I have a similar problem with Sumatriptan but don't have the same reaction to Rizatriptan. It's odd really because rizatriptan isn't recommended for my type of migraine.
I’ve just found this thread after almost derailing another from going on about migraine advice. In Ireland we have a rake of influencers saying they have a migraine while happily dancing about on their stories..even recommending Sumpatriptan as an OTC remedy..
I found my cure (saved my life- quality wise) and a lot of support on forums. So many women suffer from migraines.
I was diagnosed with chronic migraine in 2019. I had just moved abroad and constantly had what I thought were sinus headaches in Ireland. They started out as episodic, then turned chronic. They didn’t feel like a headache, in fact I went to the ER because my whole right side of body went numb. Speech was slurring, dizziness. Overheard nurses saying I was suspected to be having a stroke. Got referred to a neurologist but was in complete denial. I didn’t really have pain, it wasn’t a headache just tons of pressure in my eye/upper head area. I got a personal referral for a forum, to an amazing neurologist in the US city I now live in. I felt as if no one understood me, he told me they’d eventually turn worse and they did. He’s published online in medical journals for facial migraine, chronic migraine. I want to share my med regime as I was messed around by the system for so long!
We started medication, ended up on;
1) Triptans: sumatriptan, I had the exact same symptoms you’re describing above. Chest pain, sore throat, intense head pain (irony), and palpitations. Rizatriptan did work for me but literally made me stupid the next day, I actually sat at work clicking around the screen the next day (no joke) triptans don’t seem to work for most on the various forums I’ve been on. Wish I’d known that.
2) tricyclic antidepressant route (amitryptiline, nortrypiline) gave me sweats, nightmares, and low mood.
3) topiramate (worked for me! I could now take triptans and get rid of my migraine but the side effects were insane. I had intrusive thoughts, developed social anxiety, word recall - could not remember words like green for example but could fully describe it like “the colour of the forest.” Couldn’t count anymore..and after I stopped the med I had vision problems, could see double of an object but as if it had a shadow. I found this was typical of 50% of those taking it. (Heard Depokote was worse in forum but helpful too. Massive weight gain)
4) propranolol (beta blocker) this decreased my frequency and also helped with some social anxiety I had. I still take it.
5) after failing all of these (as ordered by the American insurance system it meant I was now eligible for Botox) It took 3 rounds (and 9 months but they slowly decreased in frequency and severity) I was just going on work disability at the time as well.
that’s the insurance system here and had I known that I could just stop taking some of these meds that effectively gave me worse issues, I would have been better a bit sooner. I literally thought I was crazy, I had no one to talk to. I get severe confusion and disorientation, anxiety and depression before I get a migraine. It’s my prodrome phase. I’ve been the ER 6 times for irretractible migraine (one lasting 72h or more)
I spent months obsessively googling “triggers” what I’ve learned is, triggers are as unique as your fingerprint. I beat myself down further by not allowing myself chocolate, wine, cheese. I gave all 3 up…for a year. Literally my 4 favourite fecking things and nothing changed! I think it’s total misinformation that certain things cause them.
My Botox had been delayed 4 months due to supply issues, I get it every 3 months. So back with migraines but they’re way less severe. I was up for 2 days straight with one this week.
The internet is full of so much misinformation about migraine.
Because there is little research on it. It primarily affects women. Research shows those with chronic migraine have psychiatric illnesses or other comorbidities such as asthma, fibromyalgia or insomnia etc. So our symptoms were dismissed as psychosomatic.
In the US there are half as many people suffering from arthiritis, but more cures and awareness. This because it primarily affects white men, those in power and (let’s face it) much more likely to complain!!!
TL; DR (too long don’t read) I had chronic migraine for over a year and thought I was going insane, often felt suicidal, and spent days in bed in dark room with nothing to do but google and go onto forums to research this disease. I found a similar post to this on a forum and it saved my life.
If you’re suffering right now you’re not alone. ❤
Also edit; I’m having a 4 day very mild (no vomiting, nausea, little pain but enough to make me miserable) so please excuse any spelling errors.
I honestly had 3 a week. I cut out wheat for something else (skin related) and I honestly get one migraine every 3 months if that! Obviously I had an intolerance I didn't know about but I just got fobbed off all the time and I lost out on so many years being in bed with the pain 
towards the end of my migraine it feels like it’s kind of coming down my nose?! So weird.
