How long does it take to become addicted to triptans?
I've been taking 10 mg of rizact (generic for maxalt ) for only 4 days. 4 doses. It hasn't helped much. I just discovered triptans are addictive. No thanks! Planning to not take anymore. I'm hoping since I've only been taking them 4 days I will not experience withdrawals. Is this an unlikely hope? I know everyone's body is different but maybe someone can give me an idea of how quickly it generally takes to become addicted.
I believe the current recommendation for triptans is to use them no more than 8 times per month and for anyone with a headache disorder not to use anything (including OTC painkillers) more than 2 days per week, three in an emergency. To someone with a migraine brain, all painkillers/triptans are addictive in the way that they can cause medication overuse headache (MOH) if you use them more than the recommended amount. Other drugs like Sudafed and Benadryl are in this category as well as they act by affecting swelling in the head. Some people avoid triptans and load up on Excedrin or coffee instead, but this can be just as addictive to your brain. Anyone who has that genetic susceptibility for headache disorder needs to be careful about anything they put in their mouth, even over the counter.
On another note, if Maxalt isn't working, I would suggest going back to your doctor. There are different triptans and lots of different ways to take them (pills, nasal, shots, etc). Sometimes one method is completely ineffective, and another works.
