The Fabulous Migraine Underworld
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Marinol for Migraine

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Post  7777Trinity Sat 15 Dec 2012, 2:27 pm

Has anyone tried Marinol for migraine? I just did some research and got very interesting results for prescription Marinol (THC) and its effect on elevating migraines.
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Post  Cluelesskitty Mon 17 Dec 2012, 6:00 pm

I didn't, but I remember from online some pple how did, with various results. Some were satisfied, some didn't.

I can't wait to hear what your opinion will be - please let us know.

Risa
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Post  7777Trinity Tue 18 Dec 2012, 2:22 pm

I saw my GP today and he said he was not "comfortable" writing a prescription for Marinol, but had no problem putting me on Depakote, which I start tonight.

Can anyone tell me what your experience has been with Depakote?

Thanks,
Trinity
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Post  Cluelesskitty Tue 18 Dec 2012, 5:32 pm

I don't know much about Depakote, but Depakine - am not entirely, 100% sure, but I think Depakine Chrono (natrium valproate)
is a derivative of Depakote and is very popular in Europe,
Poland particularly, for migraine prevention.
http://www.drugs.com/international/depakine-chrono.html
This is how I know of it, and since patients there are routinely Rx-ed it for migraine, many reports it's efficacy
and I dare say it's no better or worse than any other medication of this type.

A number of people were quite satisfied with the results - less M, M becoming less intense, with the medication itself not causing
too severe s/e.
A number also, observed no change at all, and a number didn't like s/e so much to continue.

I would guess Depakote is very similar to Depakine, but I might be mistaken.

The important thing to remember is- we have no way to predict how WE are going to respond to any given medication.
Each of us is unique, and respond as uniquely to the same drug.

My advice is, since Depakote is about as though a drug as Topamax is, to start with a 'kiddie' dosage,
and increase also in a kiddie quantities. Don't give in if your Dr tries to bully you into increasing faster -just say NO.
It's your body, your wellbeing.

Then wait and see :]

Good luck, kiddo.

Risa
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Post  tortoisegirl Tue 18 Dec 2012, 11:16 pm

Depakote (divalproex sodium) is a very old school migraine / anti seizure med (its one of the few actually FDA approved for migraine, not that it really matters though). There are several similar derivatives. I agree to start very low and add to the dose very slow, more so that suggested by your doctor even. Surprised you haven't tried it, but then again, most doctors are using Topamax, Neurontin, etc, instead of it nowadays.

I got the same bad response to a handful of anti seizure meds so I've said never again. I've never got a lasting response from any preventative med (including Depakote), but everyone is different. Not sure if any one med has a better chance than any other. Worth a try if you haven't already (or not for long enough...several months after tapering up may be necessary for a good trial), as long as you didn't get really bad responses to similar meds.

Sorry you didn't get to to try the Marinol. Maybe some other time. What about a pain management specialist or other specialty that may be more versed in prescribing it than a GP? Its also on my curiosity list, but I know not too many doctor prescribe it or even think its worth prescribing for pain, especially headache. I'd try medical marijuana if I wasn't working (and potentially subject to drug testing). Best wishes.

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Post  Platypus Sat 22 Dec 2012, 1:12 am

Trinity -
If you have chronic migraine I would seriously seriously seriously find a HEADACHE SPECIALIST to treat your migraines and not rely on a GP. Get hold of a listing of the neurologists you have access to via your medical plan, look at their profiles and see which specialize in headache/migraine. You also might try searching "migraine" on yelp in your city. I think you mentioned something about seeing a neuro once a year or something - that's okay as a consult / second opinion, but your regular treater should be a neuro as well, and again, make sure they specialize in headache. A headache specialist should either A) Be up on the latest research and have a thousand tricks up their sleeve, or B) Let you do the research and basically give you whatever you ask for, or C) Both A and B.

And it's a given that a headache specialist will move correctly through the standard preventative solutions e.g. Topamax, Neurontin, Botox, Depakote. (Don't know which of these you've tried already).

Just my unsolicited opinion affraid

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Post  7777Trinity Sat 22 Dec 2012, 8:44 pm

Hey Platy:

I have tried all of these except the depakote, I got the RX but my son freaked out when I told him I was going to take it. He is a Case Manager at a Psychiatric facility in Illinois and said this drug makes permanent changes in the brain, causes liver damage and failure as well as people not being able to come off it once they start it because of the electrical changes that have been caused in the brain by this med.

