Efficacy according to Wikipedia
In people averaging 8.3 migraines/month, the drug reduced the number of migraine days by 3.2 in the 70-mg group and 3.7 in the 140-mg group, versus 1.8 in the placebo (0-mg) group.[3][4]
10
Will Medicaid or any other assistance programs cover the cost? Because if not, it will be inaccessible to me & many other migraineurs. I understand that drugs cost money to develop but this is ridiculous & a perfect example of why SOME THINGS (i.e. basic human healthcare) should not be operated under a capitalistic for-profit system. Other developed nations will read this article & be outraged, as they should be. And so should we.
Average Americans with health problems can't afford the diagnostic tests, surgeries, appointments & meds that would allow us to work & be productive but our gov't doesn't want us on welfare or SSDI/Disability either. Sorry, but you're gonna have to pick one or the other to be greedy about. Can't have it both ways.
34
This article appears to be somewhat irresponsible. It quotes a doctor saying the new med is "fantastic" and gives the example of one patient whose headaches were dramatically diminished.
BUT the new drug actually decreased migraine frequency by only 2 episodes per month. Yes, that's good. But it if you're having 10 or 12 episodes per month, it's hardly "fantastic." And the patient used as an example does not appear to have had a typical response.
The article would be more helpful if Kolata had dug deeper -- if she had solicited comments from neurologists with no financial ties to the companies developing CGRPs and if she had interviewed a more typical study subject.
11
What are the side effects?
9
12 injections a year. $6,900. What are the drug's components? Fairy dust from Mars? The price is insane.
22
Article is all over the place. Is it one out of seven people suffering from chronic migraines, or 2%? Why are the numbers so different in America versus "the world?"
If Amgen is charging 6900 dollars, why would a neurologist claim that 8500 dollars would be acceptable if it helped those folks who suffer from chronic migraines?
CGRP sounds nice, even though I've never heard of it as an ER doctor who graduated at the top of my med school class. Meanwhile physicians can't even agree whether vasodilation or vasoconstriction causes "migraines." Along this line, some folks swear coffee makes their headache go away (one of the first migraine meds was cafergot, a combination of caffeine with an ergotamine). Others avoid coffee like the plague as it triggers theirs.
Neurologists can't even agree on what exactly constitutes a migraine versus a tension headache (which sounds like what the Silicon Valley VP in the earlier comments was experiencing). Bet your bottom dollar that the pharmaceutical companies won't fuss over that distinction much as long as someone is footing the bill.
If it's that efficacious, let the government foot the tab after some seriously hardball negotiations with these drug firms. Chalk the 25 dollars a day as a net gain due to increased productivity.
Next step- the lobbyists will be arguing for looser definitions of what constitutes "frequent" and "severe" when it comes to headaches.
This stuff makes Botox seem cheap by comparison.
27
I have suffered migraines for over 45 years, starting at age seven. Inherited from my dad who began getting migraines when he was a teenager; he had aura with his, as well as double vision and "seeing stars."
For the past two years I've begun having migraines every single day. Have tried the preventative: propanalol, antidepressants, magnesium citrate, vitamin B2, Butternut, Lamotrigine, and now Botox.
Of the latter, I have had two treatments, and although the severity has lessoned, I have not experienced fewer headaches.
I don't have much hope for this new drug either. One article said it only reduced frequency by only one or two a month. Not enough for me. I may try marijuana and cbd and see if that helps.
8
My sister suffers from chronic, debilitating migraines, so we are so hopeful about these new drugs. Her migraines came on suddenly after a car accident in which she sustained a seemingly minor neck injury. It took years, but she was finally diagnosed with a cerebral spinal fluid leak as a result of the car crash. It is such an unusual diagnosis, her neurologist never thought to test for it, she had to ask for the test herself after hearing about a similar case. Since then, I have come across two more people who had the same undiagnosed problem, both following a neck injury.
