News

3 April 2020

Introducing Nurtec for Migraine

With all that’s going on in the world, it’s easy to miss the important migraine stories that may have a positive impact on treatment for years to come. One of those recent news stories was the approval of a new migraine drug, Nurtec.

We’ve talked about Nurtec before, under its generic name rimegepant. Nurtec was approved last month by the FDA for the acute (abortive) treatment of migraine.

Nurtec is not the first (and probably won’t be the last) “gepant” medication to be approved. We already know that one drug of the same class may work for you when another doesn’t. But what are Nurtec’s specific strengths?

Here’s what the makers of Nurtec say in their press release:

First and only calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist available in a fast-acting orally disintegrating tablet (ODT)
A single oral dose of NURTEC ODT 75 mg can provide fast pain relief and return patients to normal function within one hour, and deliver sustained efficacy that lasts up to 48 hours for many patients
86 percent of patients treated with a single dose of NURTEC ODT did not use a migraine rescue medication within 24 hours

Well, it may be similar to what many migraine medications want to claim, but for Nurtec it’s speed and effectiveness. The fast-acting dissolving tablet does tend to be a help, and these drugs seem to work very quickly as it is. It is attractive to be able to take one tablet, and not need to take anything else.

It’s also a convenient drug because you don’t need to take it with water.

If you want to learn more, you can visit the official Nurtec website here. But Biohaven has kindly provided us with an info sheet, which you can download (pdf file) by clicking on the graphic below.

20 March 2020

Two Days (video)

James News 0

This simple yet powerful video was the winner of the 2nd Migraine Moment Short Film competition at the American Migraine Foundation. Every once in a while it’s worth our time to pause and think about the message you’ll see here.

The film was created by Eliza Glass and starred Julie Fenton-Glass.

By the way, the 2020 contest is now open! You have a few weeks to get your video in. Details here: Enter the Migraine Moment Short Film Contest

21 February 2020

What’s New at the Migraine World Summit 2020

James News, Resources 0

If you like to stay up to date with the latest useful information in the world of headache and migraine research – well, that means you’re a regular guest at Headache and Migraine News, of course! 😀 But aside from that, you’re probably starting to get excited about the 2020 Migraine World Summit!

Those of us who attend the free summit are often among the first to learn about new treatments, and to hear the best tips for living life with migraine and fighting back against headache pain. So here’s a quick look at some of what we can expect at this year’s summit!

(First – be sure to get your free tickets for the online summit, even if you’re not sure how many of the sessions you’ll be able to watch or listen to (just click Register Now, or log in if you’re a previous attender). Registering early helps those in charge gauge interest and also shows researchers and policy makers that we want the fight against migraine to be a priority!)

The Migraine World Summit Online

As usual, there will be several days of free seminars. The dates to mark on your calendar are the 18th-26th of March.

Following last year’s format, each day will have a theme, which is useful for those wanting to set aside time to get expert advice on a certain topic. For example, Day 6 (23 March) focuses on alternative treatments. Actually, let’s just take a quick look at what we can expect…

18 March “Real Warriors” — meet some real people who are fighting the battle against cluster, migraine and headache, such as Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard and Bob Wold, founder of Clusterbusters.
19 March “Causes & Diagnosis” — Why do most doctors get your diagnosis wrong? How does genetics fit in? What about concussion, or emotional trauma?
20 March “Types” — Two special focuses here – chronic types of migraine, and also menstrual migraine. These four presenters are experts in their fields who have real contact with migraine patients who are looking for solutions.
21 March “Symptoms” — Headache pain is terrible, but there are many other disabling symptoms that we need to deal with. It’s time to fight back against nausea, mood disorders, facial pain – even memory loss. What’s going on, and how do we solve it?
22 March “Triggers” — This is actually a rapidly changing field of knowledge. What we thought we knew about triggers years ago is being challenged today. So what do you need to know about weather related migraine, light sensitivity, and dietary factors? Snuck into this day is a key discussion about the pros and cons of the new CGRP medications.
23 March “Alternative Treatments” — Are any supplements still worth the investment? What about CDB oil? How can I navigate the confusing information about nutrition?
24 March “Treatments” — Here’s where we look at the latest and upcoming treatments (including CGRP related medications). And should I be looking at a multi-pronged approach to treatment? When is surgery a viable option?
25 March “Taking Control” — How can I approach migraine and the workplace? What the best tips for 2020 to get access to the best treatments and insurance coverage? How can I deal with psychological challenges that may come with migraine?
26 March (presumably these will be the wrap-up sessions)

Migraine World Summit OnStage – 11 March 2020

If you’re not excited already, if you’re in the New York City area you have yet another reason to get excited. A live and in-person Migraine World Summit event!

