After 35+ years with migraine, Qulipta has been a miracle drug for me
After enjoying the first few migraine-free months of my adult life, I felt compelled to join migraine.com in order to encourage people to give Qulipta a try, if you haven't already. (No, AbbVie Pharma is not paying me to post this - I'm just excited to share what has been a miraculous outcome for me, so far)
I know that everyone reacts differently to different treatments, and I can see that a few people have already posted about mixed experience with Qulipta. Here's my story:
I started experiencing migraine in college, about 35 years ago. Since then, I have been a classic migraineur with many triggers and up to 10 migraines a month. I've tried everything to treat them (except Botox). Topiramate, anti-depressants, and beta blockers all did not work for me. For several years, I stabilized and contained my migraines through a combo of Excedrin Migraine (for prevention) and Imitrex (for treatment).
Fed up with constant migraines, complex symptoms, and long pro-dome and post drome time periods, I asked for a referral to a neurologist in April 2022, to discuss new treatments. We reviewed Botox, Nurtec, and Qulipta, and decided to start with Qulipta.
Since I started taking the once-daily Qulipta tablet, I've had LITERALLY zero migraines in three months. I have not taken a single Imitrex tablet. And I've taken maybe three Excedrin tablets, just as a precaution before intensive exercise - one of my worst triggers in the past. So far, I have no discernible side effects from Qulipta.
Qulipta is so new that most insurers don't cover it yet. Instead, my doctor signed me up for the "marketing trial." In this trial, I receive 30 tablets in the mail every month, for free.
Eventually Qulipta should be covered by insurers, but this is the process for now. (My insurer, for example, says I should get Botox instead - by why do I want to travel to my doctor and get 30 injections in my head 4 times a year if I can take a daily pill instead?)
So you need to advocate for yourself if you want to try this promising new treatment! Ask me any question - I'm here!
Thank you for joining our community! I am happy to hear how well Qulipta has been working for you. Your story is encouraging and I'm glad you took time to mention that not every treatment works for everyone. That is important. My experience with trying different migraine treatments is to move forward with caution and not to get my hopes raised too high. You just never know when you will find that right form of treatment that works for you. I also don't like it when I'm let down by a treatment that looks so promising. I wish the insurance companies would just approve coverage for these new drugs as soon as the FDA has given their approval instead of only covering the older drugs. People with chronic illness usually don't have the energy to fight the insurance carriers through multiple appeals in hopes that they might win and get a drug covered. I hope you continue to have great success with Qulipta. Keep us posted! Warmly, Cheryl migraine.com team Hi Cheryl - thanks for your reply. Yes, I shared this post in the spirit of encouraging people to give Qulipta (or Nurtec) a try if they haven't already. I'm a "standard" migraineur -- my migraines are awful but have historically been manageable with Imitrex -- but others may have more debilitating experience with migraine and I don't know how well Qulipta will work for them. Just wanted to share my hopeful story. It has surprised and amazed me to find something this effective, after decades of frustration. I feel like I have my life back.
That is such an awesome report! My husband is using Nurtec and Emgality right now among other things and it helps to manage the pain aspect of his attacks. He still has runs of bad days, but I think that is due to his body being so resistant to treatments. It has taken years to get him to where he is today. If these treatments fail him we will definitely be trying Qulipta and possibly Vyepti. Getting your life back or even pieces of it back is a blessing for sure! Warmly, Cheryl migraine.com team
Hi @KristinH, thanks for posting your success story with Quilipta! I am taking Quilipta too, but I have migraine attacks daily, so I consider it only part of my treatment plan. I do think it is helping. Since everyone responds differently to medications, I'm happy that you found a medication that has worked so well.
I understand the issue about affording new treatments such as Quilipta. I noticed on their website that they have a savings program that may help some people. I am using it myself.
https://www.qulipta.comTake care,
Peggy (Migraine.com team)
I am so happy for you Kristin! I just finished with my 4th month of Qulipta, and my Neurologist discontinued it because we hadn’t seen any change. But I absolutely agree with you that it was easier than Botox! 😉 My Neurologist sent my Qulipta script thru “White House Pharmacy,” and everything was auto filled, delivered to my home, and was also free. So it is definitely worth asking your physician if they have an arrangement with the medication provider’s pharmacy. Again, I am so excited that you are getting back to real life, and pain free days! 🌻🌻 Amy Thank you. I had hoped it was going to be my “miracle” too. (And yes, the appetite suppressant part… would have been the cherry on top! 😁) 
Thank you so much for giving me this information. I'm grateful for any and all feedback as it's a fairly new medication. I'm so pleased you're having such great results with this treatment. Warmly- Holly -migraine.com team.
