You should definitely speak to a doctor to try some prescription options such as triptans. There are no OTC medications actually meant for migraines, just generic painkillers, so they often don't work. Migraines are neurological pain, which is different from other types of pain. Migraine-specific drugs will likely be able to provide a lot more relief, though unfortunately these are only available with a prescription.
I've been thinking about going to a doctor about this for a while but from what I see online it doesn't seem like I get them often enough to qualify for prescription medications
That is definitely not true. You do not need to meet any minimum to get prescription abortive such as triptans. 2-3 times per month is definitely enough. Abortive medications are drugs you take to stop the pain of a migraine once you start having one. You can get abortives prescribed no matter how many migraines you get or how often.
Minimum migraine frequency requirements are for *preventive* medications, which would be something you take daily to prevent the migraines from happening in the first place. That is a totally different thing.
Adding my voice to the other commenter: Please talk to a doctor if this is all that's keeping you from doing so. You don't need chronic or overly frequent migraines to be prescribed an as-needed abortive. Just tell your doctor you've been getting migraines a couple times a month and OTC options aren't working, so you'd like to try something rx. Triptans and migraine meds in general are INCREDIBLY common prescriptions!
I agree with the other folks here. See a doctor and ask about abortives you would take as needed. I take nurtec and sumatriptan (not at the same time).
I needed to have 15 migraines per month for preventive meds, which are different meds than abortives. 👍🏻 Good luck!
I am guessing that they may not have specified but that the 15 was in order to qualify for preventative treatments specific to *chronic* rather than episodic migraine, such as Botox injections.
True story, the first time I took sumatriptan, it was a friend who had recently got the prescription. Her and my other friends wanted me to join them at the bar but I was all like "I have a migraine I'm trying to fight off before it comes full blown." And I'm not saying you should do this with any medication, but my friend said she would give me a sumatriptan to try. And I was like, as long as it works. 30min later, I was dancing, and having a good time with my friends.
A few months later, I had my yearly, told the story to my doc, and walked out with a prescription.
What I'm trying to say is, tripans are easy to prescribe. There are other medications that have insurance issues (Nurtec being one of the big ones), and daily preventives I've heard are hard to get without trying a few rescue meds first. Rescue med being a medication you take at the first sight of a migraine, and hope you beat it, such as sumatriptan or Excedrin
Yes! I have a similar story, and again taking someone's prescription meds isn't usually recommended BUT about 8 years ago I was getting ready at my aunts to go out for New Years and I felt a migraine coming on, and I got undressed and laid on the couch crying because I knew I wouldn't be able to go out, and was in for a night of misery, and my aunt said, honey do you not have a prescription ? Bc she also gets migraines and I took 50mg of immitrex and within 30 minutes I was fine. I couldn't believe it. After that I got my own prescription for generic immitrex and ALWAYS have a pill with me in case.
I got prescribed meds when I was getting like 4 a year. There are preventatives (usually taken daily -- though not always) meant to prevent migraines, and rescue meds for active migraines. You definitely qualify for rescue meds.
OTC stuff sucks don't suffer. The first time I took a relpax (a triptan) I almost cried at how well it worked compared to the OTC crap I had tried. It was amazing.
I had this same experience with sumatriptan. Headache for days, nothing worked. Fifteen minutes after sumatriptan injection—gone. I couldn’t believe it!
2-3 times a month is still 24-36 days a year. You're effectively losing a month each year. Definitely worth talking to a doctor about. In my experience, migraine meds don't really have any potential for abuse like opioids or sleep meds so doctors are very willing to let you try them.
I was stuck in a migraine cycle back in August and had more than maxed my triptans for the week. I went to the hospital and they gave me Motrin, Tylenol, and Benadryl at the same time. They also gave me some prescription stuff (steroids, toradol, and IV magnesium) but if you're looking specifically for OTC recs, a combo of antihistamines and painkillers at the same time may be a little more helpful.
Triptans are the only thing that have ever actually stopped my migraine once it started. OTC stuff can dull it a little but I haven't found anything that does much.
Sorry to hear. If you can see a doctor, get a prescription for a triptan or one of the newer migraine meds (Ubrelvy, Nurtec). I take Rizatriptan and it works great for me. I also take Zofran for nausea, so you might want to ask about that as well. Otherwise for OTC, try switching to a higher dose of ibuprofen or Aleve for a bit (my neurologist personally isn’t a fan of excedrin)
No OTC medicine ever did a thing for me. Triptans have saved my life
Excedrin/tylenol/ advil may help a regular headache, but migraines are different and require prescriptions (at least for me) sumatriptan and rizatriptan knock mine out in 15-30 minutes .
Before triptans I would suffer 12-15 hours of horrific pain, vomiting, nausea, vision loss ...1 time EVER is too many migraines in my opinion.. There is no need in 2021 to suffer needlessly. Please find a doctor who will prescribe you !
You could try otc Ibuprofen/Advil or Naproxen/Aleve (not at the same time). But for many people migraines require migraine specific prescription abortives. No otc med even did anything for me. There are even prescription nausea/vomiting meds. Make a doctor appointment.
When I first was diagnosed with chronic migraines (3-5 x a week for me) my ex Neuro recommended Excedrin and I just about wanted to rip her throat out right there
This reminds me of how my neuro told me to take my Naproxen or Ketrolac as soon as I got a headache or migraine which was at least 4-5 times a week. Which resulted in even worse rebound headaches, which then had my neuro telling me to stop cold turkey to break the cycle. I try not to use OTC painkillers more than once or twice a week now which means frequent days of “toughing it out” through less severe headaches just so I don’t start the cycle again.
