Migraines & Headaches Resource Center

Migraine headaches are bad enough without some of the medication and treatment that people have to undergo.  Migraines are debilitating and often create pounding in the head, extreme nausea and sensitivity to light, among other symptoms. 

Too often, people who suffer from migraines become experiments for medical practitioners who are trying to figure out what medications might be the best.  Some medications used to treat migraine headaches include Depakote (also used for bi-polar disease), as well as tricyclic anti-depressants such as Elavil (amitriptyline) and Pamelor (nortriptyline). 

These medications often help people get their migraines under control, however, as with many medications, there are side effects.  One of the most difficult side-effects for people with migraines to deal with is weight gain.  So, in addition to the migraines themselves and the chance that the medication may or may not work, you have the opportunity to gain an average of 40 or maybe 50 pounds if you take some of these medications on a regular basis to control the migraines.

There is one saving grace however.  There is one medication that not only works well, but also will help you lose weight, rather than gain it.  The drug Topamax (topiramate), which is approved and used for epilepsy, can reduce the number of migraines a person has and also reduce their severity. 

Nearly 470 patients – mostly women – in Nashville, Tennessee, who suffered from chronic migraine headaches, were studied for over 6 months, saw their migraines drop from an average of 6 per month to an average of 3.5 migraines per month.  The women who took Topamax for their migraines lost about 3% to 4% of their body weight – one wonderful side effect of the medication for migraines. 

If you suffer from migraines and are still looking for medication that can help as well as possibly help you lose weight, ask about topiramate and see what happens.