Aimovig™ (Erenumab) for Migraine Prevention.
Should You or Should You Not?
Below you find my description of what this new drug does and how and several comments from migraine sufferers that are worthy to read. All of this comes from my public person Facebook page, so you can find it all here. I copy-pasted the discussion as it is at this moment.
After reading this, you will see why you should tell all your friends to stop informing you of this new drug and leave you alone. This drug is not for you.
You Should Not
There is a new drug—not new, for providers this has been center focus on the back of every journal of neurology and I was asked about this last year at the AAAS conference where I presented to geneticists about migraine if I knew of this drug. The news is that now it appears in newspapers and is promoted like the best new cupcake on the shelf. And because it is brand name, and your doctor will earn money for prescribing it, get ready for the onslaught of doctors pushing you on it.
It is a monthly injection: CGRP inhibitor. Here is what I already wrote to several migraineurs who emailed me about what it is:
It is a CGRP blocker: it blocks a peptide that is a vasodilator (reduces blood pressure) and it functions in the transmission of nociception, where CGRP is a receptor for voltage dependent calcium channels. Now think back to what Topamax, Gabapentin, & Pregabalin (typical drugs that migraineurs passionately hate) do…
What this drug does: it blocks the same channels but for a month in one shot.
It is a once-a-month shot, so if you got messed up from one shot, you are in agony for a month and cannot stop it… it is also brain degenerative the same way as Topamax is, because functionally it is it’s equivalent.
Migraineurs have a hyper sensitive (hyper sensory) brain that needs to use these channels more often to keep up with the much extra stimuli; thus the migraine-brain needs higher electrolyte mineral density to cope with the hyper sensory sensitivity. This drug blocks the coping mechanism and is a “dumbing down” action drug. It causes permanent changes because it blocks neuronal communication and increases blood pressure for a month without a chance to break it if it harmed you–and harm it will because it stops your nerves, both centrally and peripherally, from being able to operate their voltage dependent calcium channels! It is a systemic voltage dependent calcium channel blocker so all brain and body functions that drugs like Topamax mess up, will be messed up.
If you want to fully understand what migraine is, read my book “Fighting the Migraine Epidemic: A Complete Guide” and learn why I would give a $million to NOT get this drug into my body (and I am a migraineur).
So please don’t ask me about this new migraine drug (or any other drug) ever!
Migraine is 100% preventable without a single medicine in your life. It is a metabolic disease, just like type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, IBS, and many more, caused by your body’s inability to digest the foods you eat without harm. It is preventable by changing your lifestyle. Thousands have already gone through my protocol and are migraine free. If you want to see some proof, visit my wall of testimonials at www.stantonmigraineprotocol.com/testimonials/and read them for yourself.
Please share this to migraine sufferers so they know that there is a free (both money-free and drug-free) alternative that works for life without any side effects.
Comments
Melissa Styffe Schweitzer I was just thinking this morning after hearing that it is being released soon that 6 months ago I was in bed on disability and hoping that they would release the drug soon so I could go back to my life! Since all the articles I had read made it sound like a miracle drug.
If someone had told me that when the drug came out I would be pain-free, off all medications and not even a tiny bit interested in taking it just by changing my diet I would have never believed them!!! Thank you Angela Stanton for giving me my life back 
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Angela Stanton Wow what an awesome testimonial for the working of the protocol and for your commitment and trust Melissa! ❤ Thank you for trusting me. ❤❤
Kristin Elizabeth IngramYesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!! So happy to see this Melissa!!!! ❤❤❤
Laura Riley I was actually supposed to go on a clinical trial for this drug starting last week, I got dropped from the trial as I haven’t had enough migraines, this is all thanks to the Stanton migraine protocol!! Looks like it’s saved me from more unwanted drugs in my system 👍
Angela Stanton Congrats for being dropped Laura!! Now this is a special case. Lol. ❤
Michelle Speer Thank you so much for the explanation! Wish I understood it all better. People are coming out of the woodwork telling me about this and it’s frustrating because I’ve already told them that what I’m doing is working.
Michelle Speer Sorry this might be a dumb question, you say it is a vasodilator (reduces blood pressure), then later that it increases blood pressure for a month, just a typo?
Angela Stanton Michelle there is never a dumb question. The CGRP receptor is a vasodilator but this drug “inhibits” (blocks) that action, thereby it causes a lack of vasodilation and that’s vasoconstriction, which increases blood pressure.
