@quazar I am on 140mg Aimovig. I began to improve 4 days after the medication was administered. I am also experiencing side effects. I didn't experience them when I was on 70mg for 2 months but, I also had only 4 migraine-free days out of 60 days on 70mg. The 2 competitor meds - which both work on the CGRP itself rather than the receptor - are not known to have the constipation or muscle cramping produced by Aimovig. Emgality does have a problem in that Lupus patients taking a specific medication can't take Emgality because Emgality increases the toxicity of the Lupus medication. Because I have TMJ and nerve damage, the Aimovig muscle cramping can be quite debilitating. So, I'm trading migraine relief for intense nerve and TMJ pain. There is no rhyme or reason with regards to the side effects as they pertain to me; I haven't narrowed down a reason why some days I experience no cramping while other days it's mild and other days it's severe.

I had to request that Aimovig be added to my Formulary. The insurance company approved it as a Tier 4 medication. All 3 CGRP meds are priced at $6900/year out of pocket. But, I'm willing to bet that individual insurance plans won't cover all 3 OR won't cover them at the same rate. That would, effectively, make one medication more affordable to policy holders.

I think that the Aimovig side effects would be more tolerable for patients with no comorbid illnesses. Those with digestive issues, like gastroparesis, would probably have a difficult time staying on Aimovig. If I could convince my insurance company to cover Emgality, I think I'd switch next month.