Amitriptyline for Chronic Daily Headache+ Migraines?

[Trixx123]

Hi everyone,
I have had a continuous headache and at least 8 migraine attacks for the past three weeks. They feel more like spasms shooting up from the back of my head, sometimes pulsates, sometimes jabs, sometimes involve eye pain, and alternates between both sides of my head. I am waiting for an appointment to see a neurologist so in the meantime I just keep going to my family doctor. I had a CT scan without contrast at the hospital, showed nothing, so they gave me IV of a muscle relaxant + anti-nauseant and sent me home.

Tried so far: tramacet (tramadol+tylenol), naproxen, advil, tylenol, tylenol + codeine+ caffeine and imitrex. Nothing has worked.

So my doc prescribed Amitriptyline (elavil). I started at 10mg for 7 days and I am now taking 20mg and it is day 10. Headache pain still here (some spasms throughout the day). The drowsiness and dry mouth side effect I can handle but it seems to have increased my heart rate and increased my anxiety (leading to a few panic attacks) as well.

My question is: has anyone tried Amitriptyline and it worked? how long does it take to work and at what dosage? I am just concerned that the anxiety is being caused by Amit. and I don't want to keep taking it if it does not work. Also if I keep taking it, and it does not work, then I will have to deal with the withdrawal symptoms. Please help, I need advise. :(

[Trixx123]

@Dolphinleiker It's good that you found a med that works for you. Unfortunately, I am not taking Ami for sleep but for the 24/7 headache that I have been having. From reading other people's experience with Ami, I thought it was going to help with sleep as well. Sleep is the only time when I don't feel my head hurting. :(

4.5 weeks since headaches began.... 3 weeks on Amitriptyline, headache still here. The pain feels different, a bit less severe and at times feels like a burning pain at the back of my head. I'm giving the Ami a couple more weeks to see if there's anymore improvement....

[Rielu]

Make sure your doc has ruled out Chiari malformation.  Have you had an MRI done?  My daughter has the daily headache with intermittent migraines and was diagnosed with chiari malformation.  It is a cerebellar tonsil herniation.  MRI would show it.

[Trixx123]

Just wanted to do a quick update, I was researching amitriptyline again and came across my own post LOL

Since my last post, I have gone up to 30mg of amitriptyline (since end of Feb.). I saw a neuro in March, who told me that I had a sinus infection (this was shown on my MRI) and told me to see an ENT instead. No follow-up appointment.

I went to see a second neuro at the end of May who told me I likely never had a sinus infection (wasted time taking antibiotics and Nasonex) and it was likely migraines aggravating my sinuses.

I was diagnosed with chronic daily headaches with chronic migraines. I was told to up the Ami to 40mg and max 50mg if no improvement. I see him again in three months.

I still have a fast heart rate, some anxiety and palpitations that I think is the amitriptyline. My migraines have been bad again, so I'm thinking its time to go up to 40mg. I'm just so scared of how it might affect the side effects that I mentioned.

Can anyone share their experience with amitriptyline, daily headaches or chronic migraines??

[sara12345]

Everyone has different effects from medication, so it doesn't matter whether others have had the same reaction.  You think that you are having the reactions.  Also, I don't see where you say whether the amitriptyline  has helped you or not.  But if you're still having the faster heart rate and anxiety, then I think that you should talk to your doctor about it.  Why don't you try another prophylactic med for your migraines?  There are a lot of them.    Good luck.

[Raj1181]

Wanted to share my experience on migraine. I had this migraine from past 10 years. and its becoming severe day by day. I had amitriptyline 25 mg for 3 months and it completely got rid of headache. but when i stopped migraine triggered back and becoming worse day by day. Even now a days i have migraines 3 to 5 times a week and lasting for 6 hours. I consulted neuro and he suggested me to take divalproex sodium 250 mg for a month from today. So let me see if this medication can help me in getting rid of this migraine.

Meanwhile one thing in home i do for controlling headache is crushing the ginger and applying it on the forehead and back side of neck.

[sara12345]

You must have had some bad side effects, the reason why you stopped the amitriptyline which helped you so much..  I'm also assuming that you are not Trixx.  It's unusual that your doctor gave you an anticonvulsant medication, but yes they are used to prevent seizures. You must have already failed on some other classes of daily meds to prevent migraines.

And have never heard of the ginger.  I don't know how to crush it.  I would have to grate it.  Would that work?  It's worth a try for me.

Thanks.

[honey348]

My Doctor has just prescribed Amitrip 10mg for cluster headaches. I had another bad attack in August which lasted for 11 days. I am trying the Ami as a profolatic, otherwise I am prescribed morphine when an attack occurs. There  seems to be no reason why I get them. All I know is when they come I cant sleep, cant work and cant cope.