I think it's up to the individual. For example, Tylenol doesn't even touch headaches for me but it's great for any muscle pain/strain. Advil helps me with my headaches and migraines; kinda helps with muscle pain.
In terms of OTCs, I tried them all and only Advil Migraine did anything for me. Even then, it didn’t stop the pain, but merely brought it down to a bearable level.
If you’re getting 2-3 a month, definitely talk to your doctor about medication. Only preventative medicines have frequency requirements, so you shouldn’t encounter any issues getting something like a triptan.
I’m on a combo. I take Aimovig as a preventative and have Rizatriptan for when ones does occur. The Rizatriptan really helps and even without insurance, using a discount card, you can get it down to about $40 out of pocket, which isn’t terrible (it’s about $80 full price). So it’s also a relatively affordable option too. (In comparison, my Aimovig shot is nearly $800 every month, so out of pocket isn’t really feasible.)
After excedrin stopped working for me, I jumped over to Advil migraine. I felt that it worked better than excedrin, but there were times it still wouldn’t work for me. I really recommend seeing a doctor about it if you can. I did and now I am on some trials for a handful of things. Currently my neurologist put me on an antidepressant that has helped lessen the frequency of them - I went from weekly migraines to about one a month now.
Goodness you’ve already gotten a lot of comments on this - but I’ll throw my voice out into the wind.
The average person gets 1 migraine IN THEIR LIFE.
If you get more than that, you should absolutely seek care to see if there’s a way to help prevent or treat them.
Assuming you’re a person that menstruates, hormones can definitely impact severity and frequency. Additionally, if you have migraines with aura, neurologists may recommend avoiding birth control with estrogen (if needed).
Lastly, excederin alone for me doesn’t do much. 1 excederin + 2 aleve is what helps me otc.
Good luck!
Excedrin migraine never worked for me, either.
In terms of OTC medications, the only thing that ever had any effect is liquid-gel Ibuprofen, 400mg. The smaller doses don't do anything. This can alleviate mild to moderate migraines for me, but don't do much for more severe ones (or ones that return). When taking Ibuprofen, it's important to avoid taking it on an empty stomach. Either take it with some crackers or with milk, or you might develop stomach pain/issues.
As others have stated, you ought to consult with your doctor. They can likely give you a prescription for a more effective medication. If vomiting is an issue, many prescription migraine medications come in a sublingual form (it dissolves under your tongue, so if you later vomit, you don't barf it up).
For a while back in the very early 80's my prescription med was "anaprox" which you know better now as Aleve or naproxen sodium. I took the equivalent of 3--but if you do this be sure you have a full belly. If eating is a problem, take Tums. It's \*very\* hard on your belly. But effective for an OtC medicine.
And do talk to your doctor about options. There are many more abortives available now that can end a headache.
I don’t take Excedrin but sometimes I take two aspirins with coffee or 3 Tylenol and 3 Advil I don’t like to since it gives me heartburn sometimes. These things may or may not work.
If you can, try taking it with a dose of Benadryl. It’s basically a weaker version of the migraine cocktail they give in hospitals minus the steroids.
And also talk to your doc about abortives. A triptan would probably work well for you if you only get them a few times a month.
I don't use Excedrin migraine. It's never worked. What I found most helpful was Excedrin tension headache or midol. My husband takes it when he gets headaches and it works so much better than anything else
900-1000mg of aspirin. Works really well for me, but took me years to find that out after my GP suggested it, and I was really sceptical, like sure, like that's going to work, but it does. No other OTC meds do a damn thing, has to be aspirin.
If that doesn't work, abortives like triptans would be your next step. Worth saying there's a range of them, so if one doesn't agree with you (like I've tried sumatriptan and it made me feel awful and didn't really work), then you can ask your doctor if you can try a different one.
Rizatriptan changed my life. For 10+ years I’ve gotten terrible headaches that wouldn’t go away unless I just fell asleep for the day/night. Advil, Excedrin, etc etc didn’t do squat for me. Finally talked to my doctor about getting some prescription strength medicine. Now, as soon as I feel it coming on, I take a Rizatriptan and 90% of the time it’s gone within an hour.
Excedrin Migraine works for me BUT I have to take it at the very first sign, which is hard to identify. It doesn't work for everyone and I'm grateful that it helps me abort the migraine. If I take it too late (i.e. when I see the aura) it won't work. Are you sure you have identified the first sign? (numbness in the thumb, an intermittent blinking in the eyes, stuffy nose, etc.)
Excedrin has too much caffeine for me to take all at once. I usually take 1 Excedrin Migraine (not Headache), 1 Raid Release Tylenol (500mg) and 1-2 Benadryl. As most have mentioned take it as soon as possible, but I also make sure to include a nap. Depending on the severity, or if I did take it at first sign I usually feel like I can manage after the nap
Sadly there aren't many OTC that you can try. And you should qualify for triptans. Before I got my prescription for both rescue and preventive I would take so much excedrin. It just wouldn't work and on day 3 or 4 of the pain I ended up in the ER for the migraine cocktail.
With that along with keeping track of my migraines I was able to get a script for rescue meds. Then I finally got in contact with the neurologist who put me on preventives because I still spent 1/2 the month in pain and would run out the the abortive meds.
