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New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
(Message started by: findjoshua on Nov 23rd, 2005, 6:14am)

Title: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by findjoshua on Nov 23rd, 2005, 6:14am
Hi.  I have been using Maxalt for the last two cycles of my cluster.  I had been using Immitrex, but for some reason my doc. gave me Maxalt during one visit and I have been sticking to that. I found that it worked in the beginning pretty quickly, but now am not so sure.  I find that the pain from the cluster comes on almost immediately now, with very little warning and more intense than in past years.  I take a Maxalt as soon as I feel it, and lately I've been wimping out after about 10 minutes and take another.  I don't know if a) I'm overdoing it with the Maxalt or b)my clusters have changed so that Maxalt doesn't work.  Un-medicated, the clusters usually last 35-45 minutes, and even lately, when I take the tablets, it still lasts that long.  Anyone have any experience with Maxalt and it losing it's efficacy OR with cycles intensifying sometimes?  Thank you. This site has been  such a comfort.
.
Joshua

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by lionsound on Nov 23rd, 2005, 8:43am
Triptans like Maxalt, imitrex, zomig, often lose their power and we don't know why. Overuse possibly or sometimes they just quit working for us.

Ask your doc to try another triptan...Nasal sprays and trex stat doses work the fastest.

Oh..when trying out  a new one....don't mix two different triptans within 24 hours of each other...it's very dangerous.

Be well and PF,
lionsound

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by findjoshua on Nov 23rd, 2005, 9:31am
Thanks for the advice, b/c I do actually have nasal spray at the pharmacy waiting to be picked up too.  How is it dangerous to mix?
.
Glad you posted.

Cheers.

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by E-Double on Nov 23rd, 2005, 12:15pm

on 11/23/05 at 09:31:59, findjoshua wrote:
Thanks for the advice, b/c I do actually have nasal spray at the pharmacy waiting to be picked up too.  How is it dangerous to mix?
.
Glad you posted.

Cheers.


Potential heart attack or death

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by rextangle on Nov 23rd, 2005, 7:37pm
Joshua, I used to use Maxalt, but not anymore.

Don't over do it! Dangerous, and the rebound CH attacks you get from them are nasty!

Docs should tell that you should not exceed one per week!
Eventually it stopped working completely for me as I abused them, and if I were to take one, the attack would intensify immediately.

Good luck,
Rex

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by Beastfodder on Nov 23rd, 2005, 7:49pm
Maxalts come in melts too - melt in your mouth kind of thing it's a halfway house between the injection and the pill.

If you're stuck with pills I've even been told to crush them in your mouth and have them with a carbonated drink to help get in the bloodstream quicker.

Kip 8 and wind - now there's a thought.

Caught some of mine last time round - but it's not something I'd choose to have in my life. Try O2 - but have a good look at clusterbusters website.  

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Nov 24th, 2005, 1:38am

on 11/23/05 at 08:43:06, lionsound wrote:
Triptans like Maxalt, imitrex, zomig, often lose their power and we don't know why. Overuse possibly or sometimes they just quit working for us.


GOD, i pray this never happens to me.  Trex is the HAMMER for me and is 100% successful for me so far.  But, i try to use it VERY sparingly.  only 1/4 to 1/3 of a dose, and only if the O2 hasnt brought my CH under a kip-7.  If i lose trex effectiveness, i dont know what i would do.......too depressing to think about.
Joshua, Im not a doctor, nor do i play one on TV, but in my personal opinion, i dont like Maxalt.  I think it may have to do with the size of the dose.  I took the 10mg dissolving tab thing, and I got CRUSHED by the beast.  
Also, if you are taking this frequently, sometimes more than 1 in a day, it is pretty hard on your heart.  Like E2 said, you take too much, or if you mix different delivery methods, you could be increasing your risk to have problems.
Do you use Oxygen?
Hope you can get some relief.....with or without the maxalt.
BMonee




Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by brewcrew on Nov 25th, 2005, 11:00am

on 11/23/05 at 19:49:04, Beastfodder wrote:
Maxalts come in melts too - melt in your mouth kind of thing it's a halfway house between the injection and the pill.

