Zyprexa and Thorazine
I am at the point in managing intractable agony where pretty much every option has been exhausted and drastic measures have to be taken. I am a psychotherapist by profession so I’m acutely aware of how powerful the above antipsychotics can be, especially Thorazine, which is widely known to leave people basically comatose. I’d take zyprexa fora week then if that doesn’t work I’d move to the dreaded Thorazine for ten days. I don’t suffer from psychosis, so they’d only be used to break my current 78-day-long severe migraine. Has anyone tried these?
I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with this level of pain. I don't have firsthand experience with Thorazine, but I'm sure others will join the conversation with their experience soon. Hang in there, we're thinking of you. In the meantime, here are some articles, and conversation threads that you might find helpful.
https://migraine.com/living-migraine/treating-intractable-migraine
https://migraine.com/living-migraine/how-do-you-break-wont-stop
Best
Alene, Migraine.com Team MemberI understand you’re considering Zyprexa and Thorazine as potential options for managing a prolonged severe migraine. It’s important to approach this carefully, as these medications are primarily antipsychotics and can have significant side effects.
For Zyprexa (olanzapine), there is some evidence suggesting it may be effective for patients with refractory headache, including those who have failed other prophylactic agents. It has been used in doses ranging from 2.5 to 10 mg at bedtime, and some studies have reported a significant decrease in headache days and severity.
Thorazine (chlorpromazine) is sometimes used for nausea related to migraine headaches. However, its use for migraine treatment is not as commonly documented as other medications, and it is known for its sedative effects, which can be quite strong.
My husband has been prescribed thorazine on several occasions. This has only been done during hospital admissions to break unrelenting cycles of severe migraine attacks. His headache specialist has the drug administered intravenously. The treatment is done with steroid dosage for three days usually. They will switch the IV line from one arm to the other since thorazine irritates my husband's veins which makes the IV arm look sunburned. It has been effective for him, but it is a last resort treatment because he hates being hospitalized. Apparently the efficacy is different via IV versus taken orally according to the doctor. During the treatment my husband is relaxed but not like a zombie as he has been with other medications taken orally. Finding effective ways to break a severe migraine attack that lasts for days has been a challenge for him, but using preventative CGRP drugs has been very helpful in avoiding severe, prolonged attacks. In our experience, finding a medication or combination therapy, is a process because each person's body can react differently to a treatment. I would suggest finding a headache specialist to help you manage your attack if you are not already seeing one. Warmly, Cheryl migraine.com team
