Emgality and Fatigue: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Beb...
• September 4, 2019

For Migraine Prevention "On 07/30, I received my initial dose, and all was fine until 3 days into the injection when I started to break out in very itchy bumps all over my body. Basically, as soon as one was gone, another one would pop up. 2 weeks into the injection, I got a bad urinary tract infection, which lasted for 10 days, including abdominal cramps and back pain. Up to this point, I had 0 migraines or headaches (from originally 2-3 per week). Before my next dose, which I received on 08/30, I got 2 breakthrough migraines because of my period. On the day of the shot, 4/5 hours after, I got one of the worst pressure headaches where I thought my head would implode, it was very painful and unpleasant. 2 days later, the next migraine came, and after that, another one, which was really awkward. This time, I feel definitely more fatigued compared to after the initial dose, where I had trouble staying asleep and somehow felt more energized, which is not the case this time."

• Wor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 21, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "Migraine prevention - 2 injections, loading dose. Worst migraine ever that lasted a week. Irritated, angry, and bloated. Hadn’t had a bowel movement in 5 days. Box of Ex-Lax did nothing. 5 enemas over 3 days, along with Ex-Lax, removed the impaction. I’ve continued on stool softener and added more fiber, but an enema is required every 10 days. It’s been 3 months. Then I woke up with tingling and numb/pain in both arms. Thought I slept wrong. So severe I can’t hold my phone at times. Go to an ortho, and imaging shows nothing! Nerve study shows nothing. Puzzled. My elbows feel like someone took a hammer to them. I never took the 2nd shot. Fatigue, terrible elbow, arm, and finger pain. Someone needs to do something about this drug! Off the market."

• HGm...
• February 3, 2022

For Migraine Prevention "I did my loading dose of Emgality yesterday and am regretting it already. I took Aimovig with no issues for 4 months before my insurance stopped covering it. After my Emgality yesterday, I immediately noticed chest tightness, injection site redness, swelling, itching, and blurred vision. Today I have itching everywhere on my body, swelling at the injection sites, blurred vision, depression (I suffer from depression that is controlled with medication, but this depression compares to PPD I suffered years ago!), vertigo, tinnitus, fatigue, and brain fog. I will not continue this medication and have reported side effects to the FDA. I wish I would have done more research before taking this medication. Now I have to wait 5 months for it to leave my system. How are these side effects not mentioned on the website or in the pamphlet boxed with the injection?! I would not recommend this medication to anyone. I would rather deal with daily migraines than deal with all of these side effects."

• Kar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 4, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "I have suffered with migraine headaches since about age 9, I am now in my upper 40s. I took Emgality for about 6 months. I started having severe joint pain, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, depression, swelling in legs, and now it has been about 2 years since my last dose. I have just found out that I have issues with my liver. I do not abuse drugs of any kind and have always been very careful about what I put into my body. My neurologist at the time swore by this drug, telling me that it was very safe and that he would give it to his own child...so I believed that it was a good medication because I was having more migraine days than not migraine days. **PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THESE SHOTS, THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE HUGE AND LIFE-CHANGING**"

• Dee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "I take a couple of medicines as an injection, and Emgality hurts the most. Constipation is a common side effect, and I certainly felt it. I ended up completely blocked up for two days. Furthermore, I'm struck with fatigue a week before the injection, and heaven forbid if I'm late. The fatigue is severe-I end up so drained that I lay on the floor with no energy to talk and sometimes fall asleep because I have no energy to even lift my arms. When I do sleep, Emgality gives me terrifying, vivid nightmares. Honestly, Emgality is a nightmare. I'm only 25, and it disturbs me to be this drained for so much of my life. I'm no less bedridden than I was before; I'm just laying down in pain in a different location in the house. I'm going to bring this up to the neurologist ASAP. I feel like more research into the effects needs to be done."

• elk...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "Started Emgality 5/21/21, have had 4 injections and a new delivery is coming this Tuesday, August 3rd (today is 7/29). Since using Emgality, I can't sleep. If I'm lucky enough to fall asleep for an hour or two, it's a good thing, but I wake up gasping for air, and even after I'm awake for a couple of minutes, I still have a hard time breathing, like someone is sitting on my chest. The neurologist thought maybe I had orthopnea, but I never had any breathing issues before! My GP had a chest x-ray done and an EKG, but everything showed normal. I love the fact that I don't get migraines too often anymore, but is it worth the health risk? I am now afraid to go to sleep at night for fear that I will not wake up someday! The neurologist nor my GP seem to be very concerned. What do I do? Because I don't sleep, it's affecting my everyday life! I have no energy, I get out of breath just walking from the kitchen to the living room and just don't feel like doing anything anymore."

• Cou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 22, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "I only took 1 dose (loading dose or two injections) of Emgality. I know everyone is different and metabolizes/tolerates meds differently. Unfortunately, Emgality isn’t for me, and I won’t be continuing it. It’s my understanding that the half-life is 27 days and takes an additional 5 months or so to completely get out of your system. My side effects include worsening/more frequent migraines, 24/7 brain fog/dizziness (intensity varies, but dizziness is nearly like vertigo), intermittent right arm tingling, anxiety, daily crying spells, hungry but takes effort to eat, fatigue… trouble functioning pretty much. Nearly debilitating. I have had a negative sinus/head CT and brain MRI recently. I am 1 week off or 1 week due for the next dose, and I am praying for this nightmare to end and just want reassurance that things will improve. Would love to know how soon. I have reported my concerns to the Emgality company and my PCP."

• Man...
• October 23, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "I have been suffering with debilitating migraines for 10 months. Nonstop. I had migraines throughout my life, but they always went away within a day or two. While I was sick with Covid, I had a migraine that never went away. Dizziness, fatigue, brain fog, blurry vision, problems concentrating, clumsiness, sensitivity to light and sound. My Dr. and neurologist tried many medications. NONE of them worked. Then my neurologist gave me a sample of Emgality. The first month, I could tell it was helping. It cut my migraines in half. Second month, even better. However, I did have BAD constipation, gained five pounds, and my teeth are sore. (Weird.) Still better than having a severe migraine and dizziness for days on end."

• val...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2024

For Migraine Prevention "In my own personal experience, I have felt overall a lot better, however, with most medications, there are those not easily tolerated side effects. For me, there were a few of them. The one was constipation, so I wasn't able to drink any alcohol because it made it worse (I would get irritable bowels and uncontrollable diarrhea and extreme upset stomach). The other was chest pains that I only felt in the morning, especially after drinking coffee, and my heart would start racing, and then I would have extreme anxiety. The last and third side effect was the fatigue, omg!!! That was just draining how extremely fatigued I felt! In my own decision, I decided that I would never take this new class of medications. Everyone is different and reacts differently, and sometimes they feel the benefits (in this case, fewer migraines or frequency of them) outweigh the side effects, and for me, I would rather have the migraines, and I also am aware there isn't enough research for long-term side effects, so no thanks!"