Sumatriptan and Headaches: What Users Say

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 11, 2018

For Migraine "Awful. Taking the 50 mg and 100 mg gave me horrible side effects. I can say my migraine went away, but to get to that point, I have to go through about an hour of uncontrollable crying, tightness in my chest and throat, very heavy, almost numb limbs, extreme body aches, nausea, cold sweats, and a pounding headache. Never taking it ever again."

• She...
• March 19, 2012

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I have suffered from migraines for 32 years, the older I am, the worse they become. I have both the Imitrex pills and the shots. When I am nauseated, I must use the shot. Approximately 1 minute after injection, the intense burning in my head and the amplified headache are the worst side effects, however, NOTHING compared to the migraine. Usually, the migraine is gone in 15 to 30 minutes, and I sleep it off. There is also the 12 to 24-hour Imitrex hangover from the shot. Muscles feel as though they are made of jelly, an overall wiped-out feeling. The pill does not have the burning effect for me, and it takes the full 30 minutes to combat the migraine. Imitrex is the only medicine that has worked for me consistently over the years. I become immune to all other medicines."

• Anonymous
• March 11, 2008

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I'm 3.5 months pregnant and had been suffering from the worst migraine I'd ever experienced for 2 days. I finally went to urgent care as instructed by my OB. They gave me an injection of Imitrex. The side effects suck. I felt disoriented and my head felt heavy. I was sweating. After about 20 minutes, the side effects subsided a bit and I was able to go. It is now 2 hours later and I feel 100 times better. My migraine is basically gone. If you can deal with the side effects, it's worth it."

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 8, 2019

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I had a horrible reaction to Imitrex, due to a possible drug interaction with Wellbutrin. I had gone to the E.R., worried that I might have been having a stroke. It was clearly stated in my chart that I was on Wellbutrin, but they prescribed Imitrex for me at the E.R. anyway, after presenting with what they concluded to be a complex migraine. I took an Imitrex pill when I got home, and almost immediately after taking it, I experienced the most horrendous and oppressive, burning headache. It felt like the most painful and unbearable sinus headache I had ever experienced. So, I didn't try to take Imitrex again. Then, at my follow-up visit with my doctor, he asked me how the Imitrex was working, and I told him that I couldn't take it because it actually gave me a worse headache than I had started with. He said, 'Oh yeah, Imitrex is known to have a negative interaction with some antidepressants, like Wellbutrin. I wish someone had noticed that when they prescribed it to me."

• ste...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 12, 2017

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I avoid taking Imitrex if I can because I experience so many side effects from it. I get jaw and shoulder pain/stiffness, pain in the back of my neck and scalp, headaches, drowsiness, and I just generally feel weird and awful after taking it. After 2 hours or so, my migraine goes away and the awful-ness of the Imitrex lessens, so that is why I do take it occasionally. Every time I take it, I'm reminded of how badly I need to find something else."

• Anonymous
• March 27, 2012

Sumatriptan for Migraine "My first experience with Imitrex was taking it at work... Well, that was not a good idea! I started to feel the migraine coming on, so I took it at the first symptoms like I was told and went about my day. I'm a technician for an ophthalmologist, and I started to get a hot flash. I stood up, and my arms and legs went totally numb. Since I'm on Topamax too, I expect a little tingle, but this was a RUSH. All this aside, about 30 minutes later, most of my heavy-duty migraine symptoms were thwarted. Not gone, but a lot better. I feel they would have been much better if I had been able to lie down rather than been on my feet working. I also still had a pretty decent headache and photophobia the rest of the day."

• Anonymous
• August 4, 2010

Sumatriptan for Migraine "It keeps my migraines from blowing out into severe migraines, but it takes close to an hour to kick in, and when it does, I feel extremely sick, very fatigued for two hours after. Then I have just a mild headache, but I feel like I have a hangover and become forgetful and weak. It is definitely a trade-off, but as severe as my migraine can get, I'll take this until I find another type of medication."

• Anonymous
• April 12, 2012

Sumatriptan for Migraine "Those injections for my headaches that the doctor gave me are amazing! I wake up with my headache a lot, so I can't even stop them before they start, and like this morning, they're usually paired with nausea, and I end up throwing up. This injection is awesome, though! Quick relief without having to make a trip to the ER. I usually get Toradol shots at the hospital that make the headache disappear within twenty minutes or so. The initial injection of the Sumavel hurt a little and caught me off guard, but it felt like a bee sting, it just hurt for a second, and then it was over. It bled a little bit, and about a minute after, my head started to feel heavy, and I felt a little dizzy. I went to sleep, woke up, and felt better."

