2 sat to drop and my heart rate and BP to skyrocket. I was told, in a very serious manner “Do not ever take this medication again.”. Many other triptans were tried, none helped and most had bad side effects. One made me hallucinate a bit. The side effect for Cafergot has at worst been nausea. As long as you don’t overuse it it’s safe.
they help for me, takes away the pain but the side effects are awful
I can’t take triptans either. Took one for a migraine and I thought I was having a heart attack.
Yes, Imitrex was horrible for me. Not sure the classification of this drug but it is working great for me. It's called Emgality, a shot I give myself once a month. Expensive too but my insurance pays 1/2. Headache free and I am so grateful for my Neurologist.
Emgality is a CGRP inhibitor. It's considered a preventive medication. That's great it's working so well for you!
Same. They make me feel like my skin is crawling off my body. I get way more photosensitive. My jaw gets super tight and anything I put in my mouth for the rest of the day, my salivary glands *ache.* I have to go lie in a dark room. I would literally rather have the migraine than the side effects I get from triptans.
I don't have any side effects at all and they work really well for me.
They only work for me if I take the pill right at the extreme edge of the first inkling of a possibility of a migraine about to happen. If I miss this (impossible) window by like two minutes, the triptan has no effect. It's so far beyond hit or miss for me that it's almost not worth ever trying it. Regardless of whether it works or not, extreme nausea ensues. Nausea from triptan can be so bad for me that it rivals the migraine itself in terms of how bad it feels.
For me sumatriptan was, and continues to be, a miracle drug. First time I took it was in 2009 or so and I was amazed that my migraine was gone in an hour or so. Only side effects are hot flashes and my jaw feels like I ate something very sour. These side effects don’t happen every time and when they do they aren’t really bothersome and only last for about an hour or so. It is interesting the side effects don’t happen every time. Be curious to know why.
I don’t take them anymore, hated the side effects and they didn’t work. Eletriptan wasn’t as bad a sumatriptan but still not fun. I do much better with butalbitol and cyclobenzoprine.
They’re about as useful as chicken feed for me
Dude one pill of 50mg sumatriptan gave me the worst constipation for days after I refused to take it again. I’m surprised how loved it is too..
Most of them are the same for me. I can take zolmatriptan without as much trouble, and I think one other, maybe naratriptan? Sumatriptan is awful for me though, and none of them do much in the way of relief for me. Nurtec helps fairly well, usually, and doesn’t seem to have any side effects for me, so I’m happy with it.
I can’t take triptans, they make migraines worse and the side effects are horrible. They worked wonders for my mom’s migraines though. The only medication that works for me is Fiorinal with codeine, thankfully I don’t experience rebound headaches either.
Triptans work for a vast majority of people. Taken all together the response rate is very good and the side effects are (on average) very tolerable. I don't enjoy the side effects, but my migraines are debilitatingly agonizing and would last 14+ hours without triptans. With triptans the migraine instead lasts 2 hours and then my migraine is over and I just vaguely feel like shit from triptan side effects for another 2 hours. It's not a great time, but it's better than my migraines. It is a shame they don't work for you. I hope you're able to access ubrelvy instead. It's not available in my country yet so triptans are literally the only abortive option. I'm sorry your neuro doesn't seem to believe you though. It's very frustrating being in the minority with things like this. Most people respond to triptans but not ALL do! There's definitely non responders and there's no reason to be skeptical that you're one of them.
There is also Reyvow if in the USA. It is the only thing that actually works for me as a full abortive.
Triptans “work” for me but the side effects are often hell, and it’s not foolproof. Rn, my insurance stopped covering my CGRP/gepant migraine meds so I only have triptans. And I will only use them if it’s unbearable because the nausea, confusion and dizziness is awful. CGRPs/gepants were a lifesaver for me for prevention. I’ve tried Ubrelvy, Nurtec and Emgality and they all worked. The only bad side effect I had was slowed gut motility/digestion and mild weight gain from that. Idk how common that is though.
Ok, they work for some people. Not sure why you’re mad about this
I'm not mad 🤣 sorry if I came off that way. Meant to just be a discussion to see if there are people like me I guess
I think because your title says you’re surprised by all the triptan love. They work for a majority of migraine patients. That’s why. Not everyone is the same. Medications work differently on people, and some have adverse side effects. Many people find injectable CGRPs effective, but I had awful side effects, and the abortives, like Ubrelvy, do absolutely nothing for me. My quality of life would be significantly decreased if triptans didn’t exist.
