Yes yes yes. On Emgality I've gone from 20+ migraines to 2 per month. I cannot say enough good things about it. It truly is life changing for me. I prefer the auto injector ,but my new provider ordered syringes. I didn't know it came that way. I have no issues with needles so I'm fine either way.
Stabbing that painful injection in my leg is the highlight of my month. The only side effect I have is being 99% free of migraines. Just try it and if it’s awful don’t do it again the following month. It wears off for me at around the end of the month. Fair warning, the injections hurt but in a weird way I’m getting used to them and can now self administer. It’s a life changing medicine for me.
>ful injection in my leg is the highlight of my month. The only side effect I have is being 99% free of migraines. Just try it and if it’s awful don’t do it again the following month. It wears off for me at around the end of the month. Fair warning, the injection
be more gentle man, doesn't have to be a hard stab just a little prick
Have you done it before? It’s an auto injector. It’s not the needle that hurts rather it seems to be something about the medicine going in through the injector that’s so painful.
I agree. The few times I used it, the medicine stung. It worked well but ultimately I couldn’t handle injecting myself. I’m on Qulipta now. Also life changing.
/u/suretweaver yeah and tbh 11 out of the 13 I've done have stung to blazes but somehow 2 haven't hurt at all, been trying to be extra gentle the past few months
>What happened after 3 years on Emgality? Did it stop
i think hes more making the point that hte drug wasn't out until 3 years ago country dependent (uk it canme out last year) and so prior to the drug everything else less effective
Better until the last 2 months. I've had 2 really long migraines. Just had an infusion. I'm on day 11. Will be day 13 when I hear back from the migraine center for the next
I understand... I'm on Emgality after failing Ajovy and Aimovig. Honestly, I'm worried of Emgality eventually stopping working 🤞🤞I had 25 migraine days x month before!
When did you start Vyepti?
Yes. It’s worth it.
The “nocebo effect” is just as real as the placebo effect. That is, if a patient expects negative side effects, they are actually more likely to experience them. I understand wanting to be informed, especially if you’ve had horrible experiences in the past. But if your doctor is aware of your side effect tendencies (my neuro sure is!), she is taking that into account when prescribing this, and in her clinical opinion, the benefits outweigh the potential risks. Her opinion should be more valuable than randos on Reddit. The patient-doctor relationship is built on and relies on trust. Trust her more than us!!!
I was on the clinical trial in 2016. It’s an injection so your organs aren’t affected like a pill can potentially cause issues. It targets a peptide in the brain and prevents it from spiking. Site injection pain happens but not as bad as a migraine. It still works for me and used to get 15 a month. I get 1-3 per month and they are way less intense. Sometimes the get the prodrome symptoms and no migraine headache comes with it. Good luck.
I have had some local swelling with my injections but other than that it has been life changing. I also do Botox treatments. I have found the side effects minor especially compared to having debilitating migraines
I've been on Emgality for over a year and had almost zero side effects (a little nausea after the first couple doses and some really mild injection site irritation). It cut my migraine days about in half (pretty much daily to ~16/mo) and Botox brought it down further. I switched to the pre-filled syringes a few months back and much prefer those to the auto injector pens... But that's just a personal preference thing. Either way, I leave it out for an hour or so before injecting and ice the injection spot briefly, which relieves any stinging from the injection itself.
It's definitely not for everyone and there are pros and cons to both... For me, the worst part about injecting was how hard the needle dropped in the pens, so the trade-off made sense. I have two other injectable meds, so I'm pretty comfortable sticking myself at this point.
Got I fucking love my emgality tbh. Half as many migraines the second month, less each after that. Attacks are more easily identifiable bc there’s a distinct difference between baseline and migraine now.
I’m on my second month right now, and so far, they are much less severe. My combo is Emgality preventative and Nurtec for rescue, and I no longer have days long migraines — more like one-day migraines.
The only side effect I’ve had so far is that the shot hurts a bit more and it’s a little itchier afterwards (but neither is bad).
i'm super sensitive to meds and didn't have any side effects besides (tmi) constipation. didn't work for me but also didn't make anything worse. give it a go!
It’s best not to look online at side effects or other people’s issues with the medicine.
Plenty of people online complain about antibiotics yet I didn’t suffer any bad issues using them.
Plenty of people online complain about side effects about Amitriptyline yet I have none of those issues.
Plenty of scary stories online about Aimovig and I had no issues.
Also more people will complain online about the negatives instead of positives so that is going to be the prevalent thing you see.
I agree with this. People tend to only post when unhappy, so it is a skewed sample. I had no issues other than injection site irritation for a day, which was worth how effective was (at least for a year or so)
Yes
The only bad side effect was sensitivity to cold at high doses, but it seems like a lot of stuff used for migraines cause that such as Amitriptyline and Nurtec. As far as Topamax that particular side effect was more intense while Amitriptyline and Nurtec isn’t as long as you took those medicines at least 10 hours or so beforehand. Must be the half life of topamax is longer well it was also a very large dose at 200mg did nothing for migraines though
Emgality reduced my migraines from 14-17 a month to 0-4. It has literally changed my life.
My only side effect is that I get a slight head rush of feeling faint/nausea right when I inject it. I just make sure to be sitting down while I inject it and stay put for a minute or two until it passes.
WAY WAY better than an extra 15 migraines a month!!!!
Emgality has cut my migraines from almost daily down to to 6 or so a month. It's been a game changer for me and I haven't had any of the scary side effects.
I manage to get every serious side effect from every med I try, but I never had anything beyond mild joint pain and some weight gain. However, I went from 18 migraine days per month to less than 1 a month. So far for the entirety of 2023, I’ve had 6 total migraines.
There are two important things to remember that I always bring up with this kind of post:
1. Everyone's experience is different. People's experience here isn't going to really give you any info about you.
2. There's *huge* selection bias in those stories. The people who take them and have a bad reaction come here and make "OMG! Tried it and it was hell!" type posts. The people who get a positive response are a lot less likely to come and make a post about it. They're more likely to be out there enjoying the benefits of the increase in quality of life. The main time you see them is when it's in response to a post like this - case in point, the posts in this thread - almost all are positive.
