Ubrelvy Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide
Key takeaways:
Ubrelvy (ubrogepant) is an oral tablet that treats symptoms of a migraine attack. The usual Ubrelvy dosage is 50 mg or 100 mg when migraine symptoms start. In most cases, you can take another dose 2 hours later if symptoms are still present.
If you have severe liver or kidney problems, you may need to limit Ubrelvy doses to 50 mg. And if you take medications that interact with Ubrelvy, your healthcare provider may give you specific dosage instructions.
There are many ways to save on Ubrelvy. If you’re eligible, a manufacturer savings card can help you access Ubrelvy for free. A patient assistance program is also available.
Table of contents
Ubrelvy (ubrogepant) is an oral medication that treats migraine attacks. Migraines are a medical condition of the brain. They often involve headaches. They can also cause sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vision changes.
Ubrelvy is part of a group of medications called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor blockers. These medications work by blocking a protein that’s released during migraine attacks. And they’re relatively new, with the first CGRP receptor blocker being approved in 2018 under the brand-name Aimovig (erenumab). Ubrelvy was FDA approved in 2019.
In this guide, we’ll review typical Ubrelvy dosages. These are the FDA-approved, manufacturer-recommended doses that you’d find in the prescribing information for Ubrelvy. But if your healthcare provider recommends a different dose, make sure you understand their recommendation and follow it closely.
What’s the typical Ubrelvy dosage for adults?
Ubrelvy is meant to treat migraine attacks as they occur. But it doesn’t prevent migraines.
If you’re prescribed Ubrelvy, you can take a dose as soon as you experience migraine symptoms. These might include pain around the eyes, ears, or temples. It may also include nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
The typical Ubrelvy dosage for adults is 50 mg or 100 mg taken when migraine symptoms start. But if you’re unable to take Ubrelvy right away, don’t worry. You can take Ubrelvy hours after you start experiencing symptoms. People have taken Ubrelvy up to 4 hours after the start of migraine symptoms and have still found it helpful.
If you still have migraine symptoms after 2 hours, you can take a second Ubrelvy dose. This dose is usually the same amount as your initial dose. But make sure it’s been at least 2 hours since your initial dose. You shouldn’t take more than 2 doses in a 24-hour period.
Ubrelvy hasn’t been tested for use in more than eight migraine attacks within any 30-day period. So be sure to keep track of how often you use Ubrelvy. If you’re having more than eight migraines in a 30-day period, let your healthcare provider know. You may need medication to help prevent migraines if you aren’t already taking one.
How do I take Ubrelvy?
Ubrelvy comes as a 50 mg or 100 mg tablet that you swallow. Foods that are high in fat may affect how quickly and how much Ubrelvy gets absorbed by the body. But studies of Ubrelvy looked at people that took it with and without food, and it was effective either way. So if you start having migraine symptoms, don’t worry about when you last ate — you can take Ubrelvy at any time, with or without food.
Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?
If you have certain medical conditions or take certain medications, you may need a lower or higher Ubrelvy dose.
Dosage for people with kidney problems
Your kidneys help your body get rid of Ubrelvy. If you have kidney disease, Ubrelvy may build up in the body and cause side effects.
Kidney disease is diagnosed by using blood and urine tests to estimate how well your kidneys are functioning. If you have severe kidney problems (stage 4 kidney disease), the recommended Ubrelvy dosage is 50 mg. You can still take another dose 2 hours after your first dose, if needed.
If you have stage 5 kidney disease (also called end-stage renal disease), you should avoid Ubrelvy.
Dosage for people with liver problems
Some people with liver damage also need a lowered Ubrelvy dosage. This is because your body relies on the liver to metabolize (break down) Ubrelvy after you take it. Ubrelvy may build in the body if your liver is severely damaged. This can cause side effects.
If you have severe liver cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver), you may need a lower Ubrelvy dosage The severity of liver cirrhosis is determined by using the Child-Pugh scoring system. People with Child-Pugh Class C liver cirrhosis should limit their Ubrelvy dose to 50 mg at a time. You can still take another 50 mg dose 2 hours after your first dose if you still have migraine symptoms.
