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What is frovatriptan?
Frovatriptan is a headache medicine. It is believed to work by narrowing the blood vessels around the brain. Frovatriptan also reduces substances in the body that can trigger headache pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and other migraine symptoms. Frovatriptan is used to treat migraine headaches. Frovatriptan will only treat a headache that has already begun. It will not prevent headaches or reduce the number of attacks. Frovatriptan may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

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What are the possible side effects of frovatriptan?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using frovatriptan and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;

• sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;

• sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance;

• fast heart rate, agitation, muscle stiffness, hallucinations, lack of coordination, with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;

• sudden and severe stomach pain and bloody diarrhea; or

• numbness or tingling and a pale or blue-colored appearance in your fingers or toes.

Continue using frovatriptan and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:

• dizziness, tired feeling;

• mild headache (not a migraine);

• dry mouth, stomach pain;

• feeling too warm or too cold;

• warmth or redness under your skin;

• joint or bone pain;

• pressure or heavy feeling in any part of your body;

• feeling of pain or pressure in your neck and throat;

• anxiety, sleep problems (insomnia);

• runny or stuffy nose; or

• sweating.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

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How should I use frovatriptan?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label. Take frovatriptan 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 frovatriptan tablet whole with a full glass of water.

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What is the most important information I should know about frovatriptan?
Frovatriptan can cause serious side effects on the heart, including heart attack or stroke. Although these side effects are rare, do not use this medication if you have a history of heart disease, angina (chest pain), blood circulation problems, ischemic bowel disease, severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or history of a heart attack or stroke. Before using frovatriptan, tell your doctor if you have coronary artery disease, or risk factors for coronary artery disease (such as 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).

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Since frovatriptan is used as needed, it does not have a daily dosing schedule. Call your doctor promptly if your symptoms do not improve after using frovatriptan. After taking a frovatriptan tablet, you must wait two (2) hours before taking a second tablet. Do not take more than three (3) frovatriptan tablets in 24 hours.

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What other drugs will affect frovatriptan?
Before using frovatriptan, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs: propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran); an antidepressant such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), or venlafaxine (Effexor); another migraine medicine such as almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), naratriptan (Amerge), sumatriptan (Imitrex), rizatriptan (Maxalt), or zolmitriptan (Zomig).

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Frovatriptan has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. When pregnant rats were administered frovatriptan during the period of oganogenesis at oral doses equivalent to 130 to 1,300 times the maximum recommended human dose (based on a mg/m2 dosage regimen), there was a dose related increased incidence of litters and total numbers of fetuses with dilated ureters, unilateral and bilateral pelvic cavitation, hydronephrosis, and hydroureters. When pregnant rabbits were dosed throughout organogenesis at doses up to 210 times the maximum recommended human dose (based on a mg/m2 dosage regimen), no effects on fetal development were observed. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Frovatriptan is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

There are no data on the excretion of frovatriptan into human milk. The manufacturer recommends exercising caution when administering frovatriptan to nursing mothers.

Frovatriptan and/or its metabolites are excreted in the milk of lactating rats with the maximum concentration being four-fold higher than that seen in blood.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known or suspected ischemic heart disease (e.g., angina pectoris, history of MI, documented silent ischemia).
• Coronary artery vasospasm (e.g., Prinzmetal variant angina).
• Other serious underlying cardiovascular disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension).
• Cerebrovascular syndromes (e.g., stroke syndrome, TIAs).
• Peripheral vascular ischemia (e.g., ischemic bowel disease).
• Hemiplegic or basilar migraine.
• Treatment within previous 24 hours with another 5-HT₁ receptor agaonist or an ergot alkaloid. (See Specific Drugs under Interactions.)
• Known hypersensitivity to frovatriptan or any ingredient in the formulation.

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What does my medication look like?
Frovatriptan is available with a prescription under the brand name Frova. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you. Frova 2.5 mg--white, round, film-coated tablets

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a frovatriptan overdose may include severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure (convulsions), neck stiffness, tiredness, lack of coordination, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using frovatriptan?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to frovatriptan, or if you have: a history of heart disease, angina (chest pain), blood circulation problems, or history of a heart attack or stroke; severe liver disease; ischemic bowel disease; severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure; or a headache that is not like other headaches you have had. Do not use frovatriptan within 24 hours after taking any of the following medicines: almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), naratriptan (Frova), sumatriptan (Imitrex), rizatriptan (Maxalt), or zolmitriptan (Zomig); or

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
If you are taking an analgesic for pain and you are no longer experiencing the pain you may stop using the medication. In general, pain medications are to be used on an as needed basis.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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