Generic Name: Aimovig for Migraine Prevention (erenumab)
"I've been on Aimovig for a year now, and while it's not for everyone, it's worked for me. I've had migraines since I was 6-7 years old, and now, at 40, I'm finally getting some relief. It's not 100%, but to cut down the migraines from 20-25 a month to maybe 10, it's worth it. The only side effect I've had is a little constipation. Please don't let all of the negative reviews scare you off. Just like other migraine preventatives, Aimovig isn't for everyone, but if you're a chronic sufferer like I am, it's worth a shot. Especially if you've done damage to your stomach and liver like I have by taking handfuls of OTC medications to try to stop the pain. When you have migraines every day for years and suddenly you get a break, it's like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. Try it, what do you have to lose?"
"I took the first dose last Thursday, four days ago, and my muscles in my neck, back, and legs feel like pulled muscles. They are incredibly painful when walking or turning my head. This started yesterday. Anyone else have this experience?"
"4 months/140mg Aimovig. Result-1/3 less migraines. Great, then side effects start. Constipation-serious problem. Extra script for 3X/day med, didn’t help. No previous issues. Gaining weight rapidly, not eating more. 1st time attributed to holidays. 2nd time, Dr. researched, said weight gain not a side effect & eat healthy grains. I am an intermittent faster and vegan! Gain is flabby belly and thighs; NEVER put weight on like this! Bought Peloton, missed 1 day in 7 weeks, 0 change. Weight gain stops after ending shots but freakish pounds stay. Had med Nov 2019 to February 2020, gained 20 lbs. They say it is out of the system in 5 months, but next month is 1 year since last shot. System is damaged & not repairing. Mentally and physically draining. Also heart palpitations, pressure in eyes & ringing in ears, not part of my life before. Have other issues, but these worry me most. Wish I never heard of Aimovig, never took it and pushed back harder when the side effects started."
"I started at 70 mg and didn't notice a change, so my neurologist increased my dose to 140 mg. I am still waiting for a positive reduction in daily headaches... no change whatsoever. Since I started, I have noticed rapid heart rates and chest pain. Some days I can barely walk up one flight of stairs. I’m also experiencing insomnia, increased nausea/vomiting, and a weird electrical tingling in the right side of my head. I’m very concerned about the cardiac issues and am wondering if anyone else has this side effect?"
"I started 1 dose of Aimovig 70 mg in April 2020. My neuro suggested that I should start a higher dose (140 mg) in July 2020. 3 more months after taking this awful stuff, the side effects hit full force! I literally felt like I was going to die. I was so WEAK. Recovery from this drug has been a nightmare. My side effects were brain zaps, anxiety, new panic attacks, paranoia, heart palpitations, numbness, tingling all over my body, weird electrical head sensations, head pressure. My migraines came back 4 months after being off this drug, more debilitating. I also felt like my heart was skipping beats. I experienced shortness of breath, fatigue, neck pain, weakness, burning sensations, weight loss, diarrhea, and vomiting that has lasted for months. Additionally, I experienced ringing in the ears, muscle spasms, and cramps. I want my life back. It has been like this for 5 months, and the drug is supposed to be out of your system in 6 months. Beware and run if anyone offers this! It stopped my headaches, but at what cost? Extreme life-threatening measures?!"
"Within 3 hours of injecting 140mg, I started to feel unwell. I woke up the next night, and I could not breathe, and had red rash/hives. I had to go to the ER. By the 5th day post-injection, I felt like I was going to die and had to go back to the ER. I was in the hospital for 5 days. I had a severe life-threatening reaction to Aimovig. My body recognized this biologic medicine as a poison. Once injected, there is no way to get it out of your system. The half-life of Aimovig is 28 days, but it takes 5 half-lives to rid it from your system... (Amgen/Novartis) should be made to issue a warning that this reaction (immunogenicity) can happen. They do know about this side effect. Anyone suffering with a terrible reaction should make a report to the FDA. They are the only ones holding drug companies accountable for undesirable serious side effects. This drug does work for preventing the migraines, but at what cost... risk of death? Literally months of suffering?"
