Verapamil success?? Thoughts?

[JaclynDT]

Hello All, I have been prescribed Verapamil for migraines, I have only been on it a couple of wks and I just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts about this medication, wondering if its worked for anyone as far as the migraine aspect. I have been told that it may take up to 4-6 wks before I notice a difference and of course I did not expect results over night. I am also taking Zoloft and have been told that these two medications should be fine together. It's odd b/c I know that Verapamil is mainly used for chest pains and cardiovascular problems, and today after I took my medications, my chest started to hurt and I felt a little short of breath, If you have ever read my posts in the past you are probably well aware of the fact that I am a major hypochondriac but as always, I feel its better to be safe than sorry.. Any comments/thoughts/suggestions would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!!!

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

Thanks for writing in.
Verapamil normally when used for migraine prophylaxis does not cause chest pain and shortness of breath. However it can cause fatigue which can lead to shortness of breath.
Verapamil can affect the normal rhythm of the heart and should be used cautiously by patients with heart conditions.
I would suggest you to wait and watch, if your symptoms do not abate and get worse it will be a good idea to get a cardiovascular exam done.
Hope this helps!

[JaclynDT]

I was actually rushed to the hospital b/c my chest pains and shortness of breath got so intense, my headache specialist said that it may be a "reflux" from the medication...? and has told me to abruptly stop taking the medication instead of weaning myself off.... Now my head is in a MASSIVE amount of pain.... I can barley focus.... Do you think this has to do with the discontinuation of the Verapamil? Should I go to half a pill and try to wean myself off rather than just not taking it abruptly?

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

I am really sorry to hear that. I would suggest you to consult your specialist before starting verapamil again. It seems you suffered some kind of allergic reaction to Verapamil which resulting in excessive chest pain and shortness of breath.In these cases the medication is topped abruptly.
Please do not start the medication on your own. There are other options available please check with your doctor at your earliest.
Take care!

[dwdr5]

I just got off of verapamil after being on it for 5 months. The dose was increased over that time. I changed Dr's in the middle of this because the 1st Dr also had me on Elavil, which was a complete disaster for me! Turns out the verapamil was also bad. while it worked for a few months only reducing the severity of the migraine, it caused a very strange side affect of what i could only describe as a headache in my upper neck. My new Dr said this symptom was not related to the verapamil. Regardless, i stopped the drug and in about 10 days the neck pain started to subside. I am now trying topamax.  FYI IMATREX is now generic! picked some up yesterday.

dw

[marquette1959]

I have been using Verapamil for several months. My Dr has increased my dose up to 240 mg 2X a day. The drug has eliminated my migraines for now. I am happy with the medication.

[marquette1959]

I wanted to update my earlier post regarding Verapamil. I did start having migraines again after 3 weeks. I am now trying a new medication that is typically used for depression, in small doses it is supposed to help with migraine. It is called Nortriptyline. Since I  just started taking it I do not have anything to report. I will post later when I know more. Hope you are doing well.

[la_belle_fille]

I am about to start Verapamil tomorrow. I hope it does something for my headaches because they are horrible. I'm sick of taking percoset 8 times a day. I"m only 20 years old! Anyway..I just wanted to say good luck with the topamax. I just got off of it because it was horrible for me. I felt even worse then I had before the meds. Then I started getting suicidal. Not very fun. Everyone is different though so I hope this works for you and the verapamil works for me ;) Let me know how the topamax works out. I'll be curious to know if it works or not. Wishing you all the best!

[Doug2020]

I just started Verapamil approximately a week ago becaused of increased usage of Midrin and Vicodin for my Migraines.
The Migraines have increased due to a car accident in which I was rear ended and my head hit the head rest.
Does the Verapamil really work to eliminate headaches or is it just to settle the headaches down?

[julem4]

Verapamil has done nothing to relieve migraines for me despite being combined with Topamax. Different meds work for different people though. The only thing I have found to help is largactil via IV for 48 hours - cuts through the migraine cycle and lasts for quite a period of time. I also take homeopathics - thuja and ignata amara 5 x once a day and a fusion menopause free herbal tablet everyday.

[Arum10]

I have been on verapamil for several months now. I started with 180 and was moved to 240. After no relief from Topamax and several other medications I was switched to Verapamil. Being on the 240 has worked wonders. I went from 1-4 migraines a week to MAYBE one a month now. Everyone has different triggers and tolerance as well. The medication also takes several weeks before you start seeing results. Good luck to you!

[hardin82]

I was just prescribed Verapamil, 120mg twice a day.  I've taken it now 3 days.  Still have been waking up with migraines, just not as bad.  My Maxalt works quicker.  Not sure how this med will work.  I sure wish I can find out some more info on this working.  

My Dr has given up and said if it doesn't, I've got to move onto this special hospital in Houston for Migraines...lots of $$.  We just tried an anti-seizure med...no help.  Pain meds...think they brought them on more.  Xanax, lol.  Inderal, beta blocker.  And another one I can't remember.  I tend to wake up in am w/migraines or I get them from scents or major stress/tension.

I will be looking more into this site.  Glad I found it.  I need advice and people who understand mirgraines!  It's horrible and I have young children.

[steacher988]

I've been on Verapamil for about 2 months now, and I, too, have experienced something that might be called a headache in the neck, except mine extends to my shoulders and upper back as well. Was yours kind of like a stiffness and pain that seemed to have no cause? Because that's what mine is. I never thought to associate it with the Verapamil, though...

