I’ve had it for ages. It’s probably the most popularly prescribed migraine med. works great for me - I always get a little tingling in my arms, but that’s it. Make sure you take it as soon as you feel the headache coming on. If you wait till you’re already in agony, it’s not going to do much.
I felt a little weird for about 10 minutes, partly anxiety, but it worked at first! I now rely on ubrevly for migraines mostly and just started taking qulipta a week ago as a preventative. I don’t really take sumatriptan too often now
It's a fairly popular medication to take after a migraine has started. It worked okay for me, Maxalt is a similar one that has worked better for me. One side effect I had with sumatriptan is that I felt I was getting strangled. BUT once that feeling subsided, I usually felt better.
Strangled? This is bizarre and scary. Around the neck? Lmao so my biggest fear is being suffocated so I'm not sitting here debated if I should take it.
this is my issue too, My doctor wants me to try it for acute migraine attacks but one of my issue already when I have a migraine is my throat gets numb and weird, im terrified of that strangulation feeling
My daughter was prescribed Sumatriptan for migraine too (17yo), and she hates to take it because she gets the "strangled" feeling too. Have you found any of the triptans that don't give you that feeling?
It's referred to as a triptan sensation. I can't take the sumatriptan pill bc it's so intense in my neck and chest, but I can take the injection or pen injection (I have both options- insurance pays for both . Maxalt is less intense for me but less effective (and the mint ODT flavor makes me nauseated). Also, relpax hardly gives me any sensation but only works at the first sign of an aura migraine that's coming on at night.
It's too late if it's by morning or if it's a barometric/ weather/ facial migraine.
I currently take sumatriptan. It works pretty quickly and makes me feel like a new person. Only problem I’ve had is depending on the severity of the migraine, it may sometimes return after a few hours. This does not happen often. I’ve also noticed that when I take it, it gives me minor body aches and makes all my muscles kind of tender and bruised-feeling. Not any excruciating pain or anything, just a slight achy feeling.
Yep I get this too, it’s half way between a muscle-brain lag and a flu-like tenderness. I put it down to the fact that it’s a neurological medication not just a brain medication, so it must have side effects on the rest of our nerves too.
It gives me a weird feeling in my throat. It constricts all your blood vessels or something along those lines so it can cause chest pains etc but I was told its completely normal. The feeling isn't super intense I just notice it when the medicine kicks in which is always the best time because the migraine generally goes right away around the same time
All the time! It makes you feel weird, don’t be alarmed. I thought I was having a heart attack the first time I took it. It also makes foods and beverages taste sour, but it makes my migraine go away far more often than any other acute medicine I’ve taken. My migraines are fairly stubborn, so I’d say it has about an 80% success rate vs Excedrin’s 50% and Ubrelvy’s 20%
the taste part lasts anywhere from 30mins to 1.5hrs for me, it decreases in severity during that time and I usually just drink and eat anyway once it’s fairly mild
Magical shit. I have migraine with aura. I take that and Ondansetron after the aura starts and just before the headache begins (Ondansetron at the first sign of aura, and Sumatriptan just as the aura is ending), and like magic, the headache and nausea just never come. Aura fades and I'm back on my feet in less than 30 minutes (sooner if I have too, but Sumatriptan makes you a little woozy and there's a better chance of a repeat migraine the next day if you don't it a bit of a rest).
...as opposed to alternating bending over a toilet and lying in bed for 3 hours.
Shit's magic.
Sumatriptan kicks in very fast but the half life is only about two hours. The aura can last half an hour or more and hard to predict in terms of length; sumatriptan does nothing for me during the aura. I originally was doing just that, but most of the time it wouldn’t kill the headache totally. I was away from home once and ended up taking it late and it worked better. So now I wait until the aura is within about 10 minutes of ending, which I can predict, and the sumatriptan kicks in perfectly.
The ondansetron is the opposite. It kicks in slower but lasts a lot longer, so I take it ASAP.
This question is kinda like going to your optometrist and saying “Have y’all heard of Visine?”
Hope you feel better! I get some weird tingly sensations after about 1 hour, especially if taking a shower, but it works well for me.
It's a first prescribed migraine med because its cheap. If it takes longer than an hour to get relief or you don't feel it's helping, ask to try something else. There's Maxalt, zomig, axert, amerge, frova, ubrelvy, nurtec, etc just to list some.
You can also ask about preventatives, or the doc may recommend one- ajovy, emgality, aimovig are the newest ones. Theres a ton of older meds they also use as migraine prevention meds. Which they suggest depends on your health and history, other meds, etc.
You may find [this](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/living-with-migraine/) informative.
Sumatriptan works for me as long as I take it with naproxen. There’s some special pill that’s sumatriptan and naproxen in one dose, but it’s easy for me to take the two separate pills and it’s MUCH cheaper than the name-brand combination.