"I had my first injection on 9-17-2018. That first day, I had a migraine. I have had a migraine every day since (counting 12). I have also had muscle pains develop in my back to the point that I went in for an MRI 4 days after the shot. I didn’t think or know the two could have been related. I have had back issues before and thought they could have returned. I suspect the medication triggered a flare-up. However, the pain was not only in the injury section but all along my spine, specifically in my upper back and neck. The migraine focused behind my eyes as usual, and my normal medication would not even offer any relief, which is unusual. Then, six days after the injection, stomach issues began. I feel nauseous continuously. I am hungry, but nothing sounds or tastes good. Waiting to see my doctor. Not excited to continue with this medication."
"24 hours after a 70mg injection I have severe nausea, dizziness, and headache. I feel terrible like I have the flu. I hope this doesn’t last the entire month. Wish I knew how to get this drug out of my system. Will NOT be trying another shot. And their website lists none of these side effects! Based on others’ reviews, I am not the only one feeling like death. Awful drug."
"I was told Aimovig had few side effects. I had six shots and migraines worsened! They kept saying give it time so I did, but it never helped. I got health problems I never had before the shots too! I’m 31 and average weight, and the only health issue I had was migraines! Now my chest hurts, I have weird severe fatigue, high blood pressure, and spikes in heart rate, constipation that became blockage and had surgery, depression, diabetes, and can’t digest food right. It’s a suffering I can’t explain really it’s so bad. I’m scared I’ll be like this the rest of my life. I don’t trust doctors anymore and don’t plan to ever go back. They’re either lying to us or don’t know what they’re doing. Never again!"
"I did a 70 mg injection of Aimovig for two months, and then increased to the 140 mg injection for two months. My migraines are worse than ever, my daily headache is much stronger, and my rescue medications are less effective. I'm almost certain these are side effects of Aimovig. I've stopped using it, and I'm waiting for it to clear my system! I generally get 1-2 migraines per week, but these past couple of months have been much worse!"
"I have taken Aimovig injections for 8 months. I had 15 or more migraines each month. I am experiencing these side effects: Hair loss, Constipation, Stomach pain, Burning tingling all over, Enlarged and sore veins, Fatigue, Joint pain, Headache for three weeks, High heart rate then drops very low into the 40s, High blood pressure, Tremor, Weakness. Then dysautonomic nerve dysfunction was diagnosed after I started the drug. What is being done to alert people taking the injection about these very serious side effects? If I hadn’t been researching this drug’s side effects, I wouldn’t have known. I will follow up with a call to the FDA and file a complaint with Aimovig. There should be a warning on the box. Thank you, Sharon Kerr"
"Took the injection and an hour later started to feel horrible. Migraines are usually on the left side of my head and sharp. The right side of my head had a lot of pressure and down my neck. I went to bed thinking I'll feel better in the morning. The pressure became excruciating and my neck had horrible muscle spasms. I was in severe pain in my head, neck, and muscle spasms in my back for 8 days. It tapered off, and I could function again. My husband almost took me to the hospital thinking I had a bad reaction. I started researching and found out many people have had the same thing. My daughter took the injection the day after I did, and her symptoms completely mirrored mine. She is still suffering. I am writing this two weeks later and still have some minor symptoms."
"I have chronic migraines. I was excited to try the new CGRP inhibitors. It took me a year to get insurance to help with the costs. The first injection went well, and I was truly excited to maybe believe I had a chance at a more normal life. After the second dose, 140 mg, I felt disappointed at feeling no improvement like I had experienced for a week after the first injection. And then, randomly, bladder issues began. Let me just say I previously don't suffer from UTIs. After the fourth shot, and three more bladder infections, I finally connected the dots. Nowhere does it state that UTIs may be a side effect of Aimovig! Thanks to chat boards and personal comments from users, I realize somehow my bladder has been damaged from this drug. So not worth the small benefits received. According to my neurologist, I am apparently the only one to exhibit this side effect. I should have researched more! Thank you to all who post their experiences, and maybe this post will help others too."
