Migraine

I don't know where to post this and apparently I am feeling particularly feisty today. It has always bothered me to read this on migraine forums. I had never heard the term used in relationship to meds until I was reading on some different migraine forums.

Why do people say that? According to websters titration is

method or the process of determining the concentration of a dissolved substance in terms of the smallest amount of a reagent of known concentration required to bring about a given effect in reaction with a known volume of the test solution

That in no way relates to a slow increase of dosage over time. It makes no sense to me when I read about meds being "titrated up". Am I the only person that notices the oddness of this?

Perhaps it is just my overactive lab/science background. Or, maybe I'm just too sensitive today. I was researching Lyrica and saw yet another post that used the term and it set me off.

Of course, being put back on Lyrica has set me off, too. I took it the first time the day it came on the market. I don't recall any improvement in migraines and it really affected my motor skills. I thought it was a waste of my money. Here I go again.

Mary

Mary,
In chemistry we would tritrate substances up or down to get a mixture correct. That is what we do with our medications also.

Often to help minimize side effects of the medication, starting them slowly (tritrating them up) helps that.

I hope the Lyrica works better for you this time, or if it doesn't you notice the changes quickly and go off of it.

Cindy

That's the chemistry-related definition.

There is a further medical dictionary definition, too. The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English lists the medical definition as "continuously measure and adjust the balance of (a physiological function or drug dosage)".

So there you go.

Mary,

Many of the doctors I know use "titration, titrate, etc." when referring to starting at a low dose of medication and increasing to the dosage the proves effective for the patient.

Mosby's defines titration as "incremental increase in drug dosage to a level that provides the optimal therapeutic effect."

I guess this is one of those cases where there are different meanings, depending on context.

Hope this helps!

Yes, adding on to what the others have said, all of the neuros/specialists I've seen (four total) have all used "titrate"/"titration" in this context. So I use it too.

I guess I have been fortunate because none of the neuros I have seen have ever used the term that way. I probably would have laughed if they had because it has a very definitive meaning in my mind.

We were part of the flooding in the midwest and my friend that works in banking did not know it was levees that were breaking instead of a "levy". My husband says the english language is entirely too confusing and it is his native language!


I think for me using the term that way is like fingernails on a chalkboard. So, I am greatful none of my drs have. The gyno that says, "If you were my wife I would want you to..." drives me nuts already. If I go off on a dr for saying titrate to me they may commit me!

Mary