Following a third appointment with my neurologist a few weeks ago, I was prescribed Ajovy which certainly is the most recent treatment for migraines and should be the most effective and with the fewest side effects. It will be difficult to tell how effective it will be during the coming month as I don't normally suffer from migraines over the summer; it's the autumn, winter and spring that are the seasons for migraines, especially with rapid changes in the weather.
I went last week to fill the prescription, but was told that there was no prescription even though the medication had been authorised by the 'regional head office', and anyway it would have to be ordered, as the pharmacy doesn't keep a stock of these syringes. During the past week I checked with my GP that she had issued the required prescription, so today I had the chance to go to the pharmacy again and collect the medication. I had fully intended to go to the kibbutz clinic so that they could show me how to use the medication; in the accompanying leaflet to the syringe, it was written that the user should be shown how to use the syringe by a doctor or nurse.
Except that when I arrived at the clinic, the nurses didn't know initially what to do. Apparently there are several members who use Wegovy, the weight loss medication that also comes in a syringe, but there one syringe is for four separate injections, whereas with Ajovy, one injects the entire contents of the syringe and the effect lasts for a month. In fact, it's possible even to inject at the same time three syringes in order to cover a three month period.
The actual mechanism of the injection is very simple: after cleaning the area (near to the belly button) and removing the needle guard from the syringe, one simply presses the syringe to the target area and holds it for 30 seconds. Initially a click is heard, which means that the needle has exited the syringe and then a few seconds later, a second click is heard, signifying that the contents of the syringe have been injected. One is told to hold the syringe in place for another 10 seconds and then one wipes the injection area with gauze. The spent syringe is sent to the clinic for disposal along with all the other 'sharps', even though the needle has retracted (this probably happens during the extra 10 seconds).
Did I feel anything? As I was concentrating on the injection, I felt a little prick and then a mild feeling of liquid entering the body, but this was negligible. Next time I probably won't feel anything. The injection site has not turned red - in fact, I'm not too sure exactly where I injected. So good: no side effects. Below appears the syringe on top of its box; I appreciate that it might be difficult to see what is what. Here's a clue: the blue cap that appears in the lower left hand side of the picture is the needle guard, and the syringe goes from there to the right hand side of the picture.
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