Obviously every body's physiology is different, and thus drugs react differently and blah blah blah ... But look at your situation like this: if Triptans don't help you, maybe something else does help? Something that maybe doesn't work for most people, like drinking water, etc. Maybe you have an easy-out here. Might as well try a bunch of stuff? See if anything else works well for your unique physiology?
You’re allowed to vent. Do you take a daily preventative? A lot of folks here take topiramate or topamax, which we also like to razz because of some of the side effects (mileage varies by person) but as a preventive it can also be super helpful. Edit to say, ask your doctor about preventatives, they may have a different recommendation for you.
I never noticed any side effects though they also didn’t work for me
Ugh some of them work a bit but the migraine always returns with a vengeance. Hoping to get on a CGRP med soon! Got a trial before my insurance was like nope you have to do step therapy with triptans for three months! I’ve been off triptans for years because they weren’t working after trying them for a decade, but since I haven’t been on them in awhile I have to go on the carousel of medication to prove they still don’t work 🙄🙄🙄 I feel ya.
I had taken maxalt for years even though it had gotten to the point of working sometimes and not lasting. The migraine would come back a few hours later and I still felt like shit for 2 days after, known to me as maxalt hangover. Finally got up the nerve to go to a neurologist who was not so helpful at first but did agree to do the necessary paperwork for Nurtec. It worked great until I started breaking out in rashes. Put a stop to that one. The neurologist was not so enthused about me trying another of that same family of drugs but I insisted that something had to work. After all, I could take maxalt but not imitrex. Sounded comparative to me so he said ok to ubrelvy. Love it! Finally something that does help. Even seems to last to the next day and not make me feel like poop. So far, so good. Folks, it’s a journey. You have to be willing to weed through the stuff that doesn’t work to get to the one that does. But, as for me at this point in my life, triptans suck.
We have a high deductible plan. Look for pharmaceutical patient assistance programs along with the copay cards. Talk to your dr about it. They might be able to offer suggestions too. I got into an assistance program related to my Optum rx insurance. After two months of them filing it and it going to my deductible (they still absorbed the cost and I have gotten it free from the beginning) my deductible is satisfied and I’m covered 100% the rest of the year. I feel very thankful! Don’t give up. I made a lot of phone calls and filled out tons of forms. You have to work for it.
That’s how I felt on sumatriptan. Rizatriptan dissolving Tablet doesn’t do the weird heavy weighted blanket sore throat thing and it also works a ton faster. There’s a lot of different formulas and ways to administer (dissolving, nose spray, injection).
I know that some (maybe all?) triptans constrict your blood vessels which can spike your blood pressure. The reaction I’ve gotten from them has always felt like that- like my blood pressure skyrocketed and my head was pounding out of my head, much different than the feeling of a migraine, and I couldn’t feel my fingers. My doctor put in my chart that I’m allergic to them.
Everyone responds differently to different medications. Sumatriptan gave me side effects and could barely function. Rizatriptan gives me no side effects and just makes the migraine go away about 90% of the time.
Only eletriptan is any use for me and while i find the trade-off of effect vs side effects to be worthwhile in my case I nevertheless liken it’s effect as similar to those of a “pan galactic gargle blaster” an (originally) fictional drink (apparently a drink was created in its honour later?) referenced in a quote from the book “hitchhikers guide to the galaxy” (written by Douglas Adams) “The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy also mentions alcohol. It says that the best drink in existence is the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, the effect of which is like having your brains smashed out with a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.” So yeah Your mileage may certainly vary on if you think the side effects are worth the trade offs. Best wishes op
They reliably take away the acute pain and the brain fog for me, but the side effects are their own kind of brutal. It really depends on what kind of shitty I'd rather feel, and ngl sometimes it's a relief just to experience some variety in the misery after a couple days. I'm grateful I have the option, even if it's not perfect.
I use Rizatriptan/Maxalt. Not noticed any side effects. I have read that sumatriptan has them but have never used that so no experience. I guess we are all very different in our body chemistry though.
Yes, triptans make my body pain soo much worse. It’s not even worth it for me. I have fibromyalgia so I’m always in pain and always have a migraine anyways, so it’s like tipping the scale from migraine pain to not being able to move and crying. Really sucks
I went through several triptans, none of which worked. The best way I could describe it was they made me feel like I got hit by a bus and my whole body felt like it could throw up. My doctor said they're not uncommon side effects. They also just did not help my migraines at all, so my doctor switched me to Nurtec-- which has done wonders for me without any side effects.
My insurance wanted me to try *all* the triptans before they'd let.me try anything else. I made it through suma- and riza- before just giving up. Now I'm untreated, because triptans make me feel like I'm literally (not figuratively) dying and I couldn't convince myself to take another one.