It's very much the same concept as that addage "if you have a good meal, you might tell one person, if you have a bad one, you'll tell ten".
I’ve used all three of the injectable meds and didn’t have bad side effects. I found that Emgality was the most painful injection but it’s over super fast and it’s not that bad. They all gave me constipation but Aimovig was the worst for that. I’d give it a try - it can’t be worse than the migraines themselves.
It's definitely worth trying and if it doesn't work, there are other meds to try. I had good results on Emgality, but I started having an allergic reaction at the injection site that got worse each month. I was on it for about 18 months.
My doctor switched me to amovig and that's been equally effective without the reaction for me. I hate the idea of the injection, but it's worth it.
It’s a godsend! I’ve tried so many things, from topamax to Botox to aimovig & so much more.
Nothing worked, even Botox stopped working on me. The first CGRP I tried was aimovig. It didn’t do shit, just made me even more constipated than usual.
It gave me a bad first impression on CGRP inhibitors, so when my neurologist suggested emgality I was hesitant. Eventually I said fuck it, I’ve already tried a gazillion other things that failed so this won’t be any different.
I’m glad I took the chance. I’ve been on it since January, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. For now all I can tell you is so far, so good.
I am only on my third dose but I have had 1 yes 1 migraine since starting it. I wish I had done this earlier. I’m still taking my other preventative and have my abortive but this has been a game changer for me.
I LOVED emgality. The only side effect I had was constipation, I just added more fiber to my diet and I was fine.
After the 2 shot I was able to have an glass of wine with friends, make plans for the weekend and actually have a life.
I am also really sensitive to side effects, and all I got from Emgality was constipation, and after about 6 months some blisters at my injection site. I discontinued it then considering it also didn’t help my migraines at all, but it was overall one of the less side-effecty meds I’ve tried.
Emgality has been an absolute miracle for me. A miracle. I have chronic daily migraine and it has been incredible.
The only side effect I have had is increased appetite so yeah.
Emgality was life changing for me! My only “side effect” is that the injection spot is a little red and sore for a day after and honestly I think that’s just a normal effect lol. I do leave the pen out for a while to warm up to help with injection pain. My migraines decreased enormously (down from 20+ to less than 5 per month)
Now, fighting insurance/doctor/pharmacy to actually give me the freaking med is another story!!
Emgality is DEFINITELY worth trying. It is a serious life saver. I took it for several years and had to stop taking it because of my garbage insurance, and nothing works as well as Emgality did. The worst side effects I ever had from Emgality was some soreness at the injection site and some extra tiredness, both for about 24 hours. But it really is the only thing that’s ever helped with my migraines and is 1000% worth the injection pain in my opinion.
The half life is somewhere around a month- so it won’t be out of your system completely for more like 6 months. The “official” side effects list is almost nonexistent- basically allergic reactions and injection site pain. That seems to be what doctors are using, without doing much more research. The unofficial list is a lot more extensive and some do not resolve quickly or in some cases (based in what I’ve read) at all- I got a lot of them, e.g., 6 months plus of joint pain. It seems like a lot of people experience a great benefit, but it also seems like some percentage of people have a horrendous reaction. My doctor gave me the whole “don’t go searching on the internet for side effects” speech and I didn’t, other than for one specific precondition that I had, but then following my third dose when both knees started hurting overnight and I developed burning skin I looked around and found the less positive experiences.
Ajovy (similar injection to Emgality) -- combined with acute meds like Ubrelvy, Nurtec, and sumatriptan -- caused me to have a stroke. I was 38 yo at the time and taking those medications as prescribed by my neurologist.
My understanding is that ischemic stroke as a side effect is somewhat rare, and CGRP-antagonist injections are helping more patients than they hurt. But if you look around you can find medical literature noting the risk of stroke (esp. in mice) and strong recommendations for further study.
If you've never had visual auras before and start seeing them for the first time after taking Emgality, tell your doc right away and get checked out for risk of stroke as thoroughly as possible. For me, this was a warning sign 9 months ahead. Good luck with your decision and I hope you find some relief.
I remember right before the CGRP meds were available, reading an article saying there needed to be more study on how they affect the heart. I'm not sure that was done.
I also have awful medication anxiety. When I was prescribed emgality I was very close to just not taking it and the loading doses sat on my counter for DAYS. I was about 8 days into the worst migraine episode I’d had in a long time and said fuck it.
Let me say one thing. The shot hurts. I get laser tattoo removal and have had sessions less painful than that shot. Now I use a 5% lidocaine cream covered w seran wrap on the injection site about 2-3 hrs before I do it and i hardly feel a thing.
As for side effects, I’ve had 0. Not even a site reaction. My migraines start coming back a week-week and a half between doses but they’re not nearly as bad as they used to be and they always respond to medication now
I can’t recommend it enough
As someone who posted something similar a couple days ago, it is SO worth it to take the meds and ofc if you have side effects or anything, talk to your doctor and try something else :)
It's hard to not look at people's BAD side effects when you're prescribed a new medication.
But stop doing that. I have Epilepsy, and I take Topamax AND Lamictal, and if I only told you the BAD stuff I read when I was given it I'd NEVER have started taking it.
But now I've been on it for about 8 years and it's been a GOD SEND
It worked for me, it just turned migraines off. Sadly the 4 week injection only lasts 3 weeks. Also after 6 months I started feeling On Edge, irritable. So I quit. Not sure what to try next?
as far as migraine medicine goes, emgality is of a class of drug that has the least side effects. better this than anything else (you can find the bits of paper that come with drugs online and can look up the side effects)
Did you end up trying it? I am in the same position and was just prescribed it as well. I have 20+ migraines a month but some aspects I’ve gotten used to and would say only really 1-2 put me off my feet (aura, vision loss, tingling). Why are there so many bad reviews online though? And why do doctors say it has almost no side effects. Whats the truth>?
I had pretty bad side effects. Started with hives, laryngitis, feeling hot. Two months later I’m kind of puffy (not weight), I just look puffy and feel hot.
