Question:
Hi fellow migraineurs: Have any of you tried Xanax for migraines? My doctor has prescribed Xanax and Soma Compound for my migraines. I have been using this combination for a couple months now, but it’s not working. Soma works sometimes, if I can catch the headache just before it starts. Xanax makes me sleep alot – not stoned, just tired. There was a very negative story on 20/20 about Xanax(I think) some months ago. My doctor said it was an exaggerated (sp?) story. Xanax works fine as a nerve relaxant – relaxes me when I am anxious and/or depressed, but it doesn’t do a thing for the headaches. My doctor is a neurologist and a psychiatrist and it is very easiy to talk to him. I also use Demerol (100 mg), when the other combination does not work (which is very often). I am thinking of asking him to change the Soma Compound to a stronger muscle relaxant that will be more effective, which would mean that I would not have to take as many Demerol tablets. I know that I will still end up in his office for Demerol shots on the real bad days, but I’d like to get something that works. Any experiences with Xanax and Soma Compund? I’ss appreciate hearing of them. This group is great. Arlene
Response:
Have any of you tried Xanax for migraines? My doctor has prescribed Xanax and Soma Compound for my migraines. I have been using this combination for a couple months now, but it’s not working. Soma works sometimes, if I can catch the headache just before it starts. Xanax makes me sleep alot – not stoned, just tired. There was a very negative story on 20/20 about Xanax(I think) some months ago. My doctor said it was an exaggerated (sp?) story.
Xanax is a minor tranquillizer, like Valium. If taken for a long period of time, these things are addictive and getting off them is very nasty, like a lenghthy stay in a mental hospital. Try reading "I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can", by Barbara Gordon. Of course, it does depend on what dosage you’re getting. I heard somewhere (don’t remember where) that 6 weeks is about as long as doctors like to give minor tranquillizers. I’d like to hear from someone who has more specific info on this. Yours, Dennis
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi fellow migraineurs: Have any of you tried Xanax for migraines? My doctor has prescribed Xanax and Soma Compound for my migraines. I have been using this combination for a couple months now, but it’s not working. Soma works sometimes, if I can catch the headache just before it starts. Xanax makes me sleep alot – not stoned, just tired. There was a very negative story on 20/20 about Xanax(I think) some months ago. My doctor said it was an exaggerated (sp?) story. Xanax works fine as a nerve relaxant – relaxes me when I am anxious and/or depressed, but it doesn’t do a thing for the headaches. My doctor is a neurologist and a psychiatrist and it is very easiy to talk to him. I also use Demerol (100 mg), when the other combination does not work (which is very often). I am thinking of asking him to change the Soma Compound to a stronger muscle relaxant that will be more effective, which would mean that I would not have to take as many Demerol tablets. I know that I will still end up in his office for Demerol shots on the real bad days, but I’d like to get something that works. Any experiences with Xanax and Soma Compund? I’ss appreciate hearing of them. This group is great. Arlene
I have taken Xanax frequently in the past when the headache starts to tke its mental toll. It does nothing for the pain, but after taking 1-2 mg., I care a little less about the pain. When I’ve had a several day migraine and cannot stomach eating, Xanax gives me an appetite, so that I can get some food into myself, which usually helps. Also, When all else fails, I take one or two, which allows me to sleep a few hours through the pain. I havn’t tried Soma, but have taken Flexeril, Robaxin, and Equagesic. Equagesic seemed to help. Hope your feeling OK today! Mary Cantz
Response:
In light of Arlene’s story below, the following may be of interest. I get headaches at all severities, from mild to crippling, and take different medicines for each kind. For the very mild ones I use soma (350 or 525 mg ) and it helps in about an hour. If the headache is worse than mild, soma does nothing for it. A few months ago I hurt my back which now has a variety of problems. Xanax was prescribed to relax the muscles. It did not help my back, did not help the headaches and made me feel tired, just as with Arlene. I gave us on that stuff fast. Subsequently (unfortunately months later) I got to a decent back doctor who prescribed a variety of things for my back including injections of steroids into facet joints and narcotics for bad nerve pain. But guess what he prescribed for the muscle spasms – soma! His approach was to take more. When my back mucles go crazy I take 700 mg. In 1/2 hour I will become very groggy, but usually the spasm pain stops. The sleepiness is worth it. If I am still in distress 3 hours later I take anwhere between 350 and 700 mg soma (own a pill cutter!) more. With that and what is left in me from the previous dose, the spasm pain always stops although I am out of it with sleepiness. The muscle relaxant relaxes the muscles which hold the eyelids up. However, once again the pain relief is worth it. My understanding is that soma is quite safe so the trick seems to be larger doses when necessary and live (don’t try to drive a car) with the sleepiness. By the way, if the headache is worse than mild large does of soma do not help it. Jerry Milgram – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi fellow migraineurs: Have any of you tried Xanax for migraines? My doctor has prescribed Xanax and Soma Compound for my migraines. I have been using this combination for a couple months now, but it’s not working. Soma works sometimes, if I can catch the headache just before it starts. Xanax makes me sleep alot – not stoned, just tired. There was a very negative story on 20/20 about Xanax(I think) some months ago. My doctor said it was an exaggerated (sp?) story. Xanax works fine as a nerve relaxant – relaxes me when I am anxious and/or depressed, but it doesn’t do a thing for the headaches. My doctor is a neurologist and a psychiatrist and it is very easiy to talk to him. I also use Demerol (100 mg), when the other combination does not work (which is very often). I am thinking of asking him to change the Soma Compound to a stronger muscle relaxant that will be more effective, which would mean that I would not have to take as many Demerol tablets. I know that I will still end up in his office for Demerol shots on the real bad days, but I’d like to get something that works. Any experiences with Xanax and Soma Compund? I’ss appreciate hearing of them. This group is great. Arlene
Response:
