Pizotifen - has anyone managed to stop taking this for migraine? & did you put on weight while taking it?

[girlandboy]

I have tried to reduce my dose, but the migraines come back with renewed avengeance! I currently take 1.5mg a day though I have only been taking this much for about 3 months. For the previous 3 years I managed on just 1.0mg. I really don't like taking drugs every day, but I can't function without it.
I am currently taking Migrafew as well (a herbal remedy) and am hoping that after a few months I can start to reduce the Pizotifen with the aim of stopping it altogether.
As for the weight problem, I'm about 2 stone heavier than I was before. Trouble is, the tablets say that this is because it increases your appetite, and this was certainly true at first, but this has gone now. Still can't lose the weight. I was wondering if any of you ladies had stopped taking Pizotifen and then found the added weight dropped off. Here's hoping.

[girlandboy]

bump please

[AphroditeInHerNightie]

Just did a quick search on Pizotifen as I've been having a nightmare.
I've been on it for 7 weeks now and gained 17 pounds. Really p*ed off, too, because I'd lost over 5 stone with Slimming World but in the last couple of months I found my 'willpower' just disappeared and I was hungry all the time. Then I got into the guilt cycle of kicking myself because I wasn't succeeding anymore.
Anyway, did a search on Pizotifen and found this quote here :
^"The active ingredient in the Sandoz range of appetite stimulants is a drug called pizotifen (U.S.: pizotyline). Though Sandoz sells pizotifen in many Third World countries under the brand name Mosegor (for weight gain), in other countries, Sandoz sells the same drug under the name Sanomigran, as a treatment for migraine. The contrast in the promotion of these two products is striking.
In promoting pizotifen for weight gain, Sandoz trumpets patients' "highly effective" response, with "very good" stimulation of appetite in nearly 8 out of 10 cases, and claims significant weight gain for 9 patients out of 10.
When Sandoz promotes pizotifen for the treatment of migraine, however, all references to weight gain and appetite stimulation appear in small print, under the heading "side effects." One Sandoz publication on Sanomigran observes only that "a slight increase in body weight is observed in some patients. This is due to increased appetite."^.

Needless to say I'm not a happy bunny and marched off to get an appointment to see my doctor about an alternative. Why would a GP who told me I needed to lose weight in the first place prescribe me this? I used to take Maxalt Melt which were fab. I wanna go back

[AphroditeInHerNightie]

'nother bump!

[laurawvcc]

i have been taking pizotifen for about a year and i have gained weight but not dramatically. As i am only 17 i am getting a lot of exercise so i aaaume thats y i havent gained much weight. I am also taking Feverfew [Migrafew] as an addition to the pizotifen. I also went to see a cranial osteopath wich really seemed to help as it really loosened all the tensoin in my head. I am now slowly decreasing my dosage and i ahve recognised that i have been wanting to eat more and i think that i have gained a bit of weight.

[tezmania]

I have been taking pizotifen for two years and gained over three stones in weight . I have also had unrelated stomach trouble which meant I was eating like bird . Therefore these tablets are to blame for increase in weight . Iam coming off these hope I will be ok afterwards and lose my excess weight.

[Alicia123]

I empathize with all of you ladies, as I have also been using Pizotifen for the last 10 months and have noticed considerable weight gain during this time, a stone and a half to be exact!
I downloaded an app on my phone called 'My Fitness Pal' which allows you to monitor what you're eating and drinking each day. My calorie intake has been far lower than it used to be- 1000 - 1200 calories per day.
I've also been going to the gym on the treadmill burning 250-300 calories 3 or 4 times a week. My migraine attacks reduced greatly from 4 to 5 a month to only having one during my monthly. The attacks are like clockwork a day or two before I'm due and then would last for 3-4 days. Admittedly, the severity of the attack is less than it was before I started on Pizotifen but is still bad enough to put me to bed.
I discussed all my concerns with my doctor and she has just prescribed me Propanolol. I've read up on it and have fears about changing to a different kind of drug. It appears that it works as a beta-blocker to slow down the heart rate and circulation. It also states that you cannot just stop taking it as it can be quite dangerous.
My dilemma is this, do I continue taking Pizotifen and accept my weight gain for the sake of not suffering with migraines OR do I try Propanolol that supposedly doesn't cause weight gain but could potentially cause me more side effects? I just don't know what to do!!! Arrrrggghhhh!!!

[buzyb7000]

Hi, I was prescribed propranolol which was worse than pizotifen because the tiredness and lack of energy so I put on weight with that, Pizotifen is better but still put weight on & have had issues with pre-menopausal hormones so my weight keeps going up anyway. Today am so tired am stopping the pizotifen as am never going to lose any weight at this rate. I am lucky as 0.5 dose had been enough to virtually get rid of my migraines so am hoping that the side effects won't be too bad but I will post how I get on for any that are interested.

