Meds & Supplements, Treatment

Aspirin as Effective as Imitrex?

That’s what a press release on a study presented yesterday at the European Headache Federation’s 8th Annual Congress proclaims. Mind you, the study was presented at the “New Reasons for Aspirin in Headache” symposium, which was sponsored by Bayer. And the press release was written by Bayer. Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the findings, does it?

The press release caught my attention because I met a new friend yesterday who told me that her life-saving drugs were triptans and aspirin for her migraines and aspirin when her daily headache get bad. She’s the only person I’ve talked to who has had such success with aspirin.

Similarly, With all the drugs I’ve tried, Advil is still my best abortive. Do any of you have a like experience with a basic OTC analgesic?

10 thoughts on “Aspirin as Effective as Imitrex?”

  1. I never met anyone who had true migraines that any
    over the counter medicine worked for, including me.
    There is the confusing part for people when they have a bad headache and they think it is a migraine when it really clinically is not.
    The caffeen in some stuff constricts the blood vessles this could make you bad head ache worse. since thats what most common/bad headaches are from. Migraines are typlically from swollen blood vessles. thats where the caffeen idea comes from. We are what we eat. most headaches and migraines are caused by our diet if not injury. there are so many food triggers people do no even know about. just as there are foods we can eat that help stop them . Magnesium and vitamin B2 are very important we loose magnesium when we get dehydrated If by eating the right foods we can keep our selves below the pain threshold so when the baromoter goes are head doesnt explode, but if we had too much caffeen and preservatives at lunch and that one banana. then it storms thats it were done. Also over the counter drugs cause rebound headaches more that we realize. I know people that tell me they take tylenol every day for their every day headache, they dont realize that the constant use of the acetaminophen over time is taxing on your liver. and some hadaches can be from your liver. Like we trace our family tree. We need to trace where our headache/migraines trully come from.
    Ive had headaches/and migraines w aura my whole life. I was put on adderall for ADD. the headaches got way worse like never before. I thought they were bad migraines so I treated them like they were. But it was actually because adderall is a vasoconstricter and constricting the blood vessles. On top of that I have slight neck problems from an accident ( nothing bad by itself)Did I mention I love caffeen and peanut butter cups. also I live in Hot Humid Florida.
    You do the math. The Dr cut my medicine down. I get adjusments and massages on my neck. cut caffeen way down do not even look at chocolate or peanuts and its winter her now. The headaches are fewer than ever.
    I hope my personal experience can help others seek the solutions they need.
    Rick

  2. Hi Kerrie —I wonder about the use of Aspirin not in the pain-killing sense but in the clot-busting sense. This link below from the Independent is researching another platelet related drug for migraine-the theory being that migraines are caused by mini-blood clots. So anyway, today I started daily baby aspirin therapy. Anything is worth a try right?

    like your blog
    Sarah (fellow chronic daily sufferer currently being driven mad by the “heal your headache” diet)

    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/drug-promises-end-to-migraine-misery-766812.html

  3. I have recently started using Imitrex. I can say, as this bein a new one to me, it does work, quite effectively. Aspirin/Tylenol don’t cut the headaches. Nor did Aleve or #2 Tylenol’s. Rather than #3’s and anything else which could inhibit work, Imitrex has worked wonderfully for me

    🙂 Rave

  4. During my three week bout with the flu early this year, I discovered Tylenol Rapid Release did wonders for the amped up headache all the coughing was causing. I had never been a fan of Tylenol, usually finding it as effective as a tic-tac as far as pain is concerend, but I can no longer take NSAIDs (hello bleeding ulcer).

    Having purchased a huge bottle, I decided to see how the TRR did as far as CDH, and if I catch it soon enough, it does work! So that or a can of diet soda are my “moderate” headache plan of attack. I try to avoid my triptan unless I’m in a horrid please-kill-me cycle, so as to avoid possible rebounding and/or loss of effectiveness.

  5. Excedrin used to work for my migraines (before my CDH started). I’ve been using Head-On and it helps ease some of the pain.

  6. Now that I know what stage to try taking Excedrin I’m finding it helpful sometimes. Also because I’ve reduced the amount of caffeine I drink, often I take 2 Tylenol, 1 Aleve or Advil, and drink a cup of tea.

    Take this morning for example, I woke up like something on the bottom of a rotting coffin, am eating breakfast, drinking tea, & hoping the Tylenol + Aleve combo kicks in. If it doesn’t and my headache gets worse I’ll take Imatrex and take a nap, but I think I’ll be ok without it.

    The Tylenol Rapid Release is a new to me product. I’ll look for it the next time I go to the drug store.

  7. Kerrie, the Tylonal Rapid Release has been on the market for less then a year now. I don’t know what it is, but I find that it really helps to take the edge off.

  8. I used to have fairly good results from excedrin or anacin (which is aspirin plus caffeine) when my daily headache wasn’t quite as intense as it is now. I had no idea they even had intravenous aspirin lol. This study is interesting–didn’t Bayer finally receive approval to market aspirin in one of the european countries just recently? I want to say Germany for some reason.

    I don’t really remember aspirin or even anacin ever really knocking out an actual migraine though. I suppose for some people it’s possible–lots of people claim that excedrin is all they need too.

    ********
    I don’t know about Bayer just getting approval, but the study was done by the head of the neurology department at a German medical school. They definitely seem to fit together!

    K

  9. I’ve never tried asprin. I LOVE my maxalt, and I switch between tylonal and advil in hopes that my body doesn’t get too used to one, right now I’m on a Tylonal Rapid Release kick, but I’m sure I will soon switch back to my Extra Strength Advil.

    *********
    I’m glad your drug cocktails provide you some relief. I’ve never heard of Tylenol Rapid Release. What a great idea.

    Take care.
    K

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