HeadWise

Have you been failed by the anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody treatments? How long did you trial them before deciding they did not work? Brand new data presented at last month's American Headache Society meeting shows that a certain percentage of migraine patients take longer to respond to these medications than we originally thought. Does this mean we should trial them for a longer period of time bef...

Have you been told you cannot be prescribed estrogen or estrogen-containing birth control pills because you have migraine with aura? This week's episode is on the Estrogen and Migraine Controversy. Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, questions Susan Hutchinson, MD, Headache Specialist and author of The Woman's Guide to Managing Migraine all about estrogen, migraine, aura, stroke risk, birth control, perimenopau...

Have you had a migraine medication or sometimes multiple migraine medications fail you? Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks to Melissa Geraghty Psy. D. about how migraine medication failure makes us feel and some coping skills for dealing with this common problem.

Today's episode is on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This is an extension of last week's episode which was dedicated to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Next week we will talk about Social Security Disability (SSDI). How does ADA apply to people with a debilitating headache condition? Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. asks Tom Dabertin, Executive Director and CEO of the National Headache...

Are you aware of your rights as a person with migraine, cluster headache, or another debilitating headache condition when it comes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? Are you looking for answers to; what the process is like, how much time is allowable, or when you need to notify your employer? The National Headache Foundation has dedicated three episodes to (1) Family and Medical Leave Act...

As a headache and migraine community, we are so often told not to skip meals that we may forget that people often fast for many religious or health reasons. Does skipping meals trigger migraine and other types of headache? Are there health benefits to fasting? What are some tricks we can use to possibly subvert migraine/ head pain if we plan to fast? Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. talks to Dr. Amelia Bar...

The idea of medication overuse and medication overuse headache can seem almost contradictory at times. It can seem like the very medicines we were instructed to take at the onset of migraine are suddenly being blamed for causing our chronic migraine. Stopping their use entirely can seem like a very scary idea. In this episode of Heads UP, Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. discusses the results with Dr. Vinc...

Bruce Willis’s aphasia diagnosis and retirement from acting have led many following the news to search for more information on the disease. In this episode of Heads UP, Dr. Lindsay Weitzel welcomes back Dr. Amelia Barrett for a timely discussion to explain aphasia and how it impacts some people living with migraine disease.

Are you someone who has head pain that is interfering with your life but you have not done anything about it yet? Or are you a migraine veteran figuring out how to talk to your doctor about new symptoms and comorbidities? Regardless of where you are at in your migraine journey, Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D., asks Dr. Vincent Martin how to communicate with your doctor and get the help you need. For more...

How many of your relatives are affected by migraine? A recently published study found 123 genetic loci associated with migraine. This is nearly 40 more than were previously recognized. In this episode of Heads UP, Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. and Tim Smith, MD discuss the results of this study and its implications for the future of families with migraine.

Treating Migraine With Infusions – In this week’s episode of Heads UP Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. discusses infusions with Dr. Merle Diamond, MD. What infusions are used to break a migraine cycle and why? What medicines are sometimes added together in the infusions? Don’t miss this episode!

Heads UP: Low-Pressure Headache - Finding the Leak Do you know the symptoms of low-pressure headache or spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH)? Often it presents with a chronic headache that is better when you lie down and worse when you sit up and gets progressively worse as the day goes on. It can be confused with migraine or other types of headache. This type of headache is caused by a low...

It is a well-documented fact that migraine is an underdiagnosed condition and that even people who are correctly diagnosed with migraine often do not have an effective or appropriate treatment plan. Lindsay Weitzel PhD, discusses Think Talk Treat Migraine, with Bert Vargas, MD. They discuss how the Think Talk Treat Migraine program is a valuable resource and an effective way to reach out to the co...

The Migraine at School Program is in place to make sure every student has the opportunity to flourish at school. In this week's episode Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, chats with Amy Graham and Elizabeth Henry Weyher of the Migraine at School Program about how we can utilize the resources at MigraineatSchool.org to help our kids and reach out to our local schools.

Is it a migraine triggered by alcohol? Or is it a hangover? Tricks to prevent and stop alcohol-related headache during the holidays. In this episode of Heads UP - Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. talks to Merle Diamond, MD, AQH about the difference between a migraine triggered by alcohol and a "hangover". They go over some surprising tricks to avoid alcohol-related headaches. Of course, there is also a sho...

For too long, migraine patients have been treated differently than others with medical issues as it relates to access to prescription medications. The National Headache Foundation advocates that payers adopt care models that are patient-centric, where the clinician, in collaboration with the patient, is the primary decision-maker and selects a treatment that addresses the patient’s treatment goals...

The HER-MES trial is a newly published study comparing the tolerability and efficacy of topiramate (Topamax) and erenumab (Aimovig). The results of this trial could impact prescribing practices and payor policies. Tune in this afternoon for this episode of Heads UP as Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, and Tim Smith, MD, discuss the important aspects of the HER-MES trial.

New Data Alert on the Up-and-Coming Migraine Medication: Intranasal Zavegepant. While not yet approved for release, intranasal Zavegepant has shown promise in some interesting and unique data points in the relief of acute migraine. What is Zavegepant and what will it offer us that is different from the other medications made newly available? Listen to Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, ask the tough questions...

In this week's episode of Heads UP, Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. chats with her friend Joe Coe, chronic migraine advocate and host of the Talking Head Pain Podcast, about the path to advocacy, advocating for yourself and for the migraine community, and how advocacy can be part of your wellness plan. They answer questions like; - Can Advocacy be part of your wellness plan? - What if you are currently no...

Dr. Lindsay Weitzel welcomes the Dizzy Cook, Alicia Wolf. They discuss migraine friendly recipes, meal preparation, and the importance of getting a migraine or headache diagnosis. Alicia also shows us how to make the perfect migraine-friendly soup for the holidays! Learn more about the Dizzy Cook on her website: https://thedizzycook.com/

Keeping detailed records of headache episodes can help provide additional insight about triggers and how to avoid them. When deciding on keeping a headache or migraine diary some ask themselves if focusing on their pain/pain level every day leads to a negative mindset and might make them feel worse. Dr. Lindsay Weitzel and Dr. Cynthia Armand discuss the pros and cons of keeping a headache diary, w...

Did you know that tension headaches don't really have anything to do with stress OR the muscles in your head? In this week's episode of Heads Up, Dr. Lindsay Weitzel, Ph. D. talks with Dr. Vincent Martin, MD about the most common type of primary headache: tension headache. They answer questions like; - Can we have migraine/chronic migraine and tension headache at the same time? - Can people develo...

Atogepant (QULIPTA) was just approved by the FDA as a daily oral preventive treatment for migraine. Can we take gepants like Nurtec or Ubrelvy for our acute migraine attacks if we are taking atogepant? How effective is atogepant and what are the side effects? Does it work as well as the injected monoclonal antibodies for migraine prevention? On this episode, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, asks migraine cli...

A study was just published in the British Medical Journal that found a significant reduction in migraine frequency with a specific dietary intervention. As we discuss this new study we also ask what is considered an anti-inflammatory diet and how does inflammation contribute to migraine.

Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks to Tim Smith, MD, about the specifics of Trudhesa, the first DHE nasal spray to utilize Precision Olfactory Delivery (POD) technology. Trudhesa was just approved by the FDA. When will it be available to us and how soon do we have to take it after symptom onset to get results?