I finally saw a specialist yesterday and she recommends Nadolol (Beta-Blocker) and Limitrol (anti-depressant & anti-anxiety combo) at night and Lexapro (anti-depressant) in morning. I am not big on pills, so the two at night seem fine, but has anyone heard of taking two types of anti-depressants. I feel like I live a happy normal life besides having migraines about once a week. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Laura
I take two antidepressants too. I think it is a fairly common treatment, but I am not a medical professional, this is just my experience.
Antidepressants are commonly used for Migraine prevention in addition to treat depression. For most of us that is a good thing.
As Gretchen said, come on over to the forum if you haven't been already. It is a great place for support and information.
Have you been over to our forum? To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.
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I'm taking two antidepressants -- Cymbalta and Wellbutrin. I've been taking Wellbutrin for 6 or 7 years. I added Effexor about 5 years ago. In December, a new specialist recommended I switch from Effexor to Cymbalta. My psychiatrist said it was OK, so I'm slowly increasing the dose of Cymbalta. I take the Wellbutrin twice a day, and the Cymbalta at bedtime. Cymbalta has a sleepiness side effect, so it's a bedtime med.
I have Major Depression, so an antidepressant will always be part of my treatment strategy. Some antidepressants can be excellent preventives, even if you don't have a depressive disorder. I wouldn't rule out an antidepressant.
Antidepressants can work on different brain chemicals, so sometimes two are recommended. In my case, Cymbalta works on Seratonin and Norepinepherine. They're not sure how Wellbutrin works. Effexor also works on Seratonin and Norepinepherine.
I don't know about Limitrol, but I think Lexapro is a SSRI, which works on Seratonin. As far as an anxiety med, I took Ativan, an anti-anxiety med, for a couple of years daily, then as needed for a couple of years more. There are times when I'd like to have it available again.
My migraines are very stubborn, and I'm actually taking 4 preventives: Wellbutrin and Cymbalta, which serve dual duty, Lamictal (an anticonvulsant), and I've just added Lyrica (which is labeled as an anticonvulsant and to treat neuropathy).
Come over to the forum. There's a lot more traffic over there, and you may find someone else with experience taking two antidepressants. You'll definitely hear from folks who take more than one preventive.
Gretchen in Mississippi