Has anybody ever heard that Imitrex has side effects that can cause pituitary brain tumors?

Never!

Where do you find this stuff?  How bout a link.

               Potter

My first impression of the question is that things are probably backwards - people who have a pituitary tumor are more likely to have migraines or clusters and thus, more likely to be prescribed imitrex.

Potter wrote on Feb 19^th, 2010 at 11:50am:

Where do you find this stuff?  How bout a link.                Potter

A CH Sufferer posted on the Facebook group Cluster Headaches that she has pituitary brain tumor from Imitrex and impies caution to all against trex and to read the trex side effects.  I found it odd also, but thought I would inquire

monty wrote on Feb 19^th, 2010 at 4:32pm:

My first impression of the question is that things are probably backwards - people who have a pituitary tumor are more likely to have migraines or clusters and thus, more likely to be prescribed imitrex.

No, this person says it is not backward, here is her story, what do you think of this...."
"I was dianosed with cluster headaches in 1991 I had several piturtary Mri's and
brain mris and nothing was found I was put on imitrex for seven years
I went to a endocronologist for complete blood work who found my prolactein was
high (68) should be no higher then 25
another Mri was done showing piturtary brain tumors
It was compared by two nuero surgeons in New york to my old Mri's and there were
no  piturtary tumors on the early films.
ONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF IMITREX PITURTARY BRAIN TUMORS...........FURTHER MORE
I HAVE A LETTER FROM THE MAKERS OF IMITREX THAT IMITREX IS FOR MIGRANES NOT
CLUSTER HEADACHES CLUSTER HEADACHE SUFFERS PRODUCE TOO MUCH SEROTOAIN IN THEIR
BLOOD AND MIGRANE SUFFERS DONOT THEREFORE IMITREX SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN FOR A
CLUSTER HEADACHE
I have spent over 25thousand dollars researching and takng drugs for this and
each works different for different people.
Read the 15 page side effects of this imitrex and under nuero effects u will
see.
The best treatment for me is cranio sacral therapy by a massage theropist not a
chiropractor and its 15 bucks a session"

She may have an emotional need to hang her hat on this, but it doesn't prove anything. This is one person's experience and does not take into consideration any other factors.

I agree with you Brew, think if this were a true side effect of Imitrex many of us would have pituitary brain tumors.  Also, she states that she has a letter from Imitrex that it is not for CH's, only migraines...I call bullshit!  Imagine the doctor that prescribed her Imitrex is now out of business because she sued him for everything he has all because he prescribed Imitrex for her Ch's!?...I call bullshit again. 

TBH, from what I've heard about how amazing imitrex is (I've never tried it) I'd still use it, surely the tumour (if it is at all related to it) is an extremely rare side-effect, I'd chance it any day.

Does anybody think there is validity to this statement?

[color=#ffff00]"ONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF IMITREX PITURTARY BRAIN TUMORS...........FURTHER MORE
I HAVE A LETTER FROM THE MAKERS OF IMITREX THAT IMITREX IS FOR MIGRANES NOT
CLUSTER HEADACHES CLUSTER HEADACHE SUFFERS PRODUCE TOO MUCH SEROTOAIN IN THEIR
BLOOD AND MIGRANE SUFFERS DONOT THEREFORE IMITREX SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN FOR A
CLUSTER HEADACHE
"...."Read the 15 page side effects of this imitrex and under nuero effects u will
see." [/color]

Does anybody think there is validity to this statement?

Probably not.

Imitrex (Sumatiptan) is widely prescribed for CH and most docs would be negligent if so.

I believe there is some truth to the serotonin statement.

The poster you quote loses a lot of validity with a head massage being more effective. Probably doesnt really have CH. maybe a stress headache. But there are those of us that get no relief with imitrex as well.

As for pituitary tumors they indeed can create a cluster headache mimic but there is no info I can find that trex can cause them. Some research shows the tumors far more prevalent than thought in clusterheads.
As Monty said she's got it backwards.

Quote:

I HAVE A LETTER FROM THE MAKERS OF IMITREX THAT IMITREX IS FOR MIGRANES NOT CLUSTER HEADACHES CLUSTER HEADACHE SUFFERS PRODUCE TOO MUCH SEROTOAIN IN THEIR BLOOD AND MIGRANE SUFFERS DONOT THEREFORE IMITREX SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN FOR A CLUSTER HEADACHE

Quote:

Does anybody think there is validity to this statement?