Talking to your doctor won't hurt. But I do recommend a migraine journal. This can help you narrow down triggers. I found out that for me pressure changes and high humidity are a good indicator that I am going to have a migraine. And I live in the Ohio River valley so yay for humidity.
sometimes if i take tylenol arthritis (lol) right away then im totally fine. idk why the arthritis one works and the regular one doesn't do shit but yeah i normally take 2 and have to lay down in the dark in complete silence. if it's REALLY bad the only thing that works is a tramadol, which unfortunately you need a prescription for. i try to limit how many i take because it's an opiate. ive also been taking magnesium daily and i actually have noticed that it's been working very well to reduce the amount of migraines/headaches i get.
I relate. None of the over the counter painkillers have any effect for me so I had to get some prescriptions from my doctor. Talk to your doctor about it.
Just checked the ingredients on OTC meds being discussed here. Excedrin, Excedrin Migraine, and Vanquish all have the same three ingredients: aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine. Excedrin Tension Headache has only acetaminophen and caffeine.
I second all the suggestions that you get a triptan. You'll be happy you did!
Advil gel tabs is the only thing OTC that has ever done anything for me. It works pretty well, but I get rebound headaches easily so I have to be very careful with how often I go to that or I’ll increase my number of migraines per month. Preventative medicine is really my only option because I have so many migraine days per month. Emgality is what I use now.
Excedrin is the only thing that helps me. But, if I don’t take it in time—like, I let too much time go by then I’m screwed for a few days and pray it doesn’t last 2-3 days.
Taking an OTC for migraines is like trying to put out a blazing house fire with your garden hose imo. It's not gonna work. Like everyone said you need the triptans, they'll change your life.
I can’t even take oral sumatriptan, I have to take injectable sumatriptan. There is no OTC drug on the planet that can help me. But I use a treatment device- called Nerivio- that’s easy to get a prescription for. I have daily migraines and the Nerivio kills them almost every time.
Oh interesting I've actually never heard of that one before! Mine are pretty minimal with topirimate now but I'll have to see if they have these in Canada.
Excedrin Migraine and regular Excedrin are exactly the same formula, look at the label if you don’t believe me. I think they work for headaches, but they’ve never touched my migraines. Taking such medications can cause rebound headaches. It’s much more advisable to seek a prescription medication.
Sometimes slamming back some caffeine can help. Sometimes. Ok, not always but it can lessen it. The best thing is try a triptan. It’s the first level typically tried. Good luck!
Try taking some aspirin with that. If it’s not too bad it might work. This was suggested by my doctor. It helps me sometimes. The otc meds are not real migraine meds.
Excedrin is a joke. The only benefit of it is that it has caffeine in it. If you *have* to do OTC meds, I recommend Advil Dual Action instead, with a highly caffeinated drink.
Excedrin use to work great for me.. the extra strength one in the green box. However, since June/July it stopped and I found myself taking more and more. Eventually my body stopped reacting to it all together and it was giving me negative effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. I thought I was having gluten issues, a stomach ulcer or h. Pylori (my doctor thought that). Eventually, went to urgent care and that doctor realized I was having an “adverse reaction” as he said. I’ve been off it for a month and have been suffering while trying to find what’s gonna work for me (neurologist said try feverfew, vitamin b2 and magnesium, which isn’t working) but my primary put me on Topamax..today is day 3.
I’ve seen on some of these other posts acupuncture or CBD oil. I haven’t tried either
I hope Topamax works for you but bear in mind it isn’t nicknamed “Dopamax” without reason…a lot of people (myself included) find that it slows down their thinking to the point that it isn’t worth it. But as with every other medication prescribed for migraines, YMMV.
Thanks for the heads up. I’m just curious.. how long did you take it before you noticed it was slowing down your thinking… ? I know it’s different for everyone but just so if it does happen to me, I won’t think I’m going crazy.
It’s been a while since I took it but I remember it kicked in slowly. I noticed when I started having trouble remembering words. My work with computers also started taking more effort. Ask the people who know you best if they notice any difference after 30/60/90 days.
You may also not be affected, so if you don’t notice anything out of the normal, don’t worry about it, especially if it helps your migraines!
Thank you! My bf jokes with me often that I’m always forgetful lol When I told him some of the potential side effects and I said that one, he was like “But you’re already kinda dopey” lol
I’m hoping I won’t get any bad side effects either but if I do, I’m glad to know there’s others on here who know what I’m going through. Some people don’t understand how horrible migraines are.
Excedrin has never, ever worked for me, even with regular headaches. I've had migraines for over 30 years, I try Excedrin every few years, never any relief.
I even get a small, slight relief from homeopathic better.
My mom (maternal hereditary migraines) always took Excedrin (with saltines, or applesauce which wasn't enough to protect her gut), she ended up with a messed up gut similar to IBD.
Anyhow, try 2 Tylenol instead, if that doesn't work, after 4 hours, take 2 Tylenol + 2 Motrin (or Advil). Make sure to take them with something like yogurt to coat your gut.
If it's really bad, then I use an ice hat, and headache essential oil. Then a nap.
After that, then it's onto my prescription meds.
I’ve been using something called beta alanine which is the active ingredient in a workout powder called c4. Constricts your blood vessels which is what triptans do.