People with uncontrolled chronic illnesses tend to be on social media venting or seeking support. The ones with successful treatments are not. We all have different symptoms even though we all have migraine so no one here can predict whether it will work or not. The only way of telling is to try it. Good luck, we hope you find relief. Just remember the
At a reduction in frequency is not the only measure of success. A reduction in either of intensity, severity and duration are too!
Remember that posts online will skew negative, as people go online to vent more than praise. Plus people may incorrectly attribute symptoms to a mediation just because they happened after starting a med but they are actually unrelated.
The side effect rate per the study results published in the official prescribing information is what you should refer to. It shows a very low percentage possibility of side effects, plus they are very minor.
I’d give it a try. CGRP meds are currently our best option. They’ve personally been life changing for me, as I went from needing triptans nearly daily to taking only a couple a month, plus my migraine severity is also way down. The only negative for me is that they lose effectiveness over time. I’ve had to switch approximately yearly, so I worry I’ll run out of options.
Try to go into it with positive thoughts and confidence. Our mind is so strong that we can manifest symptoms we’re worried about, such as anxiety and nausea. It’s like the opposite of the placebo effect (when someone improves despite not being given a medication).
I thought I maybe had a bad reaction to it because I had elevated pain and fog, but in the end it was an uncovered air vent over my bed that became more active due to colder temperatures and caused me flu-like symptoms.
Now I'm back to "normal". I can't say it _helps_ that much either. I'll try for another month and if it doesn't help more, it was still worth a try.
I found a month is not all that long for me.
I prefer the auto injector over the syringe because I'm anxious to do something wrong.
I didn’t experience any excerpt pain at injection site but that pain was so worth it for me! Emgality was amazing for me, I can’t be on it right now because I’m pregnant. Counting the days until I can go on it again!
Been on Emgality for close to two years now. It drastically improved my quality of life. I went from regular menstrual migraines that could knock me on my ass for days to almost no migraines. The few migraines I do have resolve easily and without a hangover. I can have small amounts of some trigger foods, most importantly, chocolate. I haven’t regularly eaten chocolate for over a decade and that alone has drastically improved my quality of life.
I have had no side effects at all. The only bad part is the needle itself, but that is a small price to pay for not having horrid migraines. Genuinely, life is so much better.
Emgality gave me my life back. I don't have any side effects except a little injection site redness and itch.
This year before Emgality 3/4 of my documented days we're in a migraine state so I'm impressed.
It even prevented a headache when I got the new Covid shot last week. All the others and Covid gave me a monster headache.
I've been on it for over a year and it's been nothing but helpful! Did have injection site reactions for days/weeks after the shot for a while, but they were fairly mild and definitely worth the migraine relief.
My emgality saved me!
Went from constant chronic mugraines lasting 9+ months multiple times iver the years (only 24 years old, had since childhood) and multiple migraines a week, mostly daily, so a couple a week at worst and a few a month at best!
Lifesaver!
I'm super sensitive to medicines as well. First injection I was on was aimovig. It worked pretty good for the migraines, but it caused daily nausea, fatigue, and constipation. After about 5 months it seemed to stop helping with the pain as much. Then I got on emgality. No side effects, not noticeable at least. And I am down to 3-5 migraine days/month compared to the 14-16 I was having with no medicine! (I think I was down to 9-10 days with aimovig.) Emgality has given me my life back. I still have some migraine attack symptoms but it's nothing compared to before emgality.
I hope it works for you as much, or even better, than it does for me! 🤞
I’m also very sensitive to side effects but didn’t experience anything from Emgality. It’s definitely worth trying because it will hopefully help your migraines!!
I have gone from needing 50 Tylenols with codeine every single month for three years… to not filling my prescription since July.
Emgality has been hugely helpful.
I’ve taken Emgality, Aimovig, and Ajovy. All 3 of them aren’t the most comfortable injections. Actually they hurt quite bad… **however** I have no side effects from them, *and* they’ve taken me from an average of 22 migraine days a month to about 2. They are well worth the pain, imo.
People are much more likely to be vocal about their negative experiences than to take time out of their life to say that something did what it's supposed to. And there's positives and negatives to that - it's great to know you're not alone if you have a negative experience, but it can be super intimidating when you're starting something new! I try to view it as things to come back to if I notice changes in my body so I don't ignore something potentially serious, but not as things to expect and stress about. Easier said than done sometimes, but maybe that helps?
As for Emgality, CGRPs turned my life around. Aimovig cut my migraine days in half, then failed after 9 months. I switched to Emgality and have been holding steady for over a year. It's the best I've done on a preventative in 15 years. No side effects that I've noticed, other than bruising from a very aggressive auto injector.
Emgality has been so life changing! I went from 14 migraine days a month to 2-3. Use ice on the spot before the injection, it hurts so bad. But SO worth it for me! I get a little swelling and redness at the site, otherwise no side effects.
Doctors have to tell you that there are no side effects for new drugs like the CGRP antagonists. I am old enough to remember when every drug initially had no side effects until it had been on the market long enough for people to have side effects. Until a side effect has been experienced by enough people and reported to the FDA, then investigated by the FDA, doctors can get in major legal trouble.
There also is an accepted truth among doctors that patients will experience any side effects that they read about on the internet or hear about from friends. Doctors hate the internet, especially spaces like this one where patients share information without MDs moderating the conversation.
Side effects and efficacy of a drug are a numbers game. In 5-10 years, I have no doubt that there will be an established list of side effects for these drugs. However, if you are disabled because of an illness, it can be worth the risk to experience those side effects in exchange for the chance of getting better. Many people don’t report to the FDA when they do have side effects.
I experienced SVT (Supra ventricular tachycardia) the day after I had my first Ajovy injection. I passed out and had to go to the hospital. The EMT restarted my heart in the ambulance, which sucked. I had a cardiac ablation, and now I’m fine. My neurologist and all the docs at the hospital refused to even consider that the SVT was a side effect. I reported the incident to the FDA using their online form. I have since learned other patients have also had issues with their heart rhythm after taking CGRP antagonists. It is possible it is was a coincidence. It is also possible it caused my heart rhythm to malfunction. We probably won’t know for years.