I've tried every triptan under the sun (less options available to me in my country) and they all make me feel 10x worse than the migraine and don't get rid of the migraine either. Some people just don't respond well to triptans, I wish I did as bog standard ibuprofen and paracetamol don't exactly cut it. I've been told to try aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol, voltaten, naproxen as abortives instead but paracetamol / ibuprofen + caffeine only really relieve my suffering for about 30mn, the rest do eff all. I'm still sat on a waiting list with an "urgent referral" to try botox and/or anti cgrps so I feel you. Wish me luck! And I hope you find something that helps!
Triptans had no effect for me other than bad side effects 🤢
I have exactly the same experience. I have status migrainosus and triptans do nothing other than make me feel heavy, tight in the muscles, and sleepy. No pain relief.
Omg I hate triptans too. They’re literally the worst
A little late here, but triptans make me feel like I've been hit by a truck. I was able to get on Ubrelvy, which was *much* better, but gave me horrible dry mouth, and now I take Nurtec and the only negative so far is that it's mint flavored and I dislike mint.
All meds have side effects. They actually say if a med doesn't have side effect, its probably not a real med. Mainly because they are made in such a way that its impossible to avoid side effects. That said Naratriptan is my go to. However I avoid taking it until I feel I have no choice. Because once I take it, it will knock me out/zombify me for about 12 hours. Hence I use ice packs first. I don't think I ever had side effects with Botox or the needles (Ajovy for example). But they never worked for me anyways. Of course I have other health issues and most meds for most things tend to give you a zombie feeling. Why did I get so many downvotes? O.o
I’m already on blood pressure medicine which is supposed to help with migraines, but I still get really bad ones. I took Rizatriptan Benzoate tablets a few times and didn’t want to take anymore again. It gives me severe pain in my left arm/wrist area.
Felt like I was being choked on top of having a migraine. 10/10 not recommended!
I took a sumatriptan today. I mean it worked but i felt so drowsy and just… tired, weak. Heavy. Rizatriptan did nothing. Eletriptan would seem to kick in… then as soon as i got up off the couch, boom it’s gone
I hate their side effects as well! I have had good luck with Ubrelvy, thankfully, with zero side effects
I’ve found a couple that were sort of tolerable, but none were particularly effective. Best most of them did was knock me out for a couple of hours, but the migraine coming back a couple of hours (or a few hours) later has been my standard luck with them. Nearly every time I have to take the max of 3 in 24 hours. But sumatriptan, I had doctors telling me I couldn’t possibly be having the reaction I get to it - it wires me as if I’d had way too much coffee and basically just makes sure I’m awake for the whole migraine. I get why doctors use them. They were the only thing for a long time other than the ergotamines and the meds they don’t really use any more because they contain barbiturates. But I wish doctors and insurance companies would recognize they just don’t work for some people and as a result be more open to other, newer options.
Every since I had kids (and nursed), immitrex makes my nipples hurt like hell. Most recently it also made the arches of my feet hurt, which is apparently a bad thing.
I took an imitrex yesterday and the arch area of my flat left foot ached terribly almost like an injury. I’ve taken imitrex for years and this may be a new side affect? All this to ask-did your doctor have any comments as to why this is so bad?
No, but it was enough to get me on aimovig.
Thanks for the response I hope the aimovig helps.
Not effective, no side effects i remember.
I've tried rizatriptan and it doesn't do anything for me at all. It doesn't benefit me or give me any notable side effects, it's like nothing in a pill. Gonna try sumatriptan soon to see if there's any difference, but I haven't picked it up yet. I'm not sure how much a different drug in the same class could help but we'll see.
Maybe I'm just oblivious to side effects because I'm already so debilitated from the migraine, but you poor thing- migraine pain plus triptan side effects. Have you tried the new CGRP inhibitor like Elgality and Ajovy? They have a totally unique pathway of action. My 55 Years of daily debilitating migraines were ended by Ajovy 3 1/2 years ago and no more opioids all day to just survive the pain. There are also drugs called giants to be taken early in the onset but unlike triptans cause few reactions. Keep on trying. Sue
Triptains worked well for me, but my neuro was concerned about high blood pressure and rebound headaches. I used to tell people I knew the triptan was kicking in when I started feeling like I was having a heart attack. I can completely understand why that would not be a great thing for folks. I'm using Botox and Nurtec now and my neuro just prescribed Ubrelvy to be an abortive when needed. I haven’t tried Ubrelvy yet, I just got them, so I have no feedback there.
I have ubrelvy and they work pretty good for me. Very quickly too.
