title: Evidence that migraine headaches in women may be related to a common defect in the sympathetic nervous system as evidenced by marked improvement following treatment with sympathomimetic amines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a novel therapy for women with intractable migraine headaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dextroamphetamine sulfate was prescribed to a 33-year-old woman with intractable migraine headaches resistant to standard therapy. Her only abnormality noted was unexplained weight gain. She failed a water load test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The headaches were 100% relieved by dextroamphetamine sulfate (Spansule - 45 mg/day).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intractable migraine headaches can be added to the list of various pain syndromes related to a disorder of the sympathetic nervous system resistant to standard therapy but showing dramatic improvement with treatment with sympathomimetic amines.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Check
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Check
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D013566:Sympathomimetics; D003913:Dextroamphetamine