Have you considered a cup of coffee and a Tyelenol after you take the Relpax when you get a migraine? Avoiding caffeine otherwise is a good idea, but if it's something new (i.e. you started it 8 days ago), you're going to experience wicked headaches as your body adjusts to the new non-caffienated you. If you've been off caffiene for an extended period of time, you may find a cup of coffee or a cola, along with your Relpax will be enough to knock the headache out. There is something about caffeine that seems to help alleviate pain, which is why it's an ingredient in multiple headache medications, Fioricet, some OTC migraine meds, etc.

Unless your doctor explicitely says you can take two Relpax at once, I wouldn't risk it. These are very potent medications that affect the cardiovascular system and you don't want to risk the complications that can occur with too much medication at once. For me a single dose it too much, causing severe chest pain and shortness of breath. I can't even imagine the intensity of the pain and complications that would occur with double the dose; a single dose is causes life-threatening complications for me.

I wish I had a magic wand to make the pain go away, both yours and mine. Instead, all I can wish you is relief.

I don't know if this will help but I have had migraines for over 30 years. And I am still learning. REcently, I would get nasty migraines for a week, and it seems I have to watch these things called tannins. They're in things like cherries, ages cheese herbs. There are lists on the internet. I am looking into food combining greattastenopain.com to read about how we eat can cause migraines. Being acidic or alkaline. Chinese food could have msg maybe soy not good for me. It's hard to try and track down everything one eats. best wishes

My Neuro Doctor said, "I was allowed to take 1 dose of Relpax, and then if after 30 minutes the migraine was still there I could take another dose of Relpax." (But no more than 2 pills in a 24 hour period).
Well, it turns out Relpax doesn't work for me. So, now I take Maxalt (same directions), and that one works for me (most of the time).

Good Luck to you!

Anything I take works for me but then I get another migraine back. I have been off caffeine for quite a long time and I watch food dyes, but I think there is a food or chemical I am missing. I will look into tannins.

Anything I use (except Axert) works for me.

Does Maxalt make you groggy afterwards?

With Relpax, I am good for about 4 hours and then I crash. I just get so tired.

Unfortunately, all my medicine makes me "strange". Sometimes soooo sleepy, and sometimes a drunk type euphoria.
I never know how I'll react!
I'm even messed up the next day. I call it "Medication Hangover".
That is why I'm not sure I can continue to work. I am an elementary school teacher. During the school year I average 18 migraines a month.

Angee,
It sounds like your migraines have a signficant stress factor involved, especially if they increase so dramatically during the school year. Have you considered any stress management practices such as deep breathing, massage, acupunture, especially ones that you might be able to incorporate into your classroom as well (depending on the age of your students). They may help alleviate your migraines and the after effects of the medication. You may also want to work with your doctors to try some other medications, non-triptans, that may alleviate the migraines but not cause the strange side effects, especially if stress is such a trigger. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it might be worth a try.

The one time Imitrex worked for me, I got that drunk euphoria feeling. I chalked it up to the sudden alleviation of the pain of a 5-day migraine (pain went away in 20 minutes following the injection in the ER; very strange feeling). Alas, ever since all it's done is give me severe chest pains and shortness of breath (me and my allergic reactions....I really do hate them!).

Shelley,
Since you're off caffeine and have been for some time, you may want to try some caffeine and Tylenol when you get a headache/migraine and don't have the Relpax as a rescue medication. The caffeine may be just the boost your body needs to get the acetominophen to work, then use the heat/cold combination from the other posting to increase the chances of stopping the headache in its track.

Good luck!

How many milligrams of Tylenol would you suggest?

Shelley,
I'd try two regular strength Tyelenol (acetominophen, 325 mg per tablet) first; the lower the dose the better. This is the dose the FDA is recommending for everyone due to the recent findings that even lower than the maximum recommended dose of acetominophen per day, 4000 mg, can lead to liver failure and serious liver disease in patients without any underlying liver problems. If you find that dose is not sufficient, you can try two extra strength acetominophen, the 500 mg tablets. But always try the lower dose tablets first. The fewer meds you can get by with the better off you'll be overall.

I hope it works!
Ruth

Quick note, a regular Tylenol has 365 mg per tablet, not 325. Just wanted to clarify that so you're not searching the stores trying to find a dose that doesn't exisit.

When I get a major attack, I get that "medication hangover" that angee7 was talking about. I feel so wiped out. Yet I still get headaches each day of varied level. They range from moderate (of which I am slowly getting use to) to severe. Those severe ones do a number on me. Since my injury, I have been disabled and collect SSDI and await settlement from Workers Comp. The doc told me that I will never be able to hold any job in my condition. I take 26 pills a day.

I have suffered migraines for 35 years, I saw a Nuerologist on Thursday, he added Depakote as a preventative but after some research I have decided not to take the med. I will still rely on Relpax. I would much rather suffer the tiredness than the migraine. I sometime have 5 MG a week. However I will tell you if this is any help the DR did tell me if the Relpax works then I probably do not have an anuerism or cyst or tumor. Also, one thing I know triggers my migraines is MSG found in so many foods. In any case, I hope for you this resolves soon.

Did the cupcake mix and frosting have any partially hydrogenated oils? That stuff is poison and was a major factor in my Hs clusters. It also causes a lot of other problems. I believe that eventually it will be banned.