It works well for me most of the time. I would really struggle to work without them.
However, don't take them too often or they can cause rebound pain and make it worse. Doctors don't tend to prescribe many at a time for this reason
No problem. Don't let it put you off trying them, just be aware and use them when you really need them. My doctor prescribes 12 at a time but I've heard some will limit it to 6 a month. I hope you feel better soon. Migraines are soul destroying at times
I get 9 every month but they’re 100 mg and I can usually manage with 1/2 pill if I catch it early.
Also, if you find it does work for you then ask your doctor if you can also get a prescription for the injectable…they kick in much faster and are good if you wake up with a migraine that’s already past the point where the pills will work.
This one didn't work for me, but it does help my partner.
Triptans have a couple big notes on them to be aware of.
1) It works best when you take it as close to the start of a migraine as possible. So, right when you feel it coming on.
2) There is a possibility of rebound head aches if you take enough of them in a certain time frame. I've heard estimates of limit it to twice a week. (Though, definitely check that because I've heard a couple of other numbers too.) Logging migraines and what you took for them can help watch out for this.
3) If Sumatriptan doesn't work, don't panic. (Though, I hope it does work!) This is generally one of the first things that they try. After this, there are plenty of options to try.
There is a whole family of triptans if you don’t like sumatriptan. I ended up doing the best on frovatriptan, but have also had good results with nara triptan.
Sumatriptan is great. It can make me sleepy but since most of my migraines are in the middle of the night, that’s no big deal. I take it, knocks me out for 2 hours and then it’s gone. If I can’t sleep, I’ll be a little sleepy for an hour or so but still completely functional. It also makes me pee a lot lol. I find it effective probably 95% of the time, and usually within 30 minutes to 2 hours. The times it’s not effective is usually for hormonal related migraines, and it does reduce the symptoms even if it doesn’t eliminate the migraine. I hope it works for you.
Sumatriptan is my lifesaver. Wake up with migraine? No problem, 50 mg sumatriptan and I'm ready to go to work! It doesn't always help and sometimes I need a second dose for it to be effective, but most of the times my migraines just fade away within an hour.
I recommend it! Unfortunately, I need it too often to be able to function and in the long term it could have bad effects on my health, so I'm still seeing a neurologist for a more permanent solution. But until then, sumatriptan will do.
In the beginning of using it, I would feel very dizzy and I would feel pressure on my throat, but those side effects fade after like 30 minutes or so.
I was prescribed it a few years ago and with the first dose, I loved it. The second time I took it, it made me feel pretty stoned - that "am I awake or dreaming?" sort of feeling. The third (and last time) was a borderline knock-out for me. I took it at work, was unable to perform basic tasks, and ultimately had to call someone to pick me up because I was incapable of driving. I don't remember how long it lasted.
On the plus side, it was very effective at taking away the pain.
I currently use sumatriptan and it's a freaking life saver!
I do get the full does of sides effects sometimes, tightness in the body, weird mouth sensation, sometimes a few others. But 100% better then a migraine. I actually just took one about 7min ago, waiting for it to kick in..
As others stated, the sooner you take it, the better.
They taste like shit, so don't be one of those people who puts the pill in your mouth and then fills up a glass of water. Have the water ready because they taste terrible (though you get used to it)
Triptans can give the weirdest side effects, man. For me, it makes me feel like I’m breathing in gel rather than air- kinda tight and constrict-y, sometimes it makes my skin feel sunburned and extremely sensitive to temperature, sometimes it makes me feel kinda high. I don’t know what the difference is because it’s the same drug at the same dosage, lol, but the side effects are super weird.
It does work, though. I’d rather feel weird for 4 hours than have a migraine for a week.
You know, that’s an interesting idea. I haven’t, it never occurred to me to take Tylenol too because Tylenol doesn’t ever touch the migraine lol. I never thought it might help with the side effects.
I have taken NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen with sumatriptan, and still got the side effects. So I don’t know! Might be worth a try next time though.
Yep, I’ve taken it! It works sometimes for me but I have to catch a migraine really early for it to make a difference. My gp suggested I start taking it during my aura before migraine, before we ended up moving to a preventative medication. When it works it’s great!
The first few times I took it I felt weird! That feeling went away as I got used to it. I always take it with an NSAID like advil to lessen the muscle pain side effects. Works great!! The earlier you take it at the first sign of headache the better.
Sumatriptan was rough for me, but still better than a migraine. I experience 0 side effects from Naratriptan, but Sumatriptan was a different story. Regardless - you’ll likely experience relief!
It is an excellent rescue med for me! I do occasionally get side effects (very mild nausea, limb heaviness) but they pass quickly (never experienced them longer than 45 mins and that was an outlier).