I just wanted to post this in case there might be someone reading who developed debilitating headaches and severe light sensitivity/ intolerance for any artificial light (a very characteristic symptom) following a neck or back injury. Ask your doctor if you should get your pressure checked for a CSF leak. You can also do a mini test at home- lie perfectly flat on your back (one thin pillow only!) for as much of the day/ night as possible, and hydrate like you’ve never hydrated before. If that helps, you might have a CSF leak. I believe this is chronically under diagnosed. But there is hope and treatment- George Clooney has a CSF leak, and has been able to get back to his life.
To all the migraine sufferers out there, I send you my very best wishes. I see what my sister goes through, and I would not wish it on my worst enemy. I sincerely hope this new treatment will bring you relief.
29
Do you think migraine drugs can help CSF headaches?
4
I used to have migraines many years ago, terrible headaches that lasted all day long. My doctor wanted to prescribe a drug to alleviate the pain but I refused it on the principle that the pain would teach me how to change. Then, I read about drinking more water and what the symptoms of dehydration were...headaches was one of the symptoms. (The list is long...from heart problems to high blood pressure to achy joints). I drank about 1.5 to 2 quarts a day, the recommended amount by doctors. Turns out, that was half of what I needed to drink to hydrate myself. Ever since I started drinking a gallon or more a day of reverse osmosis water with fulvic ionic minerals added to them in glass bottles, I have not had any headaches at all. Why didn't my doctor ask me how much water I drank! And why are we all drinking plastic bottled water! Haven't had a headache in years!!
5
400 mg. of magnesium citrate, taken daily, has almost eliminated my migraine attacks. Worth a try.
8
Cannabis and various tryptamine substances (illicit and prescription alike) have been known to treat migraines more effectively than any other type of chemical substance which may be readily accessible to most people.
Unfortunately, there is no political lobby for natural remedies to physiological maladies. Prohibition kills far more people than just those who fall prey to addiction.
8
Cannabis and CBD work better for my migraines than any pharmaceutical.
9
Yiikes. More money for and propaganda from big pharma.
I would like to take an informal survey: any of my fellow migraine sufferers here find that grass helps? That is my miracle drug. Wish that CBD oil had the same effect but it is not as reliable. have there been any studies on weed and migraines?
11
Botox treatments are the only thing that has helped this chronic migraine sufferer.
Relatively few, if any, side effects.
Unfortunately this new drug being pushed by Big Pharma won't be covered by most health insurances, despite what Novaris says.
6
I know the article finally gets around to it, but as a life long migraine sufferer, I really wish we'd stop calling these "headaches."
Any one of my fellow sufferers knows what I'm talking about.
The headache part of it is usually only the 3rd or 4th worst symptom and makes it sound like a much smaller deal than it is.
33
$6,900 per year cost from Amgen. Just wait until they start adding quarterly price increases.
7
Finally, some good news! :)
1
The best drug has already been around, costs much less and was created by the lord almighty it’s name is MARIJUANA and it has been used for migraine treatment for millennium.
10
Marijuana definitely helps some people, and should be legal, but it doesn't help everyone. Migraine symptoms can changes over time and the disorder manifests differently in different people, making it key to have more treatment options.
7
It didn't work for me, and it actually made me feel sicker than the particular sumatriptan that I was taking before I decided to try weed. What helped was changing to another sumatriptan.
5
Is that true? Are there no longer any migraine sufferers in Colorado?
8
Migraine sufferers are constantly bombarded by wellwishers with sure fire cures.”don’t eat bread/cheese/red wine/ white wine” or “my cousin’s best friend drank 3 cups of radish juice laced with coriander for 6 months and it cured her migraines.”
Or my favorite “My great aunt had migraines till the day my great uncle died!”(actually true).
My future, now ex-sister’s-in-law first words to me were what SHE knew would cure them. She was an expert...on everything.