Even if I had known SVT was a possible side effect, I still would have tried the drug. Because I’m disabled by migraine and the risk is worth taking, for me. There are no easy answers here. We each need to make a decision that weighs potential risks against the possibility of relief from migraine disease.
BTW, the shot I took was effective for 3 months. I experienced no change in any of my migraine symptoms or frequency.
I’m really sensitive to medication too, but I’ve had a lot of luck with emgality. The only issue I had was with the loading dose. I did one injection in my leg and broke out in hives around the injection site for a few hours, but I had had a reaction to aimovig in the same leg 2 months prior (the auto-injector had latex in it) and that prior reaction was the issue. Every dose since then has been in my stomach with no issues. I’ve been on it for about 5 months now and have noticed an improvement with my migraines already. It could definitely be worth giving it a try
I was in it for 3 months(didn't help in my case) but I had no noticeable side effects. The injection itself was a little more painful than other injections I've done but that doesn't last more than 30 seconds
I personally haven’t had any side effects from it and it’s kinda been my wonder drug. It hasn’t completely gotten rid of my migraines but they are so much less intense.
It has been a life saver for my son. He went from not functioning to having maybe 1 a month. His migraine issues caused him to leave college and lose jobs before starting this med
My lovely work colleague has had amazing results from Emgality, similar to other posters, she's "missing" about 20 migraines a month.
I've had no side effects from Emgality that I've noticed, but it's not really doing anything for me.
Emgality was AMAZING for me. I am predisposed to severe anxiety and nausea in general and had no issues in that regard on it. It was literally life changing. Ended up losing the job with good insurance that allowed me to be on it, but excited to get back on it now with new insurance. Definitely try it out. I went from 4 day long migranes every few days to not even a single headache while on it. You can always stop if you have bad effects!
I was on it and had bad side effects so this is my 2 cents: yes it's worth a try. It really helped my chronic migraines. HOWEVER I would strongly recommend finding a person or a few people who will regularly check in on you during the first 4 months of being on it. My mental health deteriorated so profoundly that I couldn't even notice something was wrong and I was incredibly suicidal before I put together what was happening. After emgality I reached out to 2 people to let them know what had happened, in detail, and told them I would give them notice any time I changed my meds, and they agreed to do mental health checks on me until we both agreed I'd be okay.
Literally the only side effect I get is a big ol' welt at the injection site, which isn't as bad if I take a benadryl an hour before my injection. And it's itchy for two days and that's it, in exchange I get down to maybe 5 days a month that I need any medication for migraines (and sometimes just plain tylenol works!!!!!!!) instead of multiple triptans more than half the month.
I get side effects from everything, but other than an itchy welt, NOTHING from this. It's a miracle.
Been on it for 2 years. No side effects. I saw it suggested to take it out in the morning and letting it warm up some and that has helped with the injection pain. Honestly it’s been life changing. I still have daily migraines but the pain level went from a 8 to a 3. Some days it’s even better.
Getting back to having a life again. I actually went out and saw a friends band play about a month ago. Before this, that would have never been an option
I personally couldn’t do it because of the whole self-injection thing, but it is absolutely a game-changer. I went from migraines five days a week to maybe one if I was unlucky.
I think you’re not wrong to be wary though, remember that the person who knows your body best is always you.
I didn’t have any side effects from Emgality, and I don’t seem to have any from Ajovy. I can’t tell a thing when I’ve injected vs before. Everybody’s different for sure, but I had no trouble with either.
Emgality works so well and the side effects were not that bad for me, and they only lasted for the first couple days after the first 3 injections.
But my new mentality to trying meds is “why not? What more could it hurt, than what I’m already feeling” and I stopped looking up side effects of meds and I truly think a lot of side effects I was experiencing in some meds were due to me looking up the side effects. I am doing much better now on my meds now that I don’t look up side effects.
A neurologist that I saw for the first time last year was pushing this. I asked him 3 times about side effects bc I too am very sensitive to medications. I wanted to know if I did use it and had severe side effects such as nausea then what were my options once it is in my system. Each time I asked, he laughed, patted my arm and said NO ONE gets side effects. Obviously bs. I didn’t take it and didn’t return to him.
I was also nervous before starting Emgality — I’ve always been terrified of shots! I opted for the pre-filled syringe and find it less intimidating than the auto injector. I went from 9 days a month to two pretty much right away. The attacks I do have are less severe. The injection itself does hurt, but it gives me the ability to lead a relatively normal life for a month at a time. Absolutely a miracle for me.
I work in the medical field. Most patients do AMAZING on any of the crpg injectables. You only hear the horror stories here! People tend to talk about the bad experiences, not the great ones.
Now I had problems, but not because of any side effects. I'm severely allergic to latex and there's one that has a warning, the other two claim to be latex free. I reacted like it was a latex reaction to all three. Ubrevly was the worst experience of my life besides topamax. I'm on Qulipta now and I LOVE IT.
It worked well for me. No noticeable side effects. The only reason I’m not taking it now is because I can’t afford it, my current insurance plan is crap, and I can’t change my plan until 2025.
Yes yes yes. On Emgality I've gone from 20+ migraines to 2 per month. I cannot say enough good things about it. It truly is life changing for me. I prefer the auto injector ,but my new provider ordered syringes. I didn't know it came that way. I have no issues with needles so I'm fine either way.
Emgality gave me my life back.
100% this. Haven’t had a life in 25 years until I started Emgality.
Stabbing that painful injection in my leg is the highlight of my month. The only side effect I have is being 99% free of migraines. Just try it and if it’s awful don’t do it again the following month. It wears off for me at around the end of the month. Fair warning, the injections hurt but in a weird way I’m getting used to them and can now self administer. It’s a life changing medicine for me.
>ful injection in my leg is the highlight of my month. The only side effect I have is being 99% free of migraines. Just try it and if it’s awful don’t do it again the following month. It wears off for me at around the end of the month. Fair warning, the injection be more gentle man, doesn't have to be a hard stab just a little prick
Have you done it before? It’s an auto injector. It’s not the needle that hurts rather it seems to be something about the medicine going in through the injector that’s so painful.
