Ellie Freeman has tried ‘everything under the sun’ to put an end to the agony she experiences on a regular basis from debilitating migraines.
At just 24-years-old, the Sydney-based Ms Freeman shared she has been suffering from migraines since she was 10 and her situation has worsened as she’s aged.
‘I have had migraines for as long as I can remember,’ Ms Freeman told Femail. ‘And as I’ve got older they’ve gotten worse.
She said her migraines are far from an ordinary headache with symptoms ranging from excruciating pain in her head, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound and in some instances fainting.
Sydney-based Ellie Freeman has been suffering from migraines since she was 10 and her situation has worsened since she’s aged
‘Once they get to a certain point, there is nothing else you can do but go into a darkened room and take medication,’ she said.
And Ms Freeman is far from alone. Current figures estimate up to five million Australians also suffer from the effects of debilitating migraines.
As a young woman attempting to finish university and work part-time, Ms Freeman said her life has been severely disrupted by her illness.
‘I have missed so much time at work. I have run out of sick leave and annual leave. I am constantly taking days off.
Migraines are far from an ordinary headache with symptoms ranging from excruciating pain in her head, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound (stock image)
‘If I get a severe attack, which happens more than once a month, I can miss a week or more.
‘My migraines have been so severe at times, I have ended up in hospital.’
As well as the financial costs from missing work, Ms Freeman said there’s the ongoing burden of trying to find suitable treatment.
‘Since being diagnosed as a migraine sufferer, I have tried every medication under the sun.
‘I have tried epilepsy medication, anti-depressants, blood pressure medication and Botox.’
‘None of the medications I have tried have done anything to stop the number of attacks I have.’
Migraine is the sixth most prevalent disease in the world, and the second highest cause of years lived with disability (stock image)
A breakthrough treatment that can help prevent migraine attacks by up to 50 per cent has just been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the US.
And while the drug has yet to be approved in Australia it is one that has the potential to transform the lives of those who suffer, according to leading neurologist Professor Tissa Wijeratne.
Professor Wijeratne, a senior neurologist and Chair of the Global Policy and Advocacy Committee with the World Federation of Neurology said the drug, Aimovig®, is one that ‘fills a huge treatment gap in our current preventative medications toolkit’
Leading neurologist Professor Tissa Wijeratne (pictured) said breakthrough treatment that reduces migraines attacks by up to 50 per cent could potentially transform lives
‘This is a transformation in the field of headache medicine; nothing like this has yet been seen despite migraine knowledge existing for thousands of years.
‘Many people live in misery and disability as this is the most neglected, least respected and most mismanaged medical disorder here in Australia and worldwide,’ the Professor added.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) has been collecting submissions from people who suffer from migraines as well as from neurologists and organisations like Headache Australia to assess the demand.
This is a transformation in the field of headache medicine; nothing like this has yet been seen despite migraine knowledge existing for thousands of years
And while it could be a much-need life-saver for so many, treatment isn’t cheap.
It costs US$6900 annually AUD$9000 (US $575 monthly AUD $750) and is expected to be priced at a similar level once it becomes available in Australia later this year.
The submissions process was an important step in accessing the community’s demand for the treatment, however many Australians suffering from migraines would have missed the opportunity to have their voices heard, according to Secretary General of the Brain Foundation, Gerald Edmunds.
‘Everyone on the Headache Australia register was notified via email in the week leading to the submission deadline of 6 June, and we know of at least 800 submissions via feedback from our website.
‘I am sure that many more of the millions of Australians suffering from migraine as well as their family, friends and carers would have made a submission had they known about it.’
Currently, the PBAC is collecting submissions from people who suffer from migraines as well as neurologists and organisations like Headache Australia to assess the demand for the drug
While Ms Freeman said the drug is a last resort for people who suffer migraines.
‘Taking days off from being continually sick and the cost of medication can hit really hard.
‘The drugs they are developing now for migraines are based on studies of those who’ve suffered migraine attacks.
‘So there is some light at the end of the tunnel that maybe these drugs could help.’
If people who suffer from migraine join the Headache Australia register they will receive support and the latest information on research and developments.