I'm a newbie on this site but I've be using Maxalt successfully as an abortive for 3 years now.  The beast visits me about 60% of the year so I've used a good amount of Maxalt and would recommend it.  It is a soft, easily dissolved tablet that you let dissolve in your mouth.  It takes about 30 seconds to dissolve and it aborts my HA in about 5 minutes.

Do the Imitrex injections do much better for you all?  I'm kinda thinking "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" as far as Maxalt vs Imitrex.

Wishing you all PF days,

Brett

If it works for you.... as they say, why change a winning team?
Tried Maxalt melting tablets (is that the proper English term?) but unfortunately haven't benefited from them. I use the Imitrex injectables for the really nasty ones, imitrex tablets for the Kip6 and 7's, and a few cans of a red bull rip-off for persistant shadows who threaten to develop.

Interesting that you say it works in 5 minutes. Rizatriptan is absorbed in the gut, not the membranes of the mouth. The MLT version - the one that melts in your mouth - was designed so that you could take it anywhere, without a glass of water.

Most anyone around here who's used it will tell you it doesn't take effect for about 30 minutes. Could it be that your headache was about to abort itself anyhow? There's only one way to find out.

Brew, thanks!  I assumed that since it melted in the mouth, it was absorbed there.  (Kinda like nitro pills for heart patients)  It's possible the HA were going to abort but the 5 minute period (ok, maybe 6. I'm not using a stopwatch) is about 20 for 20.  And this is for CHs in all stages of development; from a shadow getting worse to a full blown KIP 9.5.  I do usually drink a glass of water with it.  That might accellerate the Maxalt to the gut where it is absorbed.

Thanks Again,  I'll see if I notice differences like if I have a full stomach or don't drink water.

Brett

I was on Imitrex tablets and they worked hit and miss for me. When a new cycle began, I went to the doctor to ask for Imitrex injections. He steered me to the Maxalt melt-tabs saying they were superior to Imitrex. Turns out that the MD's are supposed to steer you away from the brand name drugs. Maxalt didn't do squat except let me "enjoy" 3 full blown headaches. With that failure of Maxalt, he was then able to give me the injections. So far, the injections have aborted every single attack...fingers are still crossed. I'm currently trying to wrestle them for 02 because although the injections work for me, they also scare the hell out of me.

I'm 42 and have been episodic for 30+ years. I'm very fortunate that my remission periods have increased from 1 year in my teens, 2 years in my twenties and thirties to now 4 and 5 years. The problem is that each time I start a new cycle, as I get older, I worry about that first shot of Imitrex on the heart and brain. The doctor told me yesterday as he's giving me the prescription for Imitrex, "I worry about strokes with this stuff". Thanks Doc!

Anyway, Maxalt has never worked, but Imitrex injections have been incredible!!!

maxalt AND zomig "melt in your mouth" - phooey!!

Hi Brett,

I have used both. I am in a cycle now, and was taking Maxalt tablets like you up to 3 times a day, but they started not working. So my doctor switched me to the Imitrex injections. They work very fast, but very expensive and not much fun. Then I found this website, and decided to bug my doctor about oxygen. I have been using it for 4 days, and so far so good. And so much healthier, and cheaper! Not very portable though. All my headaches are at night so not an issue for me. Good luck to you.

Hey Brett

I've used maxalt tabs, imitrex tabs, imitrex injects, trex nasals , frova and zomig nasal.  of course never together

at any rate for me;
- fastest abort?  imitrex injects.
Longest lasting but slowest to kick in ? frova - up to 26 hr half life( used more as a prevent)
zomig- like better than imitrex nasals
imitrex and maxalt pills- don't abort quick enough- use them in desparation

hope this helps- what works for some doesn't work for others -

kelly

I found maxalt made my ch much more intense and worse.  Didn't do squat for me.  I am so glad that you have found something that works for you.

I have used over the past 15 years:

Imigran (Imitrex) Tabs about 6 times - useless! they take far too long and had little effect.

Imigran Nasal Spray about 6 times - useless did not touch my HA

Imigran Injections 100's of times - Full dose always stops my HA in about 5-10 mins. Tried 1/3 dose which often does not work for a bad hit, 1/2 dose which usually works great, but I think the relief before the next hit is somewhat shorter lived than a full dose.

Maxalt MLT about 6 times - more useless for me than the Trex tabs or spray. I will never ever use them again.

Trex Inj is the only guarenteed relief for me so far.

John

a while back I had a chat with someone from maxalt together with my neuro, trying to convince them to come up with an injectable form. not sure if there's been any progress on it (here in europe or in the states). in general i've found immigran (immitrex) inj to be a lot more  effective than any triptans in tab form.

@JohnM: I see you're from Cape Town - the view from Lion's Head sure tops this lion's headache! :)

Hi Brett,

Maxalt has been good for me too. I take it with a half cup of hot water and get a solid abort in 15 minutes. Also, I alternate it with Stadol nasal spray. Alternating everyother day with these two, and the Beast actually seems to be kept off balance until end of cycle. These of course for breakthrough attacks, prednisone taper and verapamil seem to be well worth taking to steady things out initially. I can't take Imitrex as it causes multiple daily and multiple night hits in my case. Same with Oxygen, though I haven't tried the new mask that sounds very effective. As I mentioned in other post, a TENS machine to electrically massage my temple, jaw, back of neck, and scalp has given some relief as well. Best of luck, Rich

WOW! This thread was 'dug up' after approx 3 1/2 years so a 'newbie' could put in a plug for a website !! LMAO !!