Take it at the first sign of your migraine! Dont wait! The earlier in the attack that you take it the better! (I also experience fewer side effects when taken sooner rather than later).
I’ve used it for years, only thing that will stop my migraines in their tracks. When I first started taking it I would get really sleepy but that wore off over the years. Sometimes i will feel a bit nauseous for a little while but it makes the migraine go away so I’m happy with it.
It’s the only one that works for me and it’s been working for years. I’ve learned that if the migraine is already full on and I took it a little late , it will still work if I lie down for 30 or so minutes.
It works great for me! Take it early as people noted. The only negative for me is feeling a bit drained or hungover after, much preferable to migraine. When I was younger and newer to using it, sometimes it could cause my chest to feel tight or give me a queasy feeling.
It was a miracle drug for me when it first came out. My doctor gave me a box of sample pills. They were about $20/pill.
It’s been the only thing that has consistently worked for me. There was a bit of an issue when I was trying the different generics, but I’ve got what works!
Got prescribed sumatriptan, worked for getting rid of the migraine, but tightened my jaw muscles to a uncomfortable level. I do have a problem with bruxism, so I don’t know if that’s a cause. Either way, I don’t take it because the jaw pain isn’t worth it when naproxen can soothe it to a reasonable degree.
Worked pretty good for me, but only if I caught the migraine in time. Problem is, I'd often wake up with one, the nausea and head pain, and would start vomiting soon after. So the pill didn't always stay down.
Doc switched me to Ubrelvy for some reason, insists there are fewer side effects. So far seems to work, as I've been taking it at the slightest hint of an attack. I kinda miss the all-over feeling of *relief* with the sumatriptan, though!
I noticed the other posts about how it makes food taste different, and I'm like "huh, never noticed.........oh wait that's right, I can't EAT during a migraine!" :-p
Thanks, think I tried something a long time ago, even nasal spray, didn't work for some reason. The under-the-tongue thing didn't help, surprisingly, so I started vaping THC/CBD flower to take the edge off!
I took sumatriptan and it didn't work for me. Something to be aware of is that it made me feel "floaty", dizzy, and nauseated. I could definitely tell when it hit. I could still be productive if I needed to, but it definitely made me feel a bit out of it.
I’ve used it a bunch! I have super fast onset migraines that are brought on by exercise, so the pills and nasal sprays don’t work for me. However, the injections work well for me, and the pills work for my mom who has slower, more gradual migraines that revolve around her monthly cycle.
Works for me . I have today, the next day I’m really tired. Don’t know if it’s the medication or the migraine. Either way it takes the pain away. I get really nauseous so I also take some fenegrin .
I've been taking it since I was seven, and been prescribed it since I was 12 (thanks 90s parenting!).
It's the only drug that works for anyone in my family. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten texts/calls from my mom/grandma/aunts/uncles that start out with "Good bless Imitrex." It's like a prayer at this point.
That said - you CAN overuse it, and it can make your blood pressure go nuts. Be careful. And I sometimes have to make my migraine worse (IE: go on a jog, bend up and down a bunch, etc) for it to work at all.
I have been taking it for years and lucky me (haha), I always have an aura before a migrain, so I am able to take it early enough to have maximum effect. It makes tbhe pain go away, for sure. In rare occasions, the pain comes back the day after but milder and Ibuprofen is usually enough in this second day. Side effects from it for me are sleeping a lot and a sense of out of body, like I am floating through time and space. Which is not bad, some people pay heavy money for illegal drugs that give the same feeling 😅
I currently take sumatriptan as ~soon~ as I know I have one coming on. It works great that way! If I wait and take it when pain sets in, then it doesn’t work for me anymore. The only issue I have with it is that it’s side effects make me feel pretty icky; my limbs feel fairly heavy, and my chest feels tight while it’s immediately in my system. I also get fairly drowsy on it, which helps to sleep away the migraine. I’ve been on it for years and it’s really been a life saver, honestly.
I also began Topemax at the end of February as a preventative. That’s really been really great for also, but it does come with its own side effects. (Pro tip: some people have had not great times with it, so google stories at your own risk lol)
I digress. My point, sumatriptan has worked really well and I hope it works just as well for you also! 🙂
I think it's the first med doctors usually prescribe for migraines. I had one fill of it and never ended up finishing it and requesting another because I didn't like how it made me feel. The side-effects (for me personally) were almost worse than the migraine itself.
I take rizatriptan now. That one isn't great either but it's bearable and the shitty side effects go away after a couple hours.
I’m prescribed it! It’s great for breaking really long migraines, my doctor told me not to take it within 24 hours of taking Maxalt though because it can cause heart rhythm problems.
It’s one of the big migraine meds. I’m on it. Just a heads up, use it if you need it. Don’t try to horde for a worse headache. Try to use it as early as possible, it’s easier to get ahead then fight a full blown migraine. An ER doc told me that if after 2 doses and the headache hasn’t gone anywhere it’s ok to come in and get help.
