Sumatriptan and Pain: What Users Say

• Kay...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 26, 2019

For Migraine "Used to take these sumatriptan every time I had a migraine and aura 100 mg, and everything was fine. A few days ago, I felt symptoms coming on and took one. Worst experience of my life. Severe nausea, diarrhea, worsening of headache, chest pains, numb pain in left arm, muscle clenching involuntarily, jaw pain, severe anxiety. Ended up in ER crying and feeling like I was high on drugs. Days later, I do not feel like myself. I feel anxious, panicky, and down in my mood. Please be careful, these drugs are NOT safe for everyone despite me having taken them many times before. I will not ever take one again."

• TAa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2019

Sumatriptan for Migraine "Worst experience of my life! Started feeling jaw pain, shoulder pain, nausea, heart racing, and the worst was a tingly/numbing sensation in my arms and legs. I felt like I was going to die. Did not help my migraine at all. This should be taken off the market."

• TAa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2019

Sumatriptan for Migraine "Worst experience of my life! Started feeling jaw pain, shoulder pain, nausea, heart racing, and the worst was a tingly/numbing sensation in my arms and legs. I felt like I was going to die. Did not help my migraine at all. This should be taken off the market."

• BEA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2023

For Migraine "Do not take this. I feel like I’m dying, and my headache is only getting worse. I took this medication two days ago and am still experiencing side effects that have only just calmed down. Shortness of breath, chest pain so bad I almost cried, jaw pain that prevented me from eating comfortably, worse head pains, and full body tingling. If there is a different option, please take one."

• Mon...
• February 25, 2015

For Migraine "I have suffered from migraines for many years, but menopause has made the headaches both more intense and frequent. The only medication that helps is Sumatriptan. Typically, the headache is gone within 30 minutes, although it usually gets a little worse before it gets better. There are side effects, most notably jaw pain, difficulty swallowing, and a 'spacey' feeling, but honestly, these are minor compared with the agony of a migraine. I love this medication and do not know how I would manage without it."

• AMa...
• May 4, 2015

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I won't lie, it hurts like being snapped with a wet towel tail, but not as much as my light-sensitive migraines do. My daughter also suffers from migraines, and she's a big baby about pain but will take a dose. Before this, my migraines would ruin my day. I would have to lay in the dark with a bucket and suffer, praying I could keep my oral medication down. Now I DosePro, lay down for 30 minutes, and I am back to normal. It literally has changed my life, anyone who suffers from migraines knows the feeling of a migraine building, knowing that pain is coming and trying to head it off with oral meds and then failing to stop it. The endless hours of horrific pain. Luckily, my insurance covers it, but I'd buy it whatever the cost."

• Mig...
• August 19, 2010

Sumatriptan for Migraine "The doctor gave me a sample and a prescription of this to try. I have used Treximet with great results, but it took too long for the medicine to get into my system to counter the migraine. The Sumavel works GREAT, HOWEVER, it does hurt. The initial injection is painful. I was left with a welt and a tender spot for hours afterwards. The injection pain is well worth the relief. I do get the burning sensation at the bottom of my brain stem 30 seconds after the injection and feel very weak. This is all normal as I got the same feeling when I started Treximet. Luckily, my insurance company covers it."

• Anonymous
• June 12, 2009

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I'm a 3-4 migraines per week person. When I first tried Imitrex, I thought I had found my own personal miracle. Even on days that I didn't have a full-blown migraine, I would still have pain, and this was the first time I felt completely pain-free in years. Unfortunately, the honeymoon wore off after about 8 months. I used Imitrex quite frequently during that time and had wonderful results, even though sometimes I had to take two pills to really do the job. But after eight months, two pills weren't doing the job, my headache was still lingering."

• 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."

• 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."

• Cyc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2015

For Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome "I've suffered from cyclic vomiting for over 10 years, and the only thing that brings me relief (I've suffered for over a week before with the intense vomiting and debilitating migraines and had to be hospitalized due to dehydration and pain and panic attacks). My GP actually prescribed me the injectable form, and at the first sign, I take an injection, then usually wait 10 minutes and give myself a second injection, and this medication has saved my life."

• sno...
• January 28, 2017

Sumatriptan for Migraine "Went to see my neurologist for the usual migraine check-up, med refills, treatment. While there, he suggested Botox (another story: DO NOT DO IT, I am in horrible nonstop pain). Since I was in the middle of an episode, I got a Toradol injection and this NEW Onzetra nasal. Not a fan of anything going up my nose, should have gone with my gut instinct. You put one opening in a nostril, the other in your mouth, and blow. Like blowing up a balloon, blowing powder throughout your nose, soft palate, and throat. It felt like sucking salt water up your nose, the pain was immediate-eye-watering, dizzying, nose pinching, nauseous pain. I coughed, gagged, cried, wanted to scream. Three days later, I am worse than ever-pain, shaking, incapacitated. Not worth it."

• pip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2019

For Migraine "Sumatriptan works amazing to take away my migraine as soon as I feel the telltale pain above my eyebrow. However, I experience severe side effects such as jaw pain that prevents me from opening my mouth very far and chewing/swallowing. I also get tired and spaced out after taking this. The drug takes maybe 30 minutes to kick in and removes the migraine pain entirely, which is why I still rated it as effective. Works first time and every time, I never have to take a second dose."

• Mas...
• August 30, 2013

Sumatriptan for Migraine "It's quick acting, but painful, and it made me bruise and bleed a bit. It makes me feel nauseated, and I vomited once, a few minutes after use. It also made me feel sleepy, like my other migraine pills. This just acts quicker and makes you drowsy fast."