Well......considering I just yesterday tossed a  Imigran box (Imitrex in the UK) in the trash yesterday that clearly stated "for use on migraine and cluster headaches", I doubt the manufacturers of the medication would send out a letter to someone stating otherwise. So no, I do not think the statement valid.

Monty is correct, she has it backwards.

Thank you to all who have replied.  I highly doubted this persons statements about Imitrex that it caused pituitary brain tumors and furthermore that Imitrex is only for migraines not for CH's and she had a letter stating so. 

However, I just had to research options from the most knowledgeable of all, Clusterheads.  and of course the Glaxo Smith Kline (manufacturer of Imitrex) website.

God forbid she was right, then we would all be at more risk than we already are, so I felt it was important to inquire and start this thread.

Below is my reply to her based on info some of you shared here on this thread and what I found on my own...thanks again for your input fellow Clusterheads 8-)

Mrs. X, 1st off, no I am not a doctor. I am a Clusterhead of 30 yrs with a wealth of info and unfortunate personal trauma. Secondly, when you wrote that Imitrex is not for CH's and that your pituitary brain tumor was caused by Imitrex, etc it is something to definitely research.

Everybody in this Facebook Group "Cluster Headaches" is here to better themselves and learn more about their disease and be supportive of each other. So by no means am I attacking you personally and am empathetic with your unfortunate medical issues. However, what you wrote is so contradictory to the gains we Clusterheads have made over the years, it had to be addressed. Especially for the newbies who have no idea who/what/where/when/why/etc and are here seeking effective info. God forbid they think they will get a tumor isf they take Imitrex and start doubting their neuro. Again, nothing personal at you, but I am defending Imitrex as a VERY effective treatment for CH's. 'Imitrex (Sumatriptan) is widely prescribed for CH and most docs would be negligent if so.'

Contrary to what you wrote, here are two quotes from Glaxo Smith Kline's website you may find of interest

1. "IMITREX Injection is indicated for 1) the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura and 2) the acute treatment of cluster headache episodes."... See More

2. "IMITREX Injection should only be used where a clear diagnosis of migraine or cluster headache has been established."

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

'I doubt the manufacturers of the medication would send out a letter to someone stating otherwise.'

'I believe there is some truth to the serotonin statement.'

'As for pituitary tumors they indeed can create a cluster headache mimic but there is no info I can find that trex can cause them. Some research shows the tumors far more prevalent than thought in clusterheads.'

I wish you nothing but the best Mrs. X. Sincere Pain Free wishes to you."

Don Quixote

"Just then they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that rise from that plain. And no sooner did Don Quixote see them that he said to his squire, "Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished. Do you see over yonder, friend Sancho, thirty or forty hulking giants? I intend to do battle with them and slay them. With their spoils we shall begin to be rich for this is a righteous war and the removal of so foul a brood from off the face of the earth is a service God will bless."

      Potter   

She's nuts

i dunno but that imitrex seems like some pretty bad stuff

You can read the injectable imitrex circular here:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

You need the acrobat reader to see this document.  Please note:  nothing about pituitary tumors on page 15....

Ray

LasVegas wrote on Feb 20^th, 2010 at 12:34pm:

Does anybody think there is validity to this statement? [color=#0000ff][color=#ffff00]"ONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF IMITREX PITURTARY BRAIN TUMORS...........

I have found no evidence that triptans are associated with any type of cancer, let alone pituitary cancer.

The pituitary may start to misfire and cause problems before any signs of cancer are visible. The pituitary is intimately linked to the hypothalamus and pineal gland (source of melationin). Most clusterheads have a problem with prolactin levels.

MJ - pituitary tumors can cause more than a cluster headahce mimic ... there is evidence they cause actual cluster headaches.


Quote:

Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2008 Apr;12(2):128-31. Cluster headache: to scan or not to scan. Favier I, Haan J, Ferrari MD. Department of Neurology, K5-Q, Leiden University Medical Centre, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. i.favier@lumc.nl By definition, cluster headache (CH) is not caused by underlying structural pathology. However, patients with CH or CH-like syndromes and an associated structural lesion have been described. In many cases it is difficult to establish a causal relation between the headache syndrome and the lesion. We reviewed the literature for symptomatic CH or CH-like cases in which causality was very likely, and we found that even typical CH with a typical episodic time pattern and a response to typical CH treatment can be caused by underlying structural pathology such as a pituitary tumor. Based on this small retrospective series of case reports, it is impossible to give advice about neuroimaging. If neuroimaging is considered, MRI (not CT) is the investigation of choice.