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From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

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Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#2

  “We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide”, Dr Braca explained. “That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.”
I'm not sure I understand what that means, but I wonder if this would work for people who are not obese?

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#3

“We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide”, Dr Braca explained. “That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.” I'm not sure I understand what that means, but I wonder if th…

Anecdotes are not data, however I used to have one or more severe migraine headaches weekly. Debilitating migraines. I suffered pretty high blood pressure (which has a very direct relationship with cerebrospinal fluid pressure, which is why I mention this), but aside from that am very healthy and physically fit, exercise regularly, and so on.

I started medication to treat the BP -- telmisartan and amlodipine -- and my BP dropped from 150+/120+ to 115/80. The migraines completely disappeared. I still infrequently get the visual aura that would traditionally precede a migraine, but nothing follows. I haven't had a migraine in the years I've had my BP under control.

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#4
Is there any good consensus on what the deal is with this drug yet? I don't know how to think about GLP-1. In the headlines it seems like every month it's a miracle cure for something new, yet we don't really understand it? But it seems like just generally...everyone, including me, would benefit from being on it...? The whole thing makes me uneasy but I'm not exactly sure why outside of it seems weird to have one drug that is so good at so much.

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#5
post #3

“We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide”, Dr Braca explained. “That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.” I'm not sure I understand what that means, but I wonder if th…

Anecdotes are not data, however I used to have one or more severe migraine headaches weekly. Debilitating migraines. I suffered pretty high blood pressure (which has a very direct relationship with cerebrospinal fluid pressure, which is why I mention this), but aside from that am very healthy and physically fit, exercise regularly, and so on. I started medication to treat the BP -- telmisartan and amlodipine -- and m…

Interesting to hear as someone who gets the aura thing, but never the migraine pain, and has good blood pressure

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#6
post #4

Is there any good consensus on what the deal is with this drug yet? I don't know how to think about GLP-1. In the headlines it seems like every month it's a miracle cure for something new, yet we don't really understand it? But it seems like just generally...everyone, including me, would benefit from being on it...? The whole thing makes me uneasy but I'm not exactly sure why outside of it seems weird to have one dru…

I agree with you. All I can think is that it's affecting some central mental or physical aspect that has many different outward benefits.

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#7
post #3

“We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide”, Dr Braca explained. “That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.” I'm not sure I understand what that means, but I wonder if th…

Anecdotes are not data, however I used to have one or more severe migraine headaches weekly. Debilitating migraines. I suffered pretty high blood pressure (which has a very direct relationship with cerebrospinal fluid pressure, which is why I mention this), but aside from that am very healthy and physically fit, exercise regularly, and so on. I started medication to treat the BP -- telmisartan and amlodipine -- and m…

Candesartan is actually one of the most used medications for migraine prophylaxis, also for people with normal BP. Your doc might have chosen the med for that reason. Though it's widely used for BP even in people without migraines.

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#8

“We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide”, Dr Braca explained. “That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.” I'm not sure I understand what that means, but I wonder if th…

They are positing that the GLP-1 agonist acts mechanistically to modulate CGRP release. But CGRP involvement in migraine is itself only one potential mechanism that causes migraine. I would like to know whether the subjects who responded to the GLP-1 therapy were also responsive to CGRP monoclonal antibody therapy.

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#9
post #4

Is there any good consensus on what the deal is with this drug yet? I don't know how to think about GLP-1. In the headlines it seems like every month it's a miracle cure for something new, yet we don't really understand it? But it seems like just generally...everyone, including me, would benefit from being on it...? The whole thing makes me uneasy but I'm not exactly sure why outside of it seems weird to have one dru…

GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone regulating blood sugar, satiety, and gastric emptying. Some people simply don't have enough naturally (which can be a result of diet composition and lifestyle -- there are diet and behaviour modifications to increase your natural production) and artificial supplementation is beneficial.

The overwhelming benefits from GLP-1 are courtesy of weight loss and better blood sugar control. Get those two things under control, with or without GLP-1 drugs, and an enormous array of complications are made less likely.

For people with healthy, ideal diets at an optimal weight and with good blood sugar control, there are only remote, hypothetical benefits. There is some evidence it reduces inflammation and might ward off neurodegenerative disorders, but those likely have more of a relationship with blood sugar spikes, and again lifestyle changes are more impactful.

Re: From blood sugar to brain relief: GLP-1 therapy slashes migraine frequency

#10
post #7
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotes are not data, however I used to have one or more severe migraine headaches weekly. Debilitating migraines. I suffered pretty high blood pressure (which has a very direct relationship with cerebrospinal fluid pressure, which is why I mention this), but aside from that am very healthy and physically fit, exercise regularly, and so on. I started medication to treat the BP -- telmisartan and amlodipine -- and m…

Candesartan is actually one of the most used medications for migraine prophylaxis, also for people with normal BP. Your doc might have chosen the med for that reason. Though it's widely used for BP even in people without migraines.

Agree. Candesartan was one of the first line of migraine treatments given to me. Propranalol was the other one. Neither worked in my case.
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