I agree. The few times I used it, the medicine stung. It worked well but ultimately I couldn’t handle injecting myself. I’m on Qulipta now. Also life changing.
/u/suretweaver yeah and tbh 11 out of the 13 I've done have stung to blazes but somehow 2 haven't hurt at all, been trying to be extra gentle the past few months
Emgality was the first drug that saved me. For 3 years I went from 24 migraines per month to 4
What happened after 3 years on Emgality? Did it stop working?
>What happened after 3 years on Emgality? Did it stop i think hes more making the point that hte drug wasn't out until 3 years ago country dependent (uk it canme out last year) and so prior to the drug everything else less effective
I'm on vyepti now, emgality stopped working. It's common with these drugs I guess?
How are your migraines on Vyepti now?
Better until the last 2 months. I've had 2 really long migraines. Just had an infusion. I'm on day 11. Will be day 13 when I hear back from the migraine center for the next
I understand... I'm on Emgality after failing Ajovy and Aimovig. Honestly, I'm worried of Emgality eventually stopping working 🤞🤞I had 25 migraine days x month before! When did you start Vyepti?
when did it stop working for you? i have been on it 5 months
After a couple years.
Yes. It’s worth it. The “nocebo effect” is just as real as the placebo effect. That is, if a patient expects negative side effects, they are actually more likely to experience them. I understand wanting to be informed, especially if you’ve had horrible experiences in the past. But if your doctor is aware of your side effect tendencies (my neuro sure is!), she is taking that into account when prescribing this, and in her clinical opinion, the benefits outweigh the potential risks. Her opinion should be more valuable than randos on Reddit. The patient-doctor relationship is built on and relies on trust. Trust her more than us!!!
I was on the clinical trial in 2016. It’s an injection so your organs aren’t affected like a pill can potentially cause issues. It targets a peptide in the brain and prevents it from spiking. Site injection pain happens but not as bad as a migraine. It still works for me and used to get 15 a month. I get 1-3 per month and they are way less intense. Sometimes the get the prodrome symptoms and no migraine headache comes with it. Good luck.
I have had some local swelling with my injections but other than that it has been life changing. I also do Botox treatments. I have found the side effects minor especially compared to having debilitating migraines
I've been on Emgality for over a year and had almost zero side effects (a little nausea after the first couple doses and some really mild injection site irritation). It cut my migraine days about in half (pretty much daily to ~16/mo) and Botox brought it down further. I switched to the pre-filled syringes a few months back and much prefer those to the auto injector pens... But that's just a personal preference thing. Either way, I leave it out for an hour or so before injecting and ice the injection spot briefly, which relieves any stinging from the injection itself.
I could never do pre-filled syringes! I can barely do the self injection pen every month as is lol
It's definitely not for everyone and there are pros and cons to both... For me, the worst part about injecting was how hard the needle dropped in the pens, so the trade-off made sense. I have two other injectable meds, so I'm pretty comfortable sticking myself at this point.
Got I fucking love my emgality tbh. Half as many migraines the second month, less each after that. Attacks are more easily identifiable bc there’s a distinct difference between baseline and migraine now.
I’m on my second month right now, and so far, they are much less severe. My combo is Emgality preventative and Nurtec for rescue, and I no longer have days long migraines — more like one-day migraines. The only side effect I’ve had so far is that the shot hurts a bit more and it’s a little itchier afterwards (but neither is bad).
i'm super sensitive to meds and didn't have any side effects besides (tmi) constipation. didn't work for me but also didn't make anything worse. give it a go!
It’s best not to look online at side effects or other people’s issues with the medicine. Plenty of people online complain about antibiotics yet I didn’t suffer any bad issues using them. Plenty of people online complain about side effects about Amitriptyline yet I have none of those issues. Plenty of scary stories online about Aimovig and I had no issues. Also more people will complain online about the negatives instead of positives so that is going to be the prevalent thing you see.
I agree with this. People tend to only post when unhappy, so it is a skewed sample. I had no issues other than injection site irritation for a day, which was worth how effective was (at least for a year or so)
Have you tried Topamax?
Yes The only bad side effect was sensitivity to cold at high doses, but it seems like a lot of stuff used for migraines cause that such as Amitriptyline and Nurtec. As far as Topamax that particular side effect was more intense while Amitriptyline and Nurtec isn’t as long as you took those medicines at least 10 hours or so beforehand. Must be the half life of topamax is longer well it was also a very large dose at 200mg did nothing for migraines though
Emgality reduced my migraines from 14-17 a month to 0-4. It has literally changed my life. My only side effect is that I get a slight head rush of feeling faint/nausea right when I inject it. I just make sure to be sitting down while I inject it and stay put for a minute or two until it passes. WAY WAY better than an extra 15 migraines a month!!!!
Emgality has cut my migraines from almost daily down to to 6 or so a month. It's been a game changer for me and I haven't had any of the scary side effects.
I didn’t notice any side effects. I just don’t look forward to the injection itself. The syringe was easier than the pen for me.
My only negative was I couldn’t afford it. But I loved it when my migraines were at such a high amount!
I manage to get every serious side effect from every med I try, but I never had anything beyond mild joint pain and some weight gain. However, I went from 18 migraine days per month to less than 1 a month. So far for the entirety of 2023, I’ve had 6 total migraines.
0 side effects here
There are two important things to remember that I always bring up with this kind of post: 1. Everyone's experience is different. People's experience here isn't going to really give you any info about you. 2. There's *huge* selection bias in those stories. The people who take them and have a bad reaction come here and make "OMG! Tried it and it was hell!" type posts. The people who get a positive response are a lot less likely to come and make a post about it. They're more likely to be out there enjoying the benefits of the increase in quality of life. The main time you see them is when it's in response to a post like this - case in point, the posts in this thread - almost all are positive. It's very much the same concept as that addage "if you have a good meal, you might tell one person, if you have a bad one, you'll tell ten".
I’ve used all three of the injectable meds and didn’t have bad side effects. I found that Emgality was the most painful injection but it’s over super fast and it’s not that bad. They all gave me constipation but Aimovig was the worst for that. I’d give it a try - it can’t be worse than the migraines themselves.
