frovatriptan
Frovatriptan (Frova) is one of the many triptans available for treating migraine. It's approved for adults who have migraines with or without aura. The dosage is a tablet that's swallowed whole when you have a migraine. You can take another tablet 2 hours later if the medication doesn't completely relieve your migraine. Side effects include dizziness, tiredness, and sometimes chest tightness. Frovatriptan (Frova) is available as a brand-name and generic medication.
What is Frovatriptan (Frova)?
What is Frovatriptan (Frova) used for?
- Treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults
How Frovatriptan (Frova) works
Frovatriptan (Frova) is a triptan. It works on receptors in your brain and nervous system that respond to serotonin. Serotonin is a natural chemical in your body that's thought to play a role in causing migraines.
When frovatriptan (Frova) attaches to the serotonin receptors in the brain, it tightens the blood vessels in the brain and lessens blood vessel swelling. This helps relieve migraine pain. The medication also helps with migraine pain by stopping other pain signals from releasing through the nervous system.
Drug facts
Side effects of Frovatriptan (Frova)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Dizziness (8%)
- Tiredness (5%)
- Headache (4%)
- "Pins and needles" feeling in the hands or legs (4%)
- Flushing (4%)
- Dry mouth (3%)
- Hot or cold sensation (3%)
- Bone pain (3%)
- Indigestion (2%)
- Chest pain (2%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Painful, burning, itching, or numbing feeling
- General pain
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- More sweating than usual
- Ringing in the ears
- Changes in vision
- Racing heart
Frovatriptan (Frova) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Heart attack: severe chest pain that might travel to the arms, neck, or jaw with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or heartburn
- Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia): slow heartbeat, skipped heartbeats, pounding in the chest, a fluttering sensation, chest pain, dizziness, weakness, trouble breathing
- Stroke: sudden weakness on one side of the body, drooping face, severe headache, changes in speech or vision, confusion
- Extremely high blood pressure: severe headache, confusion, blurred vision, chest pain, trouble breathing, nausea, a racing heart
- Serotonin syndrome: fever, sweating, shivering, fast heartbeat, anxiety, confusion, movement problems, seizure
- Serious allergic reaction: trouble breathing; rash; swelling of the mouth, face, or throat
The following Frovatriptan (Frova) side effects have also been reported
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
Changes in vision
fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
increased sweating
Incidence not known
Abdominal or stomach pain
agitation
bloody diarrhea
cold fingers or toes
confusion
difficulty swallowing
dizziness
fainting
headache, sudden, severe, and continuing
large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
numbness or tingling of the fingers or toes
overactive reflexes
pain spreading to the left shoulder
paleness or cold feeling in the fingertips and toes
poor coordination
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
restlessness
shivering
skin rash, hives, or itching skin
talking or acting with excitement you cannot control
tightness in the chest, throat, neck, and jaw
tingling or pain in the fingers or toes when exposed to cold
trembling or shaking
twitching
unusual tiredness or weakness
weakness in the legs
Some 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. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common
Acid or sour stomach
belching
bone pain
continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
feeling of warmth
hearing loss
hot or cold sensation
indigestion
pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones
redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally upper chest
stomach discomfort or upset
stuffy or runny nose
trouble sleeping
Incidence not known
Seizures
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Frovatriptan (Frova)
Pros
- A first-choice option for short-term treatment of migraines
- Effects might last longer than other triptans
Cons
- Might not be a good option for people who have trouble swallowing pills whole during a migraine
- Might take about 2 hours or longer to feel complete pain relief
- Not recommended for children under 18 years old
Pharmacist tips for Frovatriptan (Frova)
- Take frovatriptan (Frova) with a glass of water as soon as your migraine starts.
- If your migraine comes back or if it doesn't completely go away after you take frovatriptan (Frova), you can take a second dose of the medication. Make sure to wait at least 2 hours after your first dose to take another. Taking another dose sooner than 2 hours from your previous dose might cause more side effects. Don't take more than 3 doses (3 tablets) in a day.
- Call your prescriber if you don't feel any migraine relief at all after you take frovatriptan (Frova). Don't take another dose of the medication for the same migraine without talking to your prescriber. This medication might not be the best option for you. Your prescriber can speak with you about better treatments for you.
- You might feel tightness, pain, or pressure in the chest, throat, neck, or jaw after you take frovatriptan (Frova). These symptoms can feel very similar to those of a heart attack or other heart problems. Call your care team right away if you have these symptoms after you take frovatriptan (Frova) to make sure you're okay.
- Frovatriptan (Frova) can make you feel tired or dizzy. Don't drive or do anything that you need a lot of concentration for until you know how this medication affects you.
- Speak with your prescriber if you finish the entire month's supply of frovatriptan (Frova) before it's time for your next refill or if you have more than 4 migraines in a month. It's not known whether frovatriptan (Frova) works well or whether it's safe to take for treating more than 4 migraines in a month. There might be a different migraine medication that works better for you.
- Write down when you have headaches and how often you need to take frovatriptan (Frova) or any other migraine medication. Avoid taking migraine medications for more than 9 days in a month to prevent medication-overuse headaches.
