Ubrelvy Side Effects, Dosage and Reviews

With celebrities like Serena Williams and Aly Raisman as spokespeople, Ubrelvy (ubrogepant) is gaining attention in the migraine community. But what is Ubrelvy, and how is it different from other types of migraine medication? 

In this blog post, we’ll look at how you take Ubrelvy and some common Ubrelvy side effects. We’ll also talk about Ubrelvy reviews and compare Ubrelvy versus Nurtec  and other common migraine medications. 

What is Ubrelvy Used For?

Ubrelvy is an acute medication for migraine. That means you take it when you feel a migraine attack coming on, or when an attack has already started. 

Other common acute treatments include over-the-counter medications, such as Advil and Excedrin Migraine, and prescription medications, such as triptans. You might also hear them referred to as “abortive” or “rescue” treatments. 

Ubrelvy Mechanism Of Action

Ubrelvy belongs to a new class of anti-CGRP medications for acute treatment called CGRP inhibitors, which have generated a lot of excitement in the migraine community thanks to their high efficacy and low side effect profiles. 

We won’t go into much detail about how CGRP inhibitors work in this post, but here’s a short summary: Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) is a neurotransmitter protein that’s shown to be present in the blood at elevated levels during a migraine attack. As the name implies, CGRP inhibitors aim to reduce the activity of this protein. 

To learn more, watch our CGRPs Made Easy webinar or read our recent post that explores the mechanism of action of CGRP inhibitors.  

There are other anti-CGRP medications, such as Qulipta, Nurtec etc. The good news is that there are plenty of patient reviews, eg. Qulipta reviews that can explain how this works but knowing the side effects of these anti-CGRP medication is important.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are important in advancing migraine medication research. If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, various resources can help you find relevant studies. These include clinical trial registries, research institutions, patient advocacy groups, and healthcare providers. Additionally, many trials offer compensation for participation, making it a mutually beneficial endeavor. You can find 175 studies (as of 13 June 2023) currently recruiting on this page. If you live in the USA and are using Qulipta and Ubrelvy, you may be interested in a study called COURAGE 2 that Migraine Buddy is conducting for AbbVie, answer a few questions to find out.

What is the recommended Ubrelvy dosage? 

Ubrelvy is available in two doses: 50 mg and 100 mg. It comes in the form of a tablet that you swallow. 

You can take one dose of Ubrelvy as soon as you feel a migraine attack coming on. If necessary, you can take a second dose 2 hours after the first. 

What are the side effects of Ubrelvy? 

One exciting thing about Ubrelvy and other gepants (that’s the specific class of drugs that Ubrelvy belongs to) is the potential for fewer side effects compared to triptans. 

According to a recent study that compared the clinical trials of gepants and triptans, gepants caused fewer side effects than triptans. 

Ubrelvy may still cause some side effects. Common Ubrelvy side effects include:

• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth

There may be serious reactions, such as allergic reactions that you have to be wary about. Ultimately, you can check out the FDA’s recommendations on the side effects.

Ubrelvy Reviews

Here’s how Ubrelvy performed in clinical trials: 

• 14% of patients taking the 50 mg Ubrelvy dosage had total pain relief at 2 hours and remained pain-free 24 hours later (compared to 8% with placebo)
• 15% of patients taking the 100 mg Ubrelvy dosage had total pain relief at 2 hours and remained pain-free 24 hours later (compared to 9% with placebo)

These results are described in clinical trials as “superior to placebo,” and Ubrelvy is described as “[effective] and [safe].” 

And to quote scientists reviewing the progress of migraine treatments in recent years: “The prospect of these treatments [CGRPs] being efficacious… provides another novel and exciting treatment opportunity to offer our patients.”

What is the difference between Ubrelvy and Nurtec? 

Which medication wins out if you compare Ubrelvy versus Nurtec? What about Ubrelvy versus sumatriptan? 

Comparing migraine medications can be like comparing apples to oranges, so let’s look at a few different factors. 

Is Ubrelvy better than Nurtec? 

A study that compared the pain freedom and pain relief effects of Ubrelvy and Nurtec did not find statistically significant differences between the two medications. That means that Ubrelvy doesn’t necessarily work better than Nurtec. 

Interestingly, the same study found that triptans are actually likelier to lead to pain freedom and relief after 2 hours than CGRPs. The side effects of Nurtec are also different from Ubrelvy’s.

However, as we mentioned earlier, the study found triptans are likelier to cause side effects — which is why the migraine community is so excited about new medications like Ubrelvy and Nurtec. 

How is Ubrelvy different than Nurtec? 

The biggest difference between Ubrelvy and Nurtec is that while Ubrelvy is only approved as an acute treatment, Nurtec is the only medication that is FDA-approved for use as both a preventive and acute treatment. You can take Nurtec once every other day as a preventive, or you can take it when you experience a migraine attack.

Also, while Ubrelvy is a pill that you swallow, Nurtec is a pill that dissolves in your mouth. 

Should I try Ubrelvy?

As migraine patients know, it’s impossible to name one migraine treatment the “greatest of all time” (that title is reserved for Serena Williams herself!). Everyone responds differently to different medications. 

Does Ubrelvy work? The only way to learn if Ubrelvy can help you is to work with your doctor to try it yourself. And of course, the best way to track your response to different treatments is to use Migraine Buddy!

This article is written by Dana Cass, one of our amazing #MBvolunteers. If you would like to make a difference in the migraine community, join us here!