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Pharmacy/Chemistry question about Imitrex (sumatriptan) for migraines

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Posted 4/28/2019 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
I have taken Imitrex for migraines for several years now. It works for me. Unfortunately, my headaches have been increasing in frequency over the past 1-2 years. I am getting concerned and am wondering about alternatives, as Imitrex cannot be taken more than so many times a month.

Can anyone with pharmacy or chemistry background explain how Imitrex actually works and if there are natural options that will accomplish the same thing?

I have had headaches at least since the 4th grade. They were the single worst quality of life issue I had for decades. All those years, I used various combinations of OTC meds to deal with them.

In 2015, when all my symptoms went full blown, my concoctions stopped working. I told the doctor, and he prescribed Imitrex. For the first couple of years, I only needed it 1-3 times a month and some months didn’t take it at all. Now I’m taking it 5-6 times a month every month and having more headaches than that. Not sure why. Don’t know if it’s hormones (still stuck in everlasting peri-menopause), mold, or one of the Lyme group of infections.
Posted 4/28/2019 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
Okay I did a little searching.

“Sumatriptan is in a class of medications called selective serotonin receptor agonists. It works by narrowing blood vessels in the head, stopping pain signals from being sent to the brain, and blocking the release of certain natural substances that cause pain, nausea, and other symptoms of migraine. Sumatriptan does not prevent migraine attacks or reduce the number of headaches you have.”

That still doesn’t make me understand why it works. Why would narrowing the blood vessels help a headache? Seems like that would make it worse. How does it “stop pain signals”? What natural substances are they talking about that cause pain, nausea, and other symptoms?

Says 5-HTP and l-tryptophan may increase side effects if taken with sumatriptan. Does this mean they may have benefits similar to sumatriptan? I have l-tryptophan that my doc wanted me to take, but I have never used it. I didn’t know why she recommended it. Anyone take l-tryptophan? Does it stop headaches?
Posted 4/28/2019 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
Vasoconstriction can relieve a headache caused by vasodilation. Most of my migraine triggers are vasodilators, too much zinc is the only exception I can think of at the moment.
Posted 4/28/2019 7:17 AM (GMT 0)
Shoot me an email, we can talk about it.
Posted 4/28/2019 1:03 PM (GMT 0)
My wife suffers from Migraines. The only time she took imitrex, it gave her a heart attack. I knew she was having problems and rushed her to the hospital.

At the hospital they gave her morphiine. She had a nasty reaction to that. So they then gave her atropiine to counter the morphine. It was quite a night.

In Mexico, she got a migraine and didn't have her medication. So I went into a pharmacy and got her ERGOSTAT.

I had researched migraines and found that this helped a lot of people. She actually prefered this over her other Migraine medications.

Interesting thing about ergostat. In the 1400's (or there about) the gain was put up wet. The grain was containimed with ergot. This has two properties (LSD) and a vaso constrictior. So, the people were on LSD trips while their fingers and toes rotted off from the constriciton effects of the ergot. Called St.Anthonys Fire.
Posted 4/28/2019 2:45 PM (GMT 0)

claude783 said...
My wife suffers from Migraines. The only time she took imitrex, it gave her a heart attack. I knew she was having problems and rushed her to the hospital.

At the hospital they gave her morphiine. She had a nasty reaction to that. So they then gave her atropiine to counter the morphine. It was quite a night.

In Mexico, she got a migraine and didn't have her medication. So I went into a pharmacy and got her ERGOSTAT.

I had researched migraines and found that this helped a lot of people. She actually prefered this over her other Migraine medications.

Interesting thing about ergostat. In the 1400's (or there about) the gain was put up wet. The grain was containimed with ergot. This has two properties (LSD) and a vaso constrictior. So, the people were on LSD trips while their fingers and toes rotted off from the constriciton effects of the ergot. Called St.Anthonys Fire.

Claude,

Thanks for this info. I’ll make sure NOT to take this. I have CIRS from mold, fungal hypersensitivity, and a genetic predisposition that prevents my body from eliminating biotoxins.
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