As with all medicines, the risks of using Almotriptan must be compared to how much this medication will help you. This is a decision that you and your doctor will make together.
For this medication, there are many things that need to be considered:
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Allergies: Inform your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to Doxorubicin or to any other medications. It is also important to inform your doctor of any non-medicine allergies such as foods, dyes, preservatives or animals.
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Pediatric: No appropriate studies have been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of this medication in children. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
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Geriatric: Up-to-date studies have not shown any problems specific to the elderly that would limit the use of this medication in the elderly population. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in dose.
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Pregnancy: This medication is listed as Pregnancy Category C. This means that animal studies have shown an adverse effect and no studies have been performed on pregnant women OR there are no adequate studies on pregnant animals and pregnant women.
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Breastfeeding: There are no up-to-date studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication while breastfeeding. Weigh the potential risks with the benefits before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
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Drug Interactions: Certain medications should not be used together. However, in certain cases, two medications may be used together, even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change your dose or take other precautions.
When taking this medication, it is important that you inform your doctor if you are taking any of the medications listed below. The following interactions were selected on the basis of potential significance and are not all-inclusive.
Using this medication with any of the following is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication, or change some of the other medications you take:
- Avitriptan
- Dihydroergotamine
- Eletriptan
- Ergoloid Mesylates
- Ergonovine
- Ergotamine
- Frovatriptan
- Linezolid
- Methylergonovine
- Methysergide
- Naratriptan
- Rizatriptan
- Sumatriptan
- Zolmitriptan
Using this medication with any of the following medication is not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases.
Your doctor may make the decision not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medications you take:
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Bromocriptine
- Brompheniramine
- Buspirone
- Carbamazepine
- Chlorpheniramine
- Citalopram
- Clomipramine
- Clovoxamine
- Cocaine
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Desipramine
- Desvenlafaxine
- Dextromethorphan
- Dolasetron
- Doxepin
- Duloxetine
- Escitalopram
- Femoxetine
- Fentanyl
- Fluoxetine
- Fluvoxamine
- Ganisetron
- Hydroxytryptophan
- Imipramine
- Isocarboxazid
- Levomilnacipran
- Lithium
- Lorcaserin
- Meperidine
- Methadone
- Methylene Blue
- Milnacipran
- Mirtazapine
- Nefazodone
- Nortriptyline
- Palonosetron
- Paroxetine
- Pentazocine
- Propoxyphene
- Reboxetine
- Safinamide
- Sertraline
- Sibutramine
- St John's Wort
- Tapentadol
- Trazodone
- Tryptophan
- Venlafaxine
- Vilazodone
- Vortioxetine
- Zimeldine
- Ziprasidone
Using this medication with any of the following medications may increase your risk of side effects. However, using both medications may be the best treatment for you. If both medications are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you take one or both medications:
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Other Interactions: Certain medications should not be used while eating, or while eating certain foods in case of negative interactions. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medications may also cause negative interactions. Talk with your doctor about the use of your medication with food, alcohol or tobacco.
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Other Medical Problems: Pre-existing medical problems may affect the use of this medication. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Angina
- Basilar migraine (migraine with vision and hearing problems)
- Heart attack
- Hemiplegic migraine (migraine with some paralysis)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Ischemic bowel disease (bowels have low blood supply)
- Peripheral vascular disease (clogged arteries)
- Stroke
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA) - Should not be used in patients with these conditions.
- Coronary artery disease
- Diabetes
- Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol in the blood)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Obesity
- Raynaud syndrome - Use with caution. May cause side effects to become worse.
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease - Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.
Only take Almotriptan as directed by your doctor. Do not take more, less or for a longer or shorter period of time than your doctor tells you.
This medication comes with a patient information brochure. It is very important that you read this information. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
Do not use this medication for anything other than a migraine headache. Ask your doctor what to do for normal headaches.
Dosing
Different patients will be given a different dose of this medication based on the strength of the medication. The number of doses you take each day, the time between doses and the length of time you take this medication depends on the reason you are taking this medication.
The following information only includes the average dose of this medication. If your dose is different, do not change it without first speaking to your doctor.
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Adults and teenagers 12 years of age and older - 6.25 mg or 12.5 mg as a single dose. Your doctor may tell you take take another dose if the migraine comes back. The maximum dose for 24 hours is 25 mg.
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Children younger than 12 years of age - Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Storage
Store this medication in a closed container at room temperature. Keep it away from heat, moisture and direct light. Do not freeze.
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep expired medication or medication you no longer need. Ask your doctor how to dispose of any medication you do not use.
