Migraine

Hi,
I am thinking of starting back up on topamax and had a question about daily meds. Does anyone take topamax and vicodin? I have chronic pain that I have to take vicodin for. Just wondering if the two didn't mix.
Thanks
Sheri

Hi Sheri!

That's a question best answered by either your doctor or pharmacist. From my own experience, I used to be on Topamax and used Vicodin as a rescue medication but never daily because of Medication Overuse Headache concerns.

Here are some links I think you'll find helpful:

Vicodin

Topamax

Preventive, Abortive and Rescue Medications-What's the Difference?

I hope these help. Please let us know what your doctor or pharmacist says, k?

I take Topamax daily and Vicodin is my rescue drug.

Same for me- I'm currently on 100mg of topamax a day, but only use the vicodin as a rescue med when my relpax doesn't work. I don't seem to have any side effects from taking both at the same time- but fortunately I don't have to use the vicodin that often.

Valerie

I take 150 topomax and take Vicodin ES 1-4 pills a day, so your fine :-)

Note: Please see next post for important info.

duch,

I must disagree with this. None of us is qualified to say that it's OK for someone else to take Vicodin daily. Even if it's being taken for pain other than head pain, Vicodin can indeed cause medication overuse headache. If taken for headache or Migraine, it's far more likely that it WILL cause MOH than not cause it.

Vicodin ES has extra acetaminophen in it. There have been studies showing that overuse of acetaminophen can also cause liver damage.

quote:

Originally posted by kduch:
I take 150 topomax and take Vicodin ES 1-4 pills a day, so your fine :-)

Note: Please see next post for important info.

Just wanted to say thanks for your replies. I spoke with my neuro today and asked him about going back on Topamax, and told him about having to take vicodin for chronic pain.

He said it would be ok, but I might be more tired with the two combined. But try to stay at a low dose of Topamax if possible.

I also asked him if I could be getting MOH from the vicodin and he says its not likely because of how long I've been on it.

I do notice that the bright sun is a big trigger for me.


My chronic pain stems from a hernia surgery using mesh, and I have to take pain meds until I can find a Dr. to remove the mesh. So after that I can get off the vicodin.

Anyways thanks again for the replies,
Hope everyone has a great day!

Sheri

I just meant that there is no drug interaction.....I realize that for some people narcotics can cause rebound :-)

quote:

Originally posted by kduch:
I take 150 topomax and take Vicodin ES 1-4 pills a day, so your fine :-)

Hey kduch, just so I'm sure I'm clear, this Vicodin prescription is what your doc prescribed for you on a daily basis long-term for migraine pain? Or is this your rescue med when needed? Or is this for another condition?

For migraine and headache pain, it's a BAD IDEA to take opioids daily unless a doc has some reason to prescribe them short-term and not all doctors know that. There are times when only those meds are indicated for rescue; however, there are a pain management programs that might be in order in other situations that can prevent medication overuse (MOH) or 'rebound headaches'. Those are driven by things like antidepressants, seizure meds, exercise, support, education, things like that.

An example of when opioids might be indicated? When triptans don't work or are contraindicated. Or to take alternately with triptans to help keep the triptans themselves from causing MOH. Even then there are other meds than opiods that are quite useful.

My dad is taking huge quantities of Lortabs daily but he's in home hospice for metastasized cancer. That would be one of the exceptions to the 'short-term' prescription for opioids. I have basilar artery migraines which makes triptans contraindicated for me. I take OxyIR (immediate-release OxyContin) when Indocin fails, which fortunately isn't often. I love Indocin and it works well for me if I can get it soon enough.

And too, here we don't give specific medical and medicine advice for specific people for specific situations. People should discuss these things with their docs.

You may REST ASSURED that Teri knows what she's talking about. She's about as close to a doc as you can get. Wait--she IS a doc, a PhD.

Right.....I am very well read on all of this :-) I have been through years and years of migraines and medications. Triptans have been unsuccessful for me, therefore I take the vicodin, for now. I was taking fioricet, but realized that was causing MOH, so stopped that, which has at least reduced my daily "headaches". The vicodin is not doing that to me, thankfully, although it can do it to some, I have read. I have never tried indocin or oxycontin, but have had way too many ER visits in the last few months- due to horrific - scale 10 migraines. I am awaiting a visit to the head pain clinic that cannot come soon enough. Anyway, I should have worded that differently, I thought the question was if the two medications caused a drug interaction, but I get your point :-) New to the board! Need to lay down with ICE PACK

Please allow me to reiterate!!!!!!

ANYTIME, anyone has a question about whether or not two medications may result in a drug interaction, please call your pharmacist, or any pharmacist in any pharmacy that is open. There are lots of 24 hour pharmacies in most cities and many towns. Mom and Pop pharmacies in places that have no other pharmacies may have an afterhours number you can call if you think you're having a bad reaction. We have huge databases at our fingertips and can give you that information within a few minutes. If you use only 1 pharmacy, the pharmacy computer program automatically runs each new prescription you request against all of your other medications and requires the pharmacist to annotate that he has seen and checked with you or your physician about the interaction before he can fill the prescription.

That being said, it is a kindness to your pharmacist to remember that the times between 10am-2pm & 4pm-8pm are usually the busiest hours of the pharmacy day, so if you call then, you might make your request and ask if he'd like to call you back if it will take him a minute to get your answer. He probably can still answer you when you call, but he will be a very grateful pharmacist!

Tracie