Dosage for drug interactions
Ubrelvy can have many drug interactions. Most of these interactions occur because Ubrelvy is metabolized by a liver protein called cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. Medications that inhibit (block) CYP3A4 can increase levels of Ubrelvy and make you more likely to experience side effects. On the other hand, medications that induce (increase) CYP3A4 can lower levels of Ubrelvy. This could make Ubrelvy less effective.
Other possible Ubrelvy interactions can happen due to the fact that Ubrelvy attaches to certain molecules in the body called breast cancer resistance proteins (BCRPs) and P-glycoproteins (P-gps). These molecules are called “transporters” and they limit how much Ubrelvy gets absorbed into your cells. But if you take a medication that inhibits BCRP or P-gp, you may have higher levels of Ubrelvy in the body.
Some of these interactions require dose adjustments of Ubrelvy. Examples of some interactions are in the table below; but keep in mind, this isn’t a comprehensive list. Before you take Ubrelvy, let your healthcare provider and pharmacist know about all the medications and supplements you take. And let them know if you consume any grapefruit or grapefruit juice. They can help you check for drug interactions.
Examples of medications | 1st Ubrelvy dose | 2nd Ubrelvy dose (at least 2 hours after first dose) | |
Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors | Ketoconazole Itraconazole (Sporanox) Clarithromycin | Avoid altogether | Avoid altogether |
Moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors | Verapamil Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) Fluconazole (Diflucan) Cyclosporine (Sandimmune) Fluvoxamine (Luvox) Grapefruit juice | 50 mg | Avoid altogether |
Weak CYP3A4 Inhibitors | Cimetidine (Tagamet HB) Clotrimazole lozenge Ticagrelor (Brilinta) | 50 mg | 50mg |
Strong CYP3A4 inducers | Phenytoin (Dilantin) Rifampin (Rifadin) St. John’s Wort Phenobarbital | Avoid altogether | Avoid altogether |
Weak and moderate CYP3A4 inducers | Primidone (Mysoline) Efavirenz (Sustiva) Armodafinil (Nuvigil) Modafinil (Provigil) | 100 mg | 100 mg |
BCRP and/or P-gp inhibitors | Carvedilol (Coreg) Eltrombopag (Promacta) Quinidine | 50 mg | 50 mg |
What should you do if you take too much Ubrelvy?
Taking too much Ubrelvy can cause side effects like nausea, sleepiness and dry mouth. If you think you’ve taken too much Ubrelvy, contact your healthcare provider right away. They can provide advice based on your symptoms. If you have symptoms that feel serious or life-threatening after taking too much Ubrelvy, seek emergency care.
How to save on Ubrelvy
There are ways to save on Ubrelvy, which is only available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between patient assistance programs and copay savings cards to save money on your prescription.
Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Ubrelvy’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to receive Ubrelvy for free using a savings card from the manufacturer.
The bottom line
The recommended Ubrelvy dosage is 50 mg or 100 mg taken at the start of migraine symptoms. If you don’t have your Ubrelvy with you when a migraine starts, you can still take it later on, even if it’s a few hours later. After you take your first dose, you may take an additional dose 2 hours later if you’re still having symptoms.
Ubrelvy may require dosage adjustments if you have severe kidney or liver damage. You may also need a specific dose if you take other medications that can impact levels of Ubrelvy in the body. So always tell your healthcare provider and pharmacist about all the medications and supplements you take before starting Ubrelvy.
Why trust our experts?
References
Allergan, Inc. (2021). Ubrelvy [package insert].
American Kidney Fund. (2022). Stages of kidney disease.
Breedveld, P., et al. (2006). Use of P-glycoprotein and BCRP inhibitors to improve oral bioavailability and CNS penetration of anticancer drugs. Trends in Pharmacology Sciences.
Tepper, S. J. (2018). History and review of anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) therapies: From translational research to treatment. Headache.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Child-turcotte-pugh calculator.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). Drug development and drug interactions | Table of substrates, inhibitors and inducers.
Was this page helpful?
Related Articles
Browse medications
View AllResearch prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.