Migraine

Hi,

I'm new to the migraine connection. I've been on a preventative for over a year and just recently switched to nortriptyline. I've heard from the neurologists and others that this causes weight gain. I'm hoping someone has some personal experience about a preventative that worked and didn't cause weight gain. While I do want to enjoy a migraine free life I don't want to balloon up while doing so. I tend to be very thorough with my research of what I'm going on and what it causes but I've had a migraine for three weeks so at this point I'm taking what the neurologist gives me in hopes of some relief and only researching the abortive and now rescue meds. I would love to hear about any experiences with a preventative and no weight gain or even weight loss.

Thanks
Rachel

I'm very prone to weight gain side effects. I don't remember how long I took nortriptyline. It was my first preventive, 17 or 18 years ago. It did a good job on my head. Got rid of my daily pain and made my acute meds work better. This was before even Imitrex, and I wasn't given DHE.

I came off the nortriptyline because I'd gained 15 pounds.

I gained a LOT of weight on Depakote, Nardil, and Zyprexa. I topped out at 245, in 2000.

I lost a lot of weight on Topamax. A good part of that was that I was also doing the Weight Watchers program. But the Topamax really decreased my appetite.

I'm currently taking Lamictal, an anticonvulsant, and it's been weight-neutral. I also take Wellbutrin and Cymbalta, and I haven't had a problem with them. I took Effexor for several years and didn't gain weight on it. I also have Major Depression, so the antidepressants are doing double duty.

I'm not sure, but I think Neurontin was weight-neutral.

I started seeing a specialist in November, and she's started me on Lyrica. It's got a big weight gain side effect profile. I started at 12 1/2mg and had no trouble until I got to 125. My appetite increased and I craved sweets. I backed up to 100mg and had no problem. But she wants me to increase to 300mg. She says that Lyrica is great for reducing frequency, and I only have 1 or 2 pain-free days a month. I noticed the craving last night, so I'll have to figure what to do about it.

I've been doing Diet Center and have lost 45 pounds. I'm at 172, and ALL my clothes are too big. Literally. I was size 20 and a 2X last year. Now, I'm a 16, and size Large! I'm shopping in the Misses department, not in the plus size department. So my current meds are definitely weight-neutral. Except for the Lyrica, which I'm going to have to deal with.

I hope this helps. There are 100 preventives out there, and most of them don't cause weight gain. It's just a question of finding out which one.

Gretchen in Mississippi

Welcome Rachel.

The think to remember with side effects is that they're all potential. What happens to one person may not happen to another.

We have some info on nortriptyline:

Pamelor (Nortriptyline)

As for the length of time you've had your migraine, you may be in status migrainous if you haven't had a four hour break during waking hours. This puts you at risk for a stroke. We have info on this, too.

Status Migrainous - The Basics

Deb,

I'm seeing a neurologist/headache specialist. I saw him last week, a week into the migraine and he gave me depakote and frova which helped for about two days. I went back to him this week and he gave me medrol and told me if medrol doesn't work I'll have to go to the hospital for a complete work up and hopefully something to break this one. I've never had one this long before it's a bit alarming. I have been reading the forum before I started posting. I had noticed the status migranous and read the article which made me realize how serious this one is.

If the meds say weight gain, I gain. I don't think I've been on one that said weight gain that I have not gained something on. I think once this current migraine goes. I will start doing more active research on preventatives.

Thanks for the link about nortriptyline.

Gretchen,

Thank you for the info and your experience. You sound a lot like me. I suffer from depression though I feel like I've gotten that under control. I've been off meds for depression for several years but maybe I should consider going back on one of them. Wellbutrin was great for me. I lost a considerable amount of weight. My first prevention meds worked for about a year and now the neurologist wants to try something different.

Anyways congrats on the weight loss and good luck with finding a prevention that works for you.

Hi Rachel, I've been on nortriptyline for about a year now, and it's been weight-neutral for me. I haven't been able to go above 40 mg though. At 50 mg the side effects become intolerable for me, namely constipation and an increased appetite for sweets. The increased appetite for sweets doesn't sound bad but sugar is a big trigger for me, and I can't eat any of the artificial sweeteners. Sugar is also severely limited in my diet. So it's a rather cruel side effect. At 40 mg I'm ok.

I'm also on Topamax, currently 75 mg, which I've been on twice before. It seems to be weight-neutral for me as well, though it does decrease my appetite initially.

The other preventives I've tried I haven't been on long enough to notice a difference; I had to discontinue them for side effect reasons: gabapentin, verapamil, cyproheptadine.

I am very sensitive to side effects but I seem to have lucked out (so far) on the weight issues.