I am stuck... I reordered my Stadol NS to help with the pain. Bad migraine today, took the Relpax and a couple hours later woke up twice with my heart doing some kind of "shudder" it felt really strange.

I will propbably die before I will ever get adequate medical help and maybe that's better.

Trinity


Last edited by 7777Trinity on Sat 22 Dec 2012, 8:45 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : spellling)
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Post  Platypus Mon 24 Dec 2012, 2:09 am

If you've tried Topamax, Neurontin, and Botox, but not Depakote - I would give Depakote a shot. It is one of the heavy hitters as far as migraine preventatives. It's a first line treatment, FDA approved for migraine and a lot of migraineurs swear by it. I'm not sure why your son is freaked out by Depakote - the liver impairment risk is real but rare. It's also detectable early, not something that develops with long-term use. The other stuff re difficulty titrating and permanent changes to the brain are not documented anywhere that I can find. What you will find are lots of complaints about weight gain. It drives a lot of people off the medicine - even some getting headache relief - especially women. But not everyone gets weight gain from Depakote and some manage it through diet/exercise.
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Post  Cluelesskitty Mon 24 Dec 2012, 6:05 pm

Trinity, best intention or not,
family members butting in into our medical care are biggest pain in the... BUTT. - from my own experience.
If it was up to them I would never be allowed in vicinity of oxycodon, for instance, suffering needlessly in hellish pain for God knows
how many years.

They don't have any better options or advice, all they do is panic and protest at any more serious treatment doctors want us to try
that, granted, carry certain serious risk but also may be possibly quite successful.
The problem is, we migraineurs, we don't have that many options, unfortunately, treatment wise.
So what are we to do?

It's easy to "freak out", harder to come up with decent plan in place instead, isn't it?

All "heavy duty" medication carry serious warnings with them, Topamax included - but lets not get carried away with fear,
let's look at numbers how often these happens, to whom (is there certain sensitivity involved like age, other conditions i.e. liver disease etc)
then calmly make a decision.


Is up to you, sweetheart, what you wish to do, period.

Risa

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Post  Porsche Fan Tue 25 Dec 2012, 12:20 am

I would not be comfortable asking or being prescribed something like Marinol or Methadone. My case is different than you guys. We have a strong understanding of what is causing the migraine problem.

As long as I take my cardiac meds, and have a rescue med plan (including Nucynta and Zofran) and some others, we can control my migraines. Supplemental Tesosterone patches is part of overall treatment as well.

Marinol definitely would add complexity. And as I've found working extensively with the medical world, you would be viewed poorly in a large number of cirlces outside of pain management and specific migraine practitioners.

My doc prescribes some meds for me--strong stuff all DEA II-IV categories. As part of an agreement I had to agree to pain management and testing. The process has been worked out with my practitioner. I find this highy obtrusive if not insulting, but this is the world we live in. There are some complexities with it, but as long as both parties agree it goes smoothly. It's as much as protection for the doctor as you.

This is a difficult subject and something that you need to talk to your doctor about. I know I had a deep discussion with my doctor, and my my lawyer about this regarding my rights. My situation isn't like many of yours (my head hurts) but I need to go through some close precautionary measures to make sure I get the best treatment and protect my rights as a patient.
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Post  Platypus Tue 25 Dec 2012, 1:47 am

Porsche Fan wrote:
Marinol definitely would add complexity. And as I've found working extensively with the medical world, you would be viewed poorly in a large number of cirlces outside of pain management and specific migraine practitioners.
The only problem I can imagine is a practitioner being reluctant to pick up the prescription if you came under their care. In any case, I wouldn't hesitate to obtain a trial of Marinol or medical marijuana if available in your locale as a secondary abortive. Secondary, because these will not knock out a major migraine. But for mild to moderate pain they can be very effective.
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Post  30yrsofheadache Tue 25 Dec 2012, 6:20 am

I would not be afraid to ask my Dr. about this.However, I have been with her for over 15 years and she knows me very well. I always phrase these things as "what do you think of xyz?", instead of asking for a prescription right off. Best of luck,
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