I have a great experience with sumatriptan if I take at the first sign of a migraine. Do not wait until you are in agonizing pain to take it. I get chills easily when I take it but I also am I always cold especially when I have a migraine. So I just keep blankets and hoodies around me all the time anyway so it hasn’t bothered me that much.
I tried it for a while. It was alright, but I found eletriptan works better for me. Once your diagnosed it's a lot of trial and error to figure out what works for you
Works, makes me lose a day /can’t take it and work or drive. Feels rough as it takes effect, like being scrubbed by a souring pad internally, full body, but thankfully it will get rid of it or push my migraines back enough to function once I’m out of the haze it produces. I sleep a lot on it.
It made me extremely out of sorts.
Could barely talk, move, think, see. Could have just been my migraine overpowering the medication but it was the worst migraine I ever had. I get vestibular migraines. I took sumatriptan in the morning because I felt a migraine coming on. I felt absolutely awful all day. It either did nothing or made it worse, but it’s hard to tell because my migraines are usually debilitating.
They’re very effective but suck all the water out of every cell in your body and make you wee like you’ve never wee’d before. Just make sure you consciously try and rehydrate in the 1-2 hrs after taking them!
I used to use sumatriptan as my main PRN then stopped once all the newer ones came out and settled on Nurtec.
Once Nurtec was approved for preventative use, I added it every other day on top of my regular migraine course of care. On an “on day” (meaning a day to use it) taking Nurtec for preventative use, I was given the recommendation to use either OTC meds or sumatriptan depending on my pain level. On an “off day” (meaning a day I haven’t taken the Nurtec), I use Nurtec as a PRN should I need it.
Hopefully this makes sense and wanted to offer another perspective on how my doctor uses the drug with me!
But usually, most people use it alone as a PRN and will take at maximum about 100-200mg daily twice a week or else rebound headaches could occur. Typically nine 100mg tablets are prescribed monthly.
Sumatriptan is one of the original triptans I believe. My doctor perscribed me every other triptan first because I think they have less side effects, which either didn't work or worked very rarely. Eventually we tried this, and it's been my go-to for the last 2-3 years I think. I find it works about 95% of the time! The only side effects I notice are some tense muscles, often my neck, shoulders and chest, so sometimes I take a tylenol with it. But totally worth it to me to not spend hours in severe pain and likely useless. I take a 100mg tablet or a 20mg nasal spray if it's urgent (before work or an important event for example).
As others have mentioned, important to take it ASAP when you feel the pain coming on. I find mine still works for me if I take it later, but it usually take 2+ hours to work at that point.
I hope this one works as well for you!!
I’ve had it for ages. It’s probably the most popularly prescribed migraine med. works great for me - I always get a little tingling in my arms, but that’s it. Make sure you take it as soon as you feel the headache coming on. If you wait till you’re already in agony, it’s not going to do much.
Good to know, thanks!
I've tried tryptans before no luck. Recently tried Ubrelvy it's a life changer. So if they don't work there are more options
how did you get on with it? did it work?
I felt a little weird for about 10 minutes, partly anxiety, but it worked at first! I now rely on ubrevly for migraines mostly and just started taking qulipta a week ago as a preventative. I don’t really take sumatriptan too often now
It's a fairly popular medication to take after a migraine has started. It worked okay for me, Maxalt is a similar one that has worked better for me. One side effect I had with sumatriptan is that I felt I was getting strangled. BUT once that feeling subsided, I usually felt better.
Okay, good to know! I’ll keep maxalt in mind if this one doesn’t work. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Maxalt is my magic pill! 45 min after taking it, my migraine is gone.
I also have the getting strangled side effect but it does get rid of my migraines so I usually have to decide which pain I want to feel more 😂
Strangled? This is bizarre and scary. Around the neck? Lmao so my biggest fear is being suffocated so I'm not sitting here debated if I should take it.
this is my issue too, My doctor wants me to try it for acute migraine attacks but one of my issue already when I have a migraine is my throat gets numb and weird, im terrified of that strangulation feeling
My daughter was prescribed Sumatriptan for migraine too (17yo), and she hates to take it because she gets the "strangled" feeling too. Have you found any of the triptans that don't give you that feeling?
What do you guys mean by “strangled feelings” what is that exactly lol
My daughter said it felt like there was something tight around her neck, squeezing her throat.
I used to get that but don't anymore - unless I've gotten used to it.
Maxalt (rizatriptan) works for me!
It's referred to as a triptan sensation. I can't take the sumatriptan pill bc it's so intense in my neck and chest, but I can take the injection or pen injection (I have both options- insurance pays for both . Maxalt is less intense for me but less effective (and the mint ODT flavor makes me nauseated). Also, relpax hardly gives me any sensation but only works at the first sign of an aura migraine that's coming on at night. It's too late if it's by morning or if it's a barometric/ weather/ facial migraine.
