Nortriptyline for Migraine Prevention User Reviews (Page 3)

• Psych...
• July 30, 2015

"I have been experiencing significant feelings of my "brain hurting" with it feeling like it wanted to bust out of my skull, was overwhelmed by sounds and sights, feeling off-kilter b/c of brain dizziness. All affected my cognitive functioning (can't think, difficulty processing information, very bad memory, couldn't express myself verbally). Have had just about every scan done possible, showing nothing of concern. My neurologist started me on 25 mg. ofNortriptyline, and the head-hurting has stopped!Still some dizziness and difficulty processing information. Only side effect is dry mouth and a bad taste in my mouth, so always carry water. Happy with just this change as a place to start! I used to just cry, hold my head and stay home."

• Wolf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2013

"I have had a headache upon waking every day for 40 years. I always took Excedrin and when it was taken off the market my headaches became much more frequent and migraines were a weekly occurrence. Nothing helped so my neurologist put me on Nortriptyline 10mg but I can take up to 3 if needed. First time taking it I didn't have a headache in the morning. It has been a Godsend. My only side effects are that I oversleep. I take it at bedtime, which is the morning since I work nights, but it made my mind "wake up" so I take my Lunesta with it. I have to force myself to get up after 8 hours so that I don't sleep 10 hours or more which is easily done. It's been 3 months with a rare minor headache that OTC aspirin takes care of."

• Sunes...
• February 23, 2015

"I've been on this for 3 weeks now and it helps so much. I used to have migraines that would last up to 3-4 days at a time non stop. Lately I have only had 1 mild headache a week. Wish I was put on this years ago."

• Ianmi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 6, 2019

"I suffer with depression, social anxiety and migraines. I was prescribed Nortriptyline at just 20mg daily to reduce migraine frequency, but I noticed it seemed to make my anxiety much worse. I ploughed on because the migraines were dreadful and it did reduce their frequency and severity. I have stopped taking it after three years because I can no longer tolerate the side-effects of dry mouth, general spaceyness, difficulty finding words and speaking and heightened anxiety. These side effects disappeared completely within forty-eight hours and my anxiety is much more bearable. I’ll find another medication for the migraines because this one is just too troublesome."

• Very...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 23, 2016

"I started having constant headaches on the left side only. We're talking everyday, multiple times per day. I was miserable. After taking 10mg at night for a week or two my headaches stopped. I discontinued use after 3 months to see what would happen and my headaches returned 3 days later. Won't make that mistake again. If I have had any side effects, I haven't noticed."

• Ron...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 10, 2013

"I've had migraines for decades. I've taken nortriptyline for many years with great success. When I do get the occasional migraines, the severity is nothing compared to my pre-nortriptyline days. Right now, it's been quite a few months. At that time, they were relatively minor and lasted 2 or 3 days. It didn't keep me out of work."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 7, 2012

"I have been suffering with my migraines and daily headaches since I was a child, I am now 34. I have tried Tramadol (sometimes REALLY good but other times gave me a worse headache), Amitriptyline (no impact) and now Nortriptyline. I started on 10mg in the morning and 20mg at night. I had to go up to 20mg twice a day to see any effect. My headaches are now down to about one a week, which I can take pain killers for, so this medication has been amazing for me. The only downside for me is the extremely dry mouth, but that pales in comparison to the positives. I have also seen that Nortriptyline has lead to weight gain for some. I am fortunate in that it actually keeps hunger at bay. I have only been on the medication for 8 weeks."

• mafzal
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2016

"I titrated up over two months, 10 mg at a time until I reached 50 mg. The side effects for me were: bad dreams, increased appetite, tiredness, heartburn, decreased sex drive, and sadness. I began taking the medicine at 7 PM and that eliminated the bad dreams. However, the medicine made me feel depressed. I would feel sad and start crying for no reason. This was all in the first 2 months and then the side effects went away. I have been at 50 mg for almost 3 months now and I feel normal! While it was hard for me in the first few months, I stuck with it and sure enough the side effects went away. Unfortunately, I’ve been getting more migraines recently, and so I’m instructed to titrate up to 90 mg... So I'm not sure if it works yet"

• 48fan
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 22, 2016

"I started taking Nortriptyline a couple years ago after about a six month long migraine that never seemed to get relieved. I had tried amitriptyline before but it made me very drowsy. The headache relief with 75mg daily of Nortriptyline has been nothing short of miraculous for me. I do get rare mild to intermediate headaches from time to time but they never last long at all. The dry mouth is a real occurrence, but easily ignored. I've been reading about other possible side effects lately and was surprised to find that tingling and numbness in the extremities is a possible rare phenomenon. I must admit my fingers do get numb frequently. I was beginning to wonder if I was experiencing a symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome. Small price though!"

