Chronic migraine can deplete quality of life and according to the American Migraine Foundation, over 39 million people in America are affected by it.
The best way to control these frequent and chronic migraines is through preventative therapies and treatments also known as prophylaxis.
Please note that migraines can only be diagnosed by a medical professional, based on tests and/or family history.
Angiotensin Blockers
Angiotensin is a hormone which causes the blood vessels to narrow down. There are several medications which help block this uptake of hormone or prevent the production of angiotensin.
Side Effects:
- Cough
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Lightheadedness
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
Anticonvulsants
Also known as antiepileptic drugs, helps in slowing down the nerve signal in the brain. This helps prevent epileptic seizures. The medicine might include narrow spectrum AEDs for specific types of seizures.
Side Effects:
- Rash
- Fatigue
- Increased Energy
- Gastrointestinal Symptoms
- Paresthesia
- Weight Gain
- Hair Loss
Antidepressants
Amitriptyline, a type of tricyclic depressant, was found to be effective in treating Migraines by the National Library of Medicine. Antidepressants are typically designed to alter the neurotransmitter in the brain.
Side-Effects:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Dry Mouth
- Difficulty concentrating
- Elevated heart rate
Beta-Blockers
Beta-blockers help in reducing blood pressure and heartbeat by blocking the adrenaline hormones. According to AJMC, the use of beta-blockers can reduce the symptoms of migraine by at least 50%. These medications take time to show results.
Side-Effects:
- Dry Mouth
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Sleep cycle disturbance
- Weight-gain
Botox
An injectable drug produced by Clostridium Boltiduim, used to temporarily paralyze the muscles, has been proven effective preventative therapy for migraine. Even though botox is most popularly known for cosmetic facelifts and procedures, a study has found that botox can reduce migraine headaches to 2 a month.
Side-Effects
- Pain during injection
- Drooping eyelids
- Muscle weakness
- Neck Pain
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) therapy
CGRP or Calcitonin gene-related peptide therapy uses monoclonal antibodies to reduce the inflammation and pain associated with the chronic migraine episodes.
Side-effects:
- Injection site pain
- Respiratory issues
- Gastrointestinal issues
- Fatigue
- Nausea
Triptans
Triptans are used for only short-term migraine prevention therapies. Triptans mimic the actions of the neurotransmitter serotonin and help in relieving pain.
Side-effects:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
How to choose the right preventative therapy for yourself?
The therapies and their effectiveness differ from person to person. The therapies need to be tried under the supervision of a medical professional over a period of time, to see which therapy gives you the best result. Each therapy takes at least 2-3 months time to give results, which is a 50% decrease in migraine pain and headaches.
How can NSUR help with Preventative Therapies?
NSUR offers a prescription discount card called NSURx to help you save money on your prescriptions.
Simply present your NSURx card to the pharmacist the next time you fill a prescription of migraine medication at your local pharmacy, and you could save up to 80% on your prescription costs! Moreover, every time you fill a prescription using NSURx, you will receive NSUR Coin as a reward, which you can use to buy goods and services on our health and wellness shopping platform.
Over 35,000 pharmacies accept NSURx prescriptions, including major chains like Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart and smaller, independent retailers in your neighborhood.
There is no limit on the number of prescriptions you can fill using NSURx or the frequency at which you can fill them. You can even use NSURx to get discounts on other prescriptions for your friends and family (including pets!).
Visit NSURx’s price lookup tool to see how much you can start saving today on your Tresiba prescriptions and to find the nearest pharmacy to you that accepts NSURx, or call +1 (855) 917-6216. Most users have a pharmacy within 2 miles of their home that takes NSURx.