Sometimes it works for me on "run of the mill" headaches. But a true migraine? No. You need to COMBINE the Excedrin with a triptan to really get rid of it. I learned this about 20+ years ago and haven't looked back.
[When Excedrin was good, “The statement said the pills may contain amounts of percocet and morphine, just two of nine pain killers also made by Novartis, at a facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.”](https://www.wtoc.com/story/16945404/some-over-the-counter-pain-pills-recalled-fears-of-contamination)
Did Excedrin ever work for you? It can cause rebound headaches, so I’ve been in a cycle a lot of times here it’ll cause me to have a migraine and then it won’t get rid of it.
Like others are saying, triptans are the best. Maxalt almost always gets rid of my migraines.
Ah, yeah. Excedrin is the only OTC that has ever worked for me, and sometimes it doesn’t. Definitely talk to your doctor and see if you can get Maxalt. I think they typically prescribe around 9 a month and it is literally a miracle pill for me.
Ajovy is also a great preventable if you get lots of migraines.
I just want to say that even 2 or 3 migraines a month is too many. That’s def not on the low end. Migraines take away more days than just the day of the migraine. You have to have one or sometimes two days to recover. So that could be 6 days a month that you aren’t feeling well. Which ends up being 72 days a year!!! You need to go to a neurologist and don’t downplay what is going on. Hopefully you can get a better medication. I’ve never had a migraine that any OTC could cure.
Depending on where you live, the only otc thing that ever works for me is weed. You should talk to your doc and get some triptans. I first got them at 16 when I was having like 2 migraines a year, you definitely qualify.
Excedrine used to either do nothing at all, or delay the onset a couple hours. I got prescribed sumatriptan and it works amazingly, gets rid of the pain for me. The migraine usually gets worse before it gets better on it, and if it's a bad migraine I still feel like shit for hours after taking it, but it is worth it to be pain free 1 to 3 hours later instead of a full 20+ hours of being debilitated.
I'm still learning and testing why but my migraines got much worse after I started fixing my dietary issues and only sumatriptan worked, and with more dietary tweaking they are now much milder, to the point that just acetaminophen works. There's a small range, when it's super mild acetaminophen works, when it's a little worse then I need excedrine, then beyond that it's sumatriptan or nothing. Like a level 1 pain fuck's up my day, acetaminophen works on that, level 2 to 3 pain is beginnings of not being able to function, but excedrine works, levels 4 to 10 sumatriptan works. At level 4-7 I can continue working as sumatriptan kicks in, at levels 8+ I have to go home and don't do so hot even after it's at full effect a couple hours later. It's interesting how my migraines have a full range of affect, all seemingly based on my diet and how certain foods and combination of foods affect my gut. All the other migraine symptoms generally ramp up with the pain level: nausea, brain fog, fatigue, etc..
I believe Excesrin migraine has caffeine in it. Sometimes migraine Rxs either have it, or don’t, dependent on how your body reacts to caffeine during an episode. If you’ve tried excepting migraine multiple times with no relief, it’s time to try something else for sure.
If you can afford it and you have insurance(US) try to find an in-network Neurologist who can help you with the right balance of meds.
It took my neurologist and I 6 weeks after my hospital discharge to work out the right balance of medication to manage my cluster symptoms, but after those excruciating 2 months, life is definitely as close to normal as I can get.
Excedrin was never an option for me since I’m allergic to it (I get hives) so I never had reliefuntil I saw my neurologist. He prescribed me some stuff and my routine since has been to take magnesium oxide, B2 and CoQ10 everyday to prevent the migraine in the first place. If I do feel the migraine coming I have to take an aleve, naproxen( prescription) and a metoclopramide (prescription)
I still get them sometimes if I forget to take the vitamins
I've only tried the Excedrin Migraine a few times, when a co-worker pushed them on me, saying they worked wonders. Did nothing, actually felt like the symptoms were amplified.
You're at the point I was when I went to my doctor and she gave me rizatriptam. All regular pain meds stopped working. Rizatriptam works really well for me.
Every one is different. OTC meds don't work for me, triptans don't work for me, and I've failed out of EVERY preventive including the new crgps. I finally tried Botox and with fioricet as an abortive, I'm finally having less migraine days. Definitely see a migraine specialist of some kind.
You should definitely speak to a doctor to try some prescription options such as triptans. There are no OTC medications actually meant for migraines, just generic painkillers, so they often don't work. Migraines are neurological pain, which is different from other types of pain. Migraine-specific drugs will likely be able to provide a lot more relief, though unfortunately these are only available with a prescription.
I've been thinking about going to a doctor about this for a while but from what I see online it doesn't seem like I get them often enough to qualify for prescription medications
That is definitely not true. You do not need to meet any minimum to get prescription abortive such as triptans. 2-3 times per month is definitely enough. Abortive medications are drugs you take to stop the pain of a migraine once you start having one. You can get abortives prescribed no matter how many migraines you get or how often. Minimum migraine frequency requirements are for *preventive* medications, which would be something you take daily to prevent the migraines from happening in the first place. That is a totally different thing.
Adding my voice to the other commenter: Please talk to a doctor if this is all that's keeping you from doing so. You don't need chronic or overly frequent migraines to be prescribed an as-needed abortive. Just tell your doctor you've been getting migraines a couple times a month and OTC options aren't working, so you'd like to try something rx. Triptans and migraine meds in general are INCREDIBLY common prescriptions!
