addiction to Relpax

I'm off all tryptans and OTCs for migraines, after a horrendous weekend of what I'm calling the DTs in response to what had become an addiction. I consider those tryptans dangerous drugs! I didn't overuse; stayed well within conservative use according to labeling. However...apparently over the years, my body got hooked. I began to notice rebound headaches would come 36 hours after dosage. I now believe the severity of some of my migraines was the result of lack of Relpax in my system at those times. And certainly that last weekend. OMG. That
Monday morning I made some desperate calls and was able to set an appt with a specialist 50 miles away, in 10 days. Virtually NO headaches for those 10 days. I was "clean and sober." How interesting! That's not the end of the story... it's only the beginning... Anyone else with a similar tale?

Hi, Danielle, thanks for responding to my post. Since I'm a newbie here and this was one of my first posts, I was beginning to wonder if anyone was reading them or if I'd said something unacceptable or way off the beaten path. Anyway -- Good luck with the topamax. I will see my doc Tues and ask for a different drug, as I can't tolerate the weight loss--I'm too skinny already. Severe headaches have stopped, but I still get mild to moderate ones in response to my usual triggers. I'm going to try Neurontin next. Have read mixed reviews of its use with migraines, but it seems like the next best thing. Am willing to read other suggestions here, though.

April2014, I agree--your experience with Relpax is much like mine. I'm even beginning to wonder if I even need a preventive drug like Topamax or Neurontin at all. The 10 days between my horrible withdrawal weekend and my visit to the neurologist who started me on Topamax were the clearest my head has felt in years -- and NO HEADACHES. Maybe the answer for us is NO DRUGS. Something to think about. Thank you so much for responding to my post.

Yup -- I get so mad when I see the ads for Relpax. I have already warned several young women who are on it: watch out! I think the clean diet is may be another key. I was pretty much there already, and one thing this neurologist has done is make me cut out even my beloved green tea (caffeine) and my 1 TBS of yogurt on cereal (dairy). No caffeine, no dairy, and absolutely NO processed food. We'll see. I, too, have tried everything from chiropractic to shamanism--and I'm really done with people still saying, "Have you tried....?" The answer is an angry yes and if it's no, I'm not going to try it at this point anyway!

I have never heard of Relpax addiction before but I guess anything is possible.  My wife quit coffee after 35 years and she was sick for 2 weeks so....

I kicked Relpax, Immitex, every migraine medicine prescribed.  Topamax put me the hospital with pancreatitis.  Only 2-4% of people get it and I was one.  ER Doctor thought I was an alcoholic being so young with pancreatitis.  I'm telling him I don't drink because of migraines and that's when he did his research on the meds I was taking.

I don't like preventative medicine due to side affects.

Good luck.

April, what you describe is what I experienced -- a slow sneaky development over time -- and what my body told me loud and clear was an addiction when I went through a weekend headache without my easy-fix drug. Life was easier with Relpax, yes, because I wasn't so vigilant about avoiding my known triggers--after all, I had a drug I could reach for if I got myself into trouble, right? Now life is very different--ruled by headache avoidance more than headache experience. This is not the life I want to live and I am going to do everything I can to get past this phase. I'm going to call it a phase, anyway.
I saw the neurologist this week; weaned off Topamax, 3 days clean, and then I will begin Neurontin on Sunday. I pray that it will be at least as effective as the Topamax was for me, without the side effect of weight loss, which I cannot afford, and without any other offensive side effects. I know it's a crap shoot -- we'll just have to wait and see.
I am eager to be among you brave souls out there who are going drug-free, but I guess I need a little more time between me and severe migraine pain, and frequent migraines, before I'm willing to go there. I feel like I'm in a rest-and-recovery phase at the moment.
jpjr50, it sounds like you went through a real nightmare with Relpax. I wonder what your migraine experience is now that you're off all preventive meds (and treatment meds?).
Thank you guys for the conversation.