[mcamp]

I have had migraines for 40 years, since age 7. mine are a cluster migraine variant type of headache so I get sort of a double dose of pain.

I was on verapamil 360mg for a while, did nothing for the migraines but using it with 5mg of lysinopril it was a good blood pressure medicine for me before I changed to micardis. I dont think it is a very good migraine preventive though I read about what it is supposed to do, )expand blood vessels or make them more elestic? something like that)... and I know it is highly prescribed by Dr's but I have no faith in it atfter trying it for several months and I tried it at max dose.

I use zoloft as it lessens the frequency of the headaches I get 2-3 times per week. I have literally tried every preventive medication out there over the years and always go back to my neurologist every few months and try anything new in the way of preventives but nothing works for me. I use an abortive only. from 2000 to 2008 I used fioricet with codiene and it worked great unitl I became tolerant, now I use 8mg Dilaudid when I need it. I am blessed in that I have never become addicted to any of the narcotics I have used in all the years I have used them, and each year I stop taking narcotics for two weeks and endure the hell of pain just to make sure I have no cravings. (kind of crazy huh?)

[Eddie1994]

Regarding A.M. migraines, you may want to review information from the National Headache Foundation.  The web address is headache.org  Search by the following title: Early Morning Awakening Headache

[wedding8804]

I have been on Verapamil for almost 4 weeks. I have only had 2  major migraines that lasted for 2 days each, which is an amprovement. However, I have the most annoying dry mouth with a feeling like I need to constantly clear my throat!  Have any of you experienced this and if so, did it pass? It's driving me nuts!

[threeboysin99]

I am 48 and I have also experienced migraine head-aches for the the past twenty years.  I have gone for months and even years without a migraine.However,It seems like the older I  get the more frequent the episodes.I  would like to seek professinal help but where do you start. .Do you start with a Neurolgist or a E.N.T .The migraines take about 1 to 2 days a week away from my life. During my episodes I can not tolerate light or noise and of course nausea.I have ran the gamut of anti-depress.meds. over the years which seem to increase the frequency of my migraines.I have experienced little floaters of light recently which usually leads to a migraine.I was perscribed verapamil and sumatriptan by a ER physician in 2009 . I do not take any prescription medications at this time for migraines .

[ceebee285]

I was put on verapamil for arrhythmias. I just wanted to warn all about the affect it can have on intestinal motility. That is to say it cuts it way down, and the word constipation doesn't begin to describe it. It is as though no amount of straining can move stool, and the result can be a lot of pain.  apparently only some 30% of people experience this, but it it so known, and so profound, that medical folk are considering using the drug for IBS-D sufferers.   Just take care. All drugs have their side effects, and the more aware you can be, the better.

[Irvingortiz]

Hi im irving I just started taking verapamil about a week ago and I feel tired and warm im taking 180mg twice a day does any body felt like this while taking this medication?

[lsscrbrgh]

Hi, I started taking Verapamil about 6 weeks ago. My doctor started me on the lowest dosage for constant headaches/migraines. They just raised my dosage, but I feel that since I've started taking it my headaches have gained power. Before Verapamil, my headaches would last 4-5 days, but I was functional. Now, they hit me like a bus and hit me with the force of a migraine right away. I have also felt fatigue and short of breath, which I thought was from the extreme fatigue. I tried Topamax a few years ago, but after raising the dosage several times the headaches still came back. Topamax side effects were the worst I've experienced. Thank you everyone for all the great information here!

[Puggowuggo]

I have been on Verapamil 120 m.g. at night for about 9 years with great success for Hemiplegic/complicated migraines.
I have gone off of it several times because I had no symptoms and at the advise of my neurologist. Recently I had begun to get more and more "painful" migraines with aura. My GP put me back on it and the following month I had no pain! Shortly thereafter, I had a horrible headache in the back of my head near my neck accompanied by neck stiffness. This happened twice in one week with continued stiffness in the neck. That same week I suffered a SAH (sub arachnoid hemmoraghe) a form of a deadly stroke. Thankfully I survived with some residual effects such as continued painful migraines. My neuro just today prescribed 25 m.g of Topamax and I will begin taking it soon.
I just want my quality of life to improve and not have all these strange sensations in my head that are most likely the result of the stroke.
I do get the dry mouth but the Verapamil helps me to feel sleepy as soon as I take it at night. I have had no real side effects with it.
I really like it and if the Topamax doesn't pan out I'll just stick with my tried and true Verapamil.

[Cat316]

I have been using verapamil now for 9 months and it works great! I also frova to take for when the headaches start to flair up. I can honestly say this medication has done wonders for me, I can go out in the sun with out all the pain.

[carolinelfk]

i was on Topomax for 2 months (for migraine prevention) and it had the worst side effects I've ever experienced. Depression was bad, weigt loss was bad, brain fog was bad. I wouldn't recommend Topomax to anyone, ever.

[Tici46]

The same thing happened to me, i stopped taking Verapamil because i started to get strange neck pains, base of head to my neck and shoulders. I stopped taking them or awhile and it went away, then i recently started to take them and it came back. Stop the Verapaml everynone, it is no good.

[mary607]

doesnt work i think you should move on to a new drug. do not try any of the triptans. if you do make sure you are careful about what you eat. i gained 65 pounds on amitripyline. i am on topamax and verapimil now. they both dont work. a lot of people like topamax. have you tried that one? have you tried atacaid or botox? neither worked for me but im a tough case.