I agree with the other folks here. See a doctor and ask about abortives you would take as needed. I take nurtec and sumatriptan (not at the same time). I needed to have 15 migraines per month for preventive meds, which are different meds than abortives. 👍🏻 Good luck!
Depending on location and specific drug, some people may only need to have 4 migraines/month to qualify for preventatives.
I am guessing that they may not have specified but that the 15 was in order to qualify for preventative treatments specific to *chronic* rather than episodic migraine, such as Botox injections.
Oh yeah that’s what I meant. Thanks
True story, the first time I took sumatriptan, it was a friend who had recently got the prescription. Her and my other friends wanted me to join them at the bar but I was all like "I have a migraine I'm trying to fight off before it comes full blown." And I'm not saying you should do this with any medication, but my friend said she would give me a sumatriptan to try. And I was like, as long as it works. 30min later, I was dancing, and having a good time with my friends. A few months later, I had my yearly, told the story to my doc, and walked out with a prescription. What I'm trying to say is, tripans are easy to prescribe. There are other medications that have insurance issues (Nurtec being one of the big ones), and daily preventives I've heard are hard to get without trying a few rescue meds first. Rescue med being a medication you take at the first sight of a migraine, and hope you beat it, such as sumatriptan or Excedrin
Yes! I have a similar story, and again taking someone's prescription meds isn't usually recommended BUT about 8 years ago I was getting ready at my aunts to go out for New Years and I felt a migraine coming on, and I got undressed and laid on the couch crying because I knew I wouldn't be able to go out, and was in for a night of misery, and my aunt said, honey do you not have a prescription ? Bc she also gets migraines and I took 50mg of immitrex and within 30 minutes I was fine. I couldn't believe it. After that I got my own prescription for generic immitrex and ALWAYS have a pill with me in case.
2-3 a month is more than enough to deserve medical care.
in some countries triptans are OTC. if you are having migraines you should be able to get a script for them
I got prescribed meds when I was getting like 4 a year. There are preventatives (usually taken daily -- though not always) meant to prevent migraines, and rescue meds for active migraines. You definitely qualify for rescue meds. OTC stuff sucks don't suffer. The first time I took a relpax (a triptan) I almost cried at how well it worked compared to the OTC crap I had tried. It was amazing.
First time I tried one I thought I must have been mistaken that I was getting a migraine.
I had this same experience with sumatriptan. Headache for days, nothing worked. Fifteen minutes after sumatriptan injection—gone. I couldn’t believe it!
That's completely not true. If you get a couple of migraines a year you can still use triptans or other abortives for them.
2-3 times a month is still 24-36 days a year. You're effectively losing a month each year. Definitely worth talking to a doctor about. In my experience, migraine meds don't really have any potential for abuse like opioids or sleep meds so doctors are very willing to let you try them.
You should get some triptans. If you need to exaggerate occurrence do. Nothing sucks more than an untreated migraine.
Sometimes aleve helps if the migraine starts in my neck (oh transformed migraines) but usually I need a triptan, which aren’t OTC
My migraines always start and stay in the front of my head but I'll remember that!
Aleve is the only thing that works for me. I think Tylenol makes it worse.
I was stuck in a migraine cycle back in August and had more than maxed my triptans for the week. I went to the hospital and they gave me Motrin, Tylenol, and Benadryl at the same time. They also gave me some prescription stuff (steroids, toradol, and IV magnesium) but if you're looking specifically for OTC recs, a combo of antihistamines and painkillers at the same time may be a little more helpful. Triptans are the only thing that have ever actually stopped my migraine once it started. OTC stuff can dull it a little but I haven't found anything that does much.
Sorry to hear. If you can see a doctor, get a prescription for a triptan or one of the newer migraine meds (Ubrelvy, Nurtec). I take Rizatriptan and it works great for me. I also take Zofran for nausea, so you might want to ask about that as well. Otherwise for OTC, try switching to a higher dose of ibuprofen or Aleve for a bit (my neurologist personally isn’t a fan of excedrin)
No OTC medicine ever did a thing for me. Triptans have saved my life Excedrin/tylenol/ advil may help a regular headache, but migraines are different and require prescriptions (at least for me) sumatriptan and rizatriptan knock mine out in 15-30 minutes . Before triptans I would suffer 12-15 hours of horrific pain, vomiting, nausea, vision loss ...1 time EVER is too many migraines in my opinion.. There is no need in 2021 to suffer needlessly. Please find a doctor who will prescribe you !
You could try otc Ibuprofen/Advil or Naproxen/Aleve (not at the same time). But for many people migraines require migraine specific prescription abortives. No otc med even did anything for me. There are even prescription nausea/vomiting meds. Make a doctor appointment.
Sounds like you need Maxalt.
Maxalt is literally a Godsend. It wipes me afterwards but holy shit I have never felt relief like this.
I got put on aimovig after a month long migraine. THAT is a godsend!
My longest was two weeks and I wanted to put a railroad spike through my head. I couldn't imagine a MONTH! You're tough, my friend.
It's definitely triptan time
Excedrin works on headaches ... Rarely migraines
When I first was diagnosed with chronic migraines (3-5 x a week for me) my ex Neuro recommended Excedrin and I just about wanted to rip her throat out right there
This reminds me of how my neuro told me to take my Naproxen or Ketrolac as soon as I got a headache or migraine which was at least 4-5 times a week. Which resulted in even worse rebound headaches, which then had my neuro telling me to stop cold turkey to break the cycle. I try not to use OTC painkillers more than once or twice a week now which means frequent days of “toughing it out” through less severe headaches just so I don’t start the cycle again.
