Suggest Alternative Of Imitrex For Pain Treatment

Posted on Thu, 13 Feb 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 13 Feb 2014 Answered on

Wed, 12 Mar 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Dr. I have been using IMITREX SINCE IT CAME OUT. nOW i AM 70 AND i HAVE ddd AND dIABETES AND ibs. mY NECK IS FULl OF BULGING DISKS. I f I MOVE THE WRONG WAY i WAKE EVERY DAY WITH UNBEARABLE SCULL PAIN. tHE PAIN FEELS LIKE THERE IS A BURNING CORD WRAPPED AROUND MY SCULL. pULLING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. iMITREX IS THE ONLY DRUGH THAT TAKES THIS PAIN AWAY. bUT iMITREX MAKES ME SWEAT PROFUSLY. i'M AFRAID Imitrrex will soon kill me as it is a vaso constrictor.

Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer: try zolmitriptan Detailed Answer: Hi I am Dr Saumya Mittal, MD I will try to help you with the problem you have. Yes I understand that you may have trouble with Imitrex, or Sumatriptan. That is in fact a known side effect, the sweating and palpitations. However there are now newer drugs in the class, like zolmitriptan etc whose side effect profile is less. In fact Zolmitriptan is available as a nasal spray with an equally quick response, and faster if anything. And the side effect profile is less severe So I will suggest you talk to your doctor to change from Imitrex to Zolmist nasal spray. I hope this helps you. I also hope that your sugars are well controlled. By the way what are you taking for diabetes? And DDD? What exactly do you mean by DDD? And what do you take for it? Please feel free to ask any further queries. Best of luck Dr Saumya Mittal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T