More on Frovatriptan (Frova) tips
Common questions about Frovatriptan (Frova)
Studies show that frovatriptan (Frova) starts to kick in within 2 hours to relieve a migraine for most people. But it can take up to 4 hours for complete migraine pain relief.
It takes about 5 days for most of frovatriptan (Frova) to leave your body after a single dose of medication. This time frame is estimated based on the medication's half-life, which is a measure of time for half the amount of frovatriptan (Frova) to leave your system. Speak with your prescriber if you have any questions about how long the medication stays in your system.
No. Frovatriptan (Frova) isn't a narcotic. Narcotics are also known as opioid medications. Frovatriptan (Frova) isn't an opioid medication but rather a triptan.
So far, there are no reports of weight loss in people who've taken frovatriptan (Frova). Speak with your prescriber or primary care provider if you have concerning changes in weight after you take this medication or if you have questions about weight loss.
Possibly. Talk to a healthcare professional before you take ibuprofen with frovatriptan (Frova). These two medications work in different ways to relieve pain and they aren't known to interact with each other. But ibuprofen carries a few of its own risks, so it might not be safe for certain people to take. This can include people with kidney or heart problems and people with a history of stomach ulcers or bleeding, among others.
It's typically not recommended to take sumatriptan (Imitrex) or any other triptan right after frovatriptan (Frova). It's best to use one triptan at a time. Talk to your prescriber about your options if you need more pain relief. You might be able to try sumatriptan but only after at least 24 hours have passed since you took frovatriptan (Frova). There also might be other pain relievers you can take while you wait.
The American Headache Society recommends frovatriptan (Frova) as an option for the short-term prevention of menstrual migraines. It's the only triptan that the clinical guidelines recommend for this purpose. Note that frovatriptan (Frova) isn't FDA approved for preventing any type of migraine, including migraines that can happen around the time of your menstrual period. So taking frovatriptan (Frova) to prevent menstrual migraines is considered an off-label use of the medication. Speak with your prescriber to see whether frovatriptan (Frova) is right for you for preventing menstrual migraines.
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Risks and warnings for Frovatriptan (Frova)
Frovatriptan (Frova) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Heart attack and chest pain (angina)
- Risk factors: Older age | Personal or family history of coronary artery disease | Diabetes (high blood sugar) | High blood pressure | Smoking | People who are considered obese
In very rare cases, people have had serious heart problems within a few hours after they took frovatriptan (Frova). These heart problems can include heart attack and chest pain (angina). It can happen in people with or without a history of heart disease.
Before you start taking frovatriptan (Frova), your prescriber will check your risk for heart attack and chest pain. To be safe, people with certain heart problems shouldn't take frovatriptan (Frova). If you're at high risk, you might need to take your first dose at your prescriber's office so they can monitor your heart right away. Your prescriber might check your heart periodically if you need to take the medication as needed for a long time.
Get medical help as soon as possible if you have severe chest pain that might travel to the arms, neck, or jaw and shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or heartburn. These can be signs of serious heart attack or chest pain.
Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmias)
Some people who've taken a triptan such as frovatriptan (Frova) have had life-threatening changes to their heart rhythm (arrhythmia). Reports of arrhythmia have happened within a few hours after taking the medication. Don't take frovatriptan (Frova) if you have any medical conditions that cause arrhythmia. Stop taking frovatriptan (Frova) and tell your prescriber if you have symptoms of arrhythmia like slow heartbeat, a pounding or fluttering heart, chest pain, dizziness, weakness, or trouble breathing.
Stroke or other brain injury
Some people who've taken triptans like frovatriptan (Frova) have had life-threatening strokes or bleeding in the brain (brain hemorrhage). You can't take frovatriptan (Frova) if you've had a stroke, "mini-stroke," hemiplegic migraine, or basilar migraine before. These conditions raise your risk for stroke already.
Symptoms of a stroke or brain bleed include sudden weakness on one side of your body, severe headache, drooping face, trouble breathing, or changes in speech or vision. They can be similar to migraine symptoms, so strokes can be mistaken for a migraine. Stop taking frovatriptan (Frova) and get emergency medical help right away if you notice symptoms of a stroke or brain bleed. This is especially important if you haven't had a migraine before.
Extreme narrowing of blood vessels
Frovatriptan (Frova) can cause the blood vessels in certain areas of your body to become very narrow. This can prevent certain parts of your body from getting enough blood, which can lead to problems.
For example, it can sometimes cause symptoms similar to Raynaud's phenomenon. This can appear as color changes in your hands and feet (can turn pale or more reddish depending on how much blood is flowing through). Other times, the blood vessels in the stomach can narrow and cause stomach pain or bloody diarrhea. And although rare, narrowing of the blood vessels in the eye can cause vision problems.
Let your prescriber know if you have any of these symptoms. Don't take any more frovatriptan (Frova) until your prescriber checks that it's safe for you.
Worse headaches if you take frovatriptan (Frova) too often
Taking more than the recommended dose of migraine medications, including frovatriptan (Frova), or taking them too often can cause them to work less well. It can lead to medication-overuse headaches (also called rebound headaches). This is when you have more migraine-like headaches or more migraine attacks.
