Anyone taken Triptans and they haven't worked?

[LoafofSellotape]

I'm so disappointed, everyone told me they would be life changing etc etc and they've done nothing. It's like I haven't taken anything.😢

What else is there for migraines?

Propranolol and Amitriptyline?
I tried this before Triptans but tbh as my migraines were hormone related, a specific Triptan (zomig)worked much better for me.

I went to through about 4 different triptans before I found one that worked. Taking amitriptyline every day as a preventative has helped a lot too

Many different options including cgrp injection
Look at migraine trust

I'll ask to try another, I was prescribed Sumatripan.

I have Sumatriptan too. I've had others before all seemed to work pretty much the same.
I do know if I don't take them very early they don't work.
Make sure you take one at the first hint of the migraine. You know it's going to happen you can't deny or hope it'll be nothing, just take it and wait.
I used to take a big cup of milky coffee along with mine and that seemed to help. And paracetamol after for the aching body hangover once the pain was gone.
I have 16mg of Candesartan daily for prevention now and I still get maybe 4 migraines a month. I used to get at least 10 or 12.

I’ve suffered with migraines with aura all my life and had been taking sumatriptan for years with little success. A few years ago whiIst on holiday in the US, I was advised to get some Excedrin by my sister in law and was astonished that it worked. It’s pretty much the same as Anadin Extra here which works as well though I find Excedrin works faster so I stock up when we travel. It’s been life changing. I take couple as soon as I get the aura and it greatly reduces the pain.

Personally my migraines were hormonal and going on the mini-pill (cerelle), completely stopped them, I think that I could have spend years having 2/3 migraines a week and going down the triptan etc route. The mini-pill seemed to address the cause for me and I would recommend it, haven't had one at all for over 4 years.

Is it actually migraine that you have?

Triptans are usually very effective if it is truly migraine. Maybe you need to revisit the diagnosis. Can you explain what your headaches are like?

Sumatriptan nasal spray helped with mine but only if used sparingly otherwise I got rebound migraines. I had ones that were like that old clear chewing gum (remember that?!) and they didn't do much. It was Maxalt.

Triptans have never worked more than 50% of the time for me and I’ve tried tablets, a nasal spray and ‘melts’ that dissolve on the tongue.

Tablets won’t work if your stomach shuts down - if that’s the case you can ask for a different delivery system. The melts are the best for me. Maxalt Melts were brilliant but they stopped working and now I use the Zolmatriptan ones.

I’m now on Vydura which I pay for privately and it has been a game changer for me.

Edited because of autocorrect!

The GP diagnosed migraines. I don't get them often luckily but when I do it takes 2 or 3 days to shift and I really struggle.

I took propanolol everyday for years and had triptans, injections and oxygen for headaches but last year read about magnesium supplements for serious headaches. I've been taking them every day since and slowly came off all medication. It's been brilliant. The research paper said it was successful in 40% of cases so it's not a solution for everyone. Even if I feel a headache coming I can still take triptans but it rarely happens now.

That’s really not the case. Studies tend show around a third of people won’t respond to triptans.

Its worth trying other triptans op, some people find one works where others don’t.

As others say, you might find a preventative will be more successful op. I hope you find something that works for you.

There’s a whole new generation of medication plus botox also works for some people. You just have to keep going back until you find something that works.

I take magnesium already 😊

Mine were like that at first, it like living in a fog in-between the pain.
Have you been referred to a Neurologist. I had one for diagnosis and then recently had a follow up as I hadn't seen one in so long (over 20 years) That's who prescribed the Candesartan.

No, I will make an appt again with the GP and go from there. They are usually food triggered and as long as I avoid cheese,dark chocolate and spice I'm fine but that is becoming harder and harder especially eating out. It didnt use to be but there's so many ingredients in everything now so sometimes I slip up.

They never really worked for me. I was given sumitriptan as a nasal spray as it works quicker. It gave me sinus infections.

I'm currently on nerve blocks (GONI) every 3 months plus Pitzotofien.

Hi, load of sellotape... would you tell us which magnesium supplement you take, as I believe there are seven kinds.. I can't remember right now the names of all seven.
I can only think of Magnesium Citrate.

I would love to find a magnesium supplement that has all seven types in the daily dose.

The research says magnesium sulfate. It was US government research but was a relatively small trial. You can't take multiple magnesium together as it affects absorption of it apparently. And there is also some debate about whether you should take it with calcium or without. Some say it's essential to help absorption and others say it prevents it working.. difficult to know what's best but I take it with and it has worked really well for me. I used to suffer very badly and slowly came off the medication, stopped the various injections, oxygen, nasal sprays etc and have had only very minor reoccurrence.

Triptans made me worse, they extended a normally 3 day grotty time by around double.

It was the type of migraines I had though, the neuro said they were pointless for me. I tried all sorts of them.

The only thing that works for mine are cuprofen, weirdly other ibuprofen isn't as effective at all. So long as I take it as soon as I notice the aura it will reduce the pain and just leave the 'hangover' which is less debilitating.

Have you looked into going onto the mini pill?

Oh, that sounds so tough.

I take Almagran with one paracetamol tablet at the onset of symptoms.

You do need to take them immediately when the symptoms start rather than wait to see if it's a migraine, although I could always tell it was going to be a migraine headache rather than 'just' a headache.

I started on Immigran originally but I hated the side effects. I did try another brand beginning with Z but can't remember the name of it now. That seemed less effective for me.

Also, have you tried acupuncture or even Reiki? I use Reiki when I'm feeling ill to help my body focus on the bit that needs to heal.

I have hemiplegic migraines so can't take triptans as they are known to not work with this type of migraine.

I have just bought an oomie which you use to regulate the pressure in your head. I have used it with a bad headache and it did help but of course I haven't had a migraine since I bought it! I will post once I have had the chance to use it.

I've tried various triptans for Chronic Migraines (so far this year 29 weeks of migraines out of 43 weeks) Have been on amitriptyline for years and now also take Pizitofen 1.5mg every night to try and keep them at bay. Also spoke to a Private GP while waiting to speak to my own GP and she pointed out the link between hormones and migraines. So my own GP has requested yet more blood tests to see if I'm peri-menopausal/menopausal and whether HRT could help