Migraineurs spend their lives seeking what causes and what clears attacks, and what works for some doesn’t work for others. A new class of drugs that finally targets the physiological difference between sufferers and non-sufferers is a giant step forward.
37
Oh my god, yes, if I could have a dollar for every time some well-meaning person offered me some random bit of advice that helps their "headaches" I would be rich enough to afford this drug!
23
I'll take my debilitating migraines any time over this stuff. No way. Not even counting the price. Novartis's reputation is permanently sullied, but that's just part of it.
2
I know I'd be a lot less skeptical of this if Novartis hadn't just been outed for its pay for play attempts with the Trump administration. That 1 million to Trump pay for that FDA stamp of approval?
16
YEP, me too!
3
I suffer from migraines, often two or three a week. However I can'timagine one lasting for days! The NHS prescribes a medication for me which stops the pain in 30 - 45 minutes.
4
you're very fortunate. for some of us, nothing works, and a day or more of misery is not unusual. this med, if effective, will truly be a life changer.
12
I have been waiting and watching for this news for about 18 months now, since my neurologist first told me that it seemed likely that the CGRP inhibitors would be approved. I am running the gamut between hopeful and elated, trying not to become ecstatic, since the last class of wonder drugs (the triptans) didn't work well enough for me to continue with them given that they sent my blood pressure crashing.
I had my first migraine at the age of 16; that was 40 years ago. I'm the fourth generation in my family to suffer from them and my younger nephew, who turns 13 tomorrow, is the fifth. This can be his birthday present: the knowledge that these days, science takes research into migraine conditions seriously enough to develop new drugs and not dismiss them as "just a bad headache". I don't want to be like my grandfather, who had migraines throughout his life, including the day he died at the age of 81. I'm scared, because in the midst of three-day migraines, I find myself seriously considering suicide, after endless years of this. It has become harder to tolerate the pain, harder to claw my way back into "real life" after a multi-day attack, harder to force myself to try to make social or work plans. To those naysayers who see this as a pharmaceutical industry conspiracy -- well, for those of us who might get a life, or get a life back, try putting a price on that.
My neurologist looks at me and says, well, we've tried everything. Now, there's something new worth trying.
39
I'm so sorry for your suffering. I have only episodic migraine, but the months where it creeps up toward half the days, I can't imagine having them like you do. Have you found a support group at all? There are many on different mediums--migraine.org, Facebook groups (move against migraine, et al), the Migraine World Summit, and others--that provide a critical piece in many migraneurs' support networks, especially with the feelings of loneliness, shame and despondency. Good luck to you! I hope the new treatments help.
6
My heart goes out to you Suzanne. My sister has chronic migraine similar to yours. It is heartbreaking, to see the way her life has been turned upside down. I sincerely hope these drugs are the solution you have been waiting for. I hear they work fantastically well for certain types of migraines, and I hope that includes yours!
6
I am currently in the Teva clinical trial. My neurologist would not enroll me, but after 10 years of suffering 27 migraine days a month, I was beginning to feel hopeless and my quality of life was going downhill. Since my physician would not enroll me, so I emailed every study taking place near Chicago and got myself in on my own, fully aware of the lack of long term data available. I desperately needed to feel in control of my own care, and this was an empowering decision I made for myself.
While I'm still having migraines, what I can definitively state is that they are less frequent and that the abortive medications I use are more effective. Previous to this trial, I had tried and "failed" about a dozen different oral preventatives, each with significant side effects. I had tried Botox. I had tried and continue to try massage, biofeedback, and essential oils. The list goes on and on.
Ultimately, these CGRP trials have given me hope, which is more than I can say about anything else I've tried. And I continue to hope that one day there will be even better medications available. Until that time, I'll continue happily donating my body to science!
27
Korinda, thank you so much for sharing your story.
It reminds everyone that in order to take care of ourselves, we frequently need to push and use our own power and initiative.
I'm sorry that your doctor want in your corner.
So glad that you are feeling better.