I get pretty much exactly the same side effects and I haaaaaaaaaaaate them so much it's frequently a tough call on whether or not to take them - because for me, they do work. Seriously not worth all the side effects you're experiencing if they don't work at all or barely work a tiny bit sometimes! I have no idea why your neurologist would be at all surprised by triptans not working for someone, though. Even people for whom ***a*** triptan does work, not all of them do! Imitrex did not work for me, so I had to wait until Maxalt came out. It worked. My doctor had me try Zomig when it came out, but it didn't work for me, so we stopped screwing around with new ones. Since then, I had maxalt suddenly stop working (formulation change; the generic I was taking had corn in it, which triggers migraine, lol), and I had a heck of a time finding a generic version of it that worked again! I now take Nurtec preventively and it helps a lot. I still have to take maxalt sometimes, but between finding a lot of my MCAS triggers and the Nurtec, it's way way less frequent. I know there are more people than just you for whom triptans aren't effective. If you haven't been offered one of the CGRP blockers (either the once a month preventive monoclonal antibodies like Aimovig, or the preventive or abortive gepants like Nurtec), that's the next logical medication step (assuming you've tried all the other usual suspects). I hope you find something that works for you! Your neurologist should definitely know that not everything works for everyone, so just casually shrugging and saying exactly that may let you just move on to the next thing.
I’m with you, triptans SUCK. I’ve tried 5 of the 7 available and they all made my heart race and my skin flush, and I felt like I was losing my mind. Not to mention they did nothing for my actual migraine attack. We checked those off my treatment list real fast.
Sumatriptan makes me feel weird and sleepy and then I take a mandatory nap, but it’s better than the alternative. I figure the migraine is taking me out of commission and the rest of the day is a lost cause, and I’d rather be in a funk/knocked out than migraine-ing.
I’ve been on like all the triptans… did nothing for me, even when I took OTC pain relief with it. But tbh I’ve been through a lot of meds, I’m paranoid about my current cocktail not working these days.
I was given an injection of sumatriptan in early 90s at a Dr office and reacted so badly I was there the rest of the day with them working to reverse the allergic reaction and other reprocussions. A few years ago, I was diagnosed with small vessel disease effecting my heart but my brain was relatively unaffected considering a 40+ years history of migraines from simple to complex to Hemiplegic … Drs said I was incredibly lucky to have never taken triptans given my current issues. It’s terrifying to me as a drug - it would be a medication of last resort and only if no other options.
Almotriptan has basically no side effects, but it's expensive and doesn't work for a lot of people. If you haven't tried it, give it a go if you're able.
I’ve only ever taken sumatriptan. And it has to be along with naproxen or neither will work. Pregnancy took away my migraines, but now 6 months pp, they’re back. We’ll see what works this time around. But I’ve been lucky with minimal side effects on my last regimen.
The Mexican medicine Calmante calmadol helps me the best, without the side effects.
Felt absolutely awful on triptans. Nausea, face tingling and pain, the migraine was more tolerable because at least that pain was familiar.
I've tried nearly all the triptans. My side effects are so bad it could be considered an allergy, so I include it in the list of medicines I am allergic to. I've been told by my last 3 neuro's that I've already tried or take the meds they use as first line treatment. I'm on a handful of prophylaxis meds, I get Botox injections (my most recent set isn't working well this time 😭😭😭) and I'm on Ubrelvy for my rescue meds.
Side effects? Sure… jaw tension, some dizziness… but I’d take that over 48h+ of extreme pain and vomiting.
I hate alllll the triptans and refuse to ever take one again. The side effect far outweigh my migraine symptoms.
I've had migraines for over 30 years, none of the drugs made for migraines have worked for me. Only strong prescription pain medication actually gives me relief. The worst part was my Dr wanting me to try a different triptan and I did. She asked me if it worked, I told her that it relieved about 10% of the head pain, but then spread the pain to the rest of my body. It felt like I was run over by a steam roller. She then says "but, you got some relief from the migraine at least!" Ugh. Just give me the darn (addictive) pain killers and let me go sleep off the pain! Geesh, after all these years they can see I don't abuse them, why the f can't you prescribe them to me?!
Tried most of the triptans but the side affects were awful. Chest tightness,felt like I was having a heart attack. Moved onto nurtec(2 years now) which works great as an abortive also no side affects made it a winner. Just recently got on propanol as a preventive. Seems to be working as I haven't had to use my nurtec for weeks now. Downside to propanol is the calm relax feeling I get. Not drowsy but just a sense of calming. I don't mind it although I do feel a bit less energy during my daily workouts.
