migraine meds?

[N*I*K*K*I]

I have been taking Elavil for the last 3 months as a migraine preventative. It has helped alot. The problem is that I have also gained almost 30lbs. in those 3 months. I go to see my neuro tomorrow and I'm gonna be talking to her about maybe switching to something else.

Anyone here take something that doesn't have weight gain as a side effect? I have to do something or I'm gonna weigh 200lbs. by the end of summer.:sigh:

[Mommy in Missouri]

Midrin works pretty well most of the time for me.

[mckellie]

Immitrex (sp?) worked great for me w/ no weight gain side effects, but if I remember right, it's not a daily preventative, but a "feel one coming on" kind. Hope they find something that works w/o the side effects for you.

[BoogyWoman]

i found that i can control mine by controlling my environment and food intake. just avoiding my major triggers has taken them from 2-3 a week (think 3-4 days on 1 day off, 3-4 days on.....) to just 1 a month. it really works and i don't have to take any meds for it. just ibprophen when they start helps keep them from getting bad.

for me i have to avoid caffine, chocolate, sunlight (wear sunglasses), excessive heat & noise are my biggest triggers oh and florescent lighting (must wear sunglasses when around it)

have you figured out what your triggers are? it really helps to prevent them if you can figure that out first.

[naughtymonkey]

topamax usually has the opposite side effect. most people lose weight when on it. it is used for prevention, not treatment, of migraine.

[N*I*K*K*I]

I can't take ibuprofin because I'm on coumadin. The only thing that I can take is tylenol, which does nothing. I think that's alot of the problem. I start to get a headache and since I can't take something to get rid of it, it just gets worse untill it's unmanagable.

We decided to wean me off of the elavil over the next 4 weeks. I'm also on a beta blocker for tachycardia. Apparently the one I'm on also works as a migraine preventative. So she doubled my dose on that. Hopefully it will work and I can get rid of one of the meds I'm on. I'm starting to feel like a walking pharmacy. LOL

[BeccaCCKK]

I take Topamax as a preventative. I take MAxalt when i actually get one.