dihydroergotamine mesylate

Some medications can raise the levels of dihydroergotamine in the body. This is dangerous because it can make your blood vessels too tight and affect bloodflow to the brain (which can cause stroke) or hands or feet (which can cause tissue or muscle damage). Don't take dihydroergotamine with protease inhibitors (usually used for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)) or macrolide antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin, clarithromycin). Some other medications may not have as strong of an effect, but you should still be careful taking them with dihydroergotamine. Make sure your provider and pharmacist know all of the medications that you take, so they can help you watch out for dangerous interactions.

Dihydroergotamine can cause tight blood vessels in the heart, which can lead to life-threatening heart attacks or irregular heartbeats. Don't use this medication if you have heart disease or risk of heart disease. In case the medication causes any problems, you might need to take your first dose of dihydroergotamine in a healthcare provider's office so you can get immediate care if needed. If you're taking this medication long term, make sure to follow up with your provider regularly to monitor your heart health. Call 911 or get medical help right away if you experience chest pain or tightness after using a dose of dihydroergotamine.

Dihydroergotamine has caused stroke, bleeding in the brain, and other brain damage. Only use dihydroergotamine for migraine symptoms and as instructed by your provider, since this medication might raise your risk for stroke and other brain damage. If you experience sudden dizziness, trouble walking or speaking, loss of balance, confusion, or weakness on one side of your body in your face, arm, or leg, seek medical help right away.

Dihydroergotamine can raise your blood pressure, even if you don't have a history of blood pressure problems. Don't take this medication if you have high blood pressure that isn't controlled with medications.

Many headache medications, including dihydroergotamine, can cause "medication overuse headaches" when they're taken too often. This can cause worse headaches or cause them to occur more often. Avoid using headache medications for more than 10 days per month unless told otherwise by your provider. Some other medications that can lead to rebound headaches include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), triptans, opioids, and caffeine. If your headaches gets worse or you get headaches more often than usual, let your provider know.

It's not recommended to take dihydroergotamine during pregnancy, because it can cause harm to you or your unborn baby. It might also cause you to go into labor too early. In animals, dihydroergotamine has caused low weight and bone problems in unborn babies. This is likely due to poor blood flow from pregnant mothers to their babies caused by dihydroergotamine.

In some rare cases, people who took dihydroergotamine have experienced fibrosis (scarring) in their stomach, lungs, or heart. Take dihydroergotamine only as needed. If you feel like you need to take this medication every day, talk to your provider about your options for preventing headaches from happening.