It is very important that your doctor checks in with you often while you are receiving Almotriptan to make sure that it is working properly. Do not take other prescription or over-the-counter medications without asking your doctor. Inform you doctor if you used this medication and the migraine did not go away, it got worse, or it started occurring more often.
Do not take this medication if you used other Triptan or ergot-type medications within the past 24 hours. Some examples of Triptan medications are Frovatriptan, Rizatriptan, Sumatriptan and Zolmitriptan. Some examples of ergot-type medications are Dihydroergotamine, Ergotamine and Methysergide.
If you have heart disease, this medication may cause problems. If your doctor thinks you may have a problem with this medication, they may want you to take your first dose in the doctor’s office or clinic.
This medication may increase your chance of heart attack, angina or stroke. This is more likely to occur if you or a family member already have heart disease, if you smoke, if you are male and over 40 years of age or if you are a female and have gone through menopause.
Inform your doctor if you have any symptoms of a heart problem, such as chest pain or discomfort, an irregular heartbeat, nausea or vomiting, pain or discomfort in the shoulders, arms, jaw, back or neck, shortness of breath or sweating.
Inform your doctor immediately if you have symptoms of a stroke such as confusion, difficulty speaking, double vision, headache, an inability to move the arms, legs or facial muscles, an inability to speak or slow speech.
Inform your doctor immediately if you have chest discomfort, jaw or neck tightness after taking this medication. Inform your doctor if you have sudden or severe abdominal or stomach pain or bloody diarrhea after using this medication.
Make sure your doctor knows about all other medications you may be taking. This medication may cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome when taken with some medications. This includes depression medications such as citalopram, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline or venlafaxine.
Inform your doctor immediately if you have agitation, confusion, diarrhea, abnormal excitement while talking, fever, overactive reflexes, poor coordination, restlessness, shivering, sweating, trembling or uncontrollable shaking or twitching. These could be symptoms of seratonin syndrome.
Using this medication alone or with other migraine medications for 10 or more days per month may lead to worsening of headaches. You may need to keep a headache diary to record headache frequency and drug use.
Inform your doctor immediately if you have blurred vision, difficulty with reading or any other change in vision while using this medication. Your doctor may want you to have your eyes checked by an eye doctor (ophthalmologist).
This medication may cause some people to become drowsy, dizzy or less alert than normal. This is more likely to happen when you begin taking this medication, or when you increase the dosage.
Make sure you know how you react to this medication before driving, using machinery or doing anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert.
Almotriptan may produce unwanted affects along with the intended 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 you experience any of the following side-effects:
Less Common
- Burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
- Chest pain
- Discharge from the eye
- Eye irritation
- Fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse (tachycardia, arrhythmias, palpitations)
- Itching, redness, or swelling of the skin
- Neck pain or rigid neck
- Redness of the inner lining of the eyelid
- Skin rash
- Shortness of breath
- Tightness in the throat
Rare
- Abdominal or stomach cramping or pain
- Black, tarry stools
- Blood in the stools
- Bringing back up of food
- Chest pain, severe
- Cool, pale skin
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Earache
- Fainting (syncope)
- Fever
- Heartburn
- Increased sweating
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of vision
- Rapid breathing
- Tightness in the chest
- Unusual weight loss
Some side effects that may occur do not normally need medical attention. These may leave as your body becomes accustomed to treatment. Ask your doctor about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Talk to your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome, or if you have questions:
More CommonLess Common
- Aching, fullness, or tension in the sinuses
- Anxious feeling
- Back pain
- Belching
- Change in sense of taste
- Chills
- Cough producing mucus
- Decreased sensitivity to touch
- Feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings (vertigo)
- Feeling of warmth or heat
- Flushing or redness of the skin
- Increased sense of hearing
- Indigestion
- Lack or loss of strength
- Muscle aches or weakness
- Nosebleed
- Painful menstrual period
- Quivering or trembling
- Restlessness
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sore throat
- Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Vomiting
Rare
- Abnormal increase in reflexes
- Abnormally increased feeling of mental and physical well-being
- Buzzing or ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Change in dreams or nightmares
- Change in sense of smell
- Change in sense of touch
- Clumsiness or unsteadiness
- Continuous, uncontrolled, back-and-forth or rolling eye movements
- Cough
- Difficulty concentrating
- Double vision
- Drooling
- Dry eyes
- Dry throat
- Feeling of pins and needles
- Hoarseness
- Increased sensitivity to sunlight
- Increased thirst (polydipsia)
- Loss of voice
- Mental depression
- Muscle stiffness
- Nervousness
- Pain, redness, swelling, or warmth in the joints
- Sneezing
- Stabbing pain
Some patients may experience other side effects that are not listed. Check with your doctor if you notice any other side effects.
Ask your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