• jazs
• April 4, 2013

"I have been having headaches everyday for the past 4 years. Doctors have put me on several different medicines that did not help until I started seeing a new neurologist. I was prescribed nortriptyline. The side effects for me were extreme fatigue but that did go away. I feel better than I have been in the past years."

• UniSt...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2016

"I've been dealing with migraines for about 2 years now. After extensive testing to rule out brain tumours, Wilson's disease, MS, etc, I was essentially told that I would have to manage my migraines for the rest of my life. The only pain meds that worked were T3s which weren't an option when I was getting more than one migraine a week. After trying several medications Nortriptyline actually worked. My only complaint is the worsening of my other symptoms such as vision issues, an essential tremor, and speech difficulties. The benefits far outweigh the costs though. I am a functional person today because of this medication"

• 15yea...
• November 14, 2014

"I have been using this medication for a year now. I was on the basketball team my freshman year (I'm a Sophmore now) and unfortunately suffered a severe concussion. This medication is my lifesaver. In December of 2013, I had to go on home hospital and I was on home hospital for 8 months until August of 2014. I first tried steroid type medication for a week and it failed. But I was on this medication soon after, 10 mg, then 20 mg and then 25 mg over the course of 8 months. It has worked wonderfully for me and I have been able to go back to school. The only reason I am giving it a 9 is because it also caused me to have slow thinning hair loss on my scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes, however this was my experience and I still suggest using it."

• MayaP
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 8, 2016

"I suffered with migraines for years because doctors weren't able to diagnose them. They thought my headaches were related to sinus problems. I got headaches 4-5 times a week. Finally a neurologist prescribed 25mg nortriptyline daily. It took a few weeks to take effect but now I have been nearly headache free for four years. I do still occasionally get headaches every few months but they never last more than a few hours and generic Imitrex helps. I asked the doctor about going off the nortriptyline but she said if not's broken why fix it. So I am going to stay on this wonder drug. Best of luck to anyone suffering with headaches. It's a tough time."

• 2drai...
• July 8, 2016

"I have a love/hate relationship with this drug. When I take it i am headache free but if i forget to take it just one time I have the worst headache imaginable the next day. Like a hangover headache with nausea and dizziness. It is worse than the headaches I had before I started taking the medication. I've also noticed my energy levels are way lower and I am super constipated everyday. Dr did advise me about the constipation but not the lack of interest in doing things. I am super slow and have literally no energy to do anything. So I am not sure if it is related. I want to try to get off medicine but dr advises against this. I am not sure what to do."

• JessiM
• October 24, 2014

"I'm currently on 150mg daily of this medication and it does a great job in preventing headaches. A few smaller ones get through that ibuprofen will take care of but the amount of serious headaches and migraines have decreased significantly. The only difficulty is because the pills are so lightweight they do not go down easily. I have to chase it with food (such as taking it during dinner) or else the pills get stuck and cause pretty bad heartburn-type difficulties."

• Carol...
• January 1, 2017

"I have been on nortriptyline for 6 years with two breaks in the middle. I have had severe migraines since I was 13 and have tried several treatment options. The two times I stopped were because it was no longer effective in preventing migraines. During those times my doctor increased beta blockers for 6 months then went back to the regular dosage with nortriptyline. I take up to 100 mg a day but average 50mg. Sometimes I take for granted how well this medication has worked for me. The downsides are weight gain, restlessness and vivid dreams. If you suffer from migraines to the extent I have it is well worth the side effects."

• Bobbi
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2018

"my doctor had put me on topamax 100mg for 8 weeks and added nortiptyline 25mg for a week then upped it to 50mg. And it seemed to make the headaches worse. And on top of that, my mouth is always dry and everytime I look around I get dizzy and have to sit down. Plus my heart races and pounds and I hate this drug."

