Article sponsored by Pfizer. Dolvett Quince has partnered with Pfizer to share his experience living with migraine. 

A personal trainer’s number one job is getting and keeping clients in top physical condition. They do this by motivating us, challenging us and holding us accountable. But it’s not a “do as I say, not as I do” sort of arrangement. Trainers have to make sure they’re in the best form as well. And as one of the most recognizable and notable trainers in the business, Dolvett Quince gets this. 

“My job is motivating people to push past pain,” Dolvett says. Dolvett is an author, public speaker and personal trainer who is probably best known for his role as a trainer on The Biggest Loser. But since the age of 17, Dolvett has dealt with debilitating migraine attacks, a struggle that has followed him throughout his career. Imagine trying to be high energy and motivating others when you’re not at your best. “Sometimes you lose that ability to encourage clients if you’re in that much pain.” Over the years, Dolvett struggled with migraine pain, but putting in the work by talking with his doctor, being real with himself about the ways he was struggling, and finding community were major factors in helping him move forward. 

Like the 1 in 16 men who suffer from migraine, dealing with them has taken plenty from Dolvett. He says, “…there is a big impact of [migraine] being so debilitating that people miss memories, they miss events, they miss, you know, time doing the things that they love.” Not only has he lost days at work and had to suffer through some of the most important moments of his career with migraine, Dolvett has lost a lot in his personal life as well. Dolvett shared his experiences of losing time during a birthday trip to Mexico. “I’m literally in the hotel room, towel on my head, squinting, blinding light behind my eyes, the whole thing. And I just could not function. It took me a day and a half to recover,” he said.

Dealing with migraine pain was even more difficult when he felt he couldn’t talk about it. Before he decided to get help for his migraine, he often felt he couldn’t talk about his struggles publicly or with friends. “I’m not going to go out publicly and say, I got migraine. My boys would say ‘Stop being a punk and just get back to the gym.'” The tough guy image and the misconceptions around it aren’t the only struggles Dolvett has faced when seeking help for his migraine. He says, “One of the most common stigmas is people thinking that only women have migraine and that men don’t suffer from them, but there’s a list of guys like me, known and unknown.” 

He’s tried a number of home remedies over the years, from teas to cold towels over his eyes to over-the-counter painkillers. “You name it, I’ve done it. I’ve tried everything except prescriptions to try to alleviate the pain,” he says. But learning about and trying Nurtec® ODT (rimegepant) to treat his migraine has helped Dolvett find relief. Nurtec ODT is FDA approved to treat migraine, and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. Hypersensitivity reactions like dyspnea and severe rash, including delayed serious hypersensitivity days after administration, occurred in less than 1% of patients taking Nurtec ODT in clinical studies. Dolvett experiences a little nausea with Nurtec ODT, which is one of the most common side effects along with stomach pain and indigestion (keep reading for full important safety information). “For me, Nurtec ODT helps stop a migraine attack. When I feel a migraine coming on, I take it, and I’m back to feeling like me in two hours. So, it’s been my best friend for a long time now.” 

Dolvett wants other Black men to know they’re not suffering from migraine alone, and that there’s help and community out there. He says, “I hope that there are other men out there who look like me that will stand up and say, I’m just like that guy, going through what he is going through. I don’t think it’s anything we should be ashamed of.” Knowing that there were others suffering like him motivated Dolvett to get the help he needed and to speak up. He wants the same for other men who look like him. “Advocate for yourself by admitting that there is an issue,” Dolvett said, acknowledging it took him a while to get to that place himself. Once he did, things changed, however. “Honestly, I just got sick and tired of feeling like crap. I got sick and tired of not finding the answers,” he said. “You know, my entire career, I motivate people. I say ‘Search for the answers, be honest, be vulnerable, and go into your strength,’ and I wasn’t doing that. So there was an imposter syndrome going on. I was acting like nothing was wrong when it really was wrong. So I wanted to address the issue, and I’m glad I did.”

Now, Dolvett isn’t letting migraine stop him. He’s still making moves. “I’m working on a new podcast series, and I’m very excited about that,” he says. He also has a book deal in the works, as well as a show in development. To keep creating and improving, he had to find what worked for him. Suffering silently from migraine was no longer an option for Dolvett. “Nurtec ODT works for me,” he says. He hopes that others seeing his story will take action to improve their situation. “There’s remedies out there. Go consult your doctor. Don’t try to handle it yourself. Get the help that you need,” he says.

WHAT IS NURTEC ODT? 

Nurtec ODT orally disintegrating tablets is a prescription medicine that is used to treat migraine in adults. It is for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine. It is not known if Nurtec ODT is safe and effective in children.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not take NURTEC ODT if you are allergic to NURTEC ODT (rimegepant) or any of its ingredients. 

Before you take NURTEC ODT, tell your healthcare provider (HCP) about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have liver problems,
  • have kidney problems,
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant,
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

NURTEC ODT may cause serious side effects including allergic reactions, including trouble breathing and rash. This can happen days after you take NURTEC ODT. Call your HCP or get emergency help right away if you have swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat or trouble breathing. This occurred in less than 1% of patients treated with NURTEC ODT.

The most common side effects of NURTEC ODT were nausea (2.7%) and stomach pain/indigestion (2.4%). These are not the only possible side effects of NURTEC ODT. Tell your HCP if you have any side effects.

You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.  

Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1–800–FDA–1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information and Patient Information. 

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