By Sharol Klise
For 35 years, I spent every waking moment with an unwelcome companion – a misunderstood disease that tormented me incessantly but was (and still is) understated and trivialized by many who did not experience its symptoms.
It struck me without warning in my late teens, wreaking havoc on my college years, and it had the indecency to stick around and change the remainder of my life as well. Its name is migraine.
During those 35 years, there were so many days – as many as 15 a month – when migraine caused debilitating pain, nausea, projectile vomiting, auditory disturbances, trouble speaking, and even temporary blindness. Other days it hovered, reminding me that it could pounce at any moment and make the easiest tasks nearly impossible in a matter of minutes. Driving a car, taking a stroll, attending a family dinner – these were the kinds of everyday activities that I could never take for granted. My career ambitions and relationships suffered because I simply could not be consistently present in my own life.
Despite trying a multitude of medications and seeing a variety of specialists during those years, nothing brought me the calm and regularity I needed to live a full life, free from constant uncertainty and trepidation. So naturally, I was skeptical when I entered a clinical trial evaluating rimegepant (now Nurtec ODT), an acute treatment of migraine in adults, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. I quickly realized this treatment had the potential to change my life.
Today, migraine no longer controls me. I can now buy tickets to events months in advance and commit to attending family gatherings. After I started in the clinical trial, I started showing up to work each day and became an employee worthy of recognition and promotion. I no longer needed to spend whole days in a dark room to minimize the pain and associated symptoms.
My experience is a testament to the fact that finding a treatment plan for migraine is not always quick or easy, but the results are well worth the search. I won’t tell you that migraine has disappeared entirely from my life; it might always be my unwelcome companion. But now, when it rears its ugly head to take away the things I love, I have a response that works – and works well. While Nurtec ODT doesn’t work for everyone, it worked for me.
I urge anyone struggling with migraine who has not found relief to talk to their doctor about Nurtec ODT. During these uncertain times, if doctor visits are difficult for you, try telemedicine. And lastly, I implore all people impacted by migraine not to lose hope. Your answer is out there.
Nurtec™ ODT 75 mg orally disintegrating tablets is a prescription medicine for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. Nurtec ODT is not used as a preventive treatment of migraine. Do not take if youare allergic to Nurtec ODT or any of its ingredients. The most common side effect was nausea in 2% of patients. Please visit Nurtec.com for full Prescribing Information and Patient Information.
