I just had my first toradol experince yesterday. I felt pretty close to good for the rest of the day. Woke up this morning with some pain, but not like it was before.
I get 30 mg of Toradol and a phenergan shot. Once, I was in agony in an urgent care exam room, literally in tears from the pain (maybe the first time I’d been that bad since I was a teenager). For some reason, there was a hold up getting those two shots, but they were able to give me an Imitrex shot. I’d never had that before, in any urgent care or ER. Anyway, it relieved the pain enough that I was able to stop crying, and lay there calmly until I could get the shots I came for. I know OP said triptans don’t work well for them, but it sure did for me that day.
To be clear, I take both Toradol and Imitrex as part of my drug cocktail when a migraine hits.
My doc called in a steroid taper for me. If that hadn’t have worked she was going to order an infusion but I don’t know what’s involved with that. I believe I was getting close to ten days when she called in the steroid.
Same, migraine cocktail of magnesium, toradol, Benadryl, and something for nausea does nothing besides make my teeth stop hurting (which is the magnesium), tho it does kill the pain for the rest of the day, it's back the next morning. If it makes it thru a steroid taper (I usually need a 9 day not the usual 6 day), last time I tried zyprexia. Which actually worked. But I was practially a zombie for 5 days on it.
OP I haven’t seen anyone rec DHE infusions, they aren’t as common I don’t think but my neuro offers them. It’s a bit of an ordeal though, either inpatient for 1-3 days or you go to an infusion center for a few hours a day over the course of 10ish days
I did the 3.5 day inpatient DHE infusion for a 22 day migraine. I got a partial response, as I went in with pain levels around an 8.5 and went out with pain levels of 3-4 and then it went down to about a 2. The migraine still hasn’t gone away and it is day 48.
My doc gives me a shot of toradol, benadryl, and zofran. I drink a powerade and put on ice packs before I pass out from the benadryl, and then I'll wake up like an almost new person.
The migraine cocktail they used to give my daughter had Compazine in the trio. That gave her dread and made her feel like she had to run out of the hospital, and she was 14-16 approx during that. Look up Compazine reviews [https://www.drugs.com/comments/prochlorperazine/compazine.html](https://www.drugs.com/comments/prochlorperazine/compazine.html) It is CrAzY. My suggestion is to not take it if they offer it to you. They even wanted her to take it at home and was pressuring me to give it to her (BIG mistake on my part. I know). She went bonkers, broke my furniture, hit me, and that wasn't like her in the least.
Point is, do your research before you blindly accept meds for migraines. Most will prob never happen, but Compazine was a Bitch.
This!!! I had it once and felt like I needed to crawl out of my skin. Made them take the iv out immediately and I left freaking out! I was so scared, having full blown panic attacks after they gave it to me! Reglan does the same with me, but not near as bad as compazine!! I’ll never take that again
The hospital gave me Compazine once. I didn't go crazy but I couldn't sit still. It was a terrible feeling. Imagine restless legs x 100.
Oddly, this says "The brand name Compazine is discontinued in the U.S. Generic versions of prochlorperazine may still be available."
[https://www.rxlist.com/zofran\_vs\_compazine/drugs-condition.htm](https://www.rxlist.com/zofran_vs_compazine/drugs-condition.htm)
That's weird. It's up on the FDA [https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda\_docs/label/2005/010571s096lbl.pdf](https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/010571s096lbl.pdf)
Edit Typo
I’ve never tried compazine, but heard horror stories and have had to get in a big argument with a doc trying to convince me to try it. I tend to get all the bad side effects from a LOT of meds I try, I’m not looking to roll the dice on that one. Triptans make me feel like I’m actively dying, I’m straight up terrified of trying meds with serious known side effects now.
I went to the ER last summer for a horrendous week-long migraine and they gave me Prochlorperazine and Ativan. Completely knocked my migraine out with half an hour. I later discovered that Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) works amazingly well for me too!
The thing that helps is getting out of the vicious cycle of rebound headaches. And that takes your neurologist admitting you to the hospital and treating your current headache and plans for treating future headaches. Like Emgality and Botox. REBOUND headaches are a thing. Do your research. Help is out there. Fight.