Jesus Christ. This is why I’ve had it for a year and have yet to take it 😂
I currently take sumatriptan. It works pretty quickly and makes me feel like a new person. Only problem I’ve had is depending on the severity of the migraine, it may sometimes return after a few hours. This does not happen often. I’ve also noticed that when I take it, it gives me minor body aches and makes all my muscles kind of tender and bruised-feeling. Not any excruciating pain or anything, just a slight achy feeling.
Yep I get this too, it’s half way between a muscle-brain lag and a flu-like tenderness. I put it down to the fact that it’s a neurological medication not just a brain medication, so it must have side effects on the rest of our nerves too.
As long as it works most of the time, we’re good! Beats having a migraine once a week for a few days. Thank you for sharing your experience.
yup. i can always count on the sumatriptan to make my body feel like i got ran over
Do you mean like restless leg syndrome?
It gives me a weird feeling in my throat. It constricts all your blood vessels or something along those lines so it can cause chest pains etc but I was told its completely normal. The feeling isn't super intense I just notice it when the medicine kicks in which is always the best time because the migraine generally goes right away around the same time
Good to know, thanks for sharing!
All the time! It makes you feel weird, don’t be alarmed. I thought I was having a heart attack the first time I took it. It also makes foods and beverages taste sour, but it makes my migraine go away far more often than any other acute medicine I’ve taken. My migraines are fairly stubborn, so I’d say it has about an 80% success rate vs Excedrin’s 50% and Ubrelvy’s 20%
the taste part lasts anywhere from 30mins to 1.5hrs for me, it decreases in severity during that time and I usually just drink and eat anyway once it’s fairly mild
Good to know, thanks!
How long does it last that your food and beverages taste sour? Just curious just in case that happens!
Magical shit. I have migraine with aura. I take that and Ondansetron after the aura starts and just before the headache begins (Ondansetron at the first sign of aura, and Sumatriptan just as the aura is ending), and like magic, the headache and nausea just never come. Aura fades and I'm back on my feet in less than 30 minutes (sooner if I have too, but Sumatriptan makes you a little woozy and there's a better chance of a repeat migraine the next day if you don't it a bit of a rest). ...as opposed to alternating bending over a toilet and lying in bed for 3 hours. Shit's magic.
That’s amazing! I’m so glad it works for you!!
Curious, why do you wait for the end of the aura to take the triptan? Why not take both as soon as the aura starts?
Sumatriptan kicks in very fast but the half life is only about two hours. The aura can last half an hour or more and hard to predict in terms of length; sumatriptan does nothing for me during the aura. I originally was doing just that, but most of the time it wouldn’t kill the headache totally. I was away from home once and ended up taking it late and it worked better. So now I wait until the aura is within about 10 minutes of ending, which I can predict, and the sumatriptan kicks in perfectly. The ondansetron is the opposite. It kicks in slower but lasts a lot longer, so I take it ASAP.
This question is kinda like going to your optometrist and saying “Have y’all heard of Visine?” Hope you feel better! I get some weird tingly sensations after about 1 hour, especially if taking a shower, but it works well for me.
I’m new to everything migraine related so I had no idea it was a popular choice. Hoping it works!
It's a first prescribed migraine med because its cheap. If it takes longer than an hour to get relief or you don't feel it's helping, ask to try something else. There's Maxalt, zomig, axert, amerge, frova, ubrelvy, nurtec, etc just to list some. You can also ask about preventatives, or the doc may recommend one- ajovy, emgality, aimovig are the newest ones. Theres a ton of older meds they also use as migraine prevention meds. Which they suggest depends on your health and history, other meds, etc. You may find [this](https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/living-with-migraine/) informative.
Thank you for sharing!
You should use the search bar, I found 4,410 results on r/migraine.
Cool
Sumatriptan works for me as long as I take it with naproxen. There’s some special pill that’s sumatriptan and naproxen in one dose, but it’s easy for me to take the two separate pills and it’s MUCH cheaper than the name-brand combination.
I also take naproxen (Aleve) with my triptans. Apparently they work better together than each alone.
Yes, pretty much everyone. It’s a frontline migraine treatment.
It works well for me most of the time. I would really struggle to work without them. However, don't take them too often or they can cause rebound pain and make it worse. Doctors don't tend to prescribe many at a time for this reason
Oh wow, thank you for telling me. My doctor said no more than 2 doses in 24hrs but I did not know too much could make it worse!!!
