Ajovy (fremanezumab-vfrm) is an injectable medicine used to prevent migraine. Ajovy can help people have fewer migraine episodes, but it can also cause side effects in some people.
Keep reading to learn about Ajovy side effects, what may help manage them, and when to contact your health care provider. This article does not include all possible side effects. Tell your health care provider about symptoms that are ongoing, bothersome, or concerning.
Ajovy Side Effects
The most common side effects of Ajovy include pain, itching, swelling, or redness near the injection site.
Potentially serious side effects are less common and include:
- Severe constipation or complications from constipation
- High blood pressure
- Blood flow problems in the fingers or toes
- Allergic reactions
If you think you may be having a serious side effect, contact your health care provider right away. Severe or life-threatening symptoms may require emergency medical care.
Tips for Managing Ajovy Side Effects
Some side effects can be managed in simple ways.
1. Pain, itching, swelling, or redness near the injection site
Injection site reactions are the most common side effect of Ajovy. Symptoms can include pain, redness, itching, swelling, or a firm area around the site of injection.
In studies involving adults, 43% of those using Ajovy monthly and 45% of those using it every three months had injection site reactions, compared with 38% using placebo. About 1% of people stopped Ajovy because of injection site reactions. Injection site reactions were also the most common side effects in studies of children and teens.
Carefully following the injection instructions may help ease irritation. Be sure to let Ajovy sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using it, as injecting cold medicine can sting. Also be careful not to inject into skin that is tender, bruised, red, or firm. Use a different injection site each time.
A cool compress may help with mild pain or swelling after the injection. Tell your health care provider if an injection site reaction is severe, does not improve, or becomes increasingly painful or swollen.
2. Increased blood pressure
Ajovy may increase blood pressure or worsen high blood pressure. High blood pressure can occur at any point during treatment, but reports were most common within the first seven days after starting Ajovy. In some cases, people needed blood pressure medicine or hospital care.
Your health care provider may monitor your blood pressure while you use Ajovy, especially if you already have high blood pressure. If you check your blood pressure at home and notice that it is higher than usual, contact your health care provider or get medical help.
3. Blood flow problems
Ajovy may cause or worsen Raynaud's phenomenon, a condition in which blood vessels in the fingers or toes get too narrow, reducing blood flow. Symptoms can include fingers or toes that become numb, cold, painful, or change color. Some reported cases have been serious and required hospital care.
Stop using Ajovy and contact your health care provider if you notice these symptoms. If you already have Raynaud's, tell your health care provider before starting Ajovy because your symptoms may worsen or return.
4. Constipation
Severe constipation and related complications have been reported with Ajovy and other similar medicines. Some cases required a hospital stay or surgery. In reported cases, constipation often started after the first dose, but it can also begin later in treatment.
For mild constipation, drinking enough fluids, eating more high-fiber foods, and staying physically active may help. Your health care provider can also suggest other treatments if needed.
Contact your health care provider right away if constipation becomes severe or you have trouble poopin along with symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, a swollen belly, or vomiting. The risk of severe constipation may be higher if you take other medicines that slow movement through the digestive tract.
5. Allergic reactions
Ajovy may cause allergic reactions. In studies, most allergic reactions were mild to moderate, but some people needed treatment or stopped Ajovy. Reactions have been reported as early as within hours of an injection and as late as about a month later. Severe reactions, including anaphylaxis and swelling under the skin (angioedema), have also been reported.
Get medical help right away if you see signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat, trouble swallowing, fainting, or a widespread or severe rash.
Reducing Your Risk of Ajovy Side Effects
You can help lower your risk of problems by using Ajovy exactly as prescribed and following the injection instructions each time.
- Tell your health care provider about any current or past medical conditions, especially high blood pressure or circulation problems in your fingers and toes.
- Make sure your pharmacist and other health care providers know about all medicines, vitamins, and supplements you use.
- Avoid injecting Ajovy into skin that is irritated, bruised, tender, red, or firm.
- Keep track of new or changing symptoms and report side effects that are severe, do not go away, or interfere with your usual activities.
Your health care provider can help you decide whether you can manage a side effect without stopping Ajovy or whether your treatment plan needs to change.