"First injection (70mg) September 24. Suffered many years. Kept a “headache diary” to keep track of how often they occur and the notes on the various meds I have taken for them (preventatives, triptans, etc...). Happily, headaches were down by 70-75% the first month. Had 4 headaches 9/24-9/27, then twinges, then no headaches for many days in a row. Also, if I do feel one coming on, I can go to bed and wake up with no headache which was impossible before because the headaches were unstoppable and became migraines. SIDE EFFECTS: The first month, I had slight nausea on and off for about a week but none after my 2nd injection on 10/24. Worst thing, so far, is severe constipation. (Told doctor.) I hope other people will post remedies they have found for constipation caused by Aimovig. This drug is the first thing I have found to help prevent migraines but adjusting to life with severe bloating and constipation is horrible. I would like to know how to remedy this safely."
"31 years old female. Took this for 6 months. Migraines were far fewer and less intense, however, the side effects were absolutely not worth it! Severe constipation, agitation, dizziness, fatigue, feeling like I had a full-blown flu with soreness everywhere, extreme hair loss!!! Heart pain, elevated heart rate, extreme shortness of breath, could hardly walk up a single flight of stairs, brain fog, vertigo. Aimovig was the only change in any medications. I even kept my diet and exercise routine the same during the trial. This is not worth the side effects. Also, who knows about the long-term effects?"
"My experience with Aimovig after the first injection: I was very constipated and bloated, but after a week my migraines were reduced. I noticed my weight going up, which was strange as I was on a 1200 calorie diet and was exercising daily. In month 2, after the second injection, my migraines were shorter and fewer, but my weight increased. I was also bloated. I reduced to a 1000 calorie diet and daily exercise, and after a week, I gained more weight! My stomach was more bloated. I thought I was going nuts. I tried fasting, and my weight did not budge, and I felt so bloated and clogged up. I called the manufacturer. This was not a reported side effect. Well, this is my experience. Too bad I’m going off this drug, which takes months to eliminate, and I will continue to diet and exercise. Before going on Aimovig, I had never gained weight on 1200 calories a day, I had never felt so bloated and clogged up. I hate migraines, but these side effects are scary to me. So disappointed."
"Just took my second injection (70 mg) on Friday. I have seen a dramatic improvement. Almost headache-free. That is why I rated the drug a 10. Not even Botox has worked this well. I am experiencing constipation. Will try Miralax. Definitely worth a try."
"This medication has ruined my family’s life for the last month. My son tried Aimovig after years of unsuccessful migraine treatments. The first month wasn’t too bad. He had a significant reduction in migraines (from 4-5/week down to 1-2). The constipation was severe, but he thought he could get a handle on it, so when it was time, he wanted to do his second injection. That second injection flipped our world upside down. Several days after the injection he was struck with crippling fatigue, and the scariest symptom of all, he began hallucinating, then fainted. We rushed him to the ER. After a thorough exam, bloodwork, and EEG, the doctor came to the conclusion that it was most likely triggered by the Aimovig. The last month has been horrible. He can hardly stay awake, and when he’s exhausted, he hallucinates. He’s 18, and we can’t leave him alone. Watching him suffer with this is absolutely heartbreaking. We hate this med and what it’s done to his life."
"I have taken six doses of Aimovig and am just so mad at myself that I didn't look into people's experiences and feedback of this med sooner. The first two months I saw a significant decrease in migraine days and was hopeful. In the third month, they were almost back to normal so my doctor put me on the 140mg. It took me a while to clue in to the side effects but they are now intolerable: severe muscle pain in neck and shoulders, gas, bloating, stomach cramping, constipation, and at least 10 pounds of weight gain. I am so mad at myself that I didn't clue in to all of this being about the drug! I feel like the only side effect told is constipation and irritation at the injection site. I will not be taking this again and I would love to know how long it took anyone else to see symptoms decrease."
