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Posted 5/3/2008 9:35 PM (GMT 0)
 hi its ashley. just wondering if anyone out there has tried namenda?
Posted 5/4/2008 2:59 AM (GMT 0)
I've been on it for about 6 or 7 months. There is some evidence that it can help with neurological pain, but it's more commonly prescribed for migraine patients to improve cognitive functioning.

In my situation, because of pain and the many strong drugs I'm on, over the last 6 years I've gone from being a high school senior with a 4.0 GPA and first in my class of over a thousand students to, a few years later, losing my full tuition scholarship at my university, to, now, having dropped out of university one semester short of earning my molecular biology degree (not that I was able to earn that many credits with the migraines...luckily I earned a year's worth of college credits in high school before I started getting the migraines and spent the 5 years of intermittent college classes since struggling to achieve the two and a half years of credits that put me the semester short). I used to hide my intelligence before the migraines came on, but now I can't even read books for leisure anymore. So I don't worry about being considered boastful.

But, sorry, back to the Namenda...I can't really say for sure how much it might be helping me. My neurologist has kept me on it since I was on this daily regime when the clinic told me that I had totally exhausted their resources. Do you kind of know what I mean in having so much trouble telling if one drug makes a difference when you're on so many of them and have been on so many of them for so long and have had the pain (and cognitive deficiency) for so long that it's hard to differentiate between slightly better and slightly worse? Maybe that more unique to me because I've spent these nearly six years without finding a single treatment that gave me relief, or, more likely, it's probably something that we have all experienced to some degree or another.

In the end, I say that taking something that may help your pain and has a good chance at helping you think better is worth a shot. I don't believe there are many side effects to worry about anyhow (also, I started considerably lower, but I'm now taking 40mg/day).

G'luck.

Ben
Posted 5/4/2008 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
hey ben  its ashley about the nemenda did you gain any weight from it? i read about the side affect which said headaches,joint pain etc. did you get any of these. I didnt start it yet. they want me to take 5mg at night for one week. week two am 5mg then pm 5mg.week three am 5mg then 10mg pm. week four am 10mg then 10mg pm. continue i guess until i discuss it with the doctor.

Posted 5/4/2008 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Ashley,

You know, it seems like the paths that you and I are going down with our headaches seem to cross quite a bit :)

Anyway, I think that my neurologist told me that there isn't too much of a risk of weight gain taking Namenda. I have gained a ton of weight over the last year or two from loads of antidepressants and other similar drugs (plus the fact that even moderate exercise makes me want to die...), but I have more or less maintained the weight that I was at before I started taking Namenda. As far as headaches go, it's really hard to say, if you know what I mean. My baseline headache (the level of pain that I don't drop below at a given time) can range from like a 7/10 to a 9/10 week-to-week or so. So guessing whether medication is causing that problem or not is really hard to tell. Of the period of time that I've been taking Namenda, sometimes I've been better than I was beforehand and sometimes I'm worse--unfortunately not one or the other so much, which is why I really just expect to be able to think somewhat more clearly from taking it (but if you remember some of my previous posts, I haven't really experienced relief from any medications that I've tried).

Also, no joint pain, or even any other side effects that I have noticed particularly. So, given the low likelihood of bad side-effects and the potential of some improvement, I can't thin of any reason no to try it. At least that was my rationale in agreeing to try it and having stayed on it for so many months now even though my headaches are still wildly out of control. The way I built up to my 40mg is about the same as the way you're planning to. To summarize, my opinion is to go for it.

As always, I wish you the best Ashley. Hang in there!

Ben
Posted 5/6/2008 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
HI BEN, ITS ASHLEY WHAT HEADACHE CENTER ARE YOU WITH NOW? REMEMBER WE USED TO SPEAK AND FOUND OUT WE BOTH WENT TO THOMAS JEFFERSON. I AM WITH DR RANDALL BERLINER WHO WORKS OUT OF LENOX HILL HOSP IN NYC. HE ALSO WORKS OUT OF MONTIFIORE HEADACHE CENTER IN THE BRONX. SO FAR I HAVE ONLY HAD TWO OFFICE VISITS WITH HIM. THIS THURSDAY 8TH WILL BE MY FIRST ROUND OF BOTOX. I WILL ALSO START THE NEMENDA TODAY. LET ME KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING. HANG IN THERE. MY DAD JUST PASSED AWAY APRIL 16TH. HE WAS 51 YRS OLD. THAT DOESN'T HELP ME MUCH EITHER.

