Sympathomimetic amine therapy may markedly improve treatment resistant headaches related to a vascular permeability defect common in women--presentation of two cases.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if sympathomimetic amine therapy, which has been effective in alleviating pain from various areas of the body in women previously refractory to conventional therapy, could help refractory migraine headaches.


METHODS
Two cases with severe migraines resistant to conventional therapy were evaluated to see the response to dextroamphetamine sulfate.


RESULTS
Both women dramatically responded. Case 1 showed that the treatment benefit is long lasting and not merely transient as long as the woman remained on the sympathomimetic amine therapy. Case 2 showed that even premenstrual migraines can respond to this therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
It is not clear if therapy would only benefit women with an abnormal water load test or not. To determine if this therapy could be effective in refractory headache cases, even in women who pass the water load test, one would have to try the dextroamphetamine under similar circumstances and see the response. Similarly it is not known if it could help males with refractory headaches.
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J H
JH
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Camden, NJ, USA. laurie@ccivf.com
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D000328:Adult; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D013566:Sympathomimetics; D003913:Dextroamphetamine