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Did Xeljanz cure my migraines?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/30/2021 12:41 PM (GMT -8)
Anyone else have their migraines/headaches go away on Xeljanz? I suppose it could be a huge coincidence.

P.S. For anyone who hasn't seen me celebrating in other people's threads, I feel I'm finally in symptomatic remission after being stuck on steroids for most of the past 2.5 years. I've been off of steroids for 8 weeks now!!
Posted 8/30/2021 6:15 PM (GMT -8)
Wow, that is great Sara!! And with a bonus of eliminating your migraines... This is great news!
Posted 8/30/2021 6:31 PM (GMT -8)
How long did you have migraines for? Most of your life? Could be steroids or higher BP from steroids
Posted 8/31/2021 8:56 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Serenity Now!

Keith: I considered if maybe it was somehow related to steroids, but it doesn't really seem like it. For one, I was on Uceris a lot of that time. Two, prednisone actually treats certain migraines/severe headaches, and I didn't usually have migraines while on prednisone. I've had headaches (possibly migraines, never was diagnosed as a migraine until early 2020) since I was a child. When I was a teenager, I discovered Aleve and that worked as long as I treated them early, until I went on Humira. Humira caused often severe, fairly frequent migraines, and ever since taking Humira in January 2020, Aleve never worked again. Now I have to take a prescription migraine medicine when I get them. But I haven't had a single bad migraine and barely even a headache since being on Xeljanz. To go from having several a month or sometimes several in a single week to pretty much nothing made me think it was possibly thanks to the Xeljanz. I guess I'll never really know. Thanks for the input.
Posted 8/31/2021 10:39 AM (GMT -8)
Sara,

I think Aleve is one of the meds that we are not supposed to take because of our GI bleeding condition - FYI. Always read the labels.

Uceris is processed different in the body and is not as systemic as Prednisone so they might not be a fair comparison.

I’m glad that you’re feeling better.
Posted 8/31/2021 11:25 AM (GMT -8)
Yeah, there is conflicting research on that. Aleve was the only thing that ever helped my headaches in the past. My GI said it was fine to take a few times a month as long as it didnt cause me GI issues, which it never did. Thank you! smile
Posted 8/31/2021 2:57 PM (GMT -8)
My girlfriend suffered from SEVERE chronic migraines since she was 12 years old and for years she was taking Aleve which seemed the only non-prescription that helped. But more recently she started taking high doses, 500-600 mg, of magnesium. (We UCers need to be careful magnesium since large amounts have a laxative effect, think Milk of Magnesia). Magnesium was huge but also avoiding certain foods like eggs helped even more.
Posted 8/31/2021 3:16 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks, IAC! I used to work with someone who was also helped by magnesium. I know it's in my multivitamin, but probably at a lower dosage. I don't eat eggs, so I'm good there!
Posted 8/31/2021 7:19 PM (GMT -8)
I tried magnesium for my migraines but it definitely causes cramping for me. So yeah be careful if you try it.

I seem to recall getting headaches on uceris. But I really don’t recall.

But who knows it might be the xeljanz. Or maybe it had to do with inflammation which the xeljanz is taking care of?
Posted 8/31/2021 7:37 PM (GMT -8)
I'm not going to try it because I'm not having any migraines, haha. Thanks for the input though and the warning! smile Maybe it was something to do with Uceris but I had headaches for a long time before ever being on any steroids in my life and I'm not even getting caffeine withdrawal headaches anymore and i always got those like clockwork. Knock on wood...
Posted 9/1/2021 3:38 AM (GMT -8)
That’s great Sara! Since going off Entyvio mine have lessened considerably. Stelara and a Beta blocker have helped me.
Posted 9/1/2021 5:56 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Faith! Glad to hear yours have lessened as well!
Posted 9/1/2021 8:51 AM (GMT -8)
That's a great side effect, Sara! So glad to hear that Xeljanz is working!!
Posted 9/1/2021 11:21 AM (GMT -8)
Definitely is! Thanks so much, PA!
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