I have had four 10mg doses and have been in bed all weekend,with a headache. Not sure if this side effect will pass or if I should,call my doctor. Taking for MDD
Trintellix - Headache side effects?
Question posted by nitaj001 on 3 Oct 2016
Last updated on 8 September 2019 by Kenneth Rakestraw
6 Answers
Kenneth Rakestraw
9 Sep 2019
I had headaches for 4 or 5 days at 5mg. They we t away.
reluctantcodienceaddict
14 June 2018
I have been getting headaches a few days after I stopped taking Trintellix and nausea and dizziness.
This happened after taking them for almost 2 weeks and the dosage was 5 mg and was supposed to be increased to 10 mg after one week but I decided to stop taking them because I don't like the way they make me feel.
I hope that you are starting to feel better now.
Take care.
WildcatVet
14 June 2018
Your body had already started to adjust to the medication being in your system which takes 2-3 weeks or so to resolve (and this will happen with any antidepressant) and what you're now feeling is the equivalent of withdrawal symptoms.
Trintellix has an extremely long half life and it'll take a couple of weeks to be completely out of your system.
A word of caution if you ever start another psychotropic medication: NEVER stop abruptly. Have your doctor provide a tapering dose schedule to follow to wean yourself off gradually.
reluctantcodienceaddict
14 June 2018
Thank you for that informed advice wildcat.
I must say I did start to think that the symptoms I described such as the headaches and nausea were linked to me suddenly stop taking the medication.
The side effects are so overwhelming..when I was taking it I felt like I had lost my ability to think because my brain felt like it had stopped functioning and I felt strange.
Those symptoms are the reason why I decided to stop taking the tablets and now I am 'slowly' starting to feel normal again.
WildcatVet
22 May 2018
Headaches are one of the most common side effects of Trintellix (and most antidepressants):
"Nervous system
Very common (10% or more of users): Headache (up to 14.7%)"
The good news is:
"Side effects have been reported to be generally mild and transient. They are most common during the first 2 weeks of treatment and decrease in intensity and frequency with continued treatment. They generally do not lead to treatment cessation."
You should always let your doctor know if you're having side effects, but they do generally resolve on their own... and quickly.
https://www.drugs.com/article/drug-side-effects.html
Laykan
22 May 2018
I took my first dose of trintellix yesterday at about 3. Around 5 I got a bad headache and have had it since. Today when I took my next dose at around noon, about 20 mins after my headache increased and I got a giant wave of nausea. I hope my body gets used to this med and that it works, as I am almost out of other options.
savvymut
9 March 2018
In all of my 60 years, I have NEVER even had one migraine. Also, headaches overall have been virtually non-existent. But sometime after the onset of taking Trintellix (that replaced the maximum dose of Viibryd, which did not effectively treat my depression), I developed severe, debilitating migraines (with all the classic symptoms). So, I started breaking the tablet in half but still had the same migraines.
Today, I held off on taking all of my a.m. meds except Viibryd (to replace Trintellix), and no migraines. It is just after the noon hour (without headaches so far today), and I will now take the rest of my a.m. meds. This may not be the complete answer for me, but it was certainly an instant result. And I know that some will be critical for experimenting with my medications absent professional consultation, but my psyche doctor only has time to see me about only 4 to 6 months.
And my neurologist pointed to medication interaction as the root of several other issues I have been experiencing, referred me to a local psychiatrist as the only professional in the area that he was confident could address my situation. But he will not have an opening for me in a full 6 months.
Now that I seem to come upon the answer, I am going to call into my GP to get a med change.
clbl1966
3 Oct 2016
I've been taking the same dose for MDD also for about three weeks. I'm very "headache sensitive" : migraines. This med has Not increased my headaches, it's actually seems to help. Give it more time. Maybe it's the change in seasons? Give it a few more days then call doc. Good luck.
nitaj001
3 Oct 2016
Thank you...
migrainesuf1166
17 Jan 2017
Nita, did you end up continuing with this med? If so did the headaches continue? I have been on it for 8 weeks and have had daily bad headaches. I suffer chronic migraines already and was on cymbalta before trintelex for depression and chronic pain. I have been thinking all this time these daily bad headaches have been bc I stopped the cymbalta and not from the starting of the trintelex but, now that I see you have asked this question it has me wondering.
brandy_grubb86
19 Jan 2017
Just started the meds yesterday. 01/18/17 around 2pm and have had headache since about an hour after taking first dose. I'm on the 10mg. Scared to take today's dose because of this headache
migrainesuf1166
20 Jan 2017
I'm having to stop the trintelex bc it has also been making me nauseas. I wasn't sure if it was the med if bc my headaches were bad bc it's normal for me to be nauseas with my headaches but, the dr increased the trintelex bc I didn't feel it was working fully and within 20 min of taking the increased dose, I was so sick with nausea and even vomiting. So, they are going to switch me to something else.
Phata4
28 Nov 2018
Cymbalta withdraws do cause headaches so it could be that. Search Cymbalta withdraws you will be shocked. I went through it, no fun!
Related topics
headache, binge eating disorder, major depressive disorder, side effect, dosage, doctor, trintellix
Further information
- Trintellix uses and safety info
- Trintellix prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Trintellix (detailed)
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