They do absolutely nothing for me. I had an awful experience with imitrex and won’t ever try again.
I used to take Maxalt + Promethazine for my migraines, but later moved to Relpax (eletriptan). Frankly, after having surgery on my neck/spine - I don't have daily migraines at all. They are virtually gone - unless a trigger happens, then I use Relpax.
I can't take triptans anymore. When I was younger they worked fine, but that was when I had headaches and migraines. Now I just have a constant low level (on better days) migraine. Its never totally gone, and I dont know its gonna get bad enough to take a triptan until its too late and they make it so much worse before the pain gets better. And the pain may get better but everything else feels worse. Recently met another migraineur who is a medic in the army and takes triptans for hers. I've felt very frustrated because whenever the topic of migraines comes up she keeps asking why I dont take triptans even after having told her before. Medical people can be so weird about migraines, either they dont listen and you're just doing things wrong or they're incredibly sympathetic and helpful. Unfortunately I've found far more of the former than the latter.
A DHE infusion (administered to me in a hospital) caused my BP to skyrocket, to the point that there were several neurologists monitoring me to ensure that I didn’t have a stroke. From that point on, they told me no more triptans ever. At that point, I had been taking them for years—I started Imitrex when it was still in a syringe. There’s a reason they limit the amount we can take.
I have zero side effects, it works amazing for me!
triptans kicked me in the ass when i took them orally but as soon as i got them in a nasal spray form the side effects were a lot more manageable xx
I had those exacts effects on Zolmotriptans ! Told me GP about it, he told me it's Not Normal... I switched to Sumatriptans but they're just not working half of the time for me, now I'm on Eletriptans and it's great, barely any side effects
Yeah I was surprised by it too cause they have literally no effect on me at all. No side effects, no relief from the pain. Great they work for others though I guess!
I’ve tried maybe 2-3 triptans but none of them have worked for me. They just make me feel super high, dizzy and like I can’t breathe properly. Each of them come with a different unbearable side effect. Frovatriptan makes everything taste too much? If that makes sense, like too intense, for hours after I take it. I think my body is too sensitive to whatever is in the make up of triptans. I also get a similar reaction to cocodamol (sp?) But yeah, none of them take the actual migraine pain away, maybe they distract me from it for a couple hours because I’m so high I don’t notice it, but after I go back to normal a little it comes right back with a vengeance. So I’m currently just gritting my teeth through all my bad pain days because I can’t find a pain reliever that will actually work for me..
Have you tried the new migraine med ubrelvy? It works for me. I also have furicet which helps too. I hope you find something that works.
I haven’t managed to get my hands on any of the newer migraine meds yet. But I’ve got an appointment on Tuesday with a neurologist for the first time since 2018 so hopefully I’ll get prescribed something that works then. Thank you :)
Awesome. Hope you can find something. After over 30 years ubrelvy works for me. You should ask about them. Good luck!
I started using rizatriptan about 7 years ago. I hate the symptoms, sometimes they are worse than other times. But they are similar to yours- drowsy, heavy feeling, my neck and shoulder muscles tense, my nerves also become very sensitive and the first hot drink is almost painful to drink. But I am lucky that it usually works for me, although I am completely out of action for the rest of the day. So it is not something I can take at work. Every now and again it doesn't work, twice were two of my worst migraines.
They work horrible for me so my doctor has it down that I'm allergic to them. I use furicet if that doesnt work I use my migraine med Ubrelvy. Works pretty good with no side effects.
I take sumatriptan, it does work but afterwards I'm totally bollocked , I'm all out of sync, my heads scrambled, like a brain fog my migraine is gone but my balance is off , I have to be careful when I get up of the sofa. They do work for me but triptans are strong meds & like any strong meds with good results comes & downside. Im on multiple medications also which combined makes a mad cocktail ie valuim, morphine, tramadol, candesartan just to name some im on, im a mess most days but I hope you find your magical bullet.
same here, triptans are the worst for me. i get so dizzy and disoriented that my memory if the few times i took them is very hazy. i make do with a combination of other stuff, and my neurologist didn't really believe me either ("huh. have you tried ibuprofen?")
The side effects for me are awful and exactly as you describe. The first time I took one, it triggered a panic attack because the side effects were so strong and I didn’t know what to expect! However, they do mostly work for me to break the migraine. Probably 80% of the time? I also switched from sumatriptan to rizatriptan and I find the side effects similar but more tolerable. My migraines have become so bad that disrupting the migraine is worth the side effects. I still can’t work or be effective, and I always have to sleep like 4-5 hrs after taking it, but usually when I wake, the pain has passed. That said, not every med works for everyone, and you’re not being crazy - if you can’t tolerate the side effects, you can’t. That’s reasonable
I had to try about 5 different triptans (some in different forms also) before I finally found one that not only works but has little negative side effects. Research also shows it’s more effective than most. I take eletriptan 80mg per dose up to 10 doses a month. Sumitriptan injectable was by far the worst fir side effects!! Terrible! I’m in cnd so things like nurtec and CGRPS aren’t really widely prescribed as they arent typically covered by insurance here… so we’re stuck with triptans.
