Alzheimer's Med May Help Migraineurs
April 22nd 2008 01:20
I want to talk about an article on mymigraines.com from kdka.com about an Alzheimer's medication called Namenda that may help migraineurs.Dr. Andrew Charles,a leading migraine researcher said "Migraine's an extraordinarily common problem,.About 25 percent of women have migraines, even by very strict diagnostic criteria."
Dr.Charles' research focus is on a phenomenon called cortical spreading depression. "Cortical spreading depression is a wave of electrical activity that crosses the surface of the brain very slowly, and then is followed by a depression of activity," said Dr. Charles.
That can trigger a migraine. researchers tried researchers tried Namenda to control this activity."What we found is that it actually influences cortical spreading depression, it inhibits spreading depression," said Dr. Charles.
Namenda, also called Memantine,was prescribed by the UCLA team to migraine patients.These were patients that were not finding relief anywhere.(wow,something I can sure relate to!)
"About 65 percent of them had a very significant decrease in their migraine frequency, with at least a 50 percent reduction in headaches."
Since it was prescribed in an "off -label " way,which means,your insurance won't cover it.Now,I'm curious to find out if I can get my doctor to prescribe it,I don't have insurance anyway.Of course,I wonder about the cost.I'm going to look into it for sure.If I could get this prescribed,and got relief,I'd come up with the cost!
The med isn't for long term use and can be tapered off after the migraine-cycle is broken.Wow,for sure I am looking into it.I have to keep my fingers crossed that this could be the answer for me.You never know,but I will let you know the outcome.
Dr.Charles' research focus is on a phenomenon called cortical spreading depression. "Cortical spreading depression is a wave of electrical activity that crosses the surface of the brain very slowly, and then is followed by a depression of activity," said Dr. Charles.
That can trigger a migraine. researchers tried researchers tried Namenda to control this activity."What we found is that it actually influences cortical spreading depression, it inhibits spreading depression," said Dr. Charles.
Namenda, also called Memantine,was prescribed by the UCLA team to migraine patients.These were patients that were not finding relief anywhere.(wow,something I can sure relate to!)
"About 65 percent of them had a very significant decrease in their migraine frequency, with at least a 50 percent reduction in headaches."
Since it was prescribed in an "off -label " way,which means,your insurance won't cover it.Now,I'm curious to find out if I can get my doctor to prescribe it,I don't have insurance anyway.Of course,I wonder about the cost.I'm going to look into it for sure.If I could get this prescribed,and got relief,I'd come up with the cost!
The med isn't for long term use and can be tapered off after the migraine-cycle is broken.Wow,for sure I am looking into it.I have to keep my fingers crossed that this could be the answer for me.You never know,but I will let you know the outcome.
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