Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 31, 1993 TAG: 9301280105
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Joe and Teresa Graedon
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
NEW MIGRAINE MEDICINE GIVES RELIEF
Jeff spends a lot of time in the bathroom hugging the toilet seat. Every time he gets a migraine headache, he feels as if he is going to throw up. Many times he does.Until now, all Jeff could do was retreat to a dark quiet room where he would put a cold compress over his eyes and suffer for hours. But a new advance in migraine medicine had Jeff and millions of other migraine sufferers toasting the new year - perhaps not with red wine, which may trigger a headache, but at least with sparkling water.
On Dec. 28, the Food and Drug Administration approved a novel new migraine medicine that can bring relief for some victims within 10 minutes and offers 80 percent of users dramatic relief at two hours.
Imitrex (sumatriptan) has been anxiously awaited for some time now, but migraine victims will have to wait a few more months. The manufacturer, Glaxo, plans to have the medication on pharmacy shelves by mid- to late March, and doctors will be able to prescribe it then.
Despite its effectiveness, this medicine won't suit everyone. For one thing, those interested in trying it right away will have to learn to use the autoinjector. Imitrex will be available only by injection at first. The self-injector sold with it means that patients will not have to get to the doctor's office or emergency room when a headache starts, but instead will be able to treat themselves.
Questions have been raised about the cost of the medication, but Glaxo has not yet set a price. In Great Britain and Canada, where sumatriptan already is available, one dose costs the equivalent of about $30. If it costs that much in the United States, many people who suffer migraines will not be able to afford it easily. People who experience more than a few headaches a month could find the cost prohibitive.
According to Dr. Joel Saper, director of the Head Pain and Neurological Institute of Ann Arbor, Mich., 15 million to 20 million people in this country experience more than one headache a week. For many of them, preventing a migraine in the first place is the best approach. There are a number of medications ranging from beta blockers and antidepressants to medicines normally used for Parkinson's disease or epilepsy. Finding the right one requires close cooperation with an expert in headache management.
When other treatment approaches are not working well, Imitrex can be a lifesaver. One woman admitted that she had purchased a gun and was considering suicide if there were no hope of obtaining Imitrex soon. Her headaches were relentless and unbearable.
We recently discussed the prevention and treatment of migraine headaches with Saper and Dr. James Palmer, vice president for clinical research at the Glaxo Research Institute. If you would like a 60-minute audiotape of this People's Pharmacy broadcast, which discusses the use of Imitrex in detail, send $8.99 to: Graedons' People's Pharmacy, in care of the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491.
As exciting as Imitrex appears to be, some people may not be able to use it safely. Side effects include pain at the injection site, tingling or flushing, chest tightness and pressure. Patients with angina or heart disease may not be candidates.
But for people like Jeff, who have to hibernate for days or go to the emergency room for narcotic injections, the approval of Imitrex is good news indeed.
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Dr. Teresa Graedon is a medical anthropologist and nutrition expert. Their newest book is "Graedons' Best Medicine" (Bantam Books).