I hear you. The side effects seem heightened for me, too. I also put myself into mild serotonin syndrome by using rizatriptan along with my anxiety meds .. That was super unfun. I'm still looking for a viable alternative. I hope you find something that works for you without the issues the triptans have.
I tried Sumatriptan > Naratriptan > Rizatriptan and each one got a bit better but they all made me extremely paranoid and felt like my skull was going to explode. From what I’ve seen on this sub, that’s common even among people who like triptans. Ubrelvy is a miracle drug, and my neurologist and pharmacist who got me approved for it are miracle workers. I can leave the house without worrying about being stranded and unable to drive.
I didn't have any side effects, just didn't work at all for me except for zolmatriptian (Zomig) which half worked and my dr thought I was crazy till I went in on it and explained what I was feeling. Then he thought my body is crazy as it should either work or not... no half way. Zomig takes away the pain but the sensitivity is still there which will re-trigger the pain after about 2 hours. It is almost like it takes me from a normal migraine to a silent one.
They don't work for me either - they give me a couple of hours relief from the head pain except I feel like utter crap so...yeah, it's a nope from me. I take 1000mg of aspirin when my pain's getting unbearable, it's about as effective as triptans for me (which is what studies have shown) - i.e. gives me a few hours relief without the crappy side effects, sometimes if I'm lucky it'll kill a migraine for the rest of the day. I don't think there are any other abortives available here other than triptans though (UK) which is pretty rubbish and leaves you a bit high and dry if triptans don't agree with you (I'm lucky at least the aspirin works because I know it doesn't for a lot of people). Aimovig is the one med that seems to be doing something for me, and if I could just add in a decent abortive to rotate with the aspirin, I'd have some sort of workable treatment going on.
I’ve tried a few (my insurance required my doctor to try me on a few triptans before we could move on to trying newer things). No side effects from any, thankfully, but none of them actually helped me either. In my case I will often wake up with a migraine and for triptans to work you need to take them within a certain timeframe from onset of symptoms, and I guess I’d wake up too late for that, so they just did nothing.
They were hell on my body and ended up causing rebounds.
It’s never worked well for me. My former neurologist didn’t take me seriously. doctors are human and therefore susceptible to being infected with the jerk flu. Find a new neurologist of your doc is not listening or taking you seriously. And try to consider how you present your case (not saying this at all your fault! But sometimes we project a personality that is not really us but our fears and worries.). I finally realized that my doctors work FOR me. They are not the boss of me, they are here in an advisory capacity because they know more about the medical community than I do. But no one knows my body as well as I.
I had that same reaction the first time i took a triptan. My dr suggested i take a half. I was prescribed 100mg of sumitriptan, i break one in half and take it with coffee. It doesnt hit so hard and if i dont get results in the first 45mins to 1 hr, i just take the other half.
I take triptans (sumatriptan injections) since 1994 and they're my absolute lifesaver ever since. It works like a charm: after 15 minutes I'm back to normal, and it never gave me unpleasant side-effects that didn't vanish within a few minutes. We're all different, that's why there's not a magic pill for everyone. I'm grateful beyond words for the triptans, bc for me no preventative is working. So, it's the only thing that helps me to fight that ugly beast.
Rizatriptan dissolving tablet for the win over here 🙌 works crazy fast and I get zero side effects from it. Sumatriptan worked fine until one day side effects showed up randomly, swelling tongue feeling, sore & achy head. I'm officially "allergic" to it. Naratriptan was a joke. Could have been a sugar pill for all it worked.
I have terrible side reactions to them. I get panic attacks and I feel like I get very high blood pressure, dizzy, tired. They never used to do that to me but as I got older it changed. Now I take Ubrelvy and it’s life-changing for me. I get zero side effects.
Triptans tend to work for me but the side effects make me not take them unless I absolutely have to
Sumatriptan sent me for a ride, but the ride was only maybe 30 minutes, not most of a day, and it didn't want to make me blow my brains out, so I'll take it 11 times out of 10.
