preventative medicines

[cunnmary63]

how long can i stay on a preventative?have just started atenolol 50mg BD. i have also started naprosyn 250mg BD for joint pain and wondered would taking this for 3-4 months increase the risk of migraine or MOH[medicine overuse headache]

[admin]

Most doctors will prescribe a preventative for up to one year - the aim is to break the cycle of migraine attacks. It may take more than 3 months to notice an effect, so you will need to be patient. The doctor can also increase the dosage gradually if you are not getting any benefit. You do not need to worry about preventative medications when it comes to MOH. You need to take your preventative every day as prescribed.

Codeine based medications are the ones you need to watch out for and it would be 8-10 days a month before you risk MOH. Keep a diary to record your tablet days per month - and remember it's days per month and not tablets per month you should monitor.

If you need more medical advice you can call our specialist nurse advice line on 01 7979848.