When Is The Best Time to Take Qulipta? Plus, 7 More FAQs
Key takeaways:
Qulipta (atogepant) is a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor blocker that’s FDA-approved to prevent migraine headaches in adults. It’s an oral tablet that’s taken once daily. You can take it any time of day, but try to stick to the same time every day.
Qulipta’s benefits are typically seen within a month of starting the medication. But if you're not experiencing relief with Qulipta, your healthcare provider may opt to increase your dose or prescribe a different migraine medication.
There are ways to save on Qulipta. If you’re eligible, a manufacturer savings card can help you access Qulipta for as little as $0 per month. A patient assistance program is also available.
Table of contents
If you’ve ever experienced a migraine, you know that it’s more than just a really bad headache. Migraine is a complex neurological disorder that affects many areas of the brain. It can cause a number of symptoms that wouldn’t occur with just a headache.
While migraine symptoms vary from person to person, they can include nausea, vision changes, and sensitivity to sound and light, among others. And these symptoms can come before or after the migraine begins. It’s often a debilitating experience overall.
If you experience migraines multiple times per month, migraine prevention medications are a recommended treatment option that may benefit you. These are also called migraine prophylaxis medications.
Qulipta (atogepant) is one convenient oral medication to consider. It was FDA-approved in 2021 to prevent migraine headaches in adults. Since it’s relatively new, you may have some questions about it, such as what’s the best time to take Qulipta? Here are answers to eight of the most frequently asked questions about Qulipta.
1. When is the best time of day to take Qulipta?
Qulipta is an oral medication taken once daily. You can take it any time of day that you prefer. The time of day doesn’t impact its effectiveness.
With that being said, certain times of the day may be better for taking Qulipta based on how it makes you feel. During clinical trials, the most common side effect of the medication was nausea. If you feel nauseous after starting the medication, you can try timing your daily dose with a meal or snack. This may help lessen your nausea.
Qulipta can also sometimes cause temporary fatigue and dizziness. If you’re experiencing these side effects, it may be best to take your dose closer to bedtime. You may be able to sleep them off.
No matter when you take Qulipta, try to take it at the same time every day. This will help it work consistently and most effectively. This may also help you remember to take it.
2. How long does it take Qulipta to work?
During clinical studies, Qulipta started working for some people within 1 day. For most people, however, Qulipta’s benefits can be felt within the first 4 weeks (1 month) of starting it. In some cases, its full effect may take as long as 3 months to kick in.
Once it does start working, it’s shown to be effective over time. Compared to people taking a placebo, people taking Qulipta in clinicals studies experienced 1 to 2 fewer migraine days per month. Qulipta was also found to decrease the need for acute migraine treatments by 1 to 2 days per month.
If a few months have gone by and you don’t believe Qulipta is working, contact your healthcare provider. They may need to adjust your dose or recommend trying a different migraine prevention medication.
3. How does Qulipta work?
Qulipta is a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor blocker. CGRP is a protein that’s believed to cause inflammation and pain that lead to migraine headaches. Qulipta prevents CGRP’s activity by blocking its actions in the brain.
Because of the way Qulipta works, it’s only approved to prevent migraines — not treat them. If you develop a migraine while you’re taking Qulipta, it’s OK to take another migraine medication to manage your symptoms. More on that next. But if you’re still experiencing frequent migraines while taking Qulipta, talk to your healthcare provider about other migraine prevention options.
4. Can you take Qulipta with other migraine medications?
Yes. In most cases, you can take Qulipta with other migraine medications. But there are specific combinations that are best to avoid.
If you aren’t finding relief from Qulipta alone, you can take it alongside a migraine treatment that belongs to a different class, such as a triptan. Qulipta, however, shouldn’t be combined with other CGRP blockers, such as Ubrelvy (ubrogepant), Nurtec ODT (rimegepant), or Emgality (galcanezumab).
If you find that you need another migraine medication often while you're taking Qulipta, it may be a sign that it isn't working as well as it should
5. How can you stop taking Qulipta?
There will likely be a time when you want or need to stop taking Qulipta. It’s best to talk about stopping Qulipta with your healthcare team instead of stopping it on your own.
This medication doesn’t need to be tapered, meaning its dose doesn’t need to be decreased slowly over time. But talking to your healthcare provider may give you insight into why it isn’t working well. They may be able to recommend a relevant alternative based on the symptoms you’re experiencing or your failure to find relief from Qulipta.
6. Does Qulipta cause weight loss?
In some people, Qulipta can cause weight loss. This is because it can reduce your appetite. During clinical studies, up to 5% of people taking Qulipta lost at least 7% of their initial body weight.
Although this can be considered a favorable side effect, it’s important to remember that Qulipta isn’t a weight loss medication. And weight loss from Qulipta may not be intentional or desired.
If you’re losing a significant amount of weight or don’t have an appetite for several days, contact your healthcare provider. They may be able to provide advice on maintaining body weight or refer you to a dietitian.
7. Can you drink alcohol while taking Qulipta?
Yes. Technically, you can drink alcohol while taking Qulipta. But it’s best to limit your intake if possible. The combination could be problematic for some people.
As mentioned above, Qulipta has the ability to cause fatigue and dizziness. Alcohol can also have these effects, and combining them can be dangerous. The duo can worsen the risk of falls and feeling extra sleepy.
What’s more, alcohol has the ability to trigger migraines by widening your blood vessels. This causes an increase in blood flow and activation of pain receptors that can cause or contribute to migraines.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re concerned about your alcohol intake. They may have specific recommendations on ways to reduce your consumption.
8. Is Qulipta a narcotic?
No. Qulipta isn’t a narcotic. Opioid pain medications, such as OxyContin (oxycodone ER) and Dilaudid (hydromorphone), are examples of narcotics.
Opioids act on opioid receptors in your brain, spinal cord, and digestive tract to block pain signals. They also affect the “reward center” in your brain and can cause euphoria. Because of this, there’s a potential risk of misuse with these medications. Opioids can also lead to dependence and misuse. These medications are controlled substances, which can affect how and when you can fill them at a pharmacy.
Instead, Qulipta acts on the CGRP receptor (not the opioid receptor). It isn’t a pain medication. And it hasn’t been connected to a risk of misuse or dependence. It’s also not a controlled substance.
How to save on Qulipta
There are ways to save on Qulipta, which is only available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between patient assistance programs and copay savings cards to save money on your prescription.
Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $0 per month for Qulipta using a savings card from the manufacturer.
Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Qulipta’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of charge.
The bottom line
Qulipta (atogepant) is a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor blocker that’s approved to prevent migraines in adults. It’s an oral tablet that’s taken once daily. The timing of taking it is up to you (e.g., with meals, at bedtime, etc.), but it’s important to take it at the same time every day.
In general, the benefits of Qulipta can be felt within a month of starting it. Qulipta should only be used to prevent migraines, not treat them, but you can combine it with medications that treat active migraines when necessary. If you have questions about Qulipta, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
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References
AbbVie Inc. (2023). Qulipta- antogepant tablet [package insert].
Ailani, J, et al. (2021). Atogepant for the preventive treatment of migraine. The New England Journal of Medicine.
Burstein, R., et al. (2015). Migraine: Multiple processes, complex pathophysiology. Journal of Neuroscience.
Digre, K. B. (2018). The American Headache Society position statement on integrating new migraine treatments into clinical practice. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain.
Department of Justice/Drug Enforcement Administration. (2020). Drug fact sheet: Narcotics.
Schwedt, T. J., et al. (2021). Time course of efficacy of atogepant for the preventive treatment of migraine: Results from the randomized, double-blind ADVANCE trial. Cephalalgia.
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