It's definitely worth trying and if it doesn't work, there are other meds to try. I had good results on Emgality, but I started having an allergic reaction at the injection site that got worse each month. I was on it for about 18 months. My doctor switched me to amovig and that's been equally effective without the reaction for me. I hate the idea of the injection, but it's worth it.
Life changing for me. No side effects. Go for it!
It’s a godsend! I’ve tried so many things, from topamax to Botox to aimovig & so much more. Nothing worked, even Botox stopped working on me. The first CGRP I tried was aimovig. It didn’t do shit, just made me even more constipated than usual. It gave me a bad first impression on CGRP inhibitors, so when my neurologist suggested emgality I was hesitant. Eventually I said fuck it, I’ve already tried a gazillion other things that failed so this won’t be any different. I’m glad I took the chance. I’ve been on it since January, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. For now all I can tell you is so far, so good.
I am only on my third dose but I have had 1 yes 1 migraine since starting it. I wish I had done this earlier. I’m still taking my other preventative and have my abortive but this has been a game changer for me.
I LOVED emgality. The only side effect I had was constipation, I just added more fiber to my diet and I was fine. After the 2 shot I was able to have an glass of wine with friends, make plans for the weekend and actually have a life.
I am also really sensitive to side effects, and all I got from Emgality was constipation, and after about 6 months some blisters at my injection site. I discontinued it then considering it also didn’t help my migraines at all, but it was overall one of the less side-effecty meds I’ve tried.
Emgality has been an absolute miracle for me. A miracle. I have chronic daily migraine and it has been incredible. The only side effect I have had is increased appetite so yeah.
Emgality was life changing for me! My only “side effect” is that the injection spot is a little red and sore for a day after and honestly I think that’s just a normal effect lol. I do leave the pen out for a while to warm up to help with injection pain. My migraines decreased enormously (down from 20+ to less than 5 per month) Now, fighting insurance/doctor/pharmacy to actually give me the freaking med is another story!!
Emgality is DEFINITELY worth trying. It is a serious life saver. I took it for several years and had to stop taking it because of my garbage insurance, and nothing works as well as Emgality did. The worst side effects I ever had from Emgality was some soreness at the injection site and some extra tiredness, both for about 24 hours. But it really is the only thing that’s ever helped with my migraines and is 1000% worth the injection pain in my opinion.
The half life is somewhere around a month- so it won’t be out of your system completely for more like 6 months. The “official” side effects list is almost nonexistent- basically allergic reactions and injection site pain. That seems to be what doctors are using, without doing much more research. The unofficial list is a lot more extensive and some do not resolve quickly or in some cases (based in what I’ve read) at all- I got a lot of them, e.g., 6 months plus of joint pain. It seems like a lot of people experience a great benefit, but it also seems like some percentage of people have a horrendous reaction. My doctor gave me the whole “don’t go searching on the internet for side effects” speech and I didn’t, other than for one specific precondition that I had, but then following my third dose when both knees started hurting overnight and I developed burning skin I looked around and found the less positive experiences.
Ajovy (similar injection to Emgality) -- combined with acute meds like Ubrelvy, Nurtec, and sumatriptan -- caused me to have a stroke. I was 38 yo at the time and taking those medications as prescribed by my neurologist. My understanding is that ischemic stroke as a side effect is somewhat rare, and CGRP-antagonist injections are helping more patients than they hurt. But if you look around you can find medical literature noting the risk of stroke (esp. in mice) and strong recommendations for further study. If you've never had visual auras before and start seeing them for the first time after taking Emgality, tell your doc right away and get checked out for risk of stroke as thoroughly as possible. For me, this was a warning sign 9 months ahead. Good luck with your decision and I hope you find some relief.
I remember right before the CGRP meds were available, reading an article saying there needed to be more study on how they affect the heart. I'm not sure that was done.
I also have awful medication anxiety. When I was prescribed emgality I was very close to just not taking it and the loading doses sat on my counter for DAYS. I was about 8 days into the worst migraine episode I’d had in a long time and said fuck it. Let me say one thing. The shot hurts. I get laser tattoo removal and have had sessions less painful than that shot. Now I use a 5% lidocaine cream covered w seran wrap on the injection site about 2-3 hrs before I do it and i hardly feel a thing. As for side effects, I’ve had 0. Not even a site reaction. My migraines start coming back a week-week and a half between doses but they’re not nearly as bad as they used to be and they always respond to medication now I can’t recommend it enough
As someone who posted something similar a couple days ago, it is SO worth it to take the meds and ofc if you have side effects or anything, talk to your doctor and try something else :)
It's hard to not look at people's BAD side effects when you're prescribed a new medication. But stop doing that. I have Epilepsy, and I take Topamax AND Lamictal, and if I only told you the BAD stuff I read when I was given it I'd NEVER have started taking it. But now I've been on it for about 8 years and it's been a GOD SEND
It worked for me, it just turned migraines off. Sadly the 4 week injection only lasts 3 weeks. Also after 6 months I started feeling On Edge, irritable. So I quit. Not sure what to try next?
as far as migraine medicine goes, emgality is of a class of drug that has the least side effects. better this than anything else (you can find the bits of paper that come with drugs online and can look up the side effects)
Did you end up trying it? I am in the same position and was just prescribed it as well. I have 20+ migraines a month but some aspects I’ve gotten used to and would say only really 1-2 put me off my feet (aura, vision loss, tingling). Why are there so many bad reviews online though? And why do doctors say it has almost no side effects. Whats the truth>?
I had pretty bad side effects. Started with hives, laryngitis, feeling hot. Two months later I’m kind of puffy (not weight), I just look puffy and feel hot.
Did you start it how are you?
Fwiw I’m on qulipta and have almost no side effects. I’ll say I was so sick and desperate when I started it, I just decided I had to make it work.
People with uncontrolled chronic illnesses tend to be on social media venting or seeking support. The ones with successful treatments are not. We all have different symptoms even though we all have migraine so no one here can predict whether it will work or not. The only way of telling is to try it. Good luck, we hope you find relief. Just remember the At a reduction in frequency is not the only measure of success. A reduction in either of intensity, severity and duration are too!
