OBJECTIVES: Migraines affect an estimated 11 million people in the US. Using self-reports, the effects on quality of life are comparable to, if not worse than, angina, arthritis, or depression. This analysis explores whether treatment with prescription medication improves migraine sufferers’ quality of life. METHODS: Data were obtained from a survey conducted in spring 2000. A total of 21,986 questionnaires were returned (56%) from a mailing to 39,491 US adults whose names were purchased from a large marketing company. The 12-pages covered health history, opinions, and treatments. Quality of life was evaluated using the mental score of the SF-12, a generic measure of health status (Ware, et al 1996). The mean for US adults is 50; higher scores indicate better well being. Migraine status was assessed by asking whether respondents had migraines (yes/no), if these were diagnosed by a doctor (yes/no), and if they used a prescription drug (Rx) to treat them (yes/no). Severity was self-reported as mild, moderate, or severe. RESULTS: A total of 4,069 people (19%) reported migraines. Of these, 65% (n=2,605) were diagnosed and 42% (n=1,090) of these used prescription medications. In bivariate analyses, those taking an Rx had slightly higher quality of life than those not taking a drug (46.6 v. 45.9, p = .164), even though Rx users had more severe migraines and severe migraine sufferers tended to have lower quality of life. Since the relationship between quality of life and Rx use was confounded by severity, a linear regression model was run to control for potential confounders (severity, age, comorbidities, migraine frequency). In this model, those taking an Rx had higher quality of life than those not taking a drug (B = 1.08, p = .020). CONCLUSIONS: Migraine sufferers who are successfully treated with prescription medications have higher quality of life than those not taking medication. Physicians should work with patients to find a medication that targets their migraine-specific symptoms.