Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reservedClaudia Chaves, MD, is board-certified in cerebrovascular disease and neurology with a subspecialty certification in vascular neurology. Colleen Doherty, MD, is a board-certified internist living with multiple sclerosis. Not just that, but the thought of food made me gag. Close. Keep in mind, though, that propranolol only works for some people—it's not a magic cure and thus, requires a trial and error process, which can be tedious, Fortunately there are other migraine preventive drug options, including other beta-blockers, non beta-blocking therapies such as the anti-seizure medication Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Read our This is certainly a downside, as those who suffer from migraines often (and understandably) become frustrated with this long waiting period. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. As for my blood pressure... having that normalized is clearly not helping to prevent attacks. Nortriptyline vs Propranolol . For instance, propranolol significantly increases the levels (up to 70%) of the common migraine medications, Zomig (zolmitriptan) and Maxalt (rizatriptan).

With that, if you are taking propranolol for migraine prevention and Maxalt for intermittent migraine attacks, you should lower your dose of Maxalt, under the guidance of your doctor. It is unsafe for people with certain health conditions to take propranolol. In the past month I've noticed my appetite has returned (now that I think about it, maybe my body is adjusting and that's why I have a 10 day migraine this month). I have been taking Topiramate, 100 mg daily, for 5 mo now and haven't had a significant migraine since starting it until last Sunday (10 days strong). What will happen if I stop taking it? It exerts its effects by blocking beta receptors. You'll need to have your blood pressure checked regularly if you're taking propranolol for a long time for migraines or anxiety. For that reason, if you and your doctor are developing a plan to try to prevent migraine attacks, propranolol may be an option to consider. My wife takes 40 mg twice a day for migraines and has zero side effects.

Once released into the bloodstream, adrenaline binds to blood vessels surrounding the brain, causing them to constrict. If you are taking propranolol, it is essential to take it only as prescribed by your doctor. Conclusions There is high quality evidence that propranolol is better than placebo for episodic migraine headache. We support each other, and spread knowledge about our various conditions.Press J to jump to the feed. (I know, many of us have tried just about everything under the sun.) Moreover, propranolol is released into breastmilk, so be sure to tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. There was only one trial of beta-blockers for tension-type headache. For chronic migraine, propranolol was more likely to reduce headaches by at least 50% (RR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.0–4.3). Although, considered a well-tolerated and generally safe drug, there are other serious warnings associated with taking propranolol—be sure to review these in detail with your doctor to ensure it's the right drug for you. Ended up allergic to it.New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be castA community of headache disease sufferers. The immediate release tablet should be taken on an empty stomach while the extended release capsule can be taken with or without food (but should be done consistently). 75 mg nortrip, 40 mg x2 prop, 200 mg x2 topamax. Besides people with diabetes and thyroid disease, propranolol may not be able to be used (or may need to be more closely monitored) in people with a baseline low heart rate or blood pressure, asthma, depression, or peripheral vascular disease. What are people's experience with these medications? Propranolol is a reasonable starting point for most people's migraine prevention journey. As with any medication, before starting propranolol, it is important to discuss any potential side effects with your doctor.