I was just prescribed Nortriptyline HCL for chronic migraines. Has any taken this for migraines? What are the side effects? Thanks
- Find
- Manage
- Resources
Q: Nortriptyline for migraine treatment?
Answers (9)
4/24/08 11:16am
Hi Michelle,
Nortriptyline, aka Pamelor, is a tricyclic antidepressant and is sometimes used to treat Migraine disease.
A few things to keep in mind when starting a new drug - it may take up to three months to adjust to it and see a reduction in Migraine frequency. Side effects are potential which means they don't happen to everyone all the time.
If you find this medication is not reducing your pain, don't lose hope. There are over 100 medicationa available for Migraine prevention. Migraine Preventive Medications - Too Many Options To Give Up!
Good luck.
Nancy Bonk
4/24/08 3:00pm
Hi Michelle I was takeing up to 100mg of Nortriptyline a day my side effects were, very dry mouth could not hardly taste the food I ate, tired feelings all day. I have since stopped taken them all together. Because of the side effects. I can say that it did reduce the intensity and frequency of my migraines. Hope you dont have the same side effects that I had.
6/ 5/08 4:00pm
Michelle-
I have been on Nortriptyline for migraine prevention for several years. Initially, the dry mouth and tiredness were a real problem. To alleviate the tiredness, I began taking the medication at night. Give it some time before you rule it out as an effective treatment. For me the dry mouth disappeared after several months. The negative long lasting effect was weight gain.
You have to weigh the plusses and minusses. For me the decrease in migraine freqeuency was worth the wieght gain.
Good luck!
James
4/ 1/10 8:40pm
I have had migraines for over 5 yrs, and use imitrex to help. However, my doctor put me on Nortriptyline HCL, to try and prevent the amount of migraines I get each month. I take one pill at night. (10 mg) I have been on this pill for 3 weeks and have not had a migraine, knock on wood. I usually go through 10 imitrex a month, which is ALOT! So, it is worth a try if I were you. If this doesnt work for you, there are many other meds to try. Good luck and dont give up!
~ Migraine survivor! 
9/27/10 5:16pm
YES I TAKE IT NIGHTLY THE ONLY SIDE EFFECT I HAVE IS AT FIRST IT MADE ME SLEEPY. I KNOW WHEN I MISS IT AND IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME AND MY DAILY MIGRAINES, NOW THEY ARE NOT AS BAD
2/ 7/12 1:15pm
Me too. My Dr. actually just upped my dosage to 50 mg. I have been on it since November and have noticed a drastic decrease in migraines. Down to about 1 or 2 a week instead of every dang day! I have noticed the dry mouth, but just drink plenty of water throuout the day. Havent noticed any weight gain (probably because of the water intake!) Good luck :)
9/29/10 9:20pm
I have been on Nortriptyline HCL 10mg for 8 months now. I was suffering about 3-5 migrane headaches a month and a lighter headache just about every day. Since I started on this medicine I haven't had a single migrane and I have had about 5-6 headaches in 8 months. I am very happy with the treatment.
1/10/11 11:07am
I just went on this 3 months ago. I still get migraines but they are not as severe or as often. I get maybe one or two now a month where before I was getting two a week that would last several days.
I still have the dry mouth. Not sure about the weight gain, as I struggle with my weight and have stayed away from the scales since going on it. I have noticed strange things with my eye sight lately. My vision will flicker. Almost like a TV losing its signal. And a little bit of hallucinating. I'll see "bugs crawling/moving" out of the corner of my eye. Or I'll think I'll see something, and the next minute it's not there.
It still makes me very tired. 10 minutes after taking it, I'm knocked out for the night. If I have my alarm set I can get up around 6:30 am. If it's not set I don't wake up until about 10 or 11 am. So on the weekends I get close to 11 or 12 hours of sleep and I could keep on sleeping.
1/21/11 2:29pm
I started this treatment at the end of sept 10,always had migraines since childhood,im 42 and they had got so bad last year it was hard to go on(doctor thinks it made worse by the meopause) so i started on 25mg but im now on 75mg,dry mouth and odd taste for a while but passed,have had the odd migraine ) doctor thinks i should have 0 on this treatment,dont now if he,s being unrealistict on that)but when i get one now it can be up to 3 days long and the pain is beyound anything ive ever had(he assures me i wont have a stroke???)have lost 10 lb in weight and im 5ft 7ins and my weight has been static for ten years,so assume it the treatment.not sure but maybe i see things that are not there just for a second now and again.only other thing is very cold feet and fingers,especially the tips.Im a nurse so fully aware what im taking but will carry on ,as if its a toss up between the odd side effects and having weekly migraines again,the tablet wins,i want my life back
3/ 3/11 10:31am
I have been on nortryptiline for 8 months having moved from Amytryptiline. I had a dry mouth for a while but nothing serious. A few years ago I put on 3 stone from using Pizotifen but have managed to lost all of it except for half a stone recently whilst on Nortriptiline. No weight gain worries at all.
I haven't had a migraine for 8 months now - not one since starting on Nortryptlinie and beofre was a regular sufferer (3 a month).
Hope this helps.
Becky
Important:
We hope you find this general health information helpful. Please note however, that this Q&A is meant to support not replace the professional medical advice you receive from your doctor. No information in the Answers above is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed in the Answers above belong to the individuals who posted them and do not necessarily reflect the views of The HealthCentral Network. The HealthCentral Network does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
yes. My migraine headache is gone. It does re-appear in the form of dizziness when th eweather is about to change