• Cai...
• June 1, 2010

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I have had migraines since I was 16, but they've been getting worse and worse, and I decided it was time to go to a doctor. I went in, and they gave me Sumavel DosePro to see if the medicine was effective. The initial 'injection' was awful. It hurt as bad as my migraines did, only in my thigh. Then I felt extremely dizzy, and my whole body was sore, and I had trouble breathing. They let me rest for about 20 minutes before sending me home with a sample of Treximet. I got home and took a nap for about 30 minutes. When I woke up, I felt better than I had in months. Finally, my head felt clear, and I had energy back! As much as the initial pain and discomfort was, it only lasted about an hour, in comparison to the 3-day migraines I was getting before."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2018

Sumatriptan for Migraine "This was the first time I took it, got a migraine 2 days in a row after getting auras, worked for me, I still had pain but very, very minimal compared to the past. I haven't had a migraine in 19 months before this."

• Hea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 31, 2016

Sumatriptan for Migraine "If you are a migraine sufferer, this is a miracle drug! Yes, the 'injection' is sort of painful (for like 10 seconds), and I only experienced a little soreness in the spot afterwards. But within 15 minutes of the injection, my debilitating migraine with nausea and blurred vision was gone! I was able to head to work and put in a full 10 hours as normal! No nausea, no follow-up dosage, no pills, just a little sleepiness. I'm a 35-year-old female that suffers from 1-4 migraines with vomiting, light sensitivity, and blurred vision per month. Yes, they are expensive, but I am lucky enough to have great insurance coverage through my employer and only pay $15 per month for 6 of these."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 17, 2019

Sumatriptan for Cluster Headaches "These Sumavel shots are amazing. Whenever I wake up with a cluster headache, I take one of these and within 5 minutes, the headache is completely gone. The injection site swells and is sore for a while, but I'll take that over the headache any day. My neck and shoulder on the side of the cluster pain end up feeling exhausted after I take it, like I've just been working out, but since the headaches typically wake me up, feeling exhausted helps me get back to sleep pretty quickly. My insurance only covered so many shots, so the last box of 6 shots was out of pocket at $100 a piece."

• lan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2021

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I took this for the first time nearly 20 years ago, and it caused so much pain I passed out and didn't wake up for 18 hours. Last year, my doctor prescribed it to me again, thinking I may have grown out of it. So, a couple of days later, I was having a bad migraine, and I took it. After just a few minutes, my skull started feeling like it was on fire. The pain was so intense I immediately started pacing, not knowing what to do. I ended up laying down while my wife brought me ice packs, and I eventually passed out just as I did 20 years ago."

• K8T...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 19, 2013

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I have suffered from migraines since I was 20 and am now 34. I have tried countless abortive medicines. Sumavel is the best one by far because it relieves the pain and nausea fast (usually within 10 mins for me). The injection is painful and leaves quite a welt, but far worth it to get relief. I do sometimes have issues with it not firing properly, but it could be just me pulling back at the last second when I anticipate the pain coming. I have wasted quite a few shots this way."

• Anonymous
• August 6, 2012

Sumatriptan "I used my first Sumavel DosePro last night. I woke up about 11 PM with a splitting migraine. My migraines last between 12 to 16 hours. I took the shot, and within ten minutes, the headache was gone! I don't mean dulled, I mean gone! This was a miracle in my book. The injection was a little painful. I'm good with that! Finally, quick relief for my migraines, which have plagued me for over 43 years!"

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2010

Sumatriptan for Migraine "Imitrex pills worked for me for a few years, but then it stopped being as effective, and I had to take 2... Then that stopped working, so I tried Imitrex stat dose (the injections), and they work wonders. They hurt a lot, but the pain in my leg after I give it to myself is far less horrible than the migraine pain! I give myself the shot and lie down for about 15 minutes, and I'm fine! Maybe a little pain, but I feel much better! I'm also on Timolol, Neurontin, and Cymbalta, and my migraines have reduced in number, and then this helps when I get them. And the shot works after you've had the migraine for a while - you don't have to take it at the first sign to get relief."

• liz...
• March 2, 2011

Sumatriptan for Migraine "I'm 54 years old and have used Imitrex for almost 20 years. No side effects except leg pain for about 24 hours, as if I overused in a workout. Was on 100 mg tabs for a long time, with 3 mg self-injections as necessary. Now just taking 50 mg as I get fewer and less intense headaches now. This medicine is worth trying, but ask for an EKG first if the doctor doesn't order it, this can help check for heart okay first."

• dr_...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 12, 2015

For Cluster Headaches "I can make the injections last by using only 1/3 a vial per cluster attack. I take the vial out of the auto-injector and use a Q-tip to press in the amount. After this, I wait exactly 9 minutes, and the headache is gone. I had a very hard time getting enough injections from my insurance to cover all the cluster headaches I was getting, and this method helped me handle 3x more than I could before! I do feel my headache pain jumping from a 3 to 10 immediately after injection. Taking the 100 mg tablets does not cause this increase in pain, but the wait is about 25-30 minutes for relief. Sometimes I can tell which headaches to use either the injection or pill for."

• Bke...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2018

For Migraine "I just took 100 mg two hours ago. The first ten minutes were fine. The next 30 minutes, I felt dazed and heavy. The next 30 minutes, I felt fine, migraine gone. But after those 30 minutes... you know the feeling you get when you laugh or smile too long and your cheeks hurt... well, that is everywhere. Just pure exhaustion with occasional pain. Stiff neck on the side I usually get migraine pain. Possible fever, lots of nausea right now. Random, but I sneezed and it killed in my neck. Glands are swollen. Throat isn’t tight, though."