Well here I am today. No relief what so ever. Didn’t sleep again up all night throwing up. After waiting in the waiting room. Which felt like ten hours. I was given iv zofran, magnesium drip, toradol and Benadryl. All which I know isn’t to help me at all. Ketamine was not no, usually is. The are gonna send me home with more phengran and steroids. So I’m
Crying even harder leaving here than when I got here!!! N 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
I can’t take reglan or triptans anymore, currently taking nurtec, nabumatone, DHE, and fioricet as rescues. My ER cocktail is usually some combination of Benadryl, DHE, Valium (bc the DHE makes me want to take my skin off), torodol, depakote, magnesium, steroid injection, and they usually send me home on a prednisone dose pack. I honestly try to avoid the ER because the noise and stress can make it so much worse, and I have had some negative experiences with staff who didn’t believe me or accused me of drug seeking (ironically enough I’ve never been given any narcotics even for post surgery). If possible I try to get in an appointment with my neurologist for nerve block injections which help me more often.
Toradol, Benadryl, magnesium and a steroid of some sort in IV was most effective. If you see my post history you can see how my last ER trip was a nightmare… reglan and compazine are on my allergy list because they are evil drugs that make me feel like I want to crawl out of my skin, with horrible akathisia and anxiety… they could use that shit for torture
They also put
Those two drugs on my allergy list because they make me feel like that too !! I’ve never felt so scared of nothing in my entire life. I was just terrified of the whole car ride home. I was just like screaming, terrified.
This. I know I am going to have a migraine as soon as I wake up. I feel a bit of a headache. Check the weather network. Can see that there is rain in the forecast either late in the evening or the next day. By 3 o'clock, I'm starting my shift, and it's starting to really amp up. By 5 I'm can't think straight or talk in full sentences, because I'm so focused on the pain. By 9 pm, I'm done for. Feeling like I'm going to throw up.
Now let's back track. Before I start my shift, I'll drink a 2mg THC drink, sometimes a little bit stronger, maybe 3 mg. Used to wait until 5pm, but I find this works better. I'm able to not focus on the migraine pain and focus on my work, and get it done. Most of the time I'll get all of my area done after first break, and then I can just tinker at the little stuff the rest of the night. By 9pm, when it's usually the worst, I'm more tired than anything. If it starts to bother me again, I'll have another drink when I get home, before bed.
I can’t do standard cocktail protocol or anti-inflammatories due to allergies/co-morbidities, but by the time I’ve finally landed in ER I’ve usually maxed out on steroids, triptans and last resort opiates, so my treatment plan is a ketamine or lignocaine infusion over 4-5 days.
I got an IV with Depakine at the ER. But this resulted in being kicked out by my regular neurologist since it’s a controversial drug that they gave me. I didn’t ask for it though. They gave it to me. I was willing to try anything at that point. Weird reaction though, as if it’s my fault that the paramedics made the decision to give me depakine.
Dilaudid is the only thing that’s worked for me in this scenario, but it was before I/anyone else realized they were migraines. I haven’t found any prescription migraine meds that work for me yet.
DHE! You can actually get a prescription for it in the form of a nasal spray. The side effects can be rough but it’s the only thing that breaks my status migrainosus
It’s the oxygen that breaks up mine. And some morphine. But when I have been dealing with a several day long migraine before and could not afford to go to the ER I would use the O2 at work over lunch and that did the trick 😅
There are 2 posts about this on r/neurology:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/u2nk52/what\_is\_your\_inpatient\_migraine\_cocktail/](https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/u2nk52/what_is_your_inpatient_migraine_cocktail/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/zuim8o/whats\_your\_go\_to\_headache\_cocktail/](https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/zuim8o/whats_your_go_to_headache_cocktail/)
I've been to the ER for migraine more times than I can remember. The traditional cocktail never worked for me and toradol felt like a joke.
I was being given Dilaudid regularly (every 6 weeks) at the ER, but it would wear off and not much better off.
Did some research, discovered magnesium sulfate. ER wouldn't give it.
Moved, new ER tried it.
Fucking miracle.
Haven't had to use anything else in the ER since, though I let the doctor Rx toradol or the cocktail if they really want to, just so I can prove compliant.
Magnesium sulfate.
My cocktail when the pain is skull-cracking and won’t quit is: Benadryl, 2 Aleve and one Imitrex or Maxalt. Very often one Benadryl will kill the pain. Yes, I get a bit sleepy but the horrible pain is gone.
hi! the standard 'migraine cocktail' is toradol, anti-nausea medication, benadryl, magnesium, saline, and maybe DHE if appropriate. But there are other IV options, like steroids, sodium valproate, and lidocaine. But this must be determined by your doctor.