I have posted several warnings to the group about Xanax and minor tranquillizers or benzodiazepines in general. Of course, I’m now taking clonazepam (Klonipin) myself. I took Tranxene in the past for several months; my doc reassured me that at the dosage I was getting there was no danger of addiction. I did not have any problems quitting it. Barbara Gordon’s "I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can" is an unthinkable horror story about getting off Valium (although also under the influence of an abusive boyfriend too). She spent several months in a mental hospital getting right. A good new book about psychiatric medications, "It’s NOT All in Your Head", by Swedo and Leonard, says, "In cases where the treatment [with benzodiazepines or minor tranquillizers] has been prolonged for several months, abrupt discontinuation can cause very serious withdrawl symptoms. Thus, a gradual decrease in dosage in indicated; the drug may need to be weaned away over several weeks’ time. In the case of the short-acting benzodiazepines [of which Xanax is one], withdrawl symptoms may be prevented by dividing the total daily dose into small portions and taking the medication more frequently throughout the day." (p. 256). It would be nice to have more info about this for the group… Yours, Dennis
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi fellow migraineurs: Have any of you tried Xanax for migraines? My doctor has prescribed Xanax and Soma Compound for my migraines. I have been using this combination for a couple months now, but it’s not working. Soma works sometimes, if I can catch the headache just before it starts. Xanax makes me sleep alot – not stoned, just tired. There was a very negative story on 20/20 about Xanax(I think) some months ago. My doctor said it was an exaggerated (sp?) story. Xanax works fine as a nerve relaxant – relaxes me when I am anxious and/or depressed, but it doesn’t do a thing for the headaches. My doctor is a neurologist and a psychiatrist and it is very easiy to talk to him. I also use Demerol (100 mg), when the other combination does not work (which is very often). I am thinking of asking him to change the Soma Compound to a stronger muscle relaxant that will be more effective, which would mean that I would not have to take as many Demerol tablets. I know that I will still end up in his office for Demerol shots on the real bad days, but I’d like to get something that works. Any experiences with Xanax and Soma Compund? I’ss appreciate hearing of them. This group is great. Arlene
How much Demerol do you use to get rid of a headache? How many times a month do you need it (for the ones that Soma and Xanax don’t take care of)? I am interested in what level of narcotics work for others and if anything else works. I currently use 2-50mg. Demerol along with Phenergan and/or Reglan for a bad ha and I might need this twice for the worse ones. I usually have 2 ha a week with 1 a real headbanger. — EllenP Headache Free Is My Fantasy
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Have any of you tried Xanax for migraines? My doctor has prescribed Xanax and Soma Compound for my migraines. I have been using this combination for a couple months now, but it’s not working. Soma works sometimes, if I can catch the headache just before it starts. Xanax makes me sleep alot – not stoned, just tired. There was a very negative story on 20/20 about Xanax(I think) some months ago. My doctor said it was an exaggerated (sp?) story. Xanax is a minor tranquillizer, like Valium. If taken for a long period of time, these things are addictive and getting off them is very nasty, like a lenghthy stay in a mental hospital. Try reading "I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can", by Barbara Gordon. Of course, it does depend on what dosage you’re getting. I heard somewhere (don’t remember where) that 6 weeks is about as long as doctors like to give minor tranquillizers. I’d like to hear from someone who has more specific info on this. Yours, Dennis
Hi Dennis, I think when you say that Xanax is addictive and difficult to withdraw from, you may be frightening and misleading people. Instead of addictive (unless one has a substance abuse problem), it’s usually felt by *enlightened* psychiatrists as a medically dependent medication (similiar to a diabetic’s need for insulin). If you visit alt.support.anxiety-panic, you will find several people who have taken Xanax and other benzodiazepines for several years. Some continue to take them without the need to ever increase the dosage; others have withdrawn from them *properly* (tapering off slowly) and have not had to be hospitalized. Benzos just can’t be stopped abruptly. That is the most important thing to remember. In my experience: I was put on Xanax several years ago when it first came out to take the edge off of the large dosages of Prednisone I was taking (due to Crohn’s Disease) and was on it for a little more than a year. I had no problem whatever when I tapered off of it. Currently, I take it for Panic Disorder and have taken it steadily for at least 2 years. I have reached a dosage that controls my panic attacks and have never felt the need to increase it (as you might expect with addiction). William Kernodle, MD discusses dependence vs. addiction very thoroughly in Panic Disorder: A Medical Point of View. Having said all that, I don’t find that Xanax gives me much relief from a migraine. It might take the edge off slightly, but on its own, wouldn’t do much for me. But of course, YMMV. Hope this helps. Take care, Sondra
Response:
My understanding is that soma is quite safe so the trick seems to be larger doses when necessary and live (don’t try to drive a car) with the sleepiness.
Watch out for the Soma. It was known as Miltown which was prescribed as a tranquilizer. It can be psychologocally addictive and extremely difficult to quit. You can really build up a tolerance for this stuff so be careful. This isn’t some third hand info, but personal experience with a family member. Ted.
Response:
I have posted several warnings to the group about Xanax and minor tranquillizers or benzodiazepines in general. Of course, I’m now taking clonazepam (Klonipin) myself. It would be nice to have more info about this for the group.
I’ve been taking Xanax ever since they released me from the hospital a couple of weeks ago. My doc said it should help with the stress of the pain and nausea I’ve been living with. All it’s done for me is make me more tired than usual an give me vivid dreams (I can remember my dreams in great detail). I had the same vivid dream phenomenon when I was on a high dose of nortriptyline for awhile. I believe I’ve already told you this, Dennis, but I mention it for the benefit of others in the group who may have had similar experiences. John Draeger
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