Terrified of sumatriptan

[36and3]

I'm on day 5 of an awful head and the doctor has prescribed this today. Initially gave me 100mg but I freaked out and have bought the otc 50mg.

The side effects terrify me. I have awful medication anxiety.

Side effects similar to a heart attack: jaw/chest/throat tightness.

Rationally I know I need this because even naproxen isn't helping but I'm literally so scared and I just know that I'll be the one in whatever who will experience them all. I'm also nervous about driving the school run tomorrow feeling spaced out etc.

Can anyone share their experiences please?

Yes I get all the side effects

Far more preferable to migraine.

Its like a miracle drug to me and enables me to get on with my life.

Oh no 😢 how long do the side effects last?

It’s fine. It’s the triptan they give to children.

I didn’t take mine because of the same reason OP but if I was in your situation I think I’d have to. Once you’ve taken it once, and realised it’s ok, will you be fine going forward? I’ve been too scared to take all sorts including naproxen.

The throat tightness, probably a couple of hours at most, I dont really remember to be honest, I notice it when it first comes on and think 'good its working' and then I dont really notice when its gone. Sometimes I dont even notice because Im more focused on the migraine pain and then I'll drink a cup of tea and realse my throat is tight and sore and remember that its the medication.

I do get a bit spaced out with it, but then Im completely knocked out and spaced out by migraines when they're bad. Its like experiencing brain damage at times with migraine, I would probably tolerate quite bad side effects to get rid of a migraine.

What helped your migraine that you could tolerate taking? I was ok with taking naproxen because I know it's just a big brother to nurofen but that's how I rationalised it - it's done nothing though .

I’ve had Sumatriptan - it actually stopped working for me - but when it did, it was like a miracle. No side effects. Just loss of pain. I can’t tell you that you should take it because I can have no idea of if it is likely you will have side effects. But your doctor will have some idea perhaps? Based on other indications in your profile?

Absolute miracle drug for me. The side effects get less as your body gets used to it and weren't that bad. Staying hydrated helps. I was prescribed antisickness meds to go with that you put on your gums that helped with migraine and side effects sickness

The sooner you take them the better. If I delay I find I need a second dose...

If you aren't planning on having any more children, ask your GP if you would benefit from Topmirate instead as migraine prevention. Everything has side effects though.

Sumitripan has changed my life. If I didn't take it I would be absolutely suicidal with migraines. It makes me feel a bit hungover but that also could be the migraine. This is all nothing compared to the headaches and nausea. I've taken it for a few years never had an adverse reaction

No side effects, no headache. Suatriptan is fabulous.

Do you all take 50mg? Or did you start by halving the tablet for the first time?

Well, it does affect your ability to spell 😁

This is life changing if you have debilitating migraines. I had many many years when I couldn’t get out of bed when having a migraine as I couldn’t even lift my head. These tablets mean that within a hour of taking them I can function as normal. I just feel a little more weak on them for the first hour but that subsides. Honestly you will regret not taking them.

I take one or two tablets when I feel a migraine coming on.

I've recently had botox for migraines too

And I take propranolol as a preventative

Half of me wants to take it just before bed to try and ignore any side effects. But I know I'll be so wired with anxiety I won't sleep and I'll be on hyper alert for new sensations. I hate the power of anxiety.

It makes me sleepy when I take it which is a relief as I feel better after I've slept

I get all of the side effects, especially the feeling of tightness in the head/neck. I won’t lie, it’s not a pleasant drug to take and for me it’s a last resort but it’s preferable to a migraine

This is day 5 but today has been particularly awful.

Can't believe I'm asking this but if I take it this evening would anyone be around to reassure/hand hold?

Yes.

I have a box in my cupboard that I've been too scared to take too!

Do you have the tablets or the nasal spray?? The spray is 10x more effective and no side effects. Not that I've found anyway!

I can be here with you. I have awful medication anxiety (with myself) but I can be totally and utterly rational for others thankfully

I take sumatriptan and the only side effect I've experienced is minor lightheadedness for about 20 minutes as the drug kicks in. The first time I ever took it I felt quite high but that only happened the once.

50mg followed by a couple of cups of sweet teas.