Migraine medications

[Josie]

easy child started taking Anafranil on Monday. It seems to be helping her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) a little already but she is still having headaches daily. I called her neurologist to see if there is anything she can take for migraines for pain short term while we figure out if the anafranil is working. He said there is nothing else she can take, that we have already tried everything and that the psychiatrist needs to figure out something she can take with the amitriptyline. Unfortunately, the Anafranil is pretty much our last hope for treating the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

I know there are kids here being treated for migraines with something other than amitriptyline. She also tried something before that was an antihistamine that helped migraines. I don't remember what that was. Are there other options? Preferably something that can be short term since the anafranil may not work out and we would go back to the amitriptyline, probably.

 

[smallworld]

The first medication my son ever trialed for migraine prevention was Nortriptyline. It didn't work. We then went to Propranolol (blood pressure medication), which we have used to treat his migraines for 4 years. It has worked wonders in his case. When he gets a rare break-through migraine, he takes Maxalt. I myself take Axert as needed for migraines. Both are in the same class of medications as Imitrex and can be sedating.

Periactin is the antihistamine used to treat migraines. It wasn't all that effective for my daughter.

Anticonvulsant/mood stabilizers (Topomax, Neurontin and Depakote) are also used to treat migraines. We found in my daughter's case that when we stabilized her mood with Lamictal and Lexapro, her migraines disappeared.

Hope you find something that works.

 

[SnowAngel]

My monkey is on Imitrex 25mg for migraines. It is around $130.00 for 9 pills. He isnt on any medications for mental health issues yet. I am not sure if it can be used with them. I would ask your pharmacist what medication your child would be able to use for migraines with his current medications. Then you could research your options a bit before discussing it with the dr.

Migraines are caused alot by allergies. Stress causes them too. My son has at least three a week, which for a 11yr old is too many.

By the way, our dr prescribed the 100mg tabs to be cut into 1/4 that way we have more for our buck and most insurance companies will only pay for 9 a month. Imitrex comes in 25mg,50mg and 100mg, that I know of.

Good luck & keep us posted on what you find.

 

[ck1]

I know this may sound odd because it is not a prescription, but for me, drinking a regular mountain dew works the best. It's something with the mix of caffeine and sugar that helps. Your child is much younger so maybe a whole can of mountain dew would be too much caffeine, but you may want to try one of the smaller cans, just to see if it would help.

I've gotten migraines for about twenty years and have tried various prescriptions that did not help. Mountain Dew and Excedrin Migraine have helped me the most. If you limit caffeine for the most part but use if to help during a migraine, then I don't think the caffeine would be too bad in regards to long term health but consulting a doctor would probably be a good idea.

 

[TerryJ2]

Sounds like you've gotten some good ideas here. I am still working on my own migraines, and have no idea what to do for kids ... their metabolisms are so different from adults'. Sending soft, quiet, gentle hugs to your difficult child ...