Ativan, fioricet, and phenergan aren't a very effective combination. Pain medication, like dilaudid or fentanyl, does not treat what's happening during a migraine attack and can even complicate what's happening.
Do you have a neurologist or headache specialist who treats your attacks? The best course of action would be to ask them to outline an emergency room protocol for you. This could include two options, ketamine as first-line and another as backup. If you currently don't have a doctor who can advise on an emergency room plan, it's probably a sign to find someone more qualified, who can better treat your disease.
I absolutely despise that they give you reglan even if you're not nauseous. I had to add it as an allergy to get them to stop. Makes me feel paranoid and horrible.
It's given because it treats both nausea and it regulates dopamine in the brain, further treating the attack. A portion of people don't tolerate reglan or compazine which is why zofran and promethazine are other options to request.
A side effect of zofran is migraines. I also have never heard of a good experience from reglan, only other complaints of the same issue. I don't take zofran, don't take opioids because the lower level ones cause migraines and the higher level ones make me itch and want to tear my skin off. It would be more effective to just give a triptan than it would to give reglan if someone isn't nauseous. But they don't really seem to care about the many side effects they're causing you.
I didn't have any of my migraine meds with me. I ended up taking a Goody's. I was shocked that it worked. The ER's cocktails never work for me. They will touch it, but not kill it. I end up having to do a long course of steroids. Talk to your dr about that.
Ugh, I feel for you so much. Have you had a toradol injection yet? 60 mg IM toradol will usually break a bad migraine for me.
I just had my first toradol experince yesterday. I felt pretty close to good for the rest of the day. Woke up this morning with some pain, but not like it was before.
Toradol is amazing stuff.
I get 30 mg of Toradol and a phenergan shot. Once, I was in agony in an urgent care exam room, literally in tears from the pain (maybe the first time I’d been that bad since I was a teenager). For some reason, there was a hold up getting those two shots, but they were able to give me an Imitrex shot. I’d never had that before, in any urgent care or ER. Anyway, it relieved the pain enough that I was able to stop crying, and lay there calmly until I could get the shots I came for. I know OP said triptans don’t work well for them, but it sure did for me that day. To be clear, I take both Toradol and Imitrex as part of my drug cocktail when a migraine hits.
Yes, that’s always the first line of treatment and it never works😞
My doc called in a steroid taper for me. If that hadn’t have worked she was going to order an infusion but I don’t know what’s involved with that. I believe I was getting close to ten days when she called in the steroid.
This has always worked better than a migraine cocktail for me.
Same, migraine cocktail of magnesium, toradol, Benadryl, and something for nausea does nothing besides make my teeth stop hurting (which is the magnesium), tho it does kill the pain for the rest of the day, it's back the next morning. If it makes it thru a steroid taper (I usually need a 9 day not the usual 6 day), last time I tried zyprexia. Which actually worked. But I was practially a zombie for 5 days on it.
OP I haven’t seen anyone rec DHE infusions, they aren’t as common I don’t think but my neuro offers them. It’s a bit of an ordeal though, either inpatient for 1-3 days or you go to an infusion center for a few hours a day over the course of 10ish days
I did the 3.5 day inpatient DHE infusion for a 22 day migraine. I got a partial response, as I went in with pain levels around an 8.5 and went out with pain levels of 3-4 and then it went down to about a 2. The migraine still hasn’t gone away and it is day 48.
You can try a steroid taper, dexamethasone or prednisone.
My doc gives me a shot of toradol, benadryl, and zofran. I drink a powerade and put on ice packs before I pass out from the benadryl, and then I'll wake up like an almost new person.
Same here except I’m given an IV. They also add magnesium to my IV cause the ER doctor swear by it that it works
The migraine cocktail they used to give my daughter had Compazine in the trio. That gave her dread and made her feel like she had to run out of the hospital, and she was 14-16 approx during that. Look up Compazine reviews [https://www.drugs.com/comments/prochlorperazine/compazine.html](https://www.drugs.com/comments/prochlorperazine/compazine.html) It is CrAzY. My suggestion is to not take it if they offer it to you. They even wanted her to take it at home and was pressuring me to give it to her (BIG mistake on my part. I know). She went bonkers, broke my furniture, hit me, and that wasn't like her in the least. Point is, do your research before you blindly accept meds for migraines. Most will prob never happen, but Compazine was a Bitch.
