Sorry if someone has already answered this. I'm new and still finding my way around.

I'm just coming out of a series of headaches, and while I was in it, I heard that that the use of Imitrex can cause prolonging of cycle lengths and more headaches per day.  Just a week and a half ago, I was taking up to 4 Imitrex 100mg pills a day (which is more than the recommended dosage) every day.  But the day after I ran out of pills and had to suffer through a couple of headaches  I didn't have any headaches at all.  It continued like that, 1 day on, 1 day off, for a few days, until now, I think it's over with besides a few shadows here and there.  I don't think the end of my cycle has anything to do with the use or disuse of Imitrex - I was near the end anyway (just based on prior lengths of cycles).

Has anyone else heard about Imitrex prolonging cycles? I didn't hear this from a doctor, just from someone I know.  Not that it matters to me when faced with a headache, but I might ask for something else next time if you guys have heard this too.

Thanks!

"Has anyone else heard about Imitrex prolonging cycles?"

This is a common belief among many in the CH community..

The pill form is the least effective for CH. Suggest you explore injection, as the fastest, or nasal spray.
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Headache. 2000 Jan;40(1):41-4.
Alteration in nature of cluster headache during subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan.

Hering-Hanit R.

Headache Unit, Department of Neurology, Meir General Hospital, Kfar Sava, and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

OBJECTIVES: To document the relationship between the 5-HT receptor agonist sumatriptan and a change in the nature of cluster headache IN FOUR CASES. To relate the findings to the literature on the use of sumatriptan in both cluster headache and migraine. BACKGROUND: Studies of the efficacy and adverse effects of long-term treatment with sumatriptan in cluster headache are limited and report conflicting findings. METHODS: Four cases are described. RESULTS: All four patients developed a marked increase in the frequency of attacks 3 to 4 weeks after initiating treatment with the drug for the first time. Three patients also developed a change in headache character, and 2 experienced prolongation of the cluster headache period. WITHDRAWAL OF THE DRUG REDUCED THE FREQUENCY OF HEADACHES AND ELIMINATED THE NEWLY DEVELOPED TYPE OF HEADACHE. CONCLUSIONS: Determination of the effects of long-term use of sumatriptan will result in more precise guidelines for the frequency and duration of treatment with this otherwise extremely beneficial drug.

Publication Types:
Case Reports

PMID: 10759902 [PubMed]

I to have found Imitrex injections prolong my cycles

I can't say anything about the prolonging of cycles (I'm chronic so I'm always "in cycle") but for me it surely increases the frequency of attacks.

Oliver

I'm with Gizmo.  I normally have 2-3 attacks per day.  If I use Imitrex, that will increase to 7-8 attacks per day within just a couple of days of starting use.

I have a long history w/ these headaches.imitrex is the ONLY thing that has helped. It ,in my oppinion,has no effect on lengthening or shortening the cycle.it just helps shortens the the headache your haveing at the time. the problem is insurance doesnt cover more than nine pills a month. (my cycle runs about 9 wks) Thats a problem !!

I suspect that Imitrex use has prolonged my episodes in the past, and I strongly suspect that it increased the frequency of attacks. Possibly even increased the severity of the attacks.

That said, if I'm at a kip 8 and rising and nothing else is working, believe you me I'm whipping out the imitrex injector! (A half dose, to conserve drug$. Check out the "imitrex tip" sidebar on the left of the page here, it'll enable you to double your doses).

I actually had a 2 month episode once where between vigilant use of loads of imitrex and other drugs (and techniques, such as breathing cold air), I never had to experience a single hit above a kip 7 or so, which was astounding.

This time my hopes are with more effective use of 02 (new guidelines outlined on this site) and RC seeds. For starters anyway.