You should not use this medication if you are allergic to sumatriptan, or if you have:
Do not use sumatriptan if you have taken a monoamine oxidase
inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), rasagiline
(Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or phenelzine (Nardil) in the past 14 days.
Do not use sumatriptan within 24 hours after taking any of the
following medicines:
-
almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova),
naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT), or zolmitriptan (Zomig); or
-
ergot medicine such as methysergide (Sansert), ergotamine
(Ergomar, Ergostat, Cafergot, Ercaf, Wigraine), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal Nasal
Spray), ergonovine (Ergotrate), methylergonovine (Methergine).
Sumatriptan can cause rare but serious side effects on the heart,
including heart attack or stroke. Before using sumatriptan, tell your doctor if you have:
-
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
-
high blood pressure;
-
liver disease;
-
kidney disease; or
-
coronary artery disease (or risk factors that include
diabetes, menopause, smoking, being overweight, having high blood pressure or high
cholesterol, having a family history of coronary artery disease, being older than 40 and a man,
or being a woman who has had a hysterectomy).
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment
or special tests to safely use sumatriptan.
FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell
your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
Your name may need to be listed on a sumatriptan pregnancy registry when you start
using this medication.
Sumatriptan can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this
medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
This medicine should not be given to anyone under 18 or over 65 years of age.
How should I use sumatriptan?
Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in
larger or smaller amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the
instructions on your prescription label. Use sumatriptan as soon as you notice headache
symptoms, or after an attack has already begun.
Your doctor may want to give your first dose of this medicine in a hospital or clinic
setting to see if you have any serious side effects.
Take one sumatriptan tablet whole with a full glass of water. Do not split the tablet.
After taking a tablet: If your headache does not completely go away,
or goes away and comes back, take a second tablet two hours after the first. Do not take
more than 200 mg of sumatriptan oral tablets in 24 hours. If your symptoms have
not improved, contact your doctor before taking any more tablets.
Sumatriptan nasal spray comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use.
Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. Blow
your nose to clear your nasal passages before using the nasal spray. Try not to sneeze or blow
your nose just after using the spray.
After using the nasal spray: If your headache does not completely go
away after using the spray, call your doctor before using a second spray of sumatriptan. If your
headache goes away and then comes back, you may use a second spray if it has been at least two
hours since you used the first spray. Do not use more than 40 mg of sumatriptan
nasal spray in 24 hours. If your symptoms do not improve, contact your doctor before
using any more sprays.
Contact your doctor if you have more than four headaches in one month (30 days).
Store sumatriptan at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
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