Side effect or not?
Because I have FMS, many symptoms to the syndrome, are similar to side effects from many of them meds I take for Migraines and migraine prevention. But it becomes comlicated, because sometimes I just cannot tell if it is a side effect I should worry about, or brush it off as something else. Usually I brush them off, figuring it'll pass or not and then I'll decide.
But then things like this happen: I was recently diagnosed with asthma, which does run in my family, but was rather surprising to me. Now I was getting shortness of breath, some wheezing and chest pains from Imitex shots. These symtpms got worse, because I was living on the max dose per week of the Imitrex at that time. So I ended up with worse shortness of breath, more wheezing and angina. Then I was switched to amerge, no chest pain, but asthma attacks, every time I used the Amegre, I had to use my asthma puffer four times a day. Now I am on Axert and the more I use it the more shortness of breath I get, and a tightness in the throat and I swear swelling in my lips. So I am thinking do I even have asthma? I was disagnosed in the office, with no tests for lung capacity and such. And maybe I am just allergic to triptans, or have that side effect all the time. Obviously I need to figure it out, cause either I have hard to manage asthma, when I had none before, or should not be on triptans. But I love triptans, I survive with triptans. But breathing I like as well.
Anyway, I hate side effects.
But then things like this happen: I was recently diagnosed with asthma, which does run in my family, but was rather surprising to me. Now I was getting shortness of breath, some wheezing and chest pains from Imitex shots. These symtpms got worse, because I was living on the max dose per week of the Imitrex at that time. So I ended up with worse shortness of breath, more wheezing and angina. Then I was switched to amerge, no chest pain, but asthma attacks, every time I used the Amegre, I had to use my asthma puffer four times a day. Now I am on Axert and the more I use it the more shortness of breath I get, and a tightness in the throat and I swear swelling in my lips. So I am thinking do I even have asthma? I was disagnosed in the office, with no tests for lung capacity and such. And maybe I am just allergic to triptans, or have that side effect all the time. Obviously I need to figure it out, cause either I have hard to manage asthma, when I had none before, or should not be on triptans. But I love triptans, I survive with triptans. But breathing I like as well.
Anyway, I hate side effects.
Tags: complications, effects, side, triptans
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ellen S on -
Hi,
I had an issue similar to this, but with a different med.
What other medicines are you taking? Some migraine meds are contraindicated in Asthma.
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Permalink Reply by Nikki Albert on -
I was between preventatives at the time, as I had an adverse reaction to Depokte and now I am on Lyrica. Mind you, the asthma could explain some of the problems I had with Inderal another blood pressure med.... if at the time I was unaware of the asthma. I read somewhere that adult onset asthma may appear to be trigger by bronchitis or a lung infection (and it seemed so in my case, like I just never recovered from it), but actually could have been there for years, undiagnosed and builds up on you. My neuro said he never heard of a triptan causing an asthma attack, but Imitrex and Amerge certainly did. I just cannot tell if the reaction is shortness of breath from the triptan and aggravates the asthma, or is an allergic reaction to the triptan and not an asthma attack at all. Since I can only say I have had maybe four or so seriously bad asthma attacks (a couple of which from Amerge use) I can't say when wheezing and such is asthma or not.
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Permalink Reply by Diana Lee on -
I suspect it could be a side effect of the triptans. I've heard quite a few other people speak of shortness of breath and chest pain when they use triptans.
I could imagine that since you have asthma, experiencing shortness of breath might bring on an attack. So it's not that the triptan caused an asthma attack, but rather, that it set a chain of events in motion. It seems to me your doctor was being rather simple minded about that when you mentioned what you're experiencing.
Has your doctor offered any other treatment options? Maybe a different triptan or Migranal would be worth trying.
Diana
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Permalink Reply by Ellen S on
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I think Diana is on to something.
I'm one who cannot use Triptans. They do all kinds of really unpleasant things to me, never mind the heart rate of over 180 bpm and the risk of losing an appendage. Never asthma, but asthma is often triggered in people under stress etc. and Triptans can cause stress on the body. So, perhaps a cascade that results in asthma?
To be sure, get a doc who will look into it.
When talking about treating... Wise man says,
If it's wet, keep it dry.
If it's dry, keep it wet.
If it hurts, don't do it.
(Old doctor's saying)
You may not know the cause, but you know the result, which could become serious for you if not careful. Until you can figure out the cause, be mindful of the symptom so you don't end up in trouble. According to the saying, if the Triptans are resulting in a problem, don't use them until you know more anyway.
You have plenty of other issues as well which may play into your present hand of cards.
Triptans can vary a lot, although they're all the same class. There are also other meds such as ergots that might do as well or even better.
I would get a second opinion from a pulmonary specialist or allergist or both. Then again, because of past experiences, I'm one of those that isn't easily satisfied until I have a clue what is happening. That's just me.
Hope you are feeling better today tho. :)
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