• RLD...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 22, 2021

For Migraine "I get headaches about three times a week. My doctor diagnosed me with having migraines. Sumatriptan works very well for me. My headache is normally gone in 30 minutes. And I only take 50 mg as I only weigh about 150 pounds. I usually take it if I am having a headache late in the day or in the middle of the night. It seems to help me sleep too. My concern with Sumatriptan is its effect on my blood vessels. Heart disease is very prominent in my family, so I worry about stroke and heart attack. For that reason, I do not take it if I have a headache first thing in the morning or early in the day. If I have a headache in the morning, I take one Excedrin for migraine, as I do like to work out first thing in the morning. It usually works well, but not as well as the Sumatriptan for me. Unfortunately, Excedrin seems to cause rebound headaches, probably from the caffeine. My bottom line is Sumatriptan is my go-to medication. I am just careful about any strenuous activity after taking it."

• Lis...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 8, 2022

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I’ve had migraines since my 20s- I’m 63 now! Imitrex has been a lifesaver for me. I take 100 mg at the onset of a migraine. Don’t wait until it’s full-blown! I also use Imitrex injection in emergencies, like waking up with a #10 migraine, and I don’t want to wait at least an hour for relief. I’m terrified of needles, but the quick relief is worth it. Plus, it’s an auto-injector, you never see the needle- just press the button. I do notice I feel more side effects than with the pill. Rebound headaches are very possible if you take it too often. I would have missed out on so much life without it."

• Anonymous
• March 21, 2012

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I tried Sumavel DosePro for the first time approximately 3 months ago. It does take away about 80-90% of the headache pain, but I am left with a 'sinus' feeling headache that really hurts when I cough, sneeze, or bend over, which is typical for me for a day after a migraine. The injection sting feels a little like being snapped by a rubber band. It didn't feel extremely painful to me. I do get a fairly intense burning sensation mostly along my scalp, but to a lesser degree across the surface of my skin as well. My arms feel very heavy, and it was frightening at first. My biggest problem is that I get intensely sleepy, and for about 20 minutes, I feel like I'm operating in 'slow motion'."

• Kim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2020

For Migraine "So I have suffered migraines for 35 years now, initially was on sumatriptan tabs only, didn't particularly work, so after much pleading with the GP in October, I finally saw a neuro. They gave me nortriptyline 25 mg for a week, then increased the dose to 50 mg and zomigtriptan dissolve 2.5 mg for when I get a migraine. So I was doing fantastic from October to January, no migraine and going from 3 a month on average for what seems a lifetime to nothing was amazing UNTIL January. I had two week-long ones and another early in February. Anyway, I saw the consultant yesterday, February 26th, was upped to 75 mg nortriptyline and given imigran injection to try. Sod's law developed one yesterday PM. So I took the first injection at 11:15 AM and within an hour I felt better but not 100%, so I'm unsure what to think. I can manage my day but wearing my special glasses, and no throbbing but a teeny bit of pain. I hope with increasing the nortriptyline all will be well. XX"

• Hea...
• April 25, 2015

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I can't believe all the great ratings for this. Maybe my skin is just extremely sensitive, but this was the most painful injection I've ever had in my entire life. I chose the thigh over the belly, and I actually screamed so loudly I'm sure I scared everyone in the reception area. I was not at all prepared for it to hurt as much as it did. The unexpected sharp pain only made my headache worse, and even paired with a shot of Demerol, my headache did not clear."

• cli...
• November 19, 2014

Sumatriptan for Migraine "Works the best if you only take it once or twice a month. I've had problems with rebound headaches, even when I take this with sodium naproxen. It can also leave me feeling a bit groggy."

• Anonymous
• July 21, 2009

Sumatriptan for Migraine "Imitrex would eventually stop the headache, but like others have stated, my heart feels like it's about to jump out of my chest, and I would get a worse headache before it got better."

• Mor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2015

For Migraine "The sumatriptan gives me bad neck pain and pressure in my head that lasts for about 1-3 hours, but it takes the migraine pain away and saves me a full two days of suffering!"

• Anonymous
• July 7, 2010

Sumatriptan for Migraine "The 1st dose made me so nauseous, and I fell asleep for 1.5 hours and awoke still nauseous and with a headache. I then took a second pill, and then I was perfect within 30 minutes."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 6, 2021

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I was taking 1 to 2 pills a day, started cutting them in half, now down to a quarter, and even 1/8, and my headaches seem much better. Maybe the drug can cause headaches."