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When triptans stop working

Just wondering if anyone has experienced their triptans suddenly not working anymore. I have been managing my chronic migraine for the past 10 years or so by staying under 10 triptans a month (have used both maxalt and zomig) and over last 6 months they have stopped working. Without this rescue drug, I really fear I won't be able to work or live a normal live as I have at least 2 attacks a week and am incapacitated by them. Any one have a similar experience? Any advice?

  1. Well, I could have written your post. Exactly the same experience. After about ten years of use, triptans no longer work for me, or rather they "work" for 4 hours, or 8 hours, or 14 hours, partially or completely, but the migraine always comes roaring back twice as bad as before. If I take them again, same thing happens, so they're essentialy useless to me now. My migraines are now intractable and last 5 days usually.

    What we've had to do is take me to the infusion center if I get a migraine, where they give me depacon, magnesium and fluids by IV, or just ride the migraine out in bed with a lot of ice packs. I don't take painkillers unless I'm on the verge of vomiting from the pain as it just causes rebound and like the triptans, draws the migraine out. It sucks. I tried going on a "triptan holiday" wondering if after ten years, my body had just gotten used to the medication, and that was the problem, and if I took a break, it would work again. After a few months, still no change when I tried again. As of now, it's been 9 months off of them. I'll try again at some point. They sure were handy when they could stop the migraine.

    And no, I am not currently able to work or live a normal life, so our situations may not be comparable.

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