Cluster headaches with Sumatriptan/Imigran
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have recently been diagnosed with cluster headaches. I'm not sure if this is a correct diagnosis from my GP as I also feel pain elsewhere in my body. However I have been prescribed Sumatriptan to help with my pain.
My problem is this: I suffer from pretty bad anxietyand have been reading the side effects of this medication. The side effects are absolutely horrific with the top two being tightness in chest and numbness in extremities. I also read peoples experiences with this medication and one person explained "I thought I was having a heart attack, it made me feel extremely ill' other people also give experiences of feeling terrible when taking this.
In addition to this, adding to my worries. Is that imigran affects your seritonin system and uses 5HT agonists. I have tried 5HTP before and I felt awful, I experienced increased temperature, breathlessness and anxiety. Now if 5HTP made me feel like this and imigran is 5HT I am worried that I am going to have some negative effects.
I have been to my doctor so many times and will feel ridiculous going back when I have not even tried this medication yet. Has anyone tried Imigran before or has any advice on what I should do?
0 likes, 3 replies
Jan999 sophie2123
Posted
TigXC sophie2123
Posted
SUMATRIPTAN
I can only comment on this particular drug as it is the one I take when I have a Migraine. When it come to reading about all the side effects etc ... if I where to worry about them I'd never get out of bed ... ever?
Some side effects can or mat effect some people? The thing you should be worrying about is your Migraine or in your case your Cluster headaches and what if anything you can do to help yourself relieve yourself of them?
In my case when I get a Migraine I would not be without my Sumatriptan Tablets as without them my Migrains can (and have) lasted for days, and spending two, three or even four days hidding under the bed covers, week in, week out is not fun.
So before you frighten yourself with all the 'possibles & maybe's' of a particular tablets side effects perhaps give them a go for at least one course and see how you get on? For me [touch wood] where the Sumatriptan are concerned I've not had any side effects that I've noticed.
I do also take Topiramate 50mg daily as a preemptive measure to help ward off the many attacks I get. And whilst this second drug has partially helped by cutting down the number of attacks I get ... roughly from around 3 a month to about 1, I have found I now feel more tired since being on this particular course of tablets, plus my head feels more fuzzy when it comes to doing daily tasks? So you could say I've not suffered any known side effects with the Sumatriptan, but the Topiramate are having a bit of an effect on me outside of task they are meant to be doing which in the grand scheme of things for me is not too high a price to pay for a little less pain each month?
So whilst all this Reading can be helpful sometimes, it can often be better to give things a go on a personal level as we are all different, they work on each of us differently and sometimes a small Trade Off may just be worth it to get some normality back into your life? But then ... each to their own ... it a personal choice.
Tobamory sophie2123
Posted
It is a 5HTP but if your like me and tried the %htp stuff from the Herbal shops I-Trypotophan and the other is 5HTP its not like them
Imigran is very targetd on what it effect, all your symptoms above are correct my mains one is Getting hot but chest etc ive never had issues only when ive not had some for a while.
Unfortunately for us Migraine suffers serotonin is one of the Big Causes, and whatever preventative they give you it normally restricts the flow thus makes us Grumpy, the 5HTP stuff from the shop INCREASEs serotonin like a mild anti depressent thus can lead to headache....
Hope you get sorted but try what i said, half your dose, failing that ask the GP for one of the others like Naramig or Zomig.