Wondering if Sumitriptan 100mg can be cut into 4 pieces of 25mg and still be effective?

I doubt it. My tablets are 50mg and they take so long to be absorbed into the system that the CH is over before they begin to work. I don't think the pills are very helpful at all. I know you are not supposed to but On occasions when I've been desperate I have taken 2 tablets - 100 mg, and it still doesn't work. The pain goes away after about 45 mins, but that's the usual length of my CH anyway, so it doesn't seem to have worked at all.

Sumatriptan auto injections on the other hand, are absolutely fantastic and will get rid of the worst CH in about 5 minutes.

The pill form of Suma is the least effective for Cluster and you would not be saving money.

If you want to use less than a full dose of Imitrex check under the imitrex tip button o the left side of your screen.

Best just to cut it in half. The recommended dosage for
CH's, takes about 15-20mins before it kicks in, that's if
you catch it in time.

Hoppy

There's a sumatripan pill here in Oz called Immigran FDT (short for fast dissolving tablet) and I find it to start working within 6 to 8 minutes.

Haven't used it for CH but reckon it's bloody good stuff.

I get a triptan tablet called Zomig. It comes in fastmelt, works pretty quick if my CH wakes me before a 7 or 8 KIP. Doesn't always happen though cos I sleep very deeply for the first few hours. The dosage must be different here cos my zomig is 2.5mg, that's usually enough unless i wake up with a 8, in which case it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to take effect or I need to take 2 tablets (5mg). My attacks usually last a few hours so it's worth taking it. Anyway I hardly need to take it anymore since I've started Batch's D3 regimen   :). I used to have to take Zomig every night for 3 to 4 months, I didn't like that at all because one of the side effects is "heart attack", but i gues when an attack occurs, the only thing on the mind is to make the pain go away, whatever it takes.

Superirish25 wrote on Jan 18^th, 2015 at 4:16pm:

Wondering if Sumitriptan 100mg can be cut into 4 pieces of 25mg and still be effective?

Superirish25,
A single 100mg pill is rarely effective to abort CH's, so I doubt cutting it into halves or quarters would be of any assistance with relieving your pain.

We here on this site have collectively learned through trial and error over the years that injections are the fastest abortive, followed by nasal spray and lastly, pill form of Imitrex-brand name for Sumatriptan.  Bottom line is that the pill form takes way too long to take effect as compared to nasal spray and/or injections.

Might consider the injections if you are determined to use triptans.  And if you do, take BobG's advice and see the "Imitrex tip" tab on the left side of your computer screen, very helpful!

Good luck ;)

-Gregg in Las Vegas

one of the main posters on ouch uk started taking a tablet before going to bed and has had great success in it stoping that first rem sleep attack

Yes tangerine, that works for me too.

tangerinearmy wrote on Jan 20^th, 2015 at 7:36am:

one of the main posters on ouch uk started taking a tablet before going to bed and has had great success in it stoping that first rem sleep attack

Melatonin is a safer bet...less expensive, no prescription required and certainly not intentionally harmful to your heart!  Not wise to take Imitrex pills (or any triptans)  unless you are actually enduring head pain.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

LasVegas wrote on Jan 20^th, 2015 at 10:36am:

tangerinearmy wrote on Jan 20th, 2015 at 7:36am: one of the main posters on ouch uk started taking a tablet before going to bed and has had great success in it stoping that first rem sleep attack Melatonin is a safer bet...less expensive, no prescription required and certainly not intentionally harmful to your heart!  Not wise to take Imitrex pills (or any triptans)  unless you are actually enduring head pain. -Gregg in Las Vegas

well
the guy who does it is a veteran CH sufferer and a trustee at ouch uk and knows his stuff re CH ,so not sure its not ,not safe if it keeps the beast away and gives extra sleep it cant be all bad.

saying that i aint needed to go there -yet.

I wrote about this subject on here some time ago, and
received some flak, but I know of a few folk here that
are doing this with success all be it with the chance of
getting a rebound headache in the morning
which can be easily controlled with some over the
counter pain killers, but always bear in mind this tablet
counts as part of your daily dosage of 6 x 50mg tablets
over a 24hr period.

Hoppy.

yea i believe melatonin aids sleep which is NOT what some need, its to get some uninterrupted sleep hence they do this and yes count it in their total daily allowance

Superirish - give it a try.  If it works for you it will sure help stretch the allotment of trex.  I used to get the 100s and cut them in half.  Worked well as long as I hit the O2 to keep the attack at bay until the tab kicked in.

tangerinearmy wrote, yea i believe melatonin aids sleep which is NOT what some need, its to get some uninterrupted sleep

Melatonin is known to get you through the night without
those wakeup calls from the  [smiley=evil.gif] you need
to take 5-15mg 2hrs before going to bed. You can buy
them online from the Biovea website. It can take a
couple of weeks before they kick in.

Cheers, Hoppy.

ok cheers

The Imitrex before bad works for me too.

In past cycles I used melatonin and amitriptyline in different combinations with mixed success. In my last cycle I found out that I can get rid of most nocturnal hits with 25mg oral imitrex + 5mg melatonin + 10mg amitriptyline. The few attacks I did have were easy to abort - 3-4 minutes with O2 was what it usually took.

This combination was not only effective but it had the least adverse effects.

I also used Imitrex tablets as a short run preventative - before important meetings, for example. It works, as long as you avoid known triggers. 25-50mg and you are covered for 4-5 hours at least.

Im another that has popped a 50 mg of fdt imigran for the need for sleep, works brilliantly.
the Imigran is all ive had so far, chemists have just shaken their head at me regarding nasal or injections.
ive always been super sensitive to any medication, if I get that inclining, i'll scull a red bull, pop a 50 mg and as long as ive got it early, within 10 minutes it kicks in. I have taken 2 50 mg pills at a time before, when I was really suffering, geez, it worked, but it was like three sleeps till xmas !!
sensibly, I should fill that script and get O2, but I seem to be managing things... everyone is different in there response times to medication, so its what ever floats your boat, as they say

regards
colin

put it up for a trial run! try it in 1/2 then 1/3rds then 1/4