Does this sound familiar? You try a new migraine medication, the side effects hit hard, you stop taking it , and the cycle repeats until you’ve worked through the entire list. Many people living with migraine headaches eventually conclude that nothing will ever work for them.
Emerging research suggests a different explanation. A gene called CYP3A4 controls one of the liver enzymes responsible for processing many common medications. In a recent study of people with treatment-resistant migraines, the vast majority carried a variant that makes this enzyme work more slowly so medication levels climb higher in the bloodstream than expected, and side effects like nausea, fatigue, and brain fog appear at doses other people tolerate easily.
SIGNS YOU MAY BE MEDICATION-SENSITIVE
● Side effects at “starting” doses ● Nausea orfatigue on new prescriptions ● Stopping multiple medications early ● Being told your reaction is “unusual” ● A family history of drug sensitivity
If that list rings true, you may not be treatment-resistant at all, you may simply process medications more slowly than most. That isn’t a dead end; it’s a clue.
If medication side effects have been a concern, it can help to review your options with your physician.
If side effects have derailed your search for migraine headache care, contact our dental office in Burlington ON.
To book a consultation, call Nabeta Dentistry at (905) 639-6701 or request an appointment online at NabetaDentistry.com/appointment-request. Dr. Jared Nabeta, General Dentist, assesses jaw pain and TMD, including headache related to TMD. Treatment for migraine is offered only for migraine diagnosed by a physician, in coordination with the patient’s physician.