The reason for this is logical actually: migraineurs have very low blood pressure (when not in pain) and often benefit from caffeine, which is a vasoconstrictor. However, the reason why they benefit from increased blood pressure by vasoconstriction is because their blood volume is low.
Low blood volume means they are dehydrated. Some migraineurs drink no water at all so they are very dehydrated when they join my protocol. The first thing I do is ask every person to start hydrating and I give a formula to calculate how much water they need and they need to take salt with water. So by drinking enough and taking salt to increase electrolyte mineral density, this vasoconstriction is not needed at all.
Rodney Marks The even scarier part of this drug is the cost, $10000/year. So even if you wanted to try it, who can afford it. Stick with Angela.
Angela Stanton Wow Rodney. That is huge. I hope no one goes on this monster drug. It is a horrific one and can cause major problems. But, if someone is willing to take this risk, and pay this much, instead of simply changing their diets, then there is nothing I can do but catch them when they want to quit and are damaged either temporarily (if they are lucky) or permanently (if they are unlucky)
Comments, as usual, are welcomed and are monitored for appropriateness.
Angela
I stupidly agreed to take a shot of aimovig in my neurologists office (she pushed a sample on me after dismissing my concerns). I have had terrible side effects and had no idea it stayed in our bodies that long. I’m concerned because my husband and I want to try for our 2nd child and I’m worried about it still being present. Any thoughts? It’ll be a little over a month after getting it.
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Ouch Heather, very sorry. From what I have heard from migraineurs who got a shot, it can take up to 6 months for a single shot to clear. The half-life is 29 days, but the other half that remains also has a 29-day half-life and so on. One of my migraineurs took more than 6 months to recover from one shot. I cannot advise you, of course, and I don’t think anyone knows how this would affect an fetus. You can only do your best.
You may want to join my Facebook migraine group where we provide support for you and help you with questions. The group is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MigraineSufferers/
Good luck to you! Best wishes,
Angela
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Hi. My name is Mari and I have suffered with migraines for 28 years due to a severe neck injury. I had my first (and last) Aimovig injection 10 days ago. Within the first hour of receiving this injection I broke out in hives, developed mouth ulcers, had extreme chest pain, rapid heart rate, increased BP, extreme stomach pains, all over body aches, electrical impulses coursing throughout my body, insomnia, etc, etc. I knew nothing of these side effects. Constipation was the only one mentioned. I feel worse. I had an 81.5 hour migraine which started within an hour of receiving Aimovig! I am beyond miserable and want this out of my system!! Is there anyway to hurry that process up??
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Dear Mari,
Very sorry to hear the horrific reaction you had to Aimovig. Indeed, 99% of the adverse effects are not on the label for various reasons, one of the most important reason is that prior to large-scale use, the side effects are not know. I hope you were able to report your adverse reactions to the FDA reporting system here. It is necessary for individuals to report since without that, the FDA has no information. So please do if you have not yet.
To help you learn how to prevent migraines, please join my Facebook migraine group here or if you wish not to join, at least read my book, which will help you see what migraine is and how you can treat one if one sneaks through and how to prevent them.
Looking forward to seeing you in my group,
Angela
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I have been on Aimovig for 7 months. I started with 140 mg and now take 70 mg. I have had complete remission of Migraine which I’ve suffered with for 26 years. I used to take Imitrex almost daily. My only effect has been constipation. Even though it works wonders for me I do not want to continue taking it because no one knows the long term effects, just like statins. I just found out about you and your protocol yesterday and cant wait to read your book. I have been doing a nearly zero carb diet for almost 2 months.and found out about you through a member of a zero carb fb page and listened to your fantastic podcast from biohackers lab. I was wanting to quit Aimovig but was fearful I’d be back on the daily migraine track. I now feel like there is a better option for me .Thank you
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Dear Kathryn,
Wonderful that you are giving the protocol a chance. Indeed, I have worked with well over 5000 migraine sufferers by now and all on the protocol(s) (I have more than one) have become migraine free–provided they stick with the protocol. As a migraine sufferer of over 30 years myself, I am super happy you joined our group and look forward to helping you learn the “how to” and the “why” so that you too can become migraine free and medicine free. 🙂
See you in the group,
Angela
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Hi Angela,
I just asked to join your group on Facebook. I suffer from migraines or headaches for many years over 25 I think or maybe even more. I am taking Aimovig since 08/11/18 and like you sad the honeymoon is over. It is maybe worked 3 months at most and now it is back full sforce. My next shot is this Saturday, 02/23/19 and I would like not to do it. Should I just take 70 mg (one shot) since I am on 140 mg from the very beginning. Afraid to go cold turkey but also do not want to shot myself with more poison.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Alla L.