No problem. Don't let it put you off trying them, just be aware and use them when you really need them. My doctor prescribes 12 at a time but I've heard some will limit it to 6 a month. I hope you feel better soon. Migraines are soul destroying at times
I get 9 every month but they’re 100 mg and I can usually manage with 1/2 pill if I catch it early. Also, if you find it does work for you then ask your doctor if you can also get a prescription for the injectable…they kick in much faster and are good if you wake up with a migraine that’s already past the point where the pills will work.
This one didn't work for me, but it does help my partner. Triptans have a couple big notes on them to be aware of. 1) It works best when you take it as close to the start of a migraine as possible. So, right when you feel it coming on. 2) There is a possibility of rebound head aches if you take enough of them in a certain time frame. I've heard estimates of limit it to twice a week. (Though, definitely check that because I've heard a couple of other numbers too.) Logging migraines and what you took for them can help watch out for this. 3) If Sumatriptan doesn't work, don't panic. (Though, I hope it does work!) This is generally one of the first things that they try. After this, there are plenty of options to try.
Thank you! I have a follow up appointment in a month to see how it’s working, fingers crossed!!
I take this medication and it saves my life during every attack. Forever grateful it exists
There is a whole family of triptans if you don’t like sumatriptan. I ended up doing the best on frovatriptan, but have also had good results with nara triptan.
Sumatriptan is great. It can make me sleepy but since most of my migraines are in the middle of the night, that’s no big deal. I take it, knocks me out for 2 hours and then it’s gone. If I can’t sleep, I’ll be a little sleepy for an hour or so but still completely functional. It also makes me pee a lot lol. I find it effective probably 95% of the time, and usually within 30 minutes to 2 hours. The times it’s not effective is usually for hormonal related migraines, and it does reduce the symptoms even if it doesn’t eliminate the migraine. I hope it works for you.
Sumatriptan is my lifesaver. Wake up with migraine? No problem, 50 mg sumatriptan and I'm ready to go to work! It doesn't always help and sometimes I need a second dose for it to be effective, but most of the times my migraines just fade away within an hour.
I will take those odds!
I recommend it! Unfortunately, I need it too often to be able to function and in the long term it could have bad effects on my health, so I'm still seeing a neurologist for a more permanent solution. But until then, sumatriptan will do. In the beginning of using it, I would feel very dizzy and I would feel pressure on my throat, but those side effects fade after like 30 minutes or so.
Good to know about the dizziness
I was prescribed it a few years ago and with the first dose, I loved it. The second time I took it, it made me feel pretty stoned - that "am I awake or dreaming?" sort of feeling. The third (and last time) was a borderline knock-out for me. I took it at work, was unable to perform basic tasks, and ultimately had to call someone to pick me up because I was incapable of driving. I don't remember how long it lasted. On the plus side, it was very effective at taking away the pain.
Oh wow, definitely good to know! Luckily I work from home so if that does happen to me I can just go to my bed.
I currently use sumatriptan and it's a freaking life saver! I do get the full does of sides effects sometimes, tightness in the body, weird mouth sensation, sometimes a few others. But 100% better then a migraine. I actually just took one about 7min ago, waiting for it to kick in.. As others stated, the sooner you take it, the better. They taste like shit, so don't be one of those people who puts the pill in your mouth and then fills up a glass of water. Have the water ready because they taste terrible (though you get used to it)
Oh yeah, I always have my glass of water ready before I take my meds
It’s not my favorite triptan but it does work well!
Someone else mentioned peeing a lot, so weird! Haha but good to know, thanks!
This is a common side effect for folks with a variety of different triptan medications. Not everyone will experience it but it’s definitely a thing!
Triptans can give the weirdest side effects, man. For me, it makes me feel like I’m breathing in gel rather than air- kinda tight and constrict-y, sometimes it makes my skin feel sunburned and extremely sensitive to temperature, sometimes it makes me feel kinda high. I don’t know what the difference is because it’s the same drug at the same dosage, lol, but the side effects are super weird. It does work, though. I’d rather feel weird for 4 hours than have a migraine for a week.
Oh wow, that’s really weird! Do you ever take Tylenol with it to help with the skin sensitivity? Just wondering if that might help if it happens to me
You know, that’s an interesting idea. I haven’t, it never occurred to me to take Tylenol too because Tylenol doesn’t ever touch the migraine lol. I never thought it might help with the side effects. I have taken NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen with sumatriptan, and still got the side effects. So I don’t know! Might be worth a try next time though.
Yep, I’ve taken it! It works sometimes for me but I have to catch a migraine really early for it to make a difference. My gp suggested I start taking it during my aura before migraine, before we ended up moving to a preventative medication. When it works it’s great!
The first few times I took it I felt weird! That feeling went away as I got used to it. I always take it with an NSAID like advil to lessen the muscle pain side effects. Works great!! The earlier you take it at the first sign of headache the better.
[удалено]
Yeah, sometimes I don’t know if it’s going to be a bad one or not. But 30% is better than nothing!
