Imitrex vs Advil

Cari is doing o.k. Living With It - married and have twin boys age 16 - am an... Send Message Subscribe: Cari

Tuesday, November 27, 2007
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Hi there, I was prescribed 200 mg of Topamax (100 mg in the morning and 100 mg in the evening), in hope that I would not require as many Imitrex. I take Advil when the migraines are not as severe. I would think Advil would not help migraines with aura or am I wrong? S...

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Hi Cari
Nancy Harris Bonk
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 05:25 PM

Advil is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, used to treat pain. Imitrex is a triptan which aborts a Migraine attack. If you take too much of either, more than 2-3 times during the week you can create a new problem called Medication Overuse Headache. Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires

If you are in MOH, no preventive will work. You need to stop the offending medication cold turkey.

re: Hi Cari
Cari
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 11:45 AM

Nancy:

Yes, this is the reason why I am on Topamax. The weather is brutal these days here in Canada and I try to tell myself that today it will be better. I do not take the Imitrex more than once a week or the Advil more than twice or three times a week so I do not think there is a problem there. I do, however, find that I am suffering through the pain and laying in a dark room and dealing with the aura and depression for this very reason.

Last week my head jerked and my right leg jerked up from the coach right after and it was a little scary and, of course, the pain was in my right side of my head so I sometimes wonder if I wait too long to take the Imitrex. Should I take the Imitrex as soon as the aura starts and forget about the Advil when it appers to be a Migraine. Advil does work at times but how do I know how bad the Migraine is going to be at the beginning? It seems because my doctors have warned me about taking too many Imitrex that I am more concerned about this at times then I am about treating my migraines.

My experience
Cindy
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 07:03 PM

Both of my neurologist (migraine specialist) have indicated there are studies to suggest that some migraines have an inflammatory component. Therefore they have both suggested using Advil in conjunction with Imitrex to see if the migraine subsides more quickly. Most of the migraines I get I wake up early in the morning with and I don't remember to take the Advil or I'm too nauseous to chance it.  So I can't say if it helps or not.

Though my son gets migraines, he takes 600 mg of Advil, goes to sleep for 3 hours and it's gone. Since that works, his doctor has not prescribed anything else for him.

Cindy

re: My experience
Cari
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 11:35 AM

Cindy:

Yes, I find if I take 600 mg of Advil it usually does help , and if I lay down and fall asleep it is even better.  If it does not work, I take Imitrex as well but sometimes I do not take the Imitrex because I am trying not to take it too often so I just lay there in pain and deal with aura. depression etc. If twice a week is not too often then I think I will just take the Imitrex.

It is a bad time of the year here in Canada with the weather changing drastically every day, and I have to stick it out.

Thanks.