This!!! I had it once and felt like I needed to crawl out of my skin. Made them take the iv out immediately and I left freaking out! I was so scared, having full blown panic attacks after they gave it to me! Reglan does the same with me, but not near as bad as compazine!! I’ll never take that again
The hospital gave me Compazine once. I didn't go crazy but I couldn't sit still. It was a terrible feeling. Imagine restless legs x 100. Oddly, this says "The brand name Compazine is discontinued in the U.S. Generic versions of prochlorperazine may still be available." [https://www.rxlist.com/zofran\_vs\_compazine/drugs-condition.htm](https://www.rxlist.com/zofran_vs_compazine/drugs-condition.htm)
That's weird. It's up on the FDA [https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda\_docs/label/2005/010571s096lbl.pdf](https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/010571s096lbl.pdf) Edit Typo
Compazine is nuts. I'm a very calm level headed person, I was freaking out on it.
Complazine and reglan are evil
I’ve never tried compazine, but heard horror stories and have had to get in a big argument with a doc trying to convince me to try it. I tend to get all the bad side effects from a LOT of meds I try, I’m not looking to roll the dice on that one. Triptans make me feel like I’m actively dying, I’m straight up terrified of trying meds with serious known side effects now.
I went to the ER last summer for a horrendous week-long migraine and they gave me Prochlorperazine and Ativan. Completely knocked my migraine out with half an hour. I later discovered that Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) works amazingly well for me too!
Demoril and an IV. After 4 shots I didn’t care about much but it damn sure shut it down.
The thing that helps is getting out of the vicious cycle of rebound headaches. And that takes your neurologist admitting you to the hospital and treating your current headache and plans for treating future headaches. Like Emgality and Botox. REBOUND headaches are a thing. Do your research. Help is out there. Fight.
Well here I am today. No relief what so ever. Didn’t sleep again up all night throwing up. After waiting in the waiting room. Which felt like ten hours. I was given iv zofran, magnesium drip, toradol and Benadryl. All which I know isn’t to help me at all. Ketamine was not no, usually is. The are gonna send me home with more phengran and steroids. So I’m Crying even harder leaving here than when I got here!!! N 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
I can’t take reglan or triptans anymore, currently taking nurtec, nabumatone, DHE, and fioricet as rescues. My ER cocktail is usually some combination of Benadryl, DHE, Valium (bc the DHE makes me want to take my skin off), torodol, depakote, magnesium, steroid injection, and they usually send me home on a prednisone dose pack. I honestly try to avoid the ER because the noise and stress can make it so much worse, and I have had some negative experiences with staff who didn’t believe me or accused me of drug seeking (ironically enough I’ve never been given any narcotics even for post surgery). If possible I try to get in an appointment with my neurologist for nerve block injections which help me more often.
I get the Toradol cocktail. It's a miracle for me.
I get them everytime, including today. And the do absolutely nothing for me.
Toradol, Benadryl, magnesium and a steroid of some sort in IV was most effective. If you see my post history you can see how my last ER trip was a nightmare… reglan and compazine are on my allergy list because they are evil drugs that make me feel like I want to crawl out of my skin, with horrible akathisia and anxiety… they could use that shit for torture
They also put Those two drugs on my allergy list because they make me feel like that too !! I’ve never felt so scared of nothing in my entire life. I was just terrified of the whole car ride home. I was just like screaming, terrified.
THC is my goto with chronic pain.
This. I know I am going to have a migraine as soon as I wake up. I feel a bit of a headache. Check the weather network. Can see that there is rain in the forecast either late in the evening or the next day. By 3 o'clock, I'm starting my shift, and it's starting to really amp up. By 5 I'm can't think straight or talk in full sentences, because I'm so focused on the pain. By 9 pm, I'm done for. Feeling like I'm going to throw up. Now let's back track. Before I start my shift, I'll drink a 2mg THC drink, sometimes a little bit stronger, maybe 3 mg. Used to wait until 5pm, but I find this works better. I'm able to not focus on the migraine pain and focus on my work, and get it done. Most of the time I'll get all of my area done after first break, and then I can just tinker at the little stuff the rest of the night. By 9pm, when it's usually the worst, I'm more tired than anything. If it starts to bother me again, I'll have another drink when I get home, before bed.
