Description
Almotriptan (al-moh-TRIP-tan) is used
to treat Migraine attacks. Many people find that their Migraine symptoms
go away completely after they take almotriptan. Other people find that
their symptoms are reduced, and that they are able to go back to their
normal activities even though their Migraines are not completely gone.
Almotriptan often relieves many symptoms that occur together with the
pain of a Migraine, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and
sensitivity to sound.
Almotriptan is not an ordinary pain reliever. It will not relieve any
kind of pain other than Migraine. This medicine is usually used for
people whose Migraines are not relieved by acetaminophen, aspirin, or
other pain relievers.
Almotriptan may cause serious side effects in some people, especially
people who have heart or blood vessel disease. Be sure that you discuss
with your doctor the risks of using this medicine as well as the good
that it can do.
Almotriptan is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Before Using This Medicine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks
of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This
is a decision you and your doctor will make. For almotriptan, the
following should be considered:
Allergies-
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic
reaction to almotriptan. Also tell your health care professional if you
are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or
dyes.
Pregnancy-
Almotriptan has not been studied in pregnant women. However, in some
animal studies, almotriptan caused harmful effects to the fetus. These
unwanted effects usually occurred when almotriptan was given in amounts
that were large enough to cause harmful effects in the mother.
Breast-feeding-
It is not known whether almotriptan passes into human breast milk.
Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of
them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking
this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their
doctor.
Children-
Studies on this medicine have been done only in patients 18 years of
age and older, and there is no specific information comparing use of
almotriptan in children with use in other age groups.
Older adults-
Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people.
Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way
they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information
comparing use of almotriptan in the elderly with use in other age
groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or
problems in older people than it does in younger adults.
Other medicines-
Although certain medicines
should not be used together at all, in other cases two different
medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In
these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other
precautions may be necessary.
Do not take almotriptan if you have
taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan),
tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil) within the last 14
days. The combination could cause seizures, nausea, vomiting, sweating,
flushing, and dizziness.
Do not take almotriptan if you:
- have taken an ergot-based medication
within the last 24 hours--ergot-based medicines include methysergide (Sansert),
ergotamine (Ergostat, Ergomar, others) dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45,
Migranal Nasal Spray), and ergotamine combination products (Bellergal-S,
Cafergot, Ercaf, Wigraine, Cafatine, Cafatine-PB, Cafetrate)
- have taken another serotonin
receptor agonist within the last 24 hours - these include frovatriptan
(Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT),
sumatriptan (Imitrex), and zolmitriptan (Zomig, Zomig-ZMT); or
- have taken ketoconazole (Nizoral),
itraconazole (Sporanox), ritonavir (Norvir), or erythromycin (E-Mycin,
others) in the last 7 days.
Taking a serotonin receptor agonist
with any of the medicines listed above may be dangerous.
Before taking almotriptan, tell your
doctor if you are taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox),
paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft). You may not be able to take
almotriptan, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special
monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines
listed.
Drugs other than those listed here may
also interact with almotriptan. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist
before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including
herbal products.
Other medical problems-
The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of almotriptan. Make sure you tell your
doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- basilar or hemiplegic Migraines
- Angina (chest pain)
- Heart or blood vessel disease
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Stroke (history of)—The chance of
side effects may be increased. Heart or blood vessel disease and high
blood pressure sometimes do not cause any symptoms, so some people do
not know that they have these problems. Before deciding whether you
should use almotriptan, your doctor may need to do some tests to make
sure that you do not have any of these conditions.
Proper Use of This Medicine
Do not use almotriptan for an
episode that is different from your usual Migraines
To relieve your Migraine as soon as possible, use almotriptan as soon as
the pain begins. Even if you get warning signals of a coming Migraine
(an aura), you should wait until the pain starts before using almotriptan. Using almotriptan during the aura probably will not prevent
the pain from occurring. However, even if you do not use almotriptan
until your Migraine has been present for several hours, the medicine
will still work.
Lying down in a quiet, dark room for a while after you use this medicine
may help relieve your Migraine.
