In the U.S.—

• Antimigraine agent

Frovatriptan (froe-va-TRIP-tan) is used to treat severe migraine headaches. Many people find that their headaches go away completely after they take frovatriptan. Other people find that their headaches are much less painful, and that they are able to go back to their normal activities even though their headaches are not completely gone. Frovatriptan often relieves other symptoms that occur together with a migraine headache, such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to sound.

Frovatriptan is not an ordinary pain reliever. It will not relieve any kind of pain other than migraine headaches. This medicine is usually used for people whose headaches are not relieved by acetaminophen, aspirin, or other pain relievers.

Frovatriptan has caused 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.

Frovatriptan is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:

Oral
• Tablets (U.S.)

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 frovatriptan, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to frovatriptan. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Frovatriptan has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that frovatriptan causes birth defects. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding— It is not known whether frovatriptan 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 adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of frovatriptan in children with use in other age groups. However, frovatriptan is not recommended for use in patients younger than 18 years of age.

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 or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of frovatriptan in the elderly with use in other age groups.

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. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine or herbal supplements. Tell your health care professional if you take other prescription medicines for migraine headaches or use tobacco.

• Uncontrolled high blood pressure—Use of frovatriptan may cause this condition to become worse.

• Coronary artery disease or

• Heart attack (recent) or
• Heart disease
• Risk factors for coronary artery disease such as high cholesterol, family history, diabetes, obesity, women after menopause and men over 40 years of age—Use of frovatriptan may cause problems in patients with these risk factors.

• Blood vessel disease, especially in the intestines and fingers—Use of frovatriptan may cause these conditions to become worse.

• Bleeding in the brain or
• Stroke (or history of)—Use of frovatriptan may increase the chance of having a stroke

Dosing—

Do not use frovatriptan for a headache that is different from your usual migraines. Instead, check with your doctor.

To relieve your migraine as soon as possible, use frovatriptan as soon as the headache pain begins. Even if you get warning signals of a coming migraine (an aura), you should wait until the headache pain starts before using frovatriptan. Using frovatriptan during the aura probably will not prevent the headache from occurring. However, even if you do not use frovatriptan 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 are not much better 2 hours after a tablet is taken follow your health care provider's instructions concerning taking one additional dose. A migraine that is not relieved by the first dose of frovatriptan probably will not be relieved by a second dose, either. Ask your doctor ahead of time about other medicine to be taken if frovatriptan does not work. After taking the other medicine, check with your doctor as soon as possible. Headaches that are not relieved by frovatriptan are sometimes caused by conditions that need other treatment. However, even if frovatriptan does not relieve one migraine, it may still relieve the next one.

If you feel much better after a dose of frovatriptan, but your headache comes back or gets worse after a while, you may use one more tablet of frovatriptan. However, use this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, and do not use it more often, than directed. Using too much frovatriptan may increase the chance of side effects.

Your doctor may direct you to take another medicine to help prevent headaches. It is important that you follow your doctor's directions, even if your headaches continue to occur. Headache-preventing medicines may take several weeks to start working. Even after they do start working, your headaches may not go away completely. However, your headaches should occur less often, and they should be less severe and easier to relieve. This may reduce the amount of frovatriptan or pain relievers that you need. If you do not notice any improvement after several weeks of headache-preventing treatment, check with your doctor.

Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of frovatriptan. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For migraine headaches:
    • Adults—Take one tablet (2.5 mg (milligrams) anytime after the start of your migraine headache. You may take a second tablet if your headache comes back after relief from the 1st dose. You should wait at least 2 hours between doses. Do not take more than 3 tablets in a 24 hour period.
    • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Storage—

To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• 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. Ask your health care professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Check with your doctor if you have used frovatriptan for three headaches, and have not had good relief. Also, check with your doctor if your migraine headaches are worse, or if they are occurring more often, than before you started using frovatriptan.

Drinking alcoholic beverages can make headaches worse or cause new headaches to occur. People who suffer from severe headaches should probably avoid alcoholic beverages, especially during a headache.

Some people feel drowsy or dizzy during or after a migraine, or after taking frovatriptan 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.

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 
  
  

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome.

• More Common
  • Dizziness 
  
  

• Less common
  • Acid or sour stomach, belching, heartburn, indigestion, stomach discomfort, upset or pain;  dry mouth;  fatigue, such as unusual tiredness or weakness;  flushing, such as feeling of warmth, redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally upper chest;  headache;  hot or cold sensation;  nausea;  skeletal pain, such as pain in bones;  tingling, burning, or prickly sensations;  sleepiness or unusual drowsiness. 
  
  

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.