Lithobid anyone?

Has anyone tried Lithobid? It's a bipolar med. I found out it's prescribed for cluster headache.

Platy

Platy!!
Where have you been?? No I have never heard of that med, are you going to give it a try??

Trinity

I'm assuming it is related to lithium? I personally don't hold high regard for the mood stabilizers for migraines, though of course, plenty of people get a good response.

I see it is the brand name for extended release lithium. I think lithium causes a lot of headaches for people, many discontinue the medication because of the "pounding headache" it causes. Having said that, some people would trade their migraines for a pounding headache. Lithium has been studied for alternate uses (aside from the two most common of anti-seizure and mood stabilizer) for many decades now. IMHO, topomax carries the same risks for side effects but has a better chance at helping you migraines. I AM NOT recommending topomax in any way, shape or form....

My personal thoughts on using some serious atypical or psychoactive medications migraine patients is extremely negative.

If you do not have mood disorder, or suffer from major clinical depression (or depressions brought on by relationship changes, financial issues, job loss, or even the loss of a family member) that does not trigger nor with a trained psychiatrist diagnose you as a patient that has a mood disorder.

A lot of neurologists will try and blame some type of depression, mood disorder, ADHD, etc. and try to target them as causes for migraine.

Sure, they could. Stress can cause them. A tumor on your pituitary too can cause them. Damage to your vessels due to cholesterol can cause them.

The point is that migraines can come from many sources. Someone, as typical in the neurological field may quickly try and ty it a Type A personality, or some other personality trait. May you are just plain lazy--this isn't a slap--this is something that a neuro or psychiatrist will attach you to.

Finding the key and correct diagnosis is vital. Many meds, esp. prescribed in the psychiatric categeory just because it may improve migraine, does not mean you should be on the medication to begin with. This is where many neurologists fall off the cliff. Since they are not regulated as hard as narcotics,you'll see a different type of prescription patent.

This is why you need to learn. Learn about the disease. It's medications, and your body.

One trick back in the day was to prescribe something like Seroquel. This medication will make you sleep, however it can give you serious complications.

Some of the major arguments with docs regarding the atypical and your discutiosn

I totally agree PF!!!!! I re-read what I wrote last night (on pain meds) and also feel the need to clarify my position. I agree that most doctors (even the supposed "specialists" we see jump to medications they shouldn't all in the name of not prescribing narcotics. It's typical that a person with chronic migraines gets put on one medication after the other with no positive effect because the doctors are ...well....I don't really know what word to use. It is so unfair. I think we all secretly (and not so secretly) wish we could see the day that a migraine medication was discovered that did not hold any of the stigmas to it that all of the medications we end up on carry.

I agree that trial after trial of psychiatric medications to treat migraines is inappropriate. If lithium was going to cure (or even help) migraines...we would have known about it many decades ago!

Hmmm, excellent points made here. My headaches are INTIMATELY tied to how I am reacting to stress and anxiety. I'm already taking Luvox for anxiety and I can't tolerate a higher dose -- I would like to lower the dose due to the side effects. I'm already on Topamax -- it helps, but there too I'd prefer to lower the dose for the reasons everyone would. I'm also on Methysergide which has just now been discontinued as a branded product and I now have to have compounded which costs a fortune, so there's a third thing I'd like to get rid of.

But if Lithium is known to cause HA's that's not very encouraging...

Platy

I definitely wouldn't recommend both topomax and lithium together.