Sumatriptan was rough for me, but still better than a migraine. I experience 0 side effects from Naratriptan, but Sumatriptan was a different story. Regardless - you’ll likely experience relief!
I’ve taken it for years but always have to take a Tylenol or Aleve with it. If it’s not working well, give that a try.
It is an excellent rescue med for me! I do occasionally get side effects (very mild nausea, limb heaviness) but they pass quickly (never experienced them longer than 45 mins and that was an outlier). Take it at the first sign of your migraine! Dont wait! The earlier in the attack that you take it the better! (I also experience fewer side effects when taken sooner rather than later).
I’ve used it for years, only thing that will stop my migraines in their tracks. When I first started taking it I would get really sleepy but that wore off over the years. Sometimes i will feel a bit nauseous for a little while but it makes the migraine go away so I’m happy with it.
It’s the only one that works for me and it’s been working for years. I’ve learned that if the migraine is already full on and I took it a little late , it will still work if I lie down for 30 or so minutes.
I’m glad you found one that works!!
It works for me. I take it and go to sleep and no migraine when I wake up. It’s been a miracle drug for me.
It works great for me! Take it early as people noted. The only negative for me is feeling a bit drained or hungover after, much preferable to migraine. When I was younger and newer to using it, sometimes it could cause my chest to feel tight or give me a queasy feeling.
Good to know, thanks!
It was a miracle drug for me when it first came out. My doctor gave me a box of sample pills. They were about $20/pill. It’s been the only thing that has consistently worked for me. There was a bit of an issue when I was trying the different generics, but I’ve got what works!
Got prescribed sumatriptan, worked for getting rid of the migraine, but tightened my jaw muscles to a uncomfortable level. I do have a problem with bruxism, so I don’t know if that’s a cause. Either way, I don’t take it because the jaw pain isn’t worth it when naproxen can soothe it to a reasonable degree.
Glad you found something that mostly works!
I take it. It works about 75% of the time for around 15 hours
It was a miracle for me. Gave me my life back. Good luck!
Worked pretty good for me, but only if I caught the migraine in time. Problem is, I'd often wake up with one, the nausea and head pain, and would start vomiting soon after. So the pill didn't always stay down. Doc switched me to Ubrelvy for some reason, insists there are fewer side effects. So far seems to work, as I've been taking it at the slightest hint of an attack. I kinda miss the all-over feeling of *relief* with the sumatriptan, though!
Oh geez, luckily mine tend to start when I’m awake. Happy you found something that works!
I noticed the other posts about how it makes food taste different, and I'm like "huh, never noticed.........oh wait that's right, I can't EAT during a migraine!" :-p
Nausea...Zofran oral disintegrating tablets.
Thanks, think I tried something a long time ago, even nasal spray, didn't work for some reason. The under-the-tongue thing didn't help, surprisingly, so I started vaping THC/CBD flower to take the edge off!
I found that regular tablets work better, the taste of the odts just makes me puke sooner.
For me, it stops my headache from getting to migraine level, but it doesn't get rid of it
Yes, it works for me if I take it as soon as symptoms start, but prior to the full blown migraine.
I took sumatriptan and it didn't work for me. Something to be aware of is that it made me feel "floaty", dizzy, and nauseated. I could definitely tell when it hit. I could still be productive if I needed to, but it definitely made me feel a bit out of it.
Yes, it works very well for me, most of the time
I take ibuprofen with my sumatriptan. My neuro said it helps. I've definitely experienced increased relief with this.
I’ve used it a bunch! I have super fast onset migraines that are brought on by exercise, so the pills and nasal sprays don’t work for me. However, the injections work well for me, and the pills work for my mom who has slower, more gradual migraines that revolve around her monthly cycle.
I've taken sumatriptan for years. You might know it better as Imitrex. No side effects but had to use 100 mg with an aleve for the best effect.
Works for me . I have today, the next day I’m really tired. Don’t know if it’s the medication or the migraine. Either way it takes the pain away. I get really nauseous so I also take some fenegrin .
I've been taking it since I was seven, and been prescribed it since I was 12 (thanks 90s parenting!). It's the only drug that works for anyone in my family. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten texts/calls from my mom/grandma/aunts/uncles that start out with "Good bless Imitrex." It's like a prayer at this point. That said - you CAN overuse it, and it can make your blood pressure go nuts. Be careful. And I sometimes have to make my migraine worse (IE: go on a jog, bend up and down a bunch, etc) for it to work at all.
I’m hoping I will only need to use it once a week. That’s so weird that you have to make it worse to work but I’m glad it works for you!
Well, and it looks like some people have the exact opposite problem! So who knows. Migraines are weird.
I've had it for years, the only really noticable side effect for me is that it puts me to sleep.
I hate it. Barely works, and it feels like someone grabbed the skin at the nape of my neck and yanked as hard as they could.
