Summary of preventive medications for migraine in NZ
Many people with migraine could benefit from preventive treatment, if they’re experiencing frequent or severe migraine attacks. However, commonly used oral preventive medications often have side effects and finding a medication that works for you can be a matter of trial and error. We’ve developed a summary of information about migraine preventive medications for GPs […]
Serotonin toxicity (syndrome) and triptans
Here’s a quiz question that featured in an article on serotonin toxicity (also known as serotonin syndrome) in New Zealand Doctor, July 2024: Serotonin toxicity is likely when a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor is co-prescribed with a triptan. True/False Do you know the answer? Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of antidepressant that […]
Migraine Foundation at GP conference in Christchurch
Migraine featured this year at the major annual GP conference of the South Island – the GPCME South Conference, held at Te Pae conference centre in Christchurch from 16–18 August with 858 attendees. Migraine Foundation co-founder Dr Fiona Imlach and Clinical Advisory Group members Dr Rosamund Hill (neurologist) and Dr Paul Vroegop (pain specialist and […]
Our answers to questions from Seven Sharp
Migraine featured in the media again on Monday 1 July, with an item on Seven Sharp, TVNZ’s current affairs and news show at 7pm. It started well, with Hilary Barry stating that “migraines are not your typical headache and can’t be treated with a big glass of water and paracetamol” but in a bizarre contradiction […]
Medsafe approves atogepant for use in New Zealand
Medsafe has approved the migraine medication atogepant (Aquipta, also known as Qulipta) be added to the New Zealand Medicines Schedule. Atogepant is used to prevent migraine and is taken daily as an oral tablet. In May 2024, Medsafe granted approval for atogepant to be marketed in New Zealand, making atogepant the first gepant medication to […]
Migraine or ‘sinus headache’?
The symptoms of migraine disease are commonly mistaken for those of another condition. This means that people with migraine are often misdiagnosed and don’t receive appropriate treatment. One of the most common conditions confused with migraine is ‘sinus headache’. In fact, a true ‘sinus headache’ is not very common. It is caused by an acute […]
Alcohol and migraine
To drink or not to drink – that can be a vexing question for people with migraine. As many as a third of people with migraine report that alcohol may trigger a migraine attack at least some of the time. A proportion of these people choose not to drink at all, to avoid any chance […]
Neurological Advisory Committee recommends migraine medications receive high priority funding
Press release Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand welcomes Pharmac’s Neurological Advisory Committee recommendation that migraine-specific medications should be funded with a high priority. At its September meeting, the Committee reviewed the evidence for funding galcanezumab (Emgality), erenumab (Aimovig) and atogepant (Aquipta) for chronic and episodic migraine. All three medications were developed specifically to prevent migraine, […]
Migraine while flying and travelling
As the summer holidays approach, many people are gearing up to jump on a plane to spend time with family and friends or to have an escape or adventure, either here in Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas. Flying, and even travel in general, can create an environment where migraine attacks are more likely to occur […]
Emgality supply issue – NZ shouldn’t be affected
This week we received emails from the Australian and New Zealand Headache Society and Migraine and Headache Australia that galcanezumab (Emgality) was out of stock until 1 April 2024 due to a global supply shortage. Greatly perturbed, we contacted CDC Pharmaceuticals who have the sole supply of Emgality in NZ. They hadn’t received any notification […]