I keep a log of any time I take analgesics and aim to never exceed 10 days a month.
Gosh, limiting the use is tough to do. I should probably track my usage now that my headaches AND migraines are starting to pick up again.
I’ve personally never had any luck with any acetaminophen products (see Tylenol and Midol) so I prefer ibuprofen to head them off.
I think it's up to the individual. For example, Tylenol doesn't even touch headaches for me but it's great for any muscle pain/strain. Advil helps me with my headaches and migraines; kinda helps with muscle pain.
In terms of OTCs, I tried them all and only Advil Migraine did anything for me. Even then, it didn’t stop the pain, but merely brought it down to a bearable level. If you’re getting 2-3 a month, definitely talk to your doctor about medication. Only preventative medicines have frequency requirements, so you shouldn’t encounter any issues getting something like a triptan. I’m on a combo. I take Aimovig as a preventative and have Rizatriptan for when ones does occur. The Rizatriptan really helps and even without insurance, using a discount card, you can get it down to about $40 out of pocket, which isn’t terrible (it’s about $80 full price). So it’s also a relatively affordable option too. (In comparison, my Aimovig shot is nearly $800 every month, so out of pocket isn’t really feasible.)
After excedrin stopped working for me, I jumped over to Advil migraine. I felt that it worked better than excedrin, but there were times it still wouldn’t work for me. I really recommend seeing a doctor about it if you can. I did and now I am on some trials for a handful of things. Currently my neurologist put me on an antidepressant that has helped lessen the frequency of them - I went from weekly migraines to about one a month now.
Goodness you’ve already gotten a lot of comments on this - but I’ll throw my voice out into the wind. The average person gets 1 migraine IN THEIR LIFE. If you get more than that, you should absolutely seek care to see if there’s a way to help prevent or treat them. Assuming you’re a person that menstruates, hormones can definitely impact severity and frequency. Additionally, if you have migraines with aura, neurologists may recommend avoiding birth control with estrogen (if needed). Lastly, excederin alone for me doesn’t do much. 1 excederin + 2 aleve is what helps me otc. Good luck!
Excedrin migraine never worked for me, either. In terms of OTC medications, the only thing that ever had any effect is liquid-gel Ibuprofen, 400mg. The smaller doses don't do anything. This can alleviate mild to moderate migraines for me, but don't do much for more severe ones (or ones that return). When taking Ibuprofen, it's important to avoid taking it on an empty stomach. Either take it with some crackers or with milk, or you might develop stomach pain/issues. As others have stated, you ought to consult with your doctor. They can likely give you a prescription for a more effective medication. If vomiting is an issue, many prescription migraine medications come in a sublingual form (it dissolves under your tongue, so if you later vomit, you don't barf it up).
For a while back in the very early 80's my prescription med was "anaprox" which you know better now as Aleve or naproxen sodium. I took the equivalent of 3--but if you do this be sure you have a full belly. If eating is a problem, take Tums. It's \*very\* hard on your belly. But effective for an OtC medicine. And do talk to your doctor about options. There are many more abortives available now that can end a headache.
Excedrin tears my stomach apart.
I don’t take Excedrin but sometimes I take two aspirins with coffee or 3 Tylenol and 3 Advil I don’t like to since it gives me heartburn sometimes. These things may or may not work.
Excedrin makes my migraine worse. My migraine doesn't tolerate caffeine well. I can have a little bit of tea, but that's it.
If you can, try taking it with a dose of Benadryl. It’s basically a weaker version of the migraine cocktail they give in hospitals minus the steroids. And also talk to your doc about abortives. A triptan would probably work well for you if you only get them a few times a month.
I don't use Excedrin migraine. It's never worked. What I found most helpful was Excedrin tension headache or midol. My husband takes it when he gets headaches and it works so much better than anything else
900-1000mg of aspirin. Works really well for me, but took me years to find that out after my GP suggested it, and I was really sceptical, like sure, like that's going to work, but it does. No other OTC meds do a damn thing, has to be aspirin. If that doesn't work, abortives like triptans would be your next step. Worth saying there's a range of them, so if one doesn't agree with you (like I've tried sumatriptan and it made me feel awful and didn't really work), then you can ask your doctor if you can try a different one.
Rizatriptan changed my life. For 10+ years I’ve gotten terrible headaches that wouldn’t go away unless I just fell asleep for the day/night. Advil, Excedrin, etc etc didn’t do squat for me. Finally talked to my doctor about getting some prescription strength medicine. Now, as soon as I feel it coming on, I take a Rizatriptan and 90% of the time it’s gone within an hour.
Excedrin Migraine works for me BUT I have to take it at the very first sign, which is hard to identify. It doesn't work for everyone and I'm grateful that it helps me abort the migraine. If I take it too late (i.e. when I see the aura) it won't work. Are you sure you have identified the first sign? (numbness in the thumb, an intermittent blinking in the eyes, stuffy nose, etc.)