I seriously doubt ANYONE here will visit your website !

I don't see any links to a website.

Imitrex Nasal Sprays work fine for me...

15 years here, last 7 chronic. Tried every triptan known to man. Imitrex injections are the only ones that ever worked. I've been very fortunate for the last three years in that my ins. co. covers all the shots I ask for. Trust me, it wasn't always that way. Last fall the shots were taking 20-25 minutes to work rather than the normal 5 or so. I was having headaches very 2-3 hours. I've taken up to 7 shots in a 24 hour period. Figured I'd rather die from a heart attack than go through a Kip 9 or 10.

Anyway, I started Batch's D3 regimen in mid December. Down to 1, maybe two HAs/day. Minor ones as well that I can immediately stop with 1/2 shot. Starting to have some PF days for the 1st time since 2004. So, BIG Batch fan here...  FWIW, Best PF wishes to all.

Maxalt dissolvables work for me, but I have to be patient to let them do their thing.  Often within 15 minutes I'm fine.  My medical center won't let me have injectables because you can't double up on them if the first dose doesn't work, whereas you can take a second tablet if the first doesn't work. 

But I am really pissed that this cluster has lasted longer than any I've ever had.  Has anyone observed that the clusters last longer with age?  Or is this just probably an aberration for me?  I've gone from no more than four weeks ever -- in 35 years -- to my eighth week, with four HAs in just the past four days.  Getting really tired and sore from all these HAs.

I use Maxalt when I am out and about and don't have oxygen available. I find it very convenient and like the fact that you can take it quite discretely. The downside is that it takes at least 20 mins, possibly up to 30 mins to take effect.

The imigran nasal sprays are a bit quicker than Maxalt but I generally find the Maxaly more convenient to carry around with me.

I've used to use maxalt when I was hit and it worked for awhile.  Then, no more.  Now, when hit, I use O2 during the day; I have more of a sense that I am getting hit so I have better control over abortives.  At night and when out and about, I use the auto-injectables.  They work right away, within less than 5 minutes, and the relief is wonderful!  When in the car or at a meeting/friend's house, I have energy drinks with taurine and they work pretty well, too. 

I say, whatever works for you, for now, use it!

I have also started the D3 regimen and after 3 weeks, I have tapered off the ineffective preventative that I was on and have been pretty much hit free.  I have had a couple of shadows which I aborted with Rockstar Recovery energy drink!

(Episodic)Cluster and (Chronic)Migraine sufferer here.

Imitrex Inj. work wonders for my clusters...2 mg for severe ones or when out in public (I always prefill a syringe before I go out just in case, and if I happen to get one I just slam that syringe into my stomach! Could care less what people think with this pain!), and 3 mg for ones where the screaming and head slamming occur. Hasn't failed me yet. However, the injections do nothing for my migraines. Also, if I don't happen to have a migraine at the time, the Imitrex always triggers one.

Maxalt does the opposite. Kills my migraines, but triggers a series of clusters when I'm in cycle. The Maxalt tabs take a good 45 minutes or more to start working, but the MLT version starts aborting within 15 minutes, 30 minutes max (though only if I let it dissolve, swallow, and wait...washing it down with any liquid delays the onset with the MLT for me).

Also, for some reason, Maxalt MLT makes me feel high as a kite - a welcome change from any pain. Imitrex inj. & Maxalt tabs, on the other hand, give me the triptan feelings where every single muscle and joint in my body aches, and I just feel "down," for lack of a better word. It is a welcome change from the head pain, of course, and the feelings are short lived.

I find it fascinating how these substances react with each of us differently!

I seem to be unable to find a pharmacy that carries the Sumatriptan Succinate (Imitrex) in a vial. I also would like to reduce the injection amount from the pen to 2mg.

Anyone know of a pharmacy that I can get the vial?

Jeff R wrote on Sep 4^th, 2013 at 1:09pm:

I seem to be unable to find a pharmacy that carries the Sumatriptan Succinate (Imitrex) in a vial. I also would like to reduce the injection amount from the pen to 2mg. Anyone know of a pharmacy that I can get the vial?

Walgreens, CVS and Costco pharmacies all can order vials. 

Until then, use the Imitrex tip to ration mg from the statdose pen.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

Thanks Gregg. I was looking for a way to fill up 2-3 syringes to take when I leave my O2 tank.

I looked at the instructions on the board for using the injection pen and a "q-tip" for dispensing part of the amount in the disposable unit. Don't think that is for me  :-X

Jeff R wrote on Sep 4^th, 2013 at 1:09pm:

I seem to be unable to find a pharmacy that carries the Sumatriptan Succinate (Imitrex) in a vial. I also would like to reduce the injection amount from the pen to 2mg. Anyone know of a pharmacy that I can get the vial?

Pharmacies screw up a lot with this so you have to help them by providing the NDC Product number they should order.

My insurance allows 10 injections per month... so I have variously received 10 boxes of 10 vials, 10 boxes of 2 statdose refills, 2 boxes of 5 vials... depending on the pharmacy; I guess because they can't get their act together what "10" means.