ROBIN ROBERTS: There's new hope

for the millions of people who

suffer with frequent migraines.

In what is a huge breakthrough,

the FDA has now approved

a first-of-its-kind targeted

therapy designed to prevent

migraines before they start.

Here now, in our series,

"In Their Own Words,

Moving Beyond Migraine",

we learn how this new approach

is helping patients and doctors

fight back against the pain.

Lynn Kaufman was just 12 years

old when the migraines began.

LYNN KAUFMAN: I knew before I

opened my eyes that I was going

to have a migraine.

That's how bad it was.

ROBERTS: Over her 50 years

of suffering from migraines,

Lynn, with her husband in tow,

saw an army of specialists

and tried

every new recommended treatment.

KAUFMAN: Probably four or five

internists followed by six

or seven neurologists.

I tried every medication that's

possible.

We have my Imitrex

and my Dramamine, Maxalt

and my naratriptan.

I don't even know what

these things are.

Natural pain-relieving gel,

which I would rub on my forehead

and on my shoulders.

I tried

chiropractic, acupuncture,

multiple diets.

Bottom line is that absolutely

nothing worked.

ROBERTS: Lynn's story is common.

People with migraines

know that until now there have

been few options

for migraine prevention,

but there is new hope

for migraine sufferers.

It's called

CGRP-targeted therapy,

and the FDA has approved

the first drugs

in this new class of treatments.

RICHARD LIPTON: I've been

involved in headache medicine

for 30 years,

and the CGRP-targeted therapies

are definitely the most exciting

development I've seen.

ROBERTS: CGRP is a chemical that

spikes in the body

during a migraine attack

and is believed to be involved

in the transmission of pain

during a migraine.

These new drugs are designed

to prevent migraine symptoms

before they start

by either targeting the CGRP

molecules

or blocking the receptors

to which they attach.

LIPTON: The CGRP antibodies are

the first example of designer

drugs for migraine.

And at least thus far,

these drugs seem to be really

great both in terms of efficacy

and lack of side effects.

DAVID KUDROW: Is it a game

changer?

I think, potentially, it is.

ROBERTS: Dr. David Kudrow

is Lynn's doctor.

He says one of the most

encouraging aspects

of the results,

so far, is little side effects.

KUDROW: It's the same as you

would see in the placebo

patients.

You can't separate out the side

effect profile from the patients

who are actually getting

the medication from the patients

who were getting placebo, which

is really amazing.

ROBERTS: Several companies are

working on advancing

these medications.

There is one caveat, however --

the price tag.

These new treatments are

expected to cost thousands

of dollars a year --

an expensive option.

But patients like Lynn

say they would still buy

these drugs because the hope

of a life with little or even

no migraines is worth nearly

any cost.

KAUFMAN: It's just a victory

to feel good.

It's hard to explain the absence

of pain.

It's a wonderful thing.

ROBERTS: So how well are you

managing your migraines?

Go to webmd.com/migraine to take

an assessment.

You'll get personalized results

with strategies to help you live

better.