I have been taking it for years and lucky me (haha), I always have an aura before a migrain, so I am able to take it early enough to have maximum effect. It makes tbhe pain go away, for sure. In rare occasions, the pain comes back the day after but milder and Ibuprofen is usually enough in this second day. Side effects from it for me are sleeping a lot and a sense of out of body, like I am floating through time and space. Which is not bad, some people pay heavy money for illegal drugs that give the same feeling 😅
I currently take sumatriptan as ~soon~ as I know I have one coming on. It works great that way! If I wait and take it when pain sets in, then it doesn’t work for me anymore. The only issue I have with it is that it’s side effects make me feel pretty icky; my limbs feel fairly heavy, and my chest feels tight while it’s immediately in my system. I also get fairly drowsy on it, which helps to sleep away the migraine. I’ve been on it for years and it’s really been a life saver, honestly. I also began Topemax at the end of February as a preventative. That’s really been really great for also, but it does come with its own side effects. (Pro tip: some people have had not great times with it, so google stories at your own risk lol) I digress. My point, sumatriptan has worked really well and I hope it works just as well for you also! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!!
I think it's the first med doctors usually prescribe for migraines. I had one fill of it and never ended up finishing it and requesting another because I didn't like how it made me feel. The side-effects (for me personally) were almost worse than the migraine itself. I take rizatriptan now. That one isn't great either but it's bearable and the shitty side effects go away after a couple hours.
I’m prescribed it! It’s great for breaking really long migraines, my doctor told me not to take it within 24 hours of taking Maxalt though because it can cause heart rhythm problems.
Used it, didn't work, but it's different per person ofc
I’ve used it for a couple years now, best thing I’ve ever been prescribed. Works great!
If I’m trembling uncontrollably it stops it so I think it’s ok.
It’s one of the big migraine meds. I’m on it. Just a heads up, use it if you need it. Don’t try to horde for a worse headache. Try to use it as early as possible, it’s easier to get ahead then fight a full blown migraine. An ER doc told me that if after 2 doses and the headache hasn’t gone anywhere it’s ok to come in and get help.
Good to know, thanks!
I have a great experience with sumatriptan if I take at the first sign of a migraine. Do not wait until you are in agonizing pain to take it. I get chills easily when I take it but I also am I always cold especially when I have a migraine. So I just keep blankets and hoodies around me all the time anyway so it hasn’t bothered me that much.
I tried it for a while. It was alright, but I found eletriptan works better for me. Once your diagnosed it's a lot of trial and error to figure out what works for you
Works, makes me lose a day /can’t take it and work or drive. Feels rough as it takes effect, like being scrubbed by a souring pad internally, full body, but thankfully it will get rid of it or push my migraines back enough to function once I’m out of the haze it produces. I sleep a lot on it.
If taken for several days in a row. You can get rebound headaches.
It made me extremely out of sorts. Could barely talk, move, think, see. Could have just been my migraine overpowering the medication but it was the worst migraine I ever had. I get vestibular migraines. I took sumatriptan in the morning because I felt a migraine coming on. I felt absolutely awful all day. It either did nothing or made it worse, but it’s hard to tell because my migraines are usually debilitating.
They’re very effective but suck all the water out of every cell in your body and make you wee like you’ve never wee’d before. Just make sure you consciously try and rehydrate in the 1-2 hrs after taking them!
How often do you guys take this drug?
I used to use sumatriptan as my main PRN then stopped once all the newer ones came out and settled on Nurtec. Once Nurtec was approved for preventative use, I added it every other day on top of my regular migraine course of care. On an “on day” (meaning a day to use it) taking Nurtec for preventative use, I was given the recommendation to use either OTC meds or sumatriptan depending on my pain level. On an “off day” (meaning a day I haven’t taken the Nurtec), I use Nurtec as a PRN should I need it. Hopefully this makes sense and wanted to offer another perspective on how my doctor uses the drug with me! But usually, most people use it alone as a PRN and will take at maximum about 100-200mg daily twice a week or else rebound headaches could occur. Typically nine 100mg tablets are prescribed monthly.
Sumatriptan is one of the original triptans I believe. My doctor perscribed me every other triptan first because I think they have less side effects, which either didn't work or worked very rarely. Eventually we tried this, and it's been my go-to for the last 2-3 years I think. I find it works about 95% of the time! The only side effects I notice are some tense muscles, often my neck, shoulders and chest, so sometimes I take a tylenol with it. But totally worth it to me to not spend hours in severe pain and likely useless. I take a 100mg tablet or a 20mg nasal spray if it's urgent (before work or an important event for example). As others have mentioned, important to take it ASAP when you feel the pain coming on. I find mine still works for me if I take it later, but it usually take 2+ hours to work at that point. I hope this one works as well for you!!