                                                                    TALK TO YOU SOON

                                                                     ASHLEY

Posted 5/10/2008 12:11 PM (GMT 0)

hey ben its ashley just got my first round of botox on thursday. forehead and neck area. so i guess i will see how it goes. also started the namenda. read my last post before this one. i would like to know what headache center you are with now

                                                                    ashley

Posted 5/11/2008 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Ashley,

Sorry to have kept you waiting--I've been rather occupied the last few days. As of right now, I am being "treated" (and I use that term very very loosely) by Jefferson still. Really, though, Dr. Nahas there is just prescribing my daily medications + painkillers monthly while I try other avenues. I have a lot of respect for how much effort my neurologist at Jeff put into trying to help my headaches. Also, she was always extremely kind, compassionate and patient. I admit that I am rather disappointed in their (lack of) help in my search for additional treatment, after they ran out of ideas.

I handled it okay on my own though. I will probably be seeing Dr. John Castaldo soon, the chief of the headache center at Lehigh Valley Hospital. He's very good friends with my uncle, so I shouldn't have to wait for an appointment really. As a bit of a tangent, he has written a book that I've heard very good things about (http://www.amazon.com/Tattoo-Other-Tales-Uncommon-Wisdom/dp/1932100962/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210479249&sr=8-1 -- all 14 reviewers give it 5 stars). I've also been in contact with a doctor at Drexel University Hospital concerning ketamine infusions. I just changed to a new psychiatrist and a new psychologist.. I'm not certain what to think of them yet, but they're much different than most of their colleagues and since I've been seeing them I've been in a remarkably better mood, which has made my life so much better even though my head pain is still VERY high and I'm still in the throngs of that endless 6 year headache.

I have plans to see a ton of other doctors verry soon also though. In no definite order, a: Chiropractor, Allergist, ENT specialist, endocrinologist, dietitian, sleep disorder specialist (for the 4th or 5th time), and I think a few others that I cannot recall. I talked to Montifiore but they did not feel that they could offer me anything new.

Well, I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad. I've had some emotionally tough times recently as well, but that is truly terrible to hear. I hope you are able to cope.bbAs I know I've posted many times before (but maybe not in your threads), I tried Botox 2-3 years ago I think. I was initially just the least bit reluctant because of the cost, but it turned out to be amazingly cheap, despite having heard several people discuss very high costs. Originally I was told that the prescription for the toxin would cost about $500 and the injections about the same amount. And they said that a lot of insurance companies won't cover any of it. I don't really know about that statistic, however, since my mother's insurance (that she gets as an Einstein Healthcare Network employee) covered all but $15 of the prescription and our regular Blue Cross HMO covered the injections (minus the copay). Needless to say, I still wasted those $30 or so since it never worked for me.

I've read that the treatment is very successful for many people and I very much hope that you increase that number Ashley :)

Take care,
Ben
Posted 5/25/2008 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
I started Namenda for migraine prevention in January. I'm now taking 40 mg a day. I think there has been a slight improvement in the frequency and intensity of my migraines since I got up to around 30 mg, but I am hoping for a more pronounced improvement. Still, I haven't really experienced any side effects since I've been on Namenda, so I don't mind taking it.
Posted 6/5/2008 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
Surprisingly, this is the first time I've heard of this medication. What is it?
Posted 6/5/2008 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
Namenda is FDA approved to treat dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.
Posted 6/6/2008 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
Okay, do you know if it is similar to Razadyne?  It is also an Alzheimer's/dementia med.  I've taken it for two days now, and I always feel like I have to urinate.  I know that one of the listed side effects is UTIs.  If this side effect doesn't subside, I'm not sure if I will continue taking it-- especially if I do get a UTI.  Do you have the same experience w/ Namenda?  What are the side effects like w/ Namenda?  Sometimes, I would rather get the headache.  The headache is more painful and bothersome, but at least I'm used to it. 

Posted 6/7/2008 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
I can't say I'm familiar with that drug. I haven't had the symptoms you've described while on Namenda, though.
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