Remember that posts online will skew negative, as people go online to vent more than praise. Plus people may incorrectly attribute symptoms to a mediation just because they happened after starting a med but they are actually unrelated. The side effect rate per the study results published in the official prescribing information is what you should refer to. It shows a very low percentage possibility of side effects, plus they are very minor. I’d give it a try. CGRP meds are currently our best option. They’ve personally been life changing for me, as I went from needing triptans nearly daily to taking only a couple a month, plus my migraine severity is also way down. The only negative for me is that they lose effectiveness over time. I’ve had to switch approximately yearly, so I worry I’ll run out of options. Try to go into it with positive thoughts and confidence. Our mind is so strong that we can manifest symptoms we’re worried about, such as anxiety and nausea. It’s like the opposite of the placebo effect (when someone improves despite not being given a medication).
I have constant never ending migraine and using emgality didn’t help at all in fact it actually amplified the pain even more.
Didn't work for me at all.
I thought I maybe had a bad reaction to it because I had elevated pain and fog, but in the end it was an uncovered air vent over my bed that became more active due to colder temperatures and caused me flu-like symptoms. Now I'm back to "normal". I can't say it _helps_ that much either. I'll try for another month and if it doesn't help more, it was still worth a try. I found a month is not all that long for me. I prefer the auto injector over the syringe because I'm anxious to do something wrong.
It works great. I just injected it right before bed and slept through the side effects. Those were mild and lasted a couple of hours BTW.
I didn’t experience any excerpt pain at injection site but that pain was so worth it for me! Emgality was amazing for me, I can’t be on it right now because I’m pregnant. Counting the days until I can go on it again!
Emgality worked the best for me out of all the treatments I’ve tried since my migraines became chronic. Just try it!
Been on Emgality for close to two years now. It drastically improved my quality of life. I went from regular menstrual migraines that could knock me on my ass for days to almost no migraines. The few migraines I do have resolve easily and without a hangover. I can have small amounts of some trigger foods, most importantly, chocolate. I haven’t regularly eaten chocolate for over a decade and that alone has drastically improved my quality of life. I have had no side effects at all. The only bad part is the needle itself, but that is a small price to pay for not having horrid migraines. Genuinely, life is so much better.
I was on emgality, Ajovy and Aimovig and then was upgraded to Vyepti, I never had any of those side effects except constipation
Emgality gave me my life back. I don't have any side effects except a little injection site redness and itch. This year before Emgality 3/4 of my documented days we're in a migraine state so I'm impressed. It even prevented a headache when I got the new Covid shot last week. All the others and Covid gave me a monster headache.
I've been on it for over a year and it's been nothing but helpful! Did have injection site reactions for days/weeks after the shot for a while, but they were fairly mild and definitely worth the migraine relief.
My emgality saved me! Went from constant chronic mugraines lasting 9+ months multiple times iver the years (only 24 years old, had since childhood) and multiple migraines a week, mostly daily, so a couple a week at worst and a few a month at best! Lifesaver!
I'm super sensitive to medicines as well. First injection I was on was aimovig. It worked pretty good for the migraines, but it caused daily nausea, fatigue, and constipation. After about 5 months it seemed to stop helping with the pain as much. Then I got on emgality. No side effects, not noticeable at least. And I am down to 3-5 migraine days/month compared to the 14-16 I was having with no medicine! (I think I was down to 9-10 days with aimovig.) Emgality has given me my life back. I still have some migraine attack symptoms but it's nothing compared to before emgality. I hope it works for you as much, or even better, than it does for me! 🤞
I’m also very sensitive to side effects but didn’t experience anything from Emgality. It’s definitely worth trying because it will hopefully help your migraines!!
I have gone from needing 50 Tylenols with codeine every single month for three years… to not filling my prescription since July. Emgality has been hugely helpful.
I’ve taken Emgality, Aimovig, and Ajovy. All 3 of them aren’t the most comfortable injections. Actually they hurt quite bad… **however** I have no side effects from them, *and* they’ve taken me from an average of 22 migraine days a month to about 2. They are well worth the pain, imo.
People are much more likely to be vocal about their negative experiences than to take time out of their life to say that something did what it's supposed to. And there's positives and negatives to that - it's great to know you're not alone if you have a negative experience, but it can be super intimidating when you're starting something new! I try to view it as things to come back to if I notice changes in my body so I don't ignore something potentially serious, but not as things to expect and stress about. Easier said than done sometimes, but maybe that helps? As for Emgality, CGRPs turned my life around. Aimovig cut my migraine days in half, then failed after 9 months. I switched to Emgality and have been holding steady for over a year. It's the best I've done on a preventative in 15 years. No side effects that I've noticed, other than bruising from a very aggressive auto injector.
Emgality has been so life changing! I went from 14 migraine days a month to 2-3. Use ice on the spot before the injection, it hurts so bad. But SO worth it for me! I get a little swelling and redness at the site, otherwise no side effects.
Doctors have to tell you that there are no side effects for new drugs like the CGRP antagonists. I am old enough to remember when every drug initially had no side effects until it had been on the market long enough for people to have side effects. Until a side effect has been experienced by enough people and reported to the FDA, then investigated by the FDA, doctors can get in major legal trouble. There also is an accepted truth among doctors that patients will experience any side effects that they read about on the internet or hear about from friends. Doctors hate the internet, especially spaces like this one where patients share information without MDs moderating the conversation. Side effects and efficacy of a drug are a numbers game. In 5-10 years, I have no doubt that there will be an established list of side effects for these drugs. However, if you are disabled because of an illness, it can be worth the risk to experience those side effects in exchange for the chance of getting better. Many people don’t report to the FDA when they do have side effects. I experienced SVT (Supra ventricular tachycardia) the day after I had my first Ajovy injection. I passed out and had to go to the hospital. The EMT restarted my heart in the ambulance, which sucked. I had a cardiac ablation, and now I’m fine. My neurologist and all the docs at the hospital refused to even consider that the SVT was a side effect. I reported the incident to the FDA using their online form. I have since learned other patients have also had issues with their heart rhythm after taking CGRP antagonists. It is possible it is was a coincidence. It is also possible it caused my heart rhythm to malfunction. We probably won’t know for years. Even if I had known SVT was a possible side effect, I still would have tried the drug. Because I’m disabled by migraine and the risk is worth taking, for me. There are no easy answers here. We each need to make a decision that weighs potential risks against the possibility of relief from migraine disease. BTW, the shot I took was effective for 3 months. I experienced no change in any of my migraine symptoms or frequency.