Other issues with propranolol were sweats & because it puts a limit on how high your heart rate can go I found that I couldn't go up hills on my bike or perform any exercise to my normal ability. Every thing you do you burn off less calories so again bad for weight gain. Good luck everyone with what you've decided.

[Melon85]

Horrified to hear you've been prescribed Pizotifen AND later Propanalol - two awful medications, completely out of date according to my neurologist who was horrified to hear I was on one of them and had been on one of them all of 5 years ago. I was put through countless (probably 20 different) medications over 2 years by GPs who just don't understand, you need a neurology consultant, a good one with a reputation, a forward thinking one to assess you and help you. My medication was changed to topiramate and eletriptan (although plenty of others came in between) and lots of therapeutic help was offered through the NHS - massage, physio, acupuncture etc. Via a pain clinic. The first thing my neurology said to me was you must understand the likelihood is this will not be 'cured' therefore we must find the best way for your life to fit around it etc. I felt he offered me the chance to grieve for my pre-migraine life and I have adapted, whereas for 2 years I had be grasping on to hope a drug would just fix it within the click of my fingers.
Hope that helps, I know this is an old thread xx

[Melon85]

Sorry - And regarding the weight problem the Pizotifen and Propanalol caused weight gain and I still have problems with sleep even though I haven't taken it in 3 years. Topiramate caused weight loss (it's being introduced as a weight loss pill in the US by all accounts) I had horrid mood swings with both and topiramate has caused some down times but nothing so severe.

[buzyb7000]

Thank you for that, it's still very current for me. I am very confused about my migraine status at the moment- I am 48 and since 2 years after my daughter was born in 2008 my periods, which were very average before went a bit crazy-non stop for months until I finally had the hormone coil fitted. This is meant to do them but in August last year I started a full on cycle & that's when my migraines got a lot worse. I was first sick with a migraine aged 12 so have put up with them for years but was 'lucky' as they were mild compared to a lot of people I have read about on these sites! So I do count my blessings in some ways, if I took codeine & paracetamol I could cope most of the time, they weren't that frequent. Then they got bit worse, so needed ibuprofen as well. Then got gastritis so had to take lansoprazole & docusate sodium as the codeine was causing constipation & all of that is why I started on the preventative route. And the irony - whilst on the pizotifen the periods stopped. So was then thinking 'Do I need this?' Soon as stopped, periods come back! So like I said am confused. Just done a dance class and got migraine start Just way through so taken 60mg codeine, 1000 paracetamol & 200 ibuprofen as don't want to set stomach off & that has stopped it coming on but don't feel like doing much. I just feel bit of a fraud as so many people are so much worse. But I don't want to take so much codeine & ibuprofen all the time. Your post is very helpful, I was thinking that I would loose the weight I need to & go back on the Pizotifen but now I think I mot go back & get referred. Sorry this is but long winded!

[Melon85]

There's always somebody worse off, it doesn't mean your reality isn't hard! I think go see a specialist - you need to find a decent Triptan for your migraine days, you can take one up to 4/5 days a month so would suit your less regular migraines. Once taken you'll feel really tired(!) but otherwise not completely wiped out or in the agony of the migraine. The important thing is the treat your lifestyle aswell - all the boring usual things like drink plenty of water and eat small amounts regularly. I think s specialist is the best route as my experience of numerous GPs was very very disappointing in this field when they have been reliable in others. Even the experts still don't know what causes migraines so a GP will know even less.
As preventatives go there are many I've tried, but a low level topiramate might help without giving you the side effects of taking a high dose. Everybody is an individual when it comes to migraine - you need to find the right route for you using a consultant. You may need to fight your way to get there!!

[NotQuiteJustYet]

This medication was awful when they had me try it for an extended period, I was like a zombie and easily sleeping 14 hours a day. In addition to the weight gain, the brain fog it gave me was just awful!
I was put onto topiramate next, and I've been on it since December now. Whilst I do have some side effects from this on a daily dose of 100mg, I haven't had a single migraine since I've been on it, not one! I get numbness/tingling in my hands and feet which can be annoying, and occasionally I'll forget a word when I go to use it but it's a small price to pay to be free of the migraines I was having 3-4 times a week.

[vertigottago]

I had severe Vertigo problems (trying not to lose my job cuz of it) and after MRI's, Catscans, vestibular physio (well close) etc nothing worked, so after trying Serc which did nothing my new doctor (who thinks due to It getting worse in my menstrual cycle that it may be mini migraines that don't feel like a migraine but vertigo) tried me on Amytriptyline which made me extremely tired (combined w my Lithium) so now I am trying Sandomigrin we'll see how it goes but I too who am already overweight hope it does not cause weight gain and more appetite. we'll see. Thanks guys this forum is helpful :D