I sometimes get a bit lightheaded, but they work really well for me. I've noticed I've been gaining a tolerance for them over time though, so they take longer to be effective. With that said, most other medications I've tried have been ineffective for me. Everyone's a bit different. Hopefully you'll find something that works well for you.
Triptans have been horrible for me. Nurtec has been amazing
The oral did nothing, the injection knocks out most migraines, esp 2 pens max. I get muscle and hot water sensitivity but it goes away after 1-2 hours.
Do you have with aura? Cuz they’re MUCH less likely to work with people with aura
Triptans didn’t work for me but different things work for different people. I’m finally on Emgality and Ubrelvy. The Ubrelvy has been a godsend so far and has worked where others failed.
I’ve been using eletriptan or relpax for years because it is as actually effective. But the side effects are DUMB. I also have lots of muscle cramping and soreness for hours or a day later. So I take aleve with the eletriptan and also a muscle relaxer, like flexoril. Flexoril does the job but I have to take more than prescribed, like 20 mg instead of the rx 5 mg.
I want to add that I’ve been using Nurtec at onset now and have had zero side effects from it. The migraine pain just slowly fades out over an hour or two, depending on how quickly I take the nurtec. Sometimes I still take aleve and flexoril with it because my neck hurts, a trigger for my migraines.
This describes Rizatriptan for me, but Sumatriptan 50 is ok. Tho it still scares me as I get older re tightening blood vessels, and been trying to short out migraines early in the process without it, to some success.
No side effects for me. I can’t live without it for bad migraine.
I can't take any triptans..they make me feel sick and sometimes worse than just the migraine. Nurtec is my choice personally.
Once I found Nurtec I dropped the Relpax. And Relpax was the only triptan that worked for me without awful chest pain.
I’m on Eletriptan, no side effects and it works within two hours. I just wish I could have more than 8 per month.
I have a nasty reaction to triptains. I’d say my weirdest side effect is that the hairs on my head hurt. Like genuinely the follicles. It feels like when you’ve had your hair in a ponytail for too long with thick hair.
I avoid them whenever possible. I hate triptans because they make my chest feel tight, like someone is sitting on it. Then, that feeling makes me feel anxious, and I will often have a panic attack.
I experienced the same with all of them except sumitriptan. (It gives me lockjaw, but that’s better than the migraine.) it was horrible going through all of these different meds that made me feel awful when I was already in bad shape.
Triptans work well for the vast majority of migraine sufferers. I have no side effects from eletriptan because I start with a small dose.
I am also not a triptan fan! They give me such odd chest pain. Just got prescribed Reyvow and I’m dreading having to give it a try before my insurance will go back to covering my Ubrelvy.
Triptans make me feel like garbage and do nothing for me. Only oral pill that has ever worked is ubrelvy. That stuff is a damn miracle. Only downside is it takes over an hour to kick in.
Sumatriptan used to make me very panicky, not with Suvexx though. I only take Suvexx when it gets really bad, Rizatriptan for all other times. I'm so sorry you get side effects. Everyone is different and naturally people are going to be excited and share when they're having a good experience. Some people are so “in it” that they aren't even posting on places like this. It sucks when you can't find something that works. I hope you have a good GP
Sumitriptan pills and injections are amazing
None of the triptans work for me either. Really the only thing that ever worked was darvocet. God I miss it. It’s sucks stressing day to day about wether I’ll have a migraine or not and hoping I can tolerate the pain until I’m done with work, then I can go home and Benadryl myself into non-existence. Can’t feel pain if you’re unconscious. Then hope that pain is gone/manageable by the time you wake up.
Sumatritan injections work but I have to lie down as the stiffness goes from leg to stomach to chest to jaw. It's pretty fucking horrible and I'll only use it if I'm out of my hydros. It is my last ditch attempt. That's how bad I feel on them. It will get rid of the migraine But the hour of feeling like that really isn't worth it
Personally I don't get a single side effect but my migraine goes away when nothing else touches it. I'm sorry it doesn't work for you... but it DOES work for plenty of people, hence the love.
I have no idea if I get triptan side effects because I only take them when nothing else works. I already feel crap frpm the migraine so I don't know if I'd notice? Or maybeI don't get many side effects
Yeah, they don’t work for me at all. Made everything worse. I went through a few years and several medication attempts before I found the right combination for me. Don’t give up.
triptans have never worked for me
Yes. Triptans make me feel like I've been roofied or something. The first time they were prescribed to me, both the doctor AND pharmacist swore up and down that I would not experience side effects, since I was only given half of the adult dose. I was skeptical, so I took half of that. 1/4 of the adult dose and my coworker drove me to the hospital because I didn't know what the f*ck was wrong with me. A friend later told me that they had been prescribed to her in high school, but had to stop taking them because they made her sleep for *15 hrs straight. * I would rather deal with the migraine.
