It took the gps years to refer me to the headache clinic within neurology around 8 years ago. The dr there reckoned I’d I’d been having migraines for years and not just headaches when I was a teen.
He started me on topiramate which worked but upping them within two weeks to the recommended dose was awful. So I discussed it with him. And it took me a year to up them completely. I’m still on them, I very rarely get migraines now compared to 3 a week.
I was given naratriptan which I could take when I was busy and unable to go and lie down. And rizatriptan when I was able to go straight to bed.
They did query hemiplegic migraine twice before topiramate also.
It’s a great preventative if your Body either copes with the side effects or you can come up with a plan with a Dr or specialist.
edit to add instead of taking any topiramate in the morning I take it at night.
Also the gp had me try a few other things before they would even consider a referral. I was 13 when I first saw a gp about migraines, and mid thirties before the gp referred me to a specialist