OK, a common misconception about migraine meds is that they should work immediately and perfectly. In a perfect world, that might be true. However, depending on how long you've been sick with migraines, all meds might take longer to work. So patience is required.

I've had migraines 63 years. That reason alone throws me out of 98% of surveys because research companies don't run tests on long haul migraineurs. Therefore, nobody knows how well or how quick medications will work for us.

My neurologist requested that I commit to a full year when I test new medications. He said my body has been in this pain mode for so long, CGRPs are use to pumping out at full speed, and who knows how long it will take to slow them down. I'm glad we had that discussion because he was right. Aimovig took 3 years before I saw good results. Nurtec took 2 years.

Aimovig has decreased frequency and intensity, but first year it did nothing. Second year it reduced my migraines from 24-28 down to 20-24. Thired year, went down to 14-17. This year I'm at 10-14.

Nurtec didn't do anything the first year, but since I had already experienced Aimovig's slow improvement, I was more than willing to wait for Nurtec. Glad I did! I haven't had a rescue med for 8 years. Now I do! Some days if I'm slow to start Nurtec, it may take it 2 hours to work. Other days if I pop it in immediately, migraine's gone in 20 minutes. But it always eases up my migraine eventually.

If Medicare is not covering your medication or treatment, you need to fight them. I get botox covered, but pre-approval is required, and everyvyear you have to start over. Your doctor needs to appeal their decision. There's a lot of hoops to jump through and it takes a long time to try all of the cheaper meds that are older. It will not cover Nurtec or Aimovig because they are too expensive, but my doctor gives me samples, and I've been getting free Aimovig from Amgen Safety Net Foundation. Look into it! Of course, I'm writing this under the Biden Administration and who knows what Trump's Administration will do.

I'm currently on Nurtec and it's an absolute life saver! Of course I am getting Botox injections, along with Toradol injections at home PRN, too. And other meds,too. I've suffered from migraines for 33 years 😫 and feel like Nurtec is the fastest way to get rid of a migraine at home so far. It's expensive but it's a game changer, for sure.

I think I need to comment to the people who had zero results or even inconsistent results. My neurologist told me about 5 years ago that those of us with lifelong migraines will take longer to respond to the anti-CGRP medication because our body has had these issues for so long, it just takes longer to work to turn off the CGRPs. He had me promise to give Aimovig a full year before rejecting it. It actually took 2 years, so when we added Nurtec into the mix, the same consideration was needed. And yes, it took a year before Nurtec started knocking my migraines out.

The problem people like me fact is that drug companies don't use long term migraineurs in the testing. We give negative results because of the fact we've been sick for so long, and there's a theory that our brains have become hypersensitive to pain.

Anyway, if you tried Nurtec for a few times or even a few months, and it didn't work, but you're still in search of a rescue med because none have helped, you might want to go back to it and give it a longer trial. Or maybe even ask your doctor about layering Nurtec with sumatriptan like my doctor did. Of course, if you have a medication that works for you, please ignore this.

For reference, I've had migraines 63 years, since 1961. I became episodic in the 1980s, and chronic in the mid 1990s. Almost daily migraines started around 2008 with 24-28 days a month, which included fainting 3-7 times a month too. Thank goodness I could take triptans back then!

Now I take Aimovig, botox, and use Nurtec as rescue med. Migraines have been reduced almost in half... usually. During the recent snows with the barometric pressure jumping straight up, then straight down, my migraines increased a lot.

Nurtec did nothing for me but make my stomach sick. My insurance said they didn't cover it. If they ordered it, the cost would be $900 a month! My dr. has put me on another med.(can't remember the name) I haven't taken it yet because of side effects. I have idiopathic pancreatitis and a heart condition. Does anyone else? Thanks for answering me

Yes, I am taking Nurtec.  It works great for getting rid of migraines.  

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