Hello all - I have been taking nortriptyline since 11/7/02. I have been taking 75 mg at bedtime now for at least 2 weeks, and my chronic daily headache has not subsided at all. The next time I see my neurologist I am going to request we try a different medication, but i was just curios if I have been taking the nortriptyline long enough (I think so!).

Also, I am currently taking Zanaflex, 12 mg at bedtime (been on Zanaflex since last August). I have already tried depakote, skelaxin, vioxx and elavil - no help.

My diagnosis is chronic daily headache, likely tension headache with some migraine type features. Headaches may be related to TMJ dysfunction, but I've tried many different splints that have not helped.

Nevertheless, I think I am going to request trying Neurontin next. I don't take (or want to take) pain meds, because they don't even help and I don't want to get rebound headaches. What other 'preventative' meds are out there for chronic daily headache?

Thanks for any suggestions (I just want to be informed when I see the neurologist next).
mbr

I have posted some of the other meds used for headache prevention and will copy from my old post.
There are tons of drugs used for migraine prevention. Some of the ones I know off hand are Nortriptyline, Elavil, Propanolol, nadolol, atenolol, timolol, and metoprolol, Neurotin
diltiazem and nifedipine. doxepin, and imipramine. As you can see this is quite a list of drugs that can be tried and I must add another to this list as hubby is now trying verapamil ER for his headaches. Since the Nortryptiline isn't working then make an appointment to see your doc and try something else.

Hi,
I'm currently on Zanaflex also. I take 2 - 3 times a day. It worked when I first started on it last summer but isn't anymore -- which is why I'm on a higher dose than what I started on 1 - twice a day. I see my neuro on Thursday and will see what he will have to say. Probably another increase... so long as no more lumbar punctures are needed!!!

Jo

Hi,
I'm currently on Zanaflex also. I take 2 - 3 times a day. It worked when I first started on it last summer but isn't anymore -- which is why I'm on a higher dose than what I started on 1 - twice a day. I see my neuro on Thursday and will see what he will have to say. Probably another increase... so long as no more lumbar punctures are needed!!!

Jo

Ask your MD to do a trial with an ergot compound (ergotamine, ergonavine.)
Not fancy or high cost, but my pill of choice.

To those on ZANAFLEX

Does this med. make you feel out of it? Tired, drunk, woozy or anything? I'm getting ready to try it and I took Flexeril once and it was like I had 5 drinks of alcohol - had to just go to sleep. Obviously not a way to live!

I am getting PT in my neck and it feels ok *when* I get it, but about 3 hours later, even with ICE, my whole head feels awful, the WORST allover major tension headache and migraine feelings too. Even my teeth hurt, and my jaw (I wear a great splint at night, so that's taken care of).

Basically, everything from my neck on up is FIRED up and unbelievable painful. My neck has been SO tense for two decades, so I understand manpulating it - however gently, is going to make things flair, so that's why the Zanaflex for the beginning months.

Has anyone had tgrouble STOPPING and getting off the Zanaflex when taken for a few months?

THANKS TO ANYONE WHO CAN HELP WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Please read my reply to both your other posts where I suggest that you try acupuncture to help you.

Why don't you consider trying alternative therapies rather than trying lots of medications that either don't work or have side effects?

Alternative therapies do work and can be very helpful in curing problems with headaches.

Try it and see.

Hi Amosquito - I had much less side effects on Zanaflex than Flexeril. It did take a few weeks to build up tolerance however (I built up to 12 mg at bedtime). I had no trouble tapering off the medicine.

Skelaxin is another muscle relaxant with very few side effects. I was able to take this med during the day even without feeling tired.

Hi Sarah - I have begun trying medical acupuncture. We'll see how it goes!

mbr

I have to say that I think that you should have TCM acupuncture rather than medical acupuncture, as you will not get the best otherwise.

Medical acupuncture is done by doctors and they do not make fullest use of all the points available as they are not trained in Chinese Medicine. TCM is the way that acupuncture was designed to be used in the first place.

Sarah - what does TCM stand for?

mbr

TCM stands for Traditional Chinese Medicine and I would advise anyone having acupuncture treatment to have treatment from a practitioner trained in this style of Traditional acupuncture.

This is how acupuncture has been used in China for thousands of years and by having this type of treatment you are reaping the rewards better than with medical acupuncture. Doctors just use what are known as trigger points and so do not use half the point combination that can give you great benefits.

You could be missing out on a lot, but then again it is up to you.

Thanks Sarah - since I am kind of in the middle of treatment with my current practitioner, I can't quit now. However, if I don't see any benefits, in the future I may try the TCM.

Thing is what people don't realize is all these different treatments we try cost time and money, both of which I get really tired of wasting. But again, I'd feel like I short changed myself if I stop treatment now.

Thanks,
mbr

[This message has been edited by mbr22 (edited 04-14-2003).]

Yeah, I realise that, but that is why you need to try and find a therapy that works for you. I have tried different therapies myself, but not all at once. I had various different problems and tried herbal medicine, that I did not find particularly effective for me as a whole. I have tried both osteopathy and chiropractic for back problems, but it was not until a friend enouraged me to try acupuncture for PMT problems, that I hit on the energetic stuff that worked very well for me. Another friend introduced me to homeopathy and I found that this was great for me too, so now I use either acupuncture or homeoopathy depending on what kind of problem I have. When I had a back problem I used the acupuncture, as I felt that homeopathy is not as good for this. A few sessions and my back pain and sciatica were gone.

I have to say that it is now very rare that I ever use anything else but acupuncture or homeopathy for all my problems. I have not taken antiboitics for years, as if I have something that needs treatment, there is a homeopathic remedy that will fit the picture and take care of it.

Anyway, I hope that acupuncture works for you, but if energetic medicine does not, then the more physical may.

Good luck

Sarah - if the current medical acupuncture treatment does not work, I will defintely give the TCM a try.

The biggest problem I have with medicines is that they always have a bad side effect. For example, the TMD symptoms give me chronic head and jaw pain , ear fullness/blockage and pressure, as well as a chronic dizzy, off-balance, groggy head type feeling (hard to explain, but I FEEL like I have a cold 24/7, like I'm just "out-of-it", when I actually don't have a cold).

Well, all those drugs that the neurologist gives me to get rid of the pain ALWAYS make the dizzy-off balance feeling worse, so I then feel really zoned-out! So what's the point, because those drugs never help the pain anyway, and I HATE feeling like I'm in a tunnel of dizziness that I can't shake out of.

I'm assuming that at a minimum, if the TCM doesn't work, at least I won't feel like I'm on valium all day as a side effect.

Thanks,
mbr