4
Hoping this works for those who are still suffering.
I've had quite a bit of success with diet and lifestyle changes. Identifying my migraine triggers was not difficult and avoiding them is fairly straightforward for me. I must avoid certain foods, but this is not difficult or expensive.
6
$6,900 would give anyone a headache.
6
But that's mere pittance to the cost of lost wages and a few ER visits per year for headaches.
27
if you were a chronic migrainer like myself and so many others who have posted, you'd think $6,900 was a real bargain. Migraines steal your life - your family time, your relationships, your job, social activity and joy of simple things in life. The pain is indescribable, the nausea, the vomiting, the inability to form coherent sentences, at times to even get out of bed are constant and unrelenting. I was fortunate enough to have participated in one of the clinical trials for this antibody and IT WORKED, where absolutely nothing else did - and I tried it all. I felt like I was handed my life back and I have been waiting for this day for more than a year.
36
For serious. I’m sure my sister’s insurance will approve this in a heartbeat, in hopes that it can cut down on the ER visits, the infusions, the Botox, MRI after MRI, the 12 different Rx... I could go on.
5
The new drug "is not a panacea" for suffers, but they are for drug companies. If they can get people to take the drug for the rest of their lives prophylacticly , it is much better than as needed. For those poor souls who suffer this affliction, they will often be denied the joy of the day when the migraines would have gone away on their own.
3
As a sufferer of CMS (Chronic Migraine Syndrome) I can tell you that the migraine will not "go away on its own". I would pay anything, take anything, do anything, to live a 'normal' life again. I look forward to trying this.
25
I've been waiting 40 years for the day when the migraines would have gone away on their own. How much longer would you like me to wait?
21
You presume the migraines *will* go away on their own. Mine don't. Ever.
2
HOPE. That is what my head is filled with this morning--way more than pain--after hearing the news that this new migraine preventative drug has been approved. Eight years ago I was a VP of Corporate Communications at a high-tech firm in Silicon Valley when I suddenly was hit by a thunder clap migraine that took me to my knees--and sent me to the hospital--while at a business conference. The migraines never stopped, but my career did. Can't work a fifty-hour a week job where people count on you, when you can't count on being able to get out of bed each morning let alone function. My social life did too, as friends get tired of having dates broken because you never know when you'll be able to show up. My big beautiful life grew small and isolated. During the last eight years, I have been treated by local neurologists and top experts at Mayo Clinic and Stanford. I have tried 19 different (not designed specifically for migraines) drugs that caused terrible side effects and bore no significant impact on the frequency, severity or duration of my chronic migraines (still 4-5 out of 7 days week). I've watched closely--along with the headache experts at Stanford--as the last three years of regimented CGRP studies were conducted, (to me) slowly and painstakingly. I believe this is the REAL DEAL. Today I have HOPE that maybe, just maybe, I will get (even half of) my life back.
52
HOPE. Me too. I truly pray this works. I'm "okay" today. If "okay" means exhausted, muscles aching, head throbbing, but not as bad as yesterday.
Blessings for the return to good health to you!
8
I hear you and hope your life improves with this new medication too. Good luck!
This is great news but only if people will have access to the drug. If your insurance doesn't cover it, you'll just have to continue to suffer. Or if you have a huge deductible or co-pay you can't afford. As long as our healthcare system is driven by making huge profits people will suffer.
7
$6900 a year ?
Good luck convincing your insurance company to cover that one.
6
Another hyper-expensive "gift" from Big Pharma. It will cost $7000 a year if you don't have insurance.
4
Each ER visit costs me $2k, with insurance. I get at least two multi-day migraines every month. You can do the math, but even if insurance DOESN'T pay, it still works out in my favor, if it helps reduce the frequency/severity of the migraines. Not to mention if I'm able to become more productive and earn more...