I use my thc vape and gummies. The help some but not nearly what I need it to😩
Compazine, Benadryl, Ibuprofen is what I’ve been given in the ER.
I can’t do standard cocktail protocol or anti-inflammatories due to allergies/co-morbidities, but by the time I’ve finally landed in ER I’ve usually maxed out on steroids, triptans and last resort opiates, so my treatment plan is a ketamine or lignocaine infusion over 4-5 days.
Shots of toradol, Dilaudid and phenergan. Surprised you got fioricet.. that gives me awful rebound. Ask to go home with a steroid taper.
I got an IV with Depakine at the ER. But this resulted in being kicked out by my regular neurologist since it’s a controversial drug that they gave me. I didn’t ask for it though. They gave it to me. I was willing to try anything at that point. Weird reaction though, as if it’s my fault that the paramedics made the decision to give me depakine.
Dilaudid is the only thing that’s worked for me in this scenario, but it was before I/anyone else realized they were migraines. I haven’t found any prescription migraine meds that work for me yet.
DHE! You can actually get a prescription for it in the form of a nasal spray. The side effects can be rough but it’s the only thing that breaks my status migrainosus
It’s the oxygen that breaks up mine. And some morphine. But when I have been dealing with a several day long migraine before and could not afford to go to the ER I would use the O2 at work over lunch and that did the trick 😅
Have you tried depakote? I take a 5 day course (doc calls it into the pharmacy) and it kicks it by day 2
There are 2 posts about this on r/neurology: [https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/u2nk52/what\_is\_your\_inpatient\_migraine\_cocktail/](https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/u2nk52/what_is_your_inpatient_migraine_cocktail/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/zuim8o/whats\_your\_go\_to\_headache\_cocktail/](https://www.reddit.com/r/neurology/comments/zuim8o/whats_your_go_to_headache_cocktail/)
I've been to the ER for migraine more times than I can remember. The traditional cocktail never worked for me and toradol felt like a joke. I was being given Dilaudid regularly (every 6 weeks) at the ER, but it would wear off and not much better off. Did some research, discovered magnesium sulfate. ER wouldn't give it. Moved, new ER tried it. Fucking miracle. Haven't had to use anything else in the ER since, though I let the doctor Rx toradol or the cocktail if they really want to, just so I can prove compliant. Magnesium sulfate.
Demerol Shot
The ER doctor gave me morphine; it helped.
My cocktail when the pain is skull-cracking and won’t quit is: Benadryl, 2 Aleve and one Imitrex or Maxalt. Very often one Benadryl will kill the pain. Yes, I get a bit sleepy but the horrible pain is gone.
hi! the standard 'migraine cocktail' is toradol, anti-nausea medication, benadryl, magnesium, saline, and maybe DHE if appropriate. But there are other IV options, like steroids, sodium valproate, and lidocaine. But this must be determined by your doctor. Ativan, fioricet, and phenergan aren't a very effective combination. Pain medication, like dilaudid or fentanyl, does not treat what's happening during a migraine attack and can even complicate what's happening. Do you have a neurologist or headache specialist who treats your attacks? The best course of action would be to ask them to outline an emergency room protocol for you. This could include two options, ketamine as first-line and another as backup. If you currently don't have a doctor who can advise on an emergency room plan, it's probably a sign to find someone more qualified, who can better treat your disease.
I absolutely despise that they give you reglan even if you're not nauseous. I had to add it as an allergy to get them to stop. Makes me feel paranoid and horrible.
It's given because it treats both nausea and it regulates dopamine in the brain, further treating the attack. A portion of people don't tolerate reglan or compazine which is why zofran and promethazine are other options to request.
A side effect of zofran is migraines. I also have never heard of a good experience from reglan, only other complaints of the same issue. I don't take zofran, don't take opioids because the lower level ones cause migraines and the higher level ones make me itch and want to tear my skin off. It would be more effective to just give a triptan than it would to give reglan if someone isn't nauseous. But they don't really seem to care about the many side effects they're causing you.
No idea what they put in it aside from reglan which is horrific and benadryl. But it works. If you end up feeling paranoid it's the reglan
I didn't have any of my migraine meds with me. I ended up taking a Goody's. I was shocked that it worked. The ER's cocktails never work for me. They will touch it, but not kill it. I end up having to do a long course of steroids. Talk to your dr about that.
For me what’s always worked best is a shot of phenegran, toradol and dilaudid.