Let your prescriber know if you're taking more than one migraine medication and if you need to take them for more than 9 days in a month. Also tell your prescriber if you have more than 4 migraine headaches per month while you're taking frovatriptan (Frova). Your prescriber can talk with you about better options to help with your migraines.
Serotonin syndrome
- Risk factors: Taking other medications that raise serotonin levels
Frovatriptan (Frova) can raise the risk for serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by high levels of serotonin in the brain. The risk is even higher if you're taking frovatriptan (Frova) with other medications that also raise serotonin levels in the body. Common examples of these medications include antidepressants.
Symptoms of serotonin syndrome can include fever, sweating, shivering, fast heartbeat, anxiety, confusion, movement problems, and seizure. These symptoms can appear within minutes to hours of starting a new medication that raises your serotonin levels. They can also appear when you switch to a higher dose of such medications. Stop taking frovatriptan (Frova) and talk to your prescriber if you notice any symptoms of serotonin syndrome.
High blood pressure
- Risk factors: Uncontrolled high blood pressure
Rarely, people who've taken triptans like frovatriptan (Frova) have had notably higher blood pressure. In some cases, people had dangerously high blood pressure that could be life-threatening. A rise in blood pressure can happen after taking frovatriptan (Frova) in people with and without a history of high blood pressure. Don't take this medication if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Your prescriber might recommend checking your blood pressure occasionally at home when you take frovatriptan (Frova). Get medical help as soon as possible if you have a severe headache, confusion, blurred vision, chest pain, trouble breathing, nausea, or a racing heart. These can be signs of extremely high blood pressure.
Allergic reaction
It's possible to have a life-threatening allergic reaction to frovatriptan (Frova). These reactions can include anaphylaxis and swelling of the face, mouth, or throat. Stop taking frovatriptan (Frova) and call 911 right away if you have a rash; swelling of the face, mouth, or throat; closing of the throat; or trouble breathing.
Frovatriptan (Frova) dosage
Dose pack| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 tablets of 2.5mg | 1 dose pack | $38.59 | $38.59 |
Typical dosage for Frovatriptan (Frova)
The typical dose is 2.5 mg by mouth once as a single dose for migraine.
If your migraine comes back or if it doesn't completely go away, you can take another dose 2 hours after the first dose. Don't take more than 7.5 mg (3 tablets) in a 24-hour period.
Interactions between Frovatriptan (Frova) and other drugs
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. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Almotriptan
- Avitriptan
- Bromocriptine
- Dihydroergotamine
- Eletriptan
- Ergoloid Mesylates
- Ergonovine
- Ergotamine
- Linezolid
- Metergoline
- Methylergonovine
- Methysergide
- Naratriptan
- Pergolide
- Rizatriptan
- Sumatriptan
- Tranylcypromine
- Zolmitriptan
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Alfentanil
- Amineptine
- Amitriptyline
- Amitriptylinoxide
- Amoxapine
- Amphetamine
- Benzhydrocodone
- Benzphetamine
- Buprenorphine
- Butorphanol
- Citalopram
- Clomipramine
- Codeine
- Desipramine
- Desvenlafaxine
- Dextroamphetamine
- Dibenzepin
- Dihydrocodeine
- Dolasetron
- Doxepin
- Duloxetine
- Escitalopram
- Fenfluramine
- Fentanyl
- Fluoxetine
- Fluvoxamine
- Furazolidone
- Granisetron
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Imipramine
- Iproniazid
- Isocarboxazid
- Lasmiditan
- Levomilnacipran
- Levorphanol
- Lisdexamfetamine
- Lithium
- Lofepramine
- Lorcaserin
- Melitracen
- Meperidine
- Metaxalone
- Methadone
- Methamphetamine
- Methylene Blue
- Milnacipran
- Mirtazapine
- Moclobemide
- Morphine
- Morphine Sulfate Liposome
- Nalbuphine
- Nortriptyline
- Ondansetron
- Opipramol
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Palonosetron
- Paroxetine
- Pentazocine
- Phenelzine
- Procarbazine
- Protriptyline
- Rasagiline
- Reboxetine
- Remifentanil
- Selegiline
- Sertraline
- Sibutramine
- St John's Wort
- Sufentanil
- Tapentadol
- Tianeptine
- Tramadol
- Trazodone
- Trimipramine
- Tryptophan
- Venlafaxine
- Vilazodone
- Vortioxetine
- Ziprasidone
How much does Frovatriptan (Frova) cost?
Frovatriptan (Frova) contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Frovatriptan (Frova) will not be safe for you to take.
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Coronary artery vasospasm, such as Prinzmetal's angina
- Certain medical conditions that cause an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia), such as Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome
- History of stroke or transient ischemic attack ("mini-stroke")
- History of hemiplegic or basilar migraine
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Ischemic bowel disease
- Have taken an ergot-containing or ergot-type medication like dihydroergotamine (Migranal) in the last 24 hours
- Have taken a different triptan in the last 24 hours
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