9
My quarterly Botox injections cost $1,200 each time. My doctor charges $150 each time to administer them. That’s 35 injections that hurt like hell. I get a $30 painkiller injection after each Botox session. Add it up, that’s $5,520 JUST for Botox. Botox takes two weeks to take effect and wears off two weeks before the next shots. And while Botox helps, it doesn’t completely stop my regular migraines, and it has no effect on my vestibular migraines, so I still have to take other meds for my migraines.
My preventive meds cost an average of $150/month. My abortive meds that I use when I have a migraine cost $200/month.
Add all of that up and my medical cost for my migraines is $9,720 a year. For a regimen that is only partly effective and still results in migraines when the Botox is not on board.
If this new drug works, it will be less expensive than my current annual cost for migraines and is just a monthly injection I can do at home.
Sounds like a bargain to me.
7
I cannot, CANNOT, express how much this means to me. I've had chronic migraine, without aura, with status migrainosus, for about 20 years. It means I basically have a constant migraine.
I land in the ER every 4-6 weeks because they've been so horrible I need IV medication to kill them. I have a letter from my neuro on file with the ER I use.
This could put an end to that. This could give me my LIFE back. I don't need my migraines to disappear completely, I need them to stop showing up every. single. day. I'd be THRILLED if I could get down to 1 migraine a week that lasted a couple days.
I'm so tired of being in pain.
42
I hear you. Only I no longer go to the ER, because I. can't afford it. One visit is $2k. So the cost of this is a drop in the ocean compared to ER visits...
8
I am so happy for today's severe migraineurs. I used to have migraines a lot but they disappeared around my 50s birthday. same for my father and mother.
when having an episode I wouldn't have resisted anytime trying to kill me, and my migraines weren't even that bad. the lethargy, pain, nausea, irritability harms you and your loved ones. our family dynamics evolved around our migraines. I am sure we were not alone.
this medication is vital, even if it is expensive.
15
I also suffer from migraines, although not as frequently as readers here do. I am fortunate that the Triptan class of medicines work for me do I don’t have to investigate further. While I am thrilled to learn a new solution may be coming, the price is unbelievable - $8000?? I hope insurance will cover this cost for the millions who need it. Me? I pay 5 euros for 12 tablets, courtesy of socialized medicine. I am sure the new medicine will be subsidized when it reaches Europe one day as well. Wish my American friends were as fortunate.
34
My daughter-in-law had to abandon her mostly-completed PhD studies due to persistent migraines. She cannot work and suffers regular attacks, so this drug could be a life-changer for her. But the price??? It is symptomatic of US extortionate drug pricing that the more benefit the patient derives, the more money the drug cartel squeezes out of them.
19
The thing about migraine is that there are different treatments that work for different people. So this wonder drug might work some, and not others.
8
you are right. so let's be happy for those where it does work and continue working for those where it doesn't.
21
I found Butalbital worked, but my doctor will not prescribe it any longer. The mania over 'drug abuse' has made my life more painful. And that is after more than 40 years of successful use.
13
Be careful with butalbital. It can cause rebound migraines after a while. It was my holy grail for about a year then the rebounds started. An awful cycle. Good luck.
5
I would find another doctor. I take Butalbital as needed about once per week. It works better than anything else. I think it's fine to take as long you're careful not to drift into taking it every day.
8
Migraine can be a symptom of a serious underlying illness (tumors, increased intracranial pressure, vasculitis, etc.) that should be properly diagnosed and treated. Neck, sinus, and TMJ problems often contribute to chronic migraines, and treating these can alleviate headaches without medications. I worry that safety and common sense will be abandoned in the rush to embrace this new medication.
4
if any of the causes you cite are the culprit, the new prophylaxis won't help. after 3 month you would get off it, and if for no other reason that it is expensive.
