Maxalt melt - how much to take??

[katya2]

I am just starting to take maxalt melt. It gives approx. 8 hrs relief from migraine symptoms, so to get through the full 24 hrs I would need 3 doses. The leaflet in the pack and NHS advice says take no more than 2 doses in a 24 hr period - so 8 hrs a day without pain relief. But if I look online the Merck website and the Australian and New Zealand health guidance say take 3 doses (or 30 mg) in a 24 hr period, which would suit me fine. Does the NHS know something its Oz and NHS equivalents don't know or is it just being stingy?

[kiwi1964]

Stingy I would say.Ask your pharmacist if you can.Usually they have to say the recommended safety standards but as we know we all end up having to take more than the recommended dose sometimes in order to stay sane.As long as you are not taking it constantly like that.I take Sumatriptan and take more than 10 lots of 100mg doses a month which is the dose they say not to go beyond."You gotta do what you gotta do" ,good luck

[Hidden]

A year ago, I was taking more than ten 50 mg doses of sumatriptan a month, and I was told at the National Migraine Centre to cut it down to LESS than ten a month because it was causing rebound headaches. I do that now but it means that I have to write off several days a month because of migraine and my activities have become rather unreliable! That's the problem of being a migraineur who can't find any successful preventative treatment such a pizotifen, amitriptilyne, epilim, gabapentin, topirimate etc. etc. I agree with Kiwi: whatever medication you take, it's as well to discuss it with your doctor, a pharmacist or a neurologist.

[Noey2577 in reply to Hidden]

Have you found any relief since this post? I have been giving myself sumatriptan shots for about 8 years which is the only thing that has helped, but 5 vials runs me about $200 and with 10-15 migraines a month it was getting expensive! I was also getting a nagging headache everyday so I went to a neurologist who said I was also having rebound migraines and gave me a spg block but I still got a migraine 3 days later!! Now I've been on topamax for the last 2 months with horrible side effects and still having migraines so I stopped that last night. I'm also taking Maxalt 10mg instead of the sumatriptan shots while I'm on the topamax but honestly it takes forever to work and really doesn't fully take away my migraine. I don't know maybe I'm a hard case.. I need something. I have a follow up appointment with my neurologist Thursday, I'm going to talk to him about the Botox.

[kiwi1964]

I have talked to quite a few people about the rebound headache if you take too much but I hope (probably in vain) that I do not rebound because I take some everyday for awhile and then maybe none for up to 2-3 weeks I have decided I do not rebound.However I do get all sorts of headaches ,some migraines and the only thing that will work is sumatriptan.I have a friend who went cold turkey on it and put up with headaches for a few weeks to stop the rebounding and now she doesn't seem to need many.I do try really really hard not to take sometimes but tend to give up after about 10 hours,especially when I am working as it is impossible to function.So maybe I do have rebound ones but for me the alternative of having to drop out of life so much due my stupid head is worse.

[Charlotte_NMC Partner National Migraine Centre]

We have a good Factsheet on Medication Overuse here on our website: gallery.mailchimp.com/f83d9...

[katya2]

Hi, I read the factsheet which is very interesting and I note the comment that use of triptans (and other painkillers) can reduce the brain's ability to recover from headache by itself - sounds like I really do need to take that rest when I have a headache. But it does not answer my original question, why does the Uk govt say 20 mg of maxalt melt per day and the Oz and NZ governments say 30 mg - Who is in the right - and why?.

[ejh1]

They supply 3 in a pack. I've always taken as many as I need, but I only used them once a month. I haven't used them for 6 months now as I've managed to control it all with vitamins and getting my thyroid medication right for me. I prefer not taking them.

[KaliC10]

Omg can u take 30mg??its 20mg in the uk too

[SuziS2756]

I have approximately 16-18 days a month of migraine. I have had all preventatives you can get and currently just started candesartan which is a blood pressure pill that works on relaxing the arteries. I have also had physio, acupuncture, Botox (two courses). I have tried every health food or vitamin pill suggested - currently taking 800mg magnesium citrate at night, 400mg B2, 200mg serotonin as low serotonin is connected to migraines. I have just had the candesartan increased to 16mg per day. I take Zomig which definitely lift the migraine enough for me to be able to function to a degree. I have only been on the candesartan for a month and the serotonin for the same time. I am always the optimist and really hope that I can reduce the migraines - any reduction would be fantastic. The last resort I have been offered is occipital nerve stimulator which is a road I really don't want to go down. I have had these migraines for four years. Had a hysterectomy 8 years ago.