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Mexiletine

I did the whole in-patient thing at Jefferson and they decided to change my meds entirely. As part of my daily medicine, they put me on Mexiletine. I am under the impression from the doctors that it is as close to lidocaine as I can get in a pill form. They are keeping me on my daily topomax, but halved it from 400mg to 200mg.

Anywho, has anyone taken this before? I have found very little information about this being used for migraines (though it is). I have to go for a blood test in about a week to check my levels. Just curious what side effects you may be having or had. So far, I just can't poop. LOL. Of course, I was that way in the hospital on the lidocaine infusion too. Oh the joys of migraines and the meds you take...

  1. Hi ninjaqutie,

    Thank you for your question and welcome to the discussion forum! You're lucky to be working with world class migraine/headache experts at the Jefferson, good for you!

    I've not taken this medications but hopefully others will be along shortly to share their experiences with you. I hope you do well with it.

    I have a little tip for constipation if you're up for it. I took methadone for 3.5 years for chronic head pain and had this problem. I finally found Yakima Valley Anti Constipation Fruit Paste from CancerLynx that completely resolved the issue. One tablespoon a day was all it took!

    Here's the recipe. I have permission to share this as long as I meniton CancerLynx!

    Yakima Valley Anti Constipation Fruit Paste
    1 lb pitted prunes
    4 ozs senna tea leaves (at health foods store)
    1 lb raisins
    1 lb figs
    1 cup lemon juice

    1. Prepare tea; use about 2 1/2 cups boiled water, add to tea leaves and steep for 5 minutes.
    2. Strain tea and remove tea leaves.
    3. Place 2 cups of tea, or amount left, in large pot.
    4. Add all of the fruit to the tea.
    5. Boil fruit and tea for 15 - 20 minutes, until soft.
    6. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Allow to cool.
    7. Use hand mixer/blender or food processor to turn fruit and tea mix into a paste.
    8. Place in glass jars or Tupperware and place in freezer (paste will not freeze but will keep forever in freezer also very long in fridge).
    DOSAGE: 1 - 2 Tablespoons per day

    Good luck let me know how you make out,
    Nancy

    1. I go to Jefferson also. I'm also on Mexiletine. I've probably been on it a bit over 7 months now. I know the one side effect they keep asking me about is tremors, but I don't have that yet. From what I have read, although this is an effective medication for those with refractory migraines, eventually the sides effects will get to a point where you will no longer want to take this medication. I should say, at high enough doses.

      I've recently upped my dose by 150 mg, and the first bad side effect that I have noticed is really terrible heart burn. I'm taking previcid, zantac, and tums.

      Also, this drug took a long time to even start to work for me. I was on it for the first 6 months and it did nothing. Then one day it just kicked in.

      Good luck with this med. I know it's been a miracle for me.

      1. I know this is an old post. Any luck with the Mexilitene? I received an Rx for this but did not fill it because I had such side effects with IV lidocaine. I’m so afraid to try it but I’ve been having such awful
        Migraines.

    2. mela14

      I was just discharged from Jefferson on Mexiletine after a 5day stay admission for their lidocaine infusion. For the first time in 23 years I do not have a headache!!!!! What I do have is blurry vision and terrible jitteriness, that actually making it difficult to type this. I am going to stay the course for a bit and hope I adjust. I don’t have much to lose at this point. I’ll keep you posted
      Dana

      1. Dana
        Thanks for sharing that information. i am so afraid to take it because of the reaction that I had to all the meds while there. I’m so Sensitive to meds. At this point what have I got to lose. I woke last night at 3:30 am with the worst tension headache after having an all day migraine yesterday and taking relpax, compazine, advil. Saturday I had to take the toradol IM which helped but the headache returned Monday. So today I am a zombie and needed to take a muscle relaxant because the muscles were so tight behind my neck and going down my spinal column. I am so tired of this. So many different types of migraines. One triggers the other. I’m tired and confused. Stuck in the house with these awful migraines ....
        Please keep us posted on the mexilitene.
        Mel

        1. mela14,
          Did you do a hospital stay with a Lidocaine Infusion? After 2 doses, I left a message with the doctor's office because I felt so awful and I was supposed to increase from twice a day to three times a day. I decided to hold the next dose and I haven't heard back from anyone so it's now 2 doses. I woke up today and still felt horrible, but from what I understand, it does have a pretty long half life. The vm at the doc's office said they would can within 24 hours and we are fast approaching that. I have been taking Benadryl to try to counteract the side effects. It's also worth stating a developed a DVT while there, so I have to be careful with any other meds I take because I'm now on a blood thinner. It was so awful that I plan to hold the med until I hear back. I was given Benadryl and Compazine in the hospital with the Lidocaine to counteract the side effects, because I actually had one eye that wouldn't open while on the Lidocaine. I can honestly say I would rather have a migraine than feel like this. Yes! I mean that!!

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