Tag: topamax

Meds & Supplements, News & Research, Treatment

FDA Approves Generic Version of Migraine Preventive Drug Topamax (Topiramate)

Kerrie Smyres

The FDA has approved production of topiramate, the generic version of migraine preventive drug Topamax. It will be available in multiple strengths from 17 different manufacturers.

This is great news for the many people who have found relief from migraines or headaches with Topamax. Except for the side effects, which many find intolerable, Topamax is often called as a “miracle drug.” I don’t believe in miracle drugs, but one that can help so many people is pretty impressive.

Ortho-McNeil Neurologic’s patents on Topamax began expiring last year.

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[via Somebody Heal Me]

Community, Doctors, Meds & Supplements, News & Research, Patient Education, Resources, Treatment

Headache NewsBlog By Headache Specialist Alexander Mauskop

Kerrie Smyres

Alexander Mauskop, director of the New York Headache Center, regularly posts his thoughts on current headache news on the aptly named Headache NewsBlog. He dispels myths and examines closely media coverage of headache news. Here’s a taste of Mauskop’s blog, but look over Headache NewsBlog to get the full flavor.

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Meds & Supplements, Resources, Treatment

Epilepsy Drugs (and Headache Preventives) Explained

Kerrie Smyres

The Epilepsy Therapy Development Project‘s website has the most comprehensive information on anticonvulsants that I’ve seen. It is thorough and broken down in a clever way, so that you can see the basics or intermediate or advanced information.

Here are links to the site’s descriptions of epilepsy drugs that are frequently used migraine and headache preventives:

Many thanks to Pam for pointing out the site!

Meds & Supplements, Resources, Treatment

Learn About Meds at DrugBank, a Massive Drug Database

Kerrie Smyres

Whatever you want to know about your medications, DrugBank can tell you. Seriously. Each of the nearly 4,100 drugs on the site has 80 data fields covering names and chemical structures to how and why the drug works to patient information and helpful websites.

The information on Topamax, ibuprofen and Imitrex, which are some common headache drugs, is impressive. DrugBank also links to popular drug sites, including Drugs.com and RX List, when readers want more information.

via ChronicBabe

Meds & Supplements, Mental Health, News & Research, Treatment

Preventive Drugs Improve Quality of Life for People With Migraine

Kerrie Smyres

Preventive medications can significantly improve the quality of life for people with migraine, but their quality of life is still below that of people without migraine. The study tested quality of life for patients taking nadolol (Corgard) and topiramate (Topamax). The article, Impact of Preventive Therapy with Nadolol and Topiramate on the Quality of Life of Migraine Patients, appears in the August issue of Cephalalgia.

[R]esearchers studied 76 consecutive migraine patients at least 16 years of age, evaluating them at the beginning of the study and again after 16 weeks of treatment with nadolol at 40 milligrams per day or topiramate at 100 milligrams per day. The study was completed by 61 of the patients.

The results of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale revealed a mild anxiety state and a moderate depressive state at the beginning of the study, which both remained unchanged after therapy.

The migraine-related quality of life questionnaire score indicated statistically significant improvements with treatment.