If you feel much better after a dose of almotriptan, but your Migraine
comes back or gets worse after 2 or more hours, you may use one
additional dose of almotriptan
Your doctor may direct you to take another medicine to help prevent
Migraines. It is important that you follow your doctor's directions,
even if your Migraines continue to occur. Migraine-preventing medicines
may take several weeks to start working. Even after they do start
working, your Migraines may not go away completely. However, your
Migraines should occur less often, and they should be less severe and
easier to relieve. This can reduce the amount of almotriptan or pain
relievers that you need. If you do not notice any improvement after
several weeks of Migraine-preventing treatment, check with your doctor.
Dosing-
The dose of almotriptan will be different for different
patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label.
The following information includes only the average doses of almotriptan.
If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor
tells you to do so.
- Adults—6.25 or 12.5 milligrams (mg)
as a single dose. If the Migraine comes back after being relieved,
another dose be taken two hours or more after the first dose. Do
not take more than 2 doses in any twenty-four-hour period.
- Children—Use and dose must be
determined by your doctor.
Storage-
To store this medicine:
- Keep out of the reach of children
since overdose is especially dangerous in children.
- Store away from heat and direct
light.
- Do not store in the bathroom, near
the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause
the medicine to break down.
- Do not keep outdated medicine or
medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out
of the reach of children.
Precautions While Using This Medicine
Drinking alcoholic beverages can make
Migraines worse or cause new Migraines to occur. People who suffer from
severe Migraines should probably avoid alcoholic beverages, especially
during an attack.
Some people feel drowsy or dizzy during or after a Migraine, or after
taking almotriptan to relieve a Migraine. As long as you are feeling
drowsy or dizzy, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that
could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert.
Side Effects of This Medicine
Along with its needed effects,
a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these
side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical
attention.
Check with your doctor immediately
if any of the following side effects occur:
- Less common: Chest pain; fast
heartbeat; palpitations; shortness of breath; tightness in throat
- Rare: Chest pain, severe;
cool, pale skin; increased sweating; tightness in chest
Check with your doctor as soon as
possible if any of the following side effects occur:
- Less common: Discharge from
eye; eye irritation; itching, redness, or swelling of skin; neck pain
or rigid neck; redness of inner lining of eyelid; skin rash
- Rare: Abdominal cramping or
pain; black, tarry stools; blood in stools; bringing back up of
food; diarrhea; difficulty in swallowing; earache; eye pain; fainting;
fever; heartburn, repeated; loss of appetite; loss of vision; rapid
breathing; weight loss
Other side effects may occur that
usually do not need medical attention. Some of these effects, such as
nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, and general feeling of illness
or tiredness, often occur during or after a Migraine, even when almotriptan has not been used. Most of the side effects caused by
almotriptan go away within a short time (less than 2 hours). However,
check with your doctor if these side effects continue or are bothersome.
- More common: Burning,
numbness, prickly, or tingling feeling; dizziness; dry mouth;
headache; nausea; sleepiness
- Less common: Aching,
fullness, or tension in sinuses; anxious feeling; back pain; belching;
change in sense of taste; chills; cough producing mucus; decreased
sensitivity to touch; fatigue; feeling of constant movement of self or
surroundings; feeling of spinning; feeling of warmth or heat; flushing
or redness of skin; heartburn; increased sense of hearing;
indigestion; lack or loss of strength; muscle aches; muscle weakness;
nosebleed; painful menstrual period; quivering or trembling;
restlessness; runny or stuffy nose; sore throat; trouble in sleeping;
vomiting
- Rare: Abnormal increase in
reflexes; abnormally increased feeling of mental and physical
well-being; buzzing or ringing in the ears; change in dreams or
nightmares; change in sense of smell; change in sense of touch;
clumsiness or unsteadiness; continuous, uncontrolled, back-and-forth
and/or rolling eye movements; cough; difficulty in concentrating;
difficulty in swallowing; double vision; drooling; dry eyes; dry
throat; feeling of pins and needles; hoarseness; increased sensitivity
to sunlight; increased thirst; loss of voice; muscle stiffness; mental
depression; nervousness; pain, redness, swelling, or warmth in
joints; sneezing; stabbing pain
Other side effects not listed above may
also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with
your doctor. |
