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Welcome to the Migraine Prevention Medications Forum

I have recently been prescribed pizotifen as a preventative for my migraines but after doing some research on the internet, I now a little scared to take them. All I have read go on about the really bad side effects. Has anyone used this drug? I would love to know your experiences.

lwats80 – this is one of the few drugs I didn’t try while I was looking for a good preventive. I’m not actually sure its available in the US.

Are there specific side effects that worry you more than others? I see that weight gain is listed as being fairly problematic…

Ellen – I’ve heard that they can make you very drowsy and tired all the time like you’ve taken a sedative. Ok, so I might not get the pain but if I still feel awful all the time is that really any better. I can managed the pain with naratriptans, it was the tiredness, drowsiness and confusion associated with an attack that I need help with. I mean, it doesn’t sound like my quality of life is going to improve much.

One thing to consider lwats80, is that this may be an interim drug to help you until something else comes along that may be better. I definitely understand the tiredness issues though. I had some really major issues with that as well. It went well beyond the scope of simply being tired – my cognition was really decreased pretty badly. It was like being drunk all the time, or how I felt on lots of morphine when I was in the hospital. Had to stop reading books because I couldn’t follow a thought past one short sentence. Ugh. That said, even feeling that way was better than the agony, so long as I knew it would not last forever. It got me through for a while until something else was available to try. Sometimes using things in combination is also an option – again, best decided by your doctor. I suggest starting a frank discussion with him/her where you outline your concerns and ask if there are other options with a better side effect profile. Remember – - the choice is always yours.

I have been taking pizotifen for a week now and I feel fine. Well better than fine. I’ve not had a migraine all week and so far this weekend I’ve been migraine free. Not experienced any noticeable side effects yet which is brilliant. My boyfriend says it’s like he’s been given his girlfriend back. It’s early days but so far so good. I’ll keep you posted

lwats80 – Your feedback is awesome! Thank you so much for getting back with us on your trial of this medicine. It’s so exciting it is working so well for you. Congratulations on taking a giant leap forward in your Migraine journey!!!

Unfortunately, after a good month or so of being migraine free and starting to get back on my feet, the headaches have started to creep back again. I am still taking my medication daily but over the past 2 weeks I have started to get my migraines again. They started off relatively mild but got progressively worse and then yesterday I got a big one. I think the main reason for this is good old fashioned complacency. At first I watched what I ate, took a multi-vitamin and extra B vitamins every day as well as feverfew and other herbal remedies. After a few weeks of feeling fine I began to get think that my medication was some sort of miracle pill that I could take every day and everything would be ok. I gradually stopped taking my multi-vitamins and feverfew and began to be less cautious over what I ate and bingo, my migraines came back. So the moral of this story is medication alone can’t fix the problem, after all there is no ‘cure’ for migraines. Managing migraines is a full time business that involves lots of different factors and choices that have to be made daily. Hopefully I have learnt my lesson this time and will be able to once again get my life back on track.

Good for you lwats80 – I hope getting back into the swing of living as healthy as possible will result in better management for you again. Be sure and let us know!

Has anyone tried Nardil? It is a MAO Inhibitor. We are starting it in 2 weeks after we try the diet restrictions that go with it and wean off all of the other medications, including Imitrex. I would love to know if anyone has any experiences with this class of medications. It is our last option after Botox didn’t work. Any feedback would be appreciated.

I have never tried Nardil…I am getting the Botox every 3 months… those help some. He wants me to get the nerve block that goes deeply in the nerves…he said they are done with xrays…Been taking Topax for years now I just started “Lamictal” see how that works…He just gives me the Relpax tablets when I get a explosive headache…It never ends…it seems to be the weather with me…I am going to ask him about Nardil. GOOD LUCK!

I never asked for prescription meds for migraine (I just put up w/them) but the Doc prescribed Topamax, however I’m leery of this drug (since it can cause overheating and I have thyroid disease, also suicidal tendencies and it interferes with other meds) so I bought it but have not taken it. Has anyone here taken it? Any side effects worthy of mentioning? And is there a newer generation med that is better and less aggressive so to speak? Thanks

PS my major trigger is the sun or bright light. My migraines aren’t as painful (as they were a few years ago when they were unbearable) but they are more frequent (daily) and I have to be locked in the dark but still get them… so it’s not like I can avoid them (at least apparently) with simple diet. I think peanut is an aura trigger and I’ve stopped eating them all together.

I’ve had them all since the age of 14: migraine with vomiting, migraine with vertigo, photophobia, extreme audio sensitivity, pounding headache, aura with or without the pain, and lately I have pain (not as severe) daily and not quite aura but I am “blinded” by even slight light and can’t focus my eyes (for reading, etc.) as if my eyeballs were stiff and I have to move my head instead of my eyes to follow printed words. That’s the best I can describe it. Anyone else have this weird symptom?

TO BECCA: I literally had almost word for word the exact question. I am starting it (Nardil -MAO Inhibitor) in three weeks.. I am beginning the diet and had to wait three weeks since my last Imitrex injections.. this is also the next option after Botox injections failed me… it is just about the ONLY preventative I have not tried. If you find any information I would be interested.. I hope it works for you, well for both of us.

i recently was put on topamx for migraine. i have vertigo triggered by heat- when weather changes i am in house until fall begins.my doc put me on this thinking it would difuse sensitivity – making vertigo less severe. but i got extremely dizzy and nauseous and overall bad feeling on topamax. what is an alternative? i take meclizine for vertigo but still have to stay inside.

to janmarbol: also, how crazy when i read what you wrote about overheating w/topamax.no wonder my body was freaking out.one of my biggest triggers is heat.i am now feeling like the meds. left my body after stopping it after 4 days. it was terrible. and scary.it made me never want to take another med for migraines again. i took one in my 20′s but it was one of the really strong, older ones and it was terrible.the doc. didn’t tell me to taper off and i felt out of control and somewhat suicidal – this topamax scared me in that same way. you have to do the same tapering. it is too much. i live in the desert so i am in house now until pretty much november.reading your comments helped me see i am not alone