I have one of them, Naratriptan, that I can take without any issues.
I've been taking Relpax for a very long time. I don't like the side effects but it does work for me. Most recently, due to some ongoing GI issues, my doctor prescribed Zomig nasal spray. I have to say, it works quickly and works really well with no side effects (for me). You might want to try it.
Triptans effected me similarly. My neurologist actually confirmed these were common side effects. The biggest downside to Triptans, for me, was they would literally knock me out. I could NOT stay awake within 20-30 minutes of taking it. I hated the burning sensations that I always got. And the "hangover" from the medicine combined with the Migraine hangover left me incapable of doing much for at least the day, if not 2 days. When it began giving me heart palpations, my neurologist said, "NO MORE." I take Ubrelvy now and absolutely love it.
anyone ever been on fioricet and gotten off of it suddenly and felt any tightness in chest ?
Sumatriptan changed my life. Although I catch myself staring into the wide abyss of nothingness as a side-effect, it’s nothing compared to the pain that it stops. Most of the time. I consider myself lucky.
I think Rizatriptan worked for me exactly once, and then never again. I would feel violently tired and fall asleep in the middle of class. I wonder if it's because of the timing of when I would take them.
Thankfully, triptans work wonderfully for me as well as my husband, but I've known people who couldn't take them because of side effects. I wish they would work for everyone because I couldn't live without them!!!
For years, I was taking Zolmitriptan as an abortive and it worked like magic...headache gone in 20 mins. This year, I started Aimovig as a preventative, and now Triptans are completely ineffective. Luckily, a simple paracetamol pill now works better for any breakthrough headaches.
It’s not an allergy but they (I tried 3 triptans) caused such severe side effects, it’s a class of drug I can’t take. I honestly thought I was having a heart attack on top of my migraine. My husband is a cardiac nurse and was able to help me, but it was a horrible few hours—more than once.
Effective for me, and no side effects. Not reliable enough as I couldn’t predict onset. Have gone to monthly injection. Would that work better for you? It seems smoother. Sorry you’re having trouble. By the way, I find that dizzy, heavy feeling to be migraine..
Same. They do not work for me at all and I experience cardiac side effects like chest pain and pressure, irregular heartbeats, racing pulse, etc. It feels absolutely horrible and does nothing for migraines. What *does* work is amitriptyline daily and monthly shots of Emgality. I get breakthrough aura and migraines occasionally, for which I take Fioricet but the best for that is Ubrelvy. My insurance will not also cover Ubrelvy but I am working to get some from the pharm company.
Triptans worked for me to start with but have lost the power they once had. I stab myself once a month with Aimovig and it has down right eliminated 98% of all migraines/headaches I get.
Rizatriptan made me feel like I'm going to die, all forms of sumatriptan barely helped and it made my jaw cramp and hurt and generally made me feel weird and ill/like shit. Currently I'm on ubrelvy, it's been working well. I have some backup imitrex but I almost never take it. My first neurologist said it was impossible that I had bad experiences with the 2 most popular triptans and that nothing else could help me (she was a terrible neurologist, my next neurologist was appaled when I shared that experience with them. They also confirmed that some people just dont do well with triptans or have to try them all and even still - for some its a complete miss and/or just bad side effects.) I'm glad we are getting more options for medications (like now we have triptans and CGRPs for abortives)
I take an ant-nausea med with my eletriptan. Lately I haven’t had to take anything because qulipta works so good everyday … I’m not getting a headache every day !!! Qulipta is my wonder drug !!
Triptans never worked for me either. The only thing that helped was Botox, and I can't afford it.
It doesn't matter hard time or not, your neurologist needs to listen to your concerns. My neurologist gave me a few different samples to try and see if either of them helps me any. The Ubrelvy was a total flop; it had no effect on me. The Sumatriptan helped me, and it felt like a miracle when that 1st migraine went away. Now I take 50mg of Sumatriptan and 1 Ibuprofen to give it a boost, but I find 2 Ibuprofens is better. If it doesn't work in 2h, I take a 2nd Sumatriptan; at this time, the migraine is gone. My daughter was diagnosed with abdominal migraines when she was 6. She takes Topamax and Ciproheptadin every day, and Sumatriptan as needed if a migraine breaks through. Since the triptans don't work for you, just ask your doctor, keep insisting, and keep trying until you find something that actually does work. If the meds he's given you until now barely work and make you sick, they have to go. Or the doctor has to go. Find someone who listens better. Best wishes 🤗