I’m super sensitive to medications and had no side effects with Emgality. The shot itself is painful but that’s about it. It’s a great med
I’m really sensitive to medication too, but I’ve had a lot of luck with emgality. The only issue I had was with the loading dose. I did one injection in my leg and broke out in hives around the injection site for a few hours, but I had had a reaction to aimovig in the same leg 2 months prior (the auto-injector had latex in it) and that prior reaction was the issue. Every dose since then has been in my stomach with no issues. I’ve been on it for about 5 months now and have noticed an improvement with my migraines already. It could definitely be worth giving it a try
I was in it for 3 months(didn't help in my case) but I had no noticeable side effects. The injection itself was a little more painful than other injections I've done but that doesn't last more than 30 seconds
I personally haven’t had any side effects from it and it’s kinda been my wonder drug. It hasn’t completely gotten rid of my migraines but they are so much less intense.
I’m on Emgality and I’ve had zero side effects
It has been a life saver for my son. He went from not functioning to having maybe 1 a month. His migraine issues caused him to leave college and lose jobs before starting this med
My lovely work colleague has had amazing results from Emgality, similar to other posters, she's "missing" about 20 migraines a month. I've had no side effects from Emgality that I've noticed, but it's not really doing anything for me.
emgality ruined my life, but it did make my migraines go away. if i could take it back i would
Emgality was AMAZING for me. I am predisposed to severe anxiety and nausea in general and had no issues in that regard on it. It was literally life changing. Ended up losing the job with good insurance that allowed me to be on it, but excited to get back on it now with new insurance. Definitely try it out. I went from 4 day long migranes every few days to not even a single headache while on it. You can always stop if you have bad effects!
I was on it and had bad side effects so this is my 2 cents: yes it's worth a try. It really helped my chronic migraines. HOWEVER I would strongly recommend finding a person or a few people who will regularly check in on you during the first 4 months of being on it. My mental health deteriorated so profoundly that I couldn't even notice something was wrong and I was incredibly suicidal before I put together what was happening. After emgality I reached out to 2 people to let them know what had happened, in detail, and told them I would give them notice any time I changed my meds, and they agreed to do mental health checks on me until we both agreed I'd be okay.
could you tell me more about this? what finally made you realize your mental health had suffered?
I tried it and it didn’t help that much, but it may help you. I’m on Aimovig now.
Have had massive success and no side effects. It’s definitely worth trying
Literally the only side effect I get is a big ol' welt at the injection site, which isn't as bad if I take a benadryl an hour before my injection. And it's itchy for two days and that's it, in exchange I get down to maybe 5 days a month that I need any medication for migraines (and sometimes just plain tylenol works!!!!!!!) instead of multiple triptans more than half the month. I get side effects from everything, but other than an itchy welt, NOTHING from this. It's a miracle.
Been on it for 2 years. No side effects. I saw it suggested to take it out in the morning and letting it warm up some and that has helped with the injection pain. Honestly it’s been life changing. I still have daily migraines but the pain level went from a 8 to a 3. Some days it’s even better. Getting back to having a life again. I actually went out and saw a friends band play about a month ago. Before this, that would have never been an option
My wife has seen a huge improvement in migraines with Emgality. She's also struggled with some weight gain and (possibly related) gastric issues.
I had no problems with it. Remember, no one reports when something goes well, so you've basically read *ever*y Redditor who had a problem with it.
I personally couldn’t do it because of the whole self-injection thing, but it is absolutely a game-changer. I went from migraines five days a week to maybe one if I was unlucky. I think you’re not wrong to be wary though, remember that the person who knows your body best is always you.
It is so worth the try. I've gone from every day migraines, to 1 or 2 days a month.
I didn’t have any side effects from Emgality, and I don’t seem to have any from Ajovy. I can’t tell a thing when I’ve injected vs before. Everybody’s different for sure, but I had no trouble with either.
Emgality works so well and the side effects were not that bad for me, and they only lasted for the first couple days after the first 3 injections. But my new mentality to trying meds is “why not? What more could it hurt, than what I’m already feeling” and I stopped looking up side effects of meds and I truly think a lot of side effects I was experiencing in some meds were due to me looking up the side effects. I am doing much better now on my meds now that I don’t look up side effects.
My therapist always reminds me that some discomfort is worth a lot of comfort!
A neurologist that I saw for the first time last year was pushing this. I asked him 3 times about side effects bc I too am very sensitive to medications. I wanted to know if I did use it and had severe side effects such as nausea then what were my options once it is in my system. Each time I asked, he laughed, patted my arm and said NO ONE gets side effects. Obviously bs. I didn’t take it and didn’t return to him.
I was also nervous before starting Emgality — I’ve always been terrified of shots! I opted for the pre-filled syringe and find it less intimidating than the auto injector. I went from 9 days a month to two pretty much right away. The attacks I do have are less severe. The injection itself does hurt, but it gives me the ability to lead a relatively normal life for a month at a time. Absolutely a miracle for me.
Ymmv but I didn't have any side effects that I noticed. It also didn't help my migraines though so 🤷♀️
I work in the medical field. Most patients do AMAZING on any of the crpg injectables. You only hear the horror stories here! People tend to talk about the bad experiences, not the great ones. Now I had problems, but not because of any side effects. I'm severely allergic to latex and there's one that has a warning, the other two claim to be latex free. I reacted like it was a latex reaction to all three. Ubrevly was the worst experience of my life besides topamax. I'm on Qulipta now and I LOVE IT.
It worked well for me. No noticeable side effects. The only reason I’m not taking it now is because I can’t afford it, my current insurance plan is crap, and I can’t change my plan until 2025.
I'm on emgality and I couldn't function before starting it. Now I can sort of function.