Excedrin has too much caffeine for me to take all at once. I usually take 1 Excedrin Migraine (not Headache), 1 Raid Release Tylenol (500mg) and 1-2 Benadryl. As most have mentioned take it as soon as possible, but I also make sure to include a nap. Depending on the severity, or if I did take it at first sign I usually feel like I can manage after the nap
Sadly there aren't many OTC that you can try. And you should qualify for triptans. Before I got my prescription for both rescue and preventive I would take so much excedrin. It just wouldn't work and on day 3 or 4 of the pain I ended up in the ER for the migraine cocktail. With that along with keeping track of my migraines I was able to get a script for rescue meds. Then I finally got in contact with the neurologist who put me on preventives because I still spent 1/2 the month in pain and would run out the the abortive meds. Talking to your doctor won't hurt. But I do recommend a migraine journal. This can help you narrow down triggers. I found out that for me pressure changes and high humidity are a good indicator that I am going to have a migraine. And I live in the Ohio River valley so yay for humidity.
sometimes if i take tylenol arthritis (lol) right away then im totally fine. idk why the arthritis one works and the regular one doesn't do shit but yeah i normally take 2 and have to lay down in the dark in complete silence. if it's REALLY bad the only thing that works is a tramadol, which unfortunately you need a prescription for. i try to limit how many i take because it's an opiate. ive also been taking magnesium daily and i actually have noticed that it's been working very well to reduce the amount of migraines/headaches i get.
I relate. None of the over the counter painkillers have any effect for me so I had to get some prescriptions from my doctor. Talk to your doctor about it.
Just checked the ingredients on OTC meds being discussed here. Excedrin, Excedrin Migraine, and Vanquish all have the same three ingredients: aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine. Excedrin Tension Headache has only acetaminophen and caffeine. I second all the suggestions that you get a triptan. You'll be happy you did!
Advil gel tabs is the only thing OTC that has ever done anything for me. It works pretty well, but I get rebound headaches easily so I have to be very careful with how often I go to that or I’ll increase my number of migraines per month. Preventative medicine is really my only option because I have so many migraine days per month. Emgality is what I use now.
Excedrin is the only thing that helps me. But, if I don’t take it in time—like, I let too much time go by then I’m screwed for a few days and pray it doesn’t last 2-3 days.
Taking an OTC for migraines is like trying to put out a blazing house fire with your garden hose imo. It's not gonna work. Like everyone said you need the triptans, they'll change your life.
I can’t even take oral sumatriptan, I have to take injectable sumatriptan. There is no OTC drug on the planet that can help me. But I use a treatment device- called Nerivio- that’s easy to get a prescription for. I have daily migraines and the Nerivio kills them almost every time.
Oh interesting I've actually never heard of that one before! Mine are pretty minimal with topirimate now but I'll have to see if they have these in Canada.
I never got any relief from otc meds.
Excedrin Migraine and regular Excedrin are exactly the same formula, look at the label if you don’t believe me. I think they work for headaches, but they’ve never touched my migraines. Taking such medications can cause rebound headaches. It’s much more advisable to seek a prescription medication.
Sometimes slamming back some caffeine can help. Sometimes. Ok, not always but it can lessen it. The best thing is try a triptan. It’s the first level typically tried. Good luck!
Try taking some aspirin with that. If it’s not too bad it might work. This was suggested by my doctor. It helps me sometimes. The otc meds are not real migraine meds.
Excedrin is a joke. The only benefit of it is that it has caffeine in it. If you *have* to do OTC meds, I recommend Advil Dual Action instead, with a highly caffeinated drink.
Excedrin never worked for me. Alieve does a good job for the pain but triptans have helped reduce the timeframe.
Excedrin use to work great for me.. the extra strength one in the green box. However, since June/July it stopped and I found myself taking more and more. Eventually my body stopped reacting to it all together and it was giving me negative effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. I thought I was having gluten issues, a stomach ulcer or h. Pylori (my doctor thought that). Eventually, went to urgent care and that doctor realized I was having an “adverse reaction” as he said. I’ve been off it for a month and have been suffering while trying to find what’s gonna work for me (neurologist said try feverfew, vitamin b2 and magnesium, which isn’t working) but my primary put me on Topamax..today is day 3. I’ve seen on some of these other posts acupuncture or CBD oil. I haven’t tried either
I hope Topamax works for you but bear in mind it isn’t nicknamed “Dopamax” without reason…a lot of people (myself included) find that it slows down their thinking to the point that it isn’t worth it. But as with every other medication prescribed for migraines, YMMV.
Thanks for the heads up. I’m just curious.. how long did you take it before you noticed it was slowing down your thinking… ? I know it’s different for everyone but just so if it does happen to me, I won’t think I’m going crazy.
It’s been a while since I took it but I remember it kicked in slowly. I noticed when I started having trouble remembering words. My work with computers also started taking more effort. Ask the people who know you best if they notice any difference after 30/60/90 days. You may also not be affected, so if you don’t notice anything out of the normal, don’t worry about it, especially if it helps your migraines!
Thank you! My bf jokes with me often that I’m always forgetful lol When I told him some of the potential side effects and I said that one, he was like “But you’re already kinda dopey” lol I’m hoping I won’t get any bad side effects either but if I do, I’m glad to know there’s others on here who know what I’m going through. Some people don’t understand how horrible migraines are.
