How This Mom of 5 Beat Chronic Migraines and Expensive Meds

Sophia, a mother of five in Searcy, Arkansas, has suffered from chronic migraines for a little over 20 years now. They first started when she was 22, and like many migraine sufferers, she’s tried multiple different medications to find something that can help relieve the pain.

Around 13% of Americans suffer from migraines, though only 7% of those cases are chronic (roughly 1% of the whole U.S. population). Without any treatment, Sophia gets several migraine attacks a week, but it’s hard to keep track because “sometimes one migraine lasts for 10 to 12 days”.

After a string of bad experiences and realizing she’s actually allergic to most painkillers (they once put her in anaphylactic shock, she says), Sophia was finally able to find some relief with Topamax (topiramate). A twice-daily regimen of Topamax keeps the throbbing and nausea at bay. The catch? Since she and her husband don’t receive insurance from their employers, the Topamax would cost her $332 a month.

Around 13% of Americans suffer from migraines, though only 7% of those cases are chronic (roughly 1% of the whole U.S. population). Without any treatment, Sophia gets several migraine attacks a week, but it’s hard to keep track because “sometimes one migraine lasts for 10 to 12 days”.

After a string of bad experiences and realizing she’s actually allergic to most painkillers (they once put her in anaphylactic shock, she says), Sophia was finally able to find some relief with Topamax (topiramate). A twice-daily regimen of Topamax keeps the throbbing and nausea at bay. The catch? Since she and her husband don’t receive insurance from their employers, the Topamax would cost her $332 a month.

But Sophia needs the medication—it’s vital to her and her family as Sophia spends her day working and homeschooling her youngest daughter. The migraines can make that extremely difficult. They can be so debilitating that, in the past, she’s had to lay on her couch for long stretches in fear of throwing up or passing out. The pain can get so bad that Sophia’s even ended up in the ER a few times.

“Topamax is the ONLY med that gives me relief! We do not have insurance and there is no way I could afford my medicine on my own.”

Luckily, Sophia’s doctor handed her a GoodRx card, telling her it would help with the costs. At the pharmacy, she found that GoodRx brought the price of Topamax down to $35 a month—a whole 90% off the cash price.

Now that Sophia has found a medication that works for her and that she can afford, she can go back to living her life, worry-free of constant migraines.

“Topamax has given me my life back. I’ve gone from four to five debilitating migraines a week to my last migraine being six months ago. GoodRx truly is a Godsend!”

GoodRx started with a simple idea: Help people find affordable medications. Help people understand their options. Help people get what they need for their health. Have a story about how GoodRx helped you? Email us at share@goodrx.com or tell us on Facebook or Twitter – don’t forget to tag #GoodRxHelps!