Aspirin-Tylenol-Caffeine better than Imitrex for Migraines?

In 1998, the medication containing a combination of acetaminophen 250 mg, aspirin 250 mg, and caffeine 65 mg per tablet (AAC) became the first over-the-counter (OTC) product to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of migraine headache pain, and it was subsequently approved in 1999 for the treatment of migraine, including the associated symptoms

Objective:
To address the need for a rigorous, direct comparison of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) migraine drugs and to expand the database on early treatment of migraine.
Background:
Most people who experience migraine use OTC medications to treat their symptoms, but no head-to-head clinical trials comparing these agents with prescription migraine therapies have been published. In addition, even though most migraineurs treat early in the attack, few studies have been conducted to reflect this treatment pattern.
Methods:
We compared a combination of nonprescription migraine medication (acetaminophen 500 mg, aspirin 500 mg, and caffeine 130 mg) with a prescription migraine product (50 mg sumatriptan)[Imitrex -ed.] in a randomized, controlled clinical trial in which subjects treated at the first sign of a migraine attack. Subjects who reported vomiting during more than 20% of migraine episodes or who required bedrest during more than 50% of migraine episodes were excluded from the study. Of the 188 subjects randomized, 171 took study medication and were included in the analysis.
Conclusion:
The combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine was significantly more effective (P> .05) than sumatriptan in the early treatment of migraine, as shown by superiority in summed pain intensity difference, pain relief, pain intensity difference, response, sustained response, relief of associated symptoms, use of rescue medication, disability relief, and global assessments of effectiveness. An additional, larger clinical trial is needed to confirm these results.

OMG I'm seeing double!

I love excedrin, but that's a slick bit of marketing, in my view. If I remember correctly, once it was discovered how effective the combo was, they just rolled out the same product in new packaging. . . At least the price is the same.

I take Excedrin Tension (formerly Extra Strength Aspirin-free Excedrin) which is the ONLY over the counter meds that help me for all my sinus pain head/neck aches.

You could try Tylenol with a cup of coffee. Same ingredients.

Just as an FYI for all you migraine sufferers..... I had a terrrible problem with migraines for years and years, tried everything to no avail. Got to the point where I think I spent more time with a migraine than without. Last year I strted on a prevention program with a drug called Topomax, it's a WONDERDRUG. I've only had one or two in the past 12 months. It's a daily drug and some people don't like that but it's made anamazing difference in my life.