Why Reyvow Is a Big WOW for the Migraine Community!

There is a new reason for hope!

This October we saw the exciting FDA approval of a new class of migraine abortives, REYVOW, also known as lasmiditan. The results from clinical trials¹ show that Reyvow is able to stop some migraine attacks within two hours with only mild to moderate side effects. They also show that it may be safe for people who previously have not had access to tolerable abortive medications.

This is huge news for the nearly 40 million people in the USA who live with migraine! It's also huge news for the 1 billion people globally, as other countries hopefully will also approve its use. Reyvow is a high-affinity, highly selective 5-HT1F receptor agonist that acts on the trigeminal system without causing vasoconstriction. But why is this such huge news? What is it about REYVOW that is making many of us say, Wow!

Reyvow, a big wow!

So many people with migraine have cardiovascular conditions which has made effectively treating migraine attacks very complex or even impossible. For decades, the migraine community has not had access to any new abortive medications, and specifically there has been a lack of options that do not cause vasoconstriction. For a disease which impacts so many lives and is considered by the World Health Organization to be the second leading cause of disability globally², and the top cause of disability in people under 50³, that is both sad and shocking. The emergence in 2018 of the first ever preventive medications designed specifically for migraine was groundbreaking. Now with this new abortive option we have a new reason to hope. That hope is literally a lifeline for many!

1. Wanting to Live: people with migraine are NOT lazy or weak… we are strong, resourceful, and we WANT TO LIVE! By that I mean we desperately want to live a normal life. Hold down a job, be there for our families, hang out with friends, do everything that most people take for granted. This new medication will hopefully make that a reality for hundreds, thousands, and even more!
2. Opportunity: this new medication represents an opportunity to get our lives back! An opportunity which so many of us have been waiting for. So many of us have had to set aside dreams and hopes of living life as  we had expected. Jobs, marriages, children, friendships, social activities, education and more have been set side. We have been trying to hang on, holding onto our dreams of being able to participate in society, be able to maintain a job, enjoy our families and friends. Now there is a new opportunity on the immediate horizon!
3. Willing to Hope: many people with migraine cannot take triptans to abort an attack, or these medications simply don’t work, and it has been easy to lose hope. For those who also can’t take DHE medications (dihydroergotamine) or for whom these don’t work, it has been a double challenge. A challenge that has left no migraine abortive medication options, and controlling attacks has often become an undesirable choice of:
   • emergency room visits, which are rarely ideal or even efficacious for treating migraine
   • using rescue medications which have complex and often dangerous side effects
   • hospital admission for expensive and complex multidisciplinary treatment
   • or, simply isolating into a dark room for hours, days, weeks, or even more, while life goes on outside.

Dare to dream

For me, the approval of Reyvow is a definitely a big “wow”! Wow – maybe I can control the migraine attacks that have crippled my life. Wow – maybe I can stop taking so much rescue medication that is having intolerable side effects. And finally, wow – perhaps I can dare to dream again, make plans with friends and family, and stop living in fear of the next big attack around the corner. That’s pretty exciting and excitement isn’t a term I’ve used often in the past few years, especially as my migraine attacks have rapidly spiraled downward, out of control. Maybe you can relate to that? Maybe you have also put your dreams on hold or even forgotten about them altogether!

How do you feel about this new migraine treatment?

So, what about you? Are you excited about this new medication? Do you currently have an effective abortive for migraine, or is this drug potentially a lifeline for you too? Does this give you hope? Do you get anxious about trying a new medication like this?

NOTE: For breaking news about Reyvow including how to access to these medications and information about the clinical trials, stay tuned to Migraine.com and consider joining the Hope For Migraine facebook group which focusses on new migraine medications!