Frova

Generic Name: frovatriptan (Oral route)

froe-va-TRIP-tan

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Frova

Available Dosage Forms:

• Tablet

Therapeutic Class: Antimigraine

Pharmacologic Class: Serotonin Receptor Agonist, 5-HT1

Uses For Frova

Frovatriptan 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.

Before Using Frova

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 this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

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.

Geriatric

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.

Pregnancy

	Pregnancy Category	Explanation
All Trimesters	C	Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with 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. 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


• Dihydroergotamine


• Eletriptan


• Ergoloid Mesylates


• Ergonovine


• Ergotamine


• Linezolid


• Metergoline


• Methylergonovine


• Methysergide


• Naratriptan


• Pergolide


• Rizatriptan


• Sumatriptan


• 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.

• Citalopram


• Desvenlafaxine


• Duloxetine


• Escitalopram


• Fluoxetine


• Fluvoxamine


• Milnacipran


• Paroxetine


• Reboxetine


• Sertraline


• Sibutramine


• St John's Wort


• Tapentadol


• Venlafaxine


• Vilazodone

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• 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

Proper Use of Frova

Dosing

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

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

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.

• 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

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Precautions While Using Frova

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.

Frova Side Effects

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

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:

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 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.

See also: Frova side effects (in more detail)

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More Frova resources

• Frova Side Effects (in more detail)
• Frova Dosage
• Frova Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
• Drug Images
• Frova Drug Interactions
• Frova Support Group
• 15 Reviews for Frova - Add your own review/rating

• Frova Prescribing Information (FDA)


• Frova Concise Consumer Information (Cerner Multum)


• Frova Monograph (AHFS DI)


• Frova MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Compare Frova with other medications

• Migraine