Migraine Medication: What Works for Me

My triggers are pressure and temperature swings. For years I’d get blindsided by a migraine, and end up in a dark room under pillows for the day. But then I dialed in the right medications, and it was truly life-changing. I could knock out a migraine — or even avoid one completely, if I was able to medicate at the first sign of trouble. And for me, that is knowing when the weather might turn against me.

I wanted something that ran quietly in the background, respected my privacy, and simply tapped me on the shoulder when the atmosphere was about to do the thing that sets me off. Nothing did that quite the way I liked, so I built Migraine Weather.

What migraine medication works for me?

After testing a lot of things with my neurologist, here’s where I landed. I’m not a doctor, so take this as one person’s experience and not a recommendation.

• Zolmitriptan (generic Zomig) is my go-to. It’s a triptan, the long-standing class of acute migraine medications you take once an attack is starting. For me it’s reliable, as long as I take it before the migraine sets in. Zolmitriptan has some side effects for me — it makes me a little fuzzy and tired. It usually kicks in within an hour, if I take it early enough.
• Ubrelvy (ubrogepant) is my backup. It’s a newer type of acute treatment that works through a different mechanism than triptans. If the Zomig doesn’t fully kick in, I have the Ubrelvy as a second option. Sometimes, with my doctor’s guidance, I take it when Migraine Weather is alerting me to Red/High Risk, an hour or two before the onset of weather changes. For me, that can mean the attack never fully develops, and I have no side effects.
• Sudafed for the sinus side. A lot of my weather attacks come with sinus pressure, so a decongestant helps me manage that part, and can keep me out of trouble, too.

None of that happened overnight. I tried many medications that didn’t work before I found the ones that did.

Getting zolmitriptan without fighting insurance

Insurance has been a hassle for me with zolmitriptan. It tends to cover only a few tablets at a time, which means dealing with refills more often than I’d like.

I’ve had a much easier time getting it through Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs. My last larger supply cost about $30 and lasts me several months. It still requires a prescription, but for me it has been simpler than repeatedly getting small quantities through insurance.

Cost Plus Drugs isn’t a sponsor, and I don’t earn anything from mentioning it. I use the service because it has been helpful for us.

How can a migraine weather forecast change medication timing?

Here’s the part that ties back to the app. A lot of acute migraine medication works best when you take it early, at the first hint, rather than once you’re deep in an attack. The problem is that the “first hint” is easy to miss or talk yourself out of.

When the app warns me that a sharp pressure or temperature swing is on the way, I get a window. I can take my medication early instead of waiting and hoping. For me that’s the difference between a manageable day and a lost one. The forecast doesn’t replace the medication, it helps me use it at the right moment.

To be clear, the right timing depends on your specific medication and your doctor’s guidance. The app is a heads-up, not a dosing instruction. Download Migraine Weather if you want local weather-risk alerts and a symptom history to bring into those conversations.

Are new migraine medications still coming?

There are a lot of options now. Several classes of acute medication, several preventive approaches, and more arriving. That breadth is genuinely good news, because it means that even if the first thing doesn’t work for you, the odds are real that something will.

Talk to your neurologist or a headache specialist. Be honest about what’s working and what isn’t, and keep going until you find your combination. Track your attacks so you have real information to bring to those appointments, that’s what Migraine Weather records automatically, including the weather at the time of each one.

What is the short version of this migraine medication story?

There are a lot of effective migraine medications, and the right ones are genuinely individual. Personally I use zolmitriptan (a triptan) as my go-to, with Ubrelvy (ubrogepant) as a backup, and Sudafed for the sinus side. I figured that out through trial and error with my doctor. The point isn’t to copy my list, it’s that there are enough options today that something has a good chance of working for you, so it’s worth seeing a neurologist to find it.

Take care,
Bryan Moffett, founder of Migraine Weather

What should I read next about migraine and weather?

• Weather and Migraines, the science behind why pressure and temperature swings trigger attacks.
• Why Do I Get a Migraine Before It Rains?, the pre-storm pressure drop, explained.