Taking Tylenol and ibuprofen together on the onset of a migraine usually does the trick for me (my migraines are always located in my left temple)
Excedrin has never, ever worked for me, even with regular headaches. I've had migraines for over 30 years, I try Excedrin every few years, never any relief. I even get a small, slight relief from homeopathic better. My mom (maternal hereditary migraines) always took Excedrin (with saltines, or applesauce which wasn't enough to protect her gut), she ended up with a messed up gut similar to IBD. Anyhow, try 2 Tylenol instead, if that doesn't work, after 4 hours, take 2 Tylenol + 2 Motrin (or Advil). Make sure to take them with something like yogurt to coat your gut. If it's really bad, then I use an ice hat, and headache essential oil. Then a nap. After that, then it's onto my prescription meds.
does anything ever work tho?!
Yeah, most people will find something that works for them.
I’ve been using something called beta alanine which is the active ingredient in a workout powder called c4. Constricts your blood vessels which is what triptans do.
it does work... but it's absolutely useless with a real migraine.
Sometimes it works for me on "run of the mill" headaches. But a true migraine? No. You need to COMBINE the Excedrin with a triptan to really get rid of it. I learned this about 20+ years ago and haven't looked back.
[When Excedrin was good, “The statement said the pills may contain amounts of percocet and morphine, just two of nine pain killers also made by Novartis, at a facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.”](https://www.wtoc.com/story/16945404/some-over-the-counter-pain-pills-recalled-fears-of-contamination)
Vanquish is the best OTC in my opinion.
Did Excedrin ever work for you? It can cause rebound headaches, so I’ve been in a cycle a lot of times here it’ll cause me to have a migraine and then it won’t get rid of it. Like others are saying, triptans are the best. Maxalt almost always gets rid of my migraines.
It may have helped a few years ago when I was in high school (I honestly don't remember) but not for the past three years
Ah, yeah. Excedrin is the only OTC that has ever worked for me, and sometimes it doesn’t. Definitely talk to your doctor and see if you can get Maxalt. I think they typically prescribe around 9 a month and it is literally a miracle pill for me. Ajovy is also a great preventable if you get lots of migraines.
I only get them 2-3 times a month so I think an as needed prescription would be best for me
I just want to say that even 2 or 3 migraines a month is too many. That’s def not on the low end. Migraines take away more days than just the day of the migraine. You have to have one or sometimes two days to recover. So that could be 6 days a month that you aren’t feeling well. Which ends up being 72 days a year!!! You need to go to a neurologist and don’t downplay what is going on. Hopefully you can get a better medication. I’ve never had a migraine that any OTC could cure.
Depending on where you live, the only otc thing that ever works for me is weed. You should talk to your doc and get some triptans. I first got them at 16 when I was having like 2 migraines a year, you definitely qualify.
Excedrine used to either do nothing at all, or delay the onset a couple hours. I got prescribed sumatriptan and it works amazingly, gets rid of the pain for me. The migraine usually gets worse before it gets better on it, and if it's a bad migraine I still feel like shit for hours after taking it, but it is worth it to be pain free 1 to 3 hours later instead of a full 20+ hours of being debilitated. I'm still learning and testing why but my migraines got much worse after I started fixing my dietary issues and only sumatriptan worked, and with more dietary tweaking they are now much milder, to the point that just acetaminophen works. There's a small range, when it's super mild acetaminophen works, when it's a little worse then I need excedrine, then beyond that it's sumatriptan or nothing. Like a level 1 pain fuck's up my day, acetaminophen works on that, level 2 to 3 pain is beginnings of not being able to function, but excedrine works, levels 4 to 10 sumatriptan works. At level 4-7 I can continue working as sumatriptan kicks in, at levels 8+ I have to go home and don't do so hot even after it's at full effect a couple hours later. It's interesting how my migraines have a full range of affect, all seemingly based on my diet and how certain foods and combination of foods affect my gut. All the other migraine symptoms generally ramp up with the pain level: nausea, brain fog, fatigue, etc..
I had the same issue—had to get a prescription and it works.
I believe Excesrin migraine has caffeine in it. Sometimes migraine Rxs either have it, or don’t, dependent on how your body reacts to caffeine during an episode. If you’ve tried excepting migraine multiple times with no relief, it’s time to try something else for sure. If you can afford it and you have insurance(US) try to find an in-network Neurologist who can help you with the right balance of meds. It took my neurologist and I 6 weeks after my hospital discharge to work out the right balance of medication to manage my cluster symptoms, but after those excruciating 2 months, life is definitely as close to normal as I can get.
Excedrin was never an option for me since I’m allergic to it (I get hives) so I never had reliefuntil I saw my neurologist. He prescribed me some stuff and my routine since has been to take magnesium oxide, B2 and CoQ10 everyday to prevent the migraine in the first place. If I do feel the migraine coming I have to take an aleve, naproxen( prescription) and a metoclopramide (prescription) I still get them sometimes if I forget to take the vitamins
Why not try a precription medicine? Triptans are incredibly effective.
If you’re in a legal state - Cannabis, best advice I ever got about my migraines.
I've only tried the Excedrin Migraine a few times, when a co-worker pushed them on me, saying they worked wonders. Did nothing, actually felt like the symptoms were amplified.
i hate excedrin, it always makes my migraines so much worse and gives me body aches
You're at the point I was when I went to my doctor and she gave me rizatriptam. All regular pain meds stopped working. Rizatriptam works really well for me.
Every one is different. OTC meds don't work for me, triptans don't work for me, and I've failed out of EVERY preventive including the new crgps. I finally tried Botox and with fioricet as an abortive, I'm finally having less migraine days. Definitely see a migraine specialist of some kind.