Managing your medications for Migraine

Migraine routines often separate a daily preventer from an as-needed treatment, so the practical challenge is keeping up the everyday preventer between attacks and clearly distinguishing it from medicine used during one.

These are often part of a Migraine treatment plan. Tap any one for practical reminder tips.

• Candesartan — Angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)
• Venlafaxine — Antidepressant (SNRI)
• Duloxetine — Antidepressant (SNRI)
• Gabapentin — Anticonvulsant / nerve-related medicine

• Daily preventers are easy to skip between attacks when there's no headache to feel.
• Preventer and as-needed medicines get confused, leading to over-use of the wrong one.
• Preventers can take weeks to show benefit, making it tempting to give up early.
• Attacks themselves disrupt the day and can cause missed preventer doses.

Help separate the daily preventer from any as-needed medicine with clear labels and distinct reminders, and keep an attack log to share with the clinician. Encourage staying with a preventer through the slow early weeks, and use refill reminders. Direct questions about how often as-needed medicine can be used, or about changing the routine, to the clinician or pharmacist.