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 21, 2015

"I had debilitating migraines for a few months. Eyes were blurry 24/7, ice pick headaches, dizziness. Got an MRI to rule everything out. Diagnosed with chronic headaches. Neurologist put me on Nortriptyline. Started out with 10mg, each week added another 10mg till I was up to 40 mg. By the second week, my headache went way down. In a month it was completely gone. Tried to wean myself down, but headache returned. I'm staying on the 40 mg! I feel great now! This stuff works!!"

• Feelin...
• October 13, 2016

"Have had migraines for the past 20 years but they were usually around my time of the month. Recently the migraines were daily and on a pain scale of 7 to 8 out of 10. My GP prescribed Nortriptyline as a preventative treatment. I've been on it for almost a month. After a week of 10mg before bed, the migraines lessened from multiple times per day to every other day and the pain scale dropped down to 1 from 7 - 8. I'm now 9 days migraine free. No blurred vision but really bad dry mouth in the morning. I'm hoping the dry mouth will eventually subside. Not overly concerned. The treatment plan is to titrate off the medication after 6 to 12 months. In the meantime, it's nice to be migraine free."

• It he...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 8, 2016

"I woke up one day with a horrible migraine that never went away. Every day, all day. It was killing me. I haven't ever had a headache like this. Definitely never had one that lasted the entire day. So after four doctor visits, three blood test and six months of non-stop migraines, I was prescribed Nortriptyline. Only after two weeks I was waking up with out a headache. By the time I had got up to 40 milligrams, I was headache free. I'm so happy and relieved. The only side effects I am experiencing are dry mouth and trouble with sleepiness in the morning."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 25, 2012

"I had been experiencing daily migraines for a couple of years. I had tried many things and then my rheumatologist put me on Nortriptyline. Within about 4 weeks the headaches were completely gone and I had my life back. I have been taking it for over 6 months now and haven't had one headache. Nortriptyline saved my sanity and made me think clearer than I had for years. I will not be stopping this any time soon."

• Anonymous
• January 4, 2012

"I'm 50 and attributed my pain to chronic sinusitis, having had two surgeries and what seemed endless infections. My ENT doctor recommended seeing a neurologist to determine if migraines were affecting me. I'd have 8/9 pain 3 to 4 times a month, 4/5 pain often and 2/3 pain almost constantly. I've had it so long that I'd routinely work through it, but it's taken a toll periodically on my personal and professional lives. I'm currently taking 30mg nightly and am virtually headache free. It's great having relief after so long. Research in the last five years indicates that migraines are often misdiagnosed as sinusitis also if you know someone suffering with what seems be sinus pain, have them get an opinion from a neurologist."

• Nicol...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 14, 2015

"I've had migraines my entire life. From when I was 4 years old. They got really bad when I was about 11. They became daily. They absolutely controlled my life. When I found this medication it saved me. I went from having them daily to having them on average 5 times a month. That might seem like a lot, but it's incredibly good for me. Sometimes, as low as twice a month. I've been on this medication now for years. It gave me my life back. The main symptom for me is exhaustion. I feel so tired all the time, especially during the early afternoon. Also blurry vision and occasionally heartburn (when I don't drink enough water in the day.) I'll take these side effects instead of being in horrible pain every day! This medication helped me a LOT."

• Aggie
• October 2, 2016

"This drug has changed my life. I used to get at least 1 headache per week, often up to 3 or 4, with nausea and extreme fatigue. I have been on the 10 mg about 3 months now and it has seriously given me my life back. I still get headaches (maybe twice per month) but they are very mild and usually really late at night. I had side effects (pretty annoying constipation and mood swings) but this has subsided almost completely. I haven't felt this good in years and I highly recommend trying this drug."

• Ariel
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2017

"I've had migraines since I was 15 and am now 28. I used to take imitrex and that worked pretty well for a few years. Once it stopped working I found Treximet which is amazing, but unfortunately when I switched insurances they did not cover the formulary medications. So I was using Naratriptan at onset semi-successfully for about 2 years (sometimes only worked for a few hours then it would come back). About 6 months ago I started waking up with migraines every single day for weeks at a time w/ no relief from naratriptan so my doctor started me on nortriptyline. I take 30 mg before bed and haven't had a migraine in months!! A miracle. Only side effect I've noticed is increased nighttime bathroom trips. So worth it though!"