1
Yes, migraines can be a result of many underlying issues, and chronic migraine sufferers have been tested and treated for almost all of those illnesses you mentioned. Nobody with chronic migraines "rush[es] to embrace new medications." We often hope that we can find a cause; then, there might be a cure. Unless you have chronic migraine disease, and have tried every medication and treatment available to humankind, please be wary of categorizing what can be treated without medication. Try waking up everyday feeling as if a butcher knife were in your head...this is the life of a migraine sufferer.
25
While other issues can mimic migraines, those are the first things doctors look for to rule them out. Migraine patients go through neurological exams, CT and MRI scans and try all manner of preventative and rescue medications. Some of us get more serious treatments like Botox and/or nerve blocks. Trust me, No one is going to just decide to try this treatment on a whim. It’s for people for whom no other treatments work and insurance companies will require documentation to that effect.
13
I read the study and they excluded anyone who had previously failed at 2 different preventive treatments..... that's me, and pretty much anyone else I know who has chronic migraines, because those of us with severe chronic migraines have almost undoubtedly tried at least 2, and often more, preventive treatments over the years that we've suffered, and without success. I'm surprised that the study authors decided to exclude people who had failed 2 prior preventive drugs -- it seems like that population should have been the very population they would want to target, not exclude! Thus, I am skeptical that the study results are going to be more broadly applicable to the whole population of severe chronic migraine sufferers. That said, I am ready to try anything, and ready to pay out of pocket myself, to help my migraines, since they cause me so much suffering.
32
Welcome to the wonderful world of pharmaceutical company research where they put their thumbs on the scale as much as possible to get the results they want.
12
here is what Novartis writes in its press release: In the study, 246 participants with episodic migraine who had two to four previous treatment failures were randomized to receive Aimovig 140 mg or placebo during the 12-week double-blind treatment phase. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with at least a 50% reduction of monthly migraine days from baseline over the last four weeks of the double-blind treatment phase of the study (weeks 9-12). The study includes an ongoing 52-week open-label extension study.
5
I cannot even imagine…Well yes I can, as I’ve had one or several headaches in my life and did not like them… 27 days out of a month, that is continuous if you ask me. $8000 a year would be well worth it, but there should be a free trial period for the 15% For which it doesn’t work.
6
as the article states, a migraine is not just a headache, although it includes excruciating, debilitating pain in the head.
for those lucky enough not to experience migraine, try to imagine the difference between painfully stubbing your toe once in a blue moon... and getting your foot repeated caught in a meat grinder, frequently and unexpectedly.
even when a migaine sufferer is not having an episode, life is ruled by the constant worry another "headache" is sure to attack at any time.
23
No, you can just have a headache and it still can be migraines. However, you can have the other symptoms people often have with migraines (nausea, photophobia, etc) and not have a headache and still have migraines.
1
I’ve had migraine with aura for 40 years. The early days were rough going as there was little to no information about classical migraine. Describing the visual disturbance when I was a kid to clueless physicians was an exercise in frustration.
Since, I’ve been through pretty much every possible treatment, both prophylactic and abortive. They all have drawbacks, not least of which is the unknown effects of long term use. Well, that and cost.
I welcome this new drug, even if the name gives me a headache.
29
Unfortunately, migraine sufferers will probably have to overcome huge hurdles to have this class of drugs covered by their insurance. They'll have to prove that cheaper, less effective drugs have failed them. The paperwork will be enormous, especially since the patients will still be having the migraines. The insurance companies will do what they can to force sufferers to pay out of pocket.
47
There are millions of us who have already jumped through all of those hoops who are just waiting for this drug.
4
I suffer chronic migraine, but let's not throw caution to the wind. Claims of miracle drugs by doctors and drug companies have been made before. Soon after, evidence begins to appear that the drug isn't such a miracle after all. The general public doesn't read the research methods and results of scientific research, in other words, the fine print. Let's see the research reports in scientific journals. Then, patients have a chance at evaluating claims for themselves. Some of the history of the FDA, big pharm, and the medical establishment dictates caution. Success in clinical trials is one thing, but how well a drug does in general use is another. Truly, let's hope it lives up to its billing. Migraines are an epidemic. Those of us who suffer them need all the help we can get. Time will tell. Until then, caveat empor.