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Dear Alla,
Very glad that you joined my migraine group. I am not sure that stopping counts as “cold turkey” since the half-life of the drug is 29 days. That means that after 1 month of use, you still have 50% of the drug in you, even when you get the next dose.
This means that the drug builds up: you have 0.5 dose in you when you get the 2nd monthly shot; you have 1.5 doses in you total with the 2nd shot right after you received the 2nd shot. That too has a half-life on 29 days, so 29 days later you reached half-life of the 2nd dose but the first is still not fully out of you… so you have about 0.25 dose of the first shot, 0.5 of the 2nd shot and 1 of the 3rd shot the day you get the 3rd shot, so 1.75 doses… and so on, it builds up. We have a member who took Aimovig for 7 months and then joined us when she quit it. She said that her doctor calculated that it will take her something like 149 days to have the drug completely be cleared out of her body!
So using the knowledge about how long the half-life is, not taking a dose simply means you have 70 mg (half of the 140 mg) in you for this coming month without injecting another dose.
I cannot advise you, of course, I am just informing you about what the drug label says about the half-life and what the doctor suggested to someone else in my group. I have many people now in the group who have stopped Aimovig–I think some also one of the other brand name as well.
Once you start the protocol, its benefit will be pretty fast–pending on other medicines you may be taking and how long you have taken those. We will help you get through this. ❤ Have no concern.
See you in the group,
Angela
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I am on my 7th month of Aimovig. It has decreased my migraines by at least 3/4s. I am very pleased by the results. The few comments above are, I’m guessing, the few that have had bad (or horrible) side effects. I hope the testimonies of the people above doesn’t scare anyone off from trying this drug. It’s changed my life. I’m on my 41st year of suffering from migraines. I’d try just about anything, and have. Shirley’s testimony is indeed to say the least, frightening. Could it be from any other medicine, or combination of meds? I’ve never heard of anything like this and am so sorry this happened. All of the comments above wouldn’t stop me. My adult life has been one big migraine. It has affected everything and everyone. I’m sorry for everyone above and anyone that has to suffer this condition.
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Dear Stephanie,
I am very glad to hear that Aimovig is working for you. There are always people for whom a drug works but usually the majority of people (for all drugs!) get no benefits at all or get hurt. This is referred to NNT (Number Needed to Treat). It is too soon to establish the true NNT for Aimoving or other CGRP inhibitors. The current official “estimation” of the NNT for Aimovig is 6, see here.
What this means is that 6 people have to be treated in order for 1 person to get any benefit (any, meaning not total migraine relief). The remaining 6 will either just not benefit or get hurt. It appears, based on the many complaints coming into the FDA adverse reporting system, that this NNT will greatly increase as the drugs had a little more time on the market and more people had dared try it. So far, my personal estimation of the NNT is over 100, granted this is just an estimation and only based on the number of people complaining and not knowing how many are not complaining.
So you are one of the lucky ones! And I hope your luck continues and you will not have any negative adverse reactions later. 🙂
Best wishes,
Angela
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Can amovig make you “hyper” excuse my word choice? That’s how I feel after 3 weeks into 1st injection. If possible please respond asap, next shot coming today & I’m leaving to go out of country tomorrow. Also waiting for return call from my neurologist. Thank you.
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It can Karen because it is only blocking your pain sensors but under it all you are still having a migraine. Migraine is not just a pain but a ton of other conditions mixed in, and one of the migraine prodromes is being hyper. Your prodromes will not be removed by a pain sensor blocking mechanism.
Please read this summary on what migraine is: https://www.patrickholford.com/advice/preventing-treating-migraines and =read the whole book if you wish here: https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Migraine-Epidemic-Complete-Migraines/dp/154697637X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1518636023&sr=8-1
These explain what migraine is. If you wish, please join our migraine group to learn more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MigraineSufferers/
Best wishes,
Angela
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My third injection of Aimovig was almost a killer, my husband tried to wake me up Jan 1, 2019 after giving the injection on the evening of Dec. 31,& 2018. I could here him but couldn’t respond, my muscles were jerking so severely that I couldn’t get up. A neighbor helped get me to our vehicle. I spent two days in ICU and am having trimmers almost daily. To anyone trying this drug, be very careful!!
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Oh my goodness Shirley!!! This is really scary! I hope that you recover from this shot. The half-life of Aimovig is 29 days. Please keep me posted! ❤
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