Ive had ch 22 years tried it all now all I use is a low dose ami. 10mg 1 aday 2 if things are really tense if I take before I think acycle is coming Im sure I have avoided cycles almost like if you take a pain remedy soon enouph some times it will actually help.However if the cycle continues anyway the ami seems to make cycle shorter and the attacks shorter as well 30-40 mins max now sometimes less and if Im lucky only 1/24hrs like today yay,and if given up on to much painkillers or cafergot because after 22 years Ive had some liver and circulation issues better now I have found if you let the beast have its way it may show mercy at a later time.The most I take now is some of this new tylenol with caffene and touph it out do my dance. I hope this helps some of you I could go on and on about any drug Im sure by now but I cant type post some comments and questions and I will try to help 22 years chronic in the early is along time Hang in there.

Welcome to the boards and thanks for sharing your story.  Have you tried imitrix or oxygen?  It may help you.  They are newer abortives and have been proven to help nearly 100% of the time.  There have been many studies done on elavil (ami) that have shown very promising results.  I tried it and it didn't do anything for me but cause some seizures.  So that wasn't an option for me. 

I just did a search of PubMed on the use of this class of meds. Found a small cluster of articles dating from the mid-'80s and nothing since then. This dating would be consistent with your introduction to Amit. but it looks like this was a passing interest which didn't bear much fruit.

I recall, vaguely, when this class of meds hit the literature but, like so many meds which are suggested, more fail to deliver for the mass. This is not an argument for not using it, if you find relief, but I suspect that the meds which are commonly recommended today have higher rates of success for more people.