If you're stuck with pills I've even been told to crush them in your mouth and have them with a carbonated drink to help get in the bloodstream quicker.

Kip 8 and wind - now there's a thought.

Caught some of mine last time round - but it's not something I'd choose to have in my life. Try O2 - but have a good look at clusterbusters website.  

Common misconception with Maxalt. Studies have shown that it actually takes the melt tabs 5-10 minutes longer to become effective. Reason is that this particular drug is not absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth, but in the gut. A pill makes it to the gut quicker. Crushing it may actually speed up the process.

However, I don't discount the convenience of popping a melt in the middle of the night instead of searching for your pills and getting a glass of water.

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by JoeKen on Dec 1st, 2005, 3:22pm
:)
My question is only slightly related to this thread. I persuaded my GP to prescribe Maxalt 10mg Melts in the hope that it would act quicker than Almotriptan 12mg tabs  -  he was reluctant to give me my preferred 'upgrade', Imitrex nasal spray, on the grounds of cost.
Being the cautious type, the first time I tried the Maxalt Melts I cut the Melt in half and put the unused half back in the original packing, as best I could. The HA began to fade in 10 mins and was gone completely in 20 and I became an instant fan. The next time that I got a HA that did not respond to oxygen I returned to the saved half Melt, but this time it had no effect and I had to sit out the HA until the beast found other things to do. Within a couple of days I was hit by another Kip7 ish HA and went for a full Maxalt Melt tablet which cleared it in about a couple of hours.
Questions: -
1)   Is the active ingredient in the Maxalt (Rizatriptan) very volatile at room temperatures  -  each Melt is individually sealed in a plastic and foil pod which is then individually sealed in a paper and foil envelope, 3 of which are then sealed into a semi-airtight plastic box  -  would this explain the ineffectiveness of the second half Melt?
2)   Up to the time I took the first half Melt I had been having only shadows and managing to control them with loads of strong black coffee and oxygen. To be hit so soon afterwards with a Kip 7 made me wonder if the Maxalt was possibly to blame  -  any thoughts?
Has anyone any advice or similar experiences to advise?
3)   I am now in possession of both Almotriptan tabs and Maxalt Melts. Until I read one of the posts above I would have thought nothing of following an ineffective Almotriptan dose with a Maxalt dose, or vice versa, after the specified interval of 2 hours. I guess the potential relief that such an action may supply would generally be considered too drastic  -  any further thoughts?
JoeKen

Title: Re: Question ... Maxalt-MLT 10mg ...
Post by StressFree on Dec 9th, 2005, 4:48pm
I had very similar problems with Imitrex tabs and injections. It worked great at first, but the tabs not only lost effectiveness (quit working completely) but also seemed to cause multiple day and night attacks. I've had the same problem with caffergot (ergotamine) though it seemed to have a longer effective duration after taking it.

Sometimes toward the end of a cycle I get a constant high KIP level attack-several days worth. Almost sounds like a migraine at that point, but non-throbbing and definately debilitating. I've even had a monster 4 or 5 hour KIP9/10 that seems to end the cycle. After thinking for quite a while "why haven't I died yet?", it ebbs away. Usually just shadows for a week or so after that. Fortunately I normally get several years between cycles.

Maxalt worked very well last round (first time trying it). I tried to use it only every other day (alternated with Stadol nasal spray). Always a gamble whether a full on attack is coming or just a KIP3 or 4 discomfort period. Got to take it ASAP to abort. I take meds with hot water when available (15 minutes to work on empty stomach). I would take a second 10mg if still having a definate break through attack. I did this at most only once each day (as directed). It didn't seem to cause multiple attacks or rebounds. I think the Verapamil was finally taking effect and cycle was ending too though. Best of luck, Rich



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