I started a migraine yesterday morning. I was injected with 4mg of Imitrex at 10am and then another 4mg at 5pm. I was much better until I awoke this morning with a migrain. Can I take Axert 12.5mg now or in the morning?
As the prescribing information says, there should be 24 hours between using different triptans. Something you need to be careful of is medication overuse headache, aka rebound (see Medication Overuse Headache: When the Remedy Backfires). Rebound isn't medication specific, but based on the type of medication. So, when trying to avoid rebound, all the triptans would essentially count as the same medication and should be limited to two or three days per week.
If in doubt about when you can take your medications, best to call your doctor or pharmacist.
Hope you're feeling better,
Teri
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I have been having good luck with Imitrex so far. However every once in a while (particulalry when a migraine is triggered rather than chronic) the Imitrex seems to just postpone the migraine 24 hours. I just got over a 5-day migraine which was followed by a 2 day rebound headache, presumably from taking Imitrex for five days in a row. I managed to kill the rebound headache, which luckily for me was just a regular headache, with a couple of Tylenol PMs.
Additionally, I would appreciate it if you could give me an approximate reaction time for the Imitrex injection? I am currently taking the highest oral dose there is (100mg), and it generally takes 45-90 min to relief. I would like to go back into construction and was pondering whether if I use the injection, if it may increase my time of recovery and ability to return to my duties without leaving work.
Jeffrey,
I'm not sure what you mean by "triggered rather than chronic." Migraines don't just happen. The're all triggered. A Migraine attack can last more than one day. If you get less than four hours pain-free while awake, it's most likely a continuation of the same Migraine.
Teri
I should have been more specific. I meant that food triggers always seem to bring on a migraine in me that is impervious to abortive meds. (Particulary Bell Peppers, Store bought meat seasonings, and coffee)
But I do seem to have some migraines that just come out of the blue for no apparent reason, even when all potential triggers have been carefully avoided. There is also something about Arizona that makes them worse, even before I moved here when vacationing here as a youth. (Heat, Brightness, Altitude, and Dehydration combined?)