A packed-out live event will be another way to show policy makers that migraine, cluster and headache research is a priority. So be sure to show your support!

As noted above, this event takes place a week before the summit begins.

Where: Grand Hyatt New York
When: 6pm-8:30pm, March 11th (“Orange carpet” begins at 5pm)
Cost: $10 – which is a tax deductible donation to the World Health Education Foundation (WHEF)
Light refreshments will be served at the welcome reception

The event will feature comedian Whitney Cummings (author of I’m Fine…And Other Lies), Olympic medalist Amanda Beard (author of In the Water They Can’t See You Cry: A Memoir) and migraine and headache experts Dr. Dawn Buse, Dr. Lawrence C. Newman and Dr. Amaal Starling. In fact, there will even be an audience Q&A, so prepare your questions!

So what’s next?

If you’re in the New York area, be sure to get your tickets (you do need tickets in advance for this one because space is limited) right here.

Wherever you are in the world, register for free for the online Migraine World Summit here. Let’s make this the biggest summit ever, and let the world know that we need solutions and support to stamp out migraine and headache disorders.

10 February 2020

Healthline’s new Migraine App

James News, Resources 0

Healthline has recently come out with a new app. Although similar to other apps that the company has developed, this app is quite different than most of the migraine apps you’ve seen before.

Healthline Media, Inc. is a popular health website, owned by marketing company Red Ventures. It was launched in 2006 (based on an earlier website), and has grown significantly in the last few years. You can visit Healthline’s main site here to get a feel for it.

Healthline has launched a number of apps which are designed partly to promote its content, but also to bring together people dealing with certain health conditions. In 2016, they launched MS Buddy, followed by Breast Cancer Healthline and IBD Healthline. The latest app is Migraine Healthline.

The purpose of Healthline’s app is not to track symptoms and diagnose, but to promote Healthline content and link you with other people who are dealing with migraine, and so to provide support. Think of it as a way to find people with similar migraine “interests” – matching you with a group of people who are on a similar journey.

When you open the app, you’ll start by answering a few questions. They are basic, but they’re important because they will be used to match you with other users. (If you’re interested in privacy concerns, you can find all the information that applies to the app here – Privacy Policy.)

After you answer the questions, you’ll find yourself on a page that looks very much like a migraine Facebook, with posts by users with replies, as well as posts from Healthline articles. You can navigate to groups, to talk about specific topics (navigating healthcare, lifestyle, medication and treatments, etc.). You can meet members (some of whom are also promoting their own sites), send and receive messages, and get matched up with specific people based on your symptoms and interests.

The app is very new, so the action is a little limited at this point, although it already has a good number of users. But based on the popularity of Healthline and its other apps, that should change over the next few months.

As you can guess, there are pros and cons to this kind of an app. But the most obvious strength is finding other people to connect with. So many people feel like they have no one to talk to about the migraine and headache challenges that they’re facing – this is one way to connect with others. The best way? Probably not. But another way.

Have you been using Migraine Healthline? What’s your opinion? How could it be better? How has it helped you? Let us know!

The app is available for iOs and Android.

6 February 2020

Headaches and 9/11

James News 0

This past summer, the government of the USA extended the deadline of the Victim Compensation Fund for those who may have been affected by the 9/11 attacks. Specifically:

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”) was created to provide compensation for any individual (or a personal representative of a deceased individual) who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001 or the debris removal efforts that took place in the immediate aftermath of those crashes.
Source: ABOUT THE VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND

Many people are realizing that it’s taking a long time to evaluate and understand how people’s health was affected, especially by the soot and dust in lower Manhattan. Anyone who knows specifically about neurological conditions such as migraine knows that it takes many years to study these things.

Joe McKay is a former firefighter who worked at the site. He has also been involved in advocacy for those who are dealing with the after-effects. For him, it’s cluster headache. It’s worth watching the video below to hear his story.

Cluster headache is not the only condition that has been studied in connection with 9/11. In fact, it’s not the only headache condition. For a quick summary of headache concerns from a few years ago, see Headache may linger years later in people exposed to World Trade Center dust, fumes

The good news is that there is some compensation available, not only for those who specifically worked at the site, but also those who may have been close by or living in a certain area. Since we’re still learning about the long term effects of exposure, it’s worth it to register now. Just check the official site here: September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

Meanwhile, we need to continue studying toxins and fumes that can cause severe headache issues, so that we can better understand headaches and find better treatment. There are many situations worldwide in which people can be exposed.

Thanks to the National Headache Foundation for pointing out this story.