"After 33 years of chronic intractable migraine, this medication is a big hope for me. First 70 mg injection on Sept. 11, easy enough, but have to say my headaches have been worse up until this week (Sept 27) when I'm seeing some of the promised relief, along with other unpleasant effects, which I'm guessing are side effects. Dizziness, mood issues, some shortness of breath, and definite nausea and diarrhea. Blood pressure is higher, mine is typically very low. Also experiencing insomnia. It's hard to get to sleep and stay asleep. Curious about what others may find similar in their experience? It's too soon to say on relief, only two days I've seen a difference."
"I took Aimovig once in July 2019. Afterward, I developed full-body neuropathy, severe musculoskeletal pain, tremors in my tongue, hands, and legs, joint pain, muscle weakness, extreme fatigue, ear ringing, cognitive dysfunction, heart palpitations, extreme swings in blood pressure, severe constipation, acid reflux, and bloating, and developed asthma out of nowhere. I've had MRIs, X-rays, an EMG, tons of blood work, and next, I'll be getting a small fiber biopsy. I now take a daily inhaler and two prescriptions for my nerve pain. This drug ruined my life."
"I used Aimovig for six months. It absolutely does reduce migraine days. I felt great, except I realized right away that it slowed my guts. Still, without constant migraine, I ran a couple of 5Ks and started training for a half marathon. Unfortunately, by Christmas, Aimovig entirely shut down my intestines. I’ve been off Aimovig for two months, and still I suffer constant pain, horrendous bloating, and the worst constipation. Absolutely nothing works. I went nine days without eating, hoping the swelling would go down a little. Went to the hospital for tests to find out I’m full of poop. I’m becoming depressed because I can only run 2-3 times a week, and I look five months pregnant. I wonder if my digestive system will ever heal. If there is a class action suit, I’ll be the first in line."
"My son took this, 70mg dose and 36 hours later was in a coma, multi-organ failure, severe brain damage. He was in the hospital for 10 weeks this summer. He would be writing here, but can’t because of his brain damage. We reported this to the FDA and they have done nothing. This has changed his life and our life forever, all because Aimovig was pushed through by Amgen and not tested on enough people. When are they going to listen and put proper warnings on Aimovig?"
"I have had migraines since 2000. I have tried everything with no real solutions. I was having some type of headache 16-18 days a month with at least 10 of those being migraine level. I hate how the Triptans make my neck hurt and sore throat. I began Aimovig, and have had 4 injections now 70 mg. I have seen my migraines cut back to like 6 total headaches a month. The headaches I do have don’t last, I wake up now in the mornings clear-headed and with no headache hangover. It has been wonderful. I feel reliable again and like I can be dependable. It is costly and come Jan. My deductible will start over. I’m going to try to fit Aimovig into my budget. Side effects: constipation, and joint pain. Some of my joint pain is hereditary. So this side effect may just be a change in the weather. I’m 48!"
"Had a VERY bad response to Aimovig! Took the 1st shot on 8/18/19. On 8/22/19, was admitted to the hospital with a rare viral infection in the esophagus. Doctors were stumped; a 48-year-old healthy woman should not have an immune system low enough to get this virus. The Infectious Disease Doctor discovered I took Aimovig (must have been in my records because I forgot to mention it!) and said Aimovig can lower your immune system. He said this was the only thing that 'made sense' (the only change in my medication and the only drug taken with immune suppressant capabilities). He was surprised Aimovig could lower the immune system that significantly, but had no doubt this is exactly what Aimovig did. Also, I experienced drug toxicity to the anti-viral medication, which doctors believe was due to an autoimmune response in the veins themselves... CAUSED BY AIMOVIG!!! I've been out of work for 3 weeks and will be out another 3-4 weeks while the immune system recovers and I find out if the autoimmune response will go away. Definitely NOT recommended!"