20
There actually is a lot of evidence on these drugs because--unlike with triptans and anti-convulsants--the doctors actually *know* how the drugs work.
I've been following the research on this for a while. This is a game-changer because it's a new insight into how migraine functions and the new drugs are designed to combat a specific molecule that scientists have determined is highly linked to migraine attack.
I can't wait.
58
They have a theory supported by some experimental evidence. Ill read the research myself and come to my own conclusions. Time will also tell. There is no free lunch when it comes to these very powerful medicines. Let's wait and revisit all these claims after it's been out for a while. Also, who paid for these scientists research?
There have been many “new insights” into mechanisms of migraines. From vascular spasm to spreading neuronal depression. Each theory was based on medicines which showed efficacy in treatment. We now have a new medicine and a new theory.
4
As the JAMA editorial says this is progress but not a panacea.
The problem is that under the general heading of migraines, there are many different headache disorders with different etiologies. Migraines without aura are probably much more like tension-type headaches (and despite the population misconception that the "tension" refers to muscle tension in fact it refers to psychological tension) than they are to migraines with aura.
I always love it when people say that wouldn't use medications to treat mental disorders as we don't understand what causes them. Anyone who buys into that should ask themselves should we not then use medications to treat migraine headaches as we know even less about what causes them.
3
Migraine is not caused by psychological tension or disorder.
8
Steve, you must not know very much about migraines. I have chronic migraines without aura. That means that I have 14 or more migraine days per month. In fact, without intervention I have them pretty much continuously. I also have vestibular migraines which have no head pain, but terrible nausea and dizziness. Both types are debilitating.
Migraines have numerous aspects, and auras are only one potential piece of them.
10
I've had migraines for over twenty years. They occur on a continuum from a bad headache to pain so extreme one is rendered non-functioning. So some can be dealt with by taking Excedren (acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine) the earlier the better. For serious migraines I take Relpax, a very effective migraine blocker for the most painful headaches. But the thing about Relpax is that is cost between $35.00 to $70.00 per pill. I recently had a bad migraine every day for over three weeks. Without the Relpax I would have been at the ER
20
from personal experience: an ER visit woud be a wasted trip. the only thing they might be able to do you can't do otherwise is put you under anathesia. and if you're not bleeding or undergoing cardiac arrest, you'll be left to wait in your agony behind others with "real" problems... and all in the noise and glare of a hospital setting.
10
"....27 migraine days a month". The way I think -- that's every day. Will the price go down when Lilly et al get on board? Fantastic work. Thanks.
5
There are many factors causing migraines, however they frequently occur following an episode of sustained stress. I suffered with them nearly every week in my first year of medical school. Good stress management is essential and may be preventative for many of us. Retirement cured mine! :)) Stress R Us
11
While stress is a factor in some migraines, it is not the cause of all. Women are often dismissed as being 'too anxious' and their pain is ignored. It's wonderful that your migraines went away, but please don't insinuate that migraines are the fault of the patient.
27
If you had headaches with a specific situational stress trigger that went away one the trigger stopped, I suggest that you had tension headaches, not migraines.
8
I'm generally a pretty stoic person, but when I learned this news last night, I actually found myself crying tears of relief and joy as I read the words. I have suffered for almost a decade now with near-chronic moderate to severe migraines which have proven resistant to first, second and third-line preventative medications currently in use. I do the best I can to maintain a normal life, but living with constant pain and few treatment options that work has taken a significant toll. I know the new class of CGRP inhibitors won't work for everyone, and I haven't had the benefit of participation in any of the clinical trials to date to know whether they may work for me, but for the first time I have real hope of a treatment that may not only may help control my migraines, but do so without crippling side effects. The potential here cannot be understated.
77