What Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets are used for?
Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets contain the active ingredient sumatriptan succinate. This medicine belongs to a group of drugs called serotonin agonists.
Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets are used to relieve headache and other symptoms of a migraine attack. They should not be used to prevent migraine attacks from occurring. Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets may be used for migraine headaches with or without what is known as 'aura'. There is no information on the use of Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets in special kinds of migraine known as 'basilar migraine' or 'hemiplegic migraine'.
It is thought that migraine headache is due to widening of certain blood vessels in the head. Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets work by making those vessels normal again and ease the symptoms of migraine.
Your Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets do not work in other types of headache which are not a migraine.
Before you take your Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet
When you must not take it
Do not take Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you have ever had an allergic reaction to sumatriptan succinate or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction may be mild or severe. They usually include some or all of the following: wheezing, swelling of the lips/mouth, difficulty in breathing, hayfever, lumpy rash ("hives") or fainting.
Do not take Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding, unless your doctor says you should.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not take Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you have or have had:
- heart disease, or previous heart attack
- shortness of breath, pain or tightness in the chest, jaw or upper arm
- Prinzmetal's angina
- angina, or severe chest pain or tightness
- high blood pressure
Do not take Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you have taken any of these medicines in the last 24 hours:
- Ergotamine containing preparations (for example, Cafergot)
- Methysergide (for example, Deseril)
Do not take Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you have taken Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), a type of medicine used for depression in the last two weeks.
Do not take Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.
If you take them after the expiry date has passed, they may not work as well.
Do not take Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If you're not sure whether you should be taking Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets, talk to your doctor.
What you must do
You must tell your doctor if you are allergic to:
- food, dyes or preservatives
- lactose, or you are lactose intolerant
- any medicine, including any that contain sulphur (for example, sulphonamide antibiotics)
If you are allergic to an antibiotic but you are unsure if it belongs to this group, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
You must tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
- liver or kidney disease
- a stroke
- epilepsy or fits
- brain tumour, or any other condition affecting the brain
- irregular heart beats
- heart disease, or previous heart attack
- shortness of breath, pain or tightness in the chest, jaw or upper arm
- Prinzmetal's angina
- angina, or severe chest pain or tightness
- high blood pressure
- high blood cholesterol levels
- a family history of heart problems
Your doctor may decide to do tests to check if your heart is healthy before prescribing Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets. Your doctor may also decide to do tests if you get certain symptoms with Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran). This is because Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets can make certain types of heart disease worse.
You must tell your doctor if you:
- are over 65 years of age or under 18 years of age
- are taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of medicine used to treat depression
- have not had your headache diagnosed as migraine by a doctor
- think that this headache is different and worse than your usual migraine
- have difficulty moving one side of your body when you have the "migraine" headache
- have not responded to your first dose of Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking or have taken any other medicines in the last two weeks, including medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may affect the way others work. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to tell you what to do when taking Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets with other medicines.
Use in children
There is no information on the use of Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets in children under 18 years of age.
How much to take
The recommended starting dose for adults is 50 mg, however you may need to have your dose of Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets increased to 100 mg. Your doctor will tell you which dose is right for you.
Your Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet may take up to four hours to work. If the first Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet helps your headache, but the headache comes back later, you may take another Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet. Do not take more than 300 mg of Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets in any twenty-four hours. Six pink (50 mg strength) or three white (100 mg strength) tablets contain 300 mg.
If the first Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet does not relieve or help your migraine headache, do not take another Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet for this same attack. You may take something else for the pain but do not take medicine containing ergotamine or dihydroergotamine or methysergide. If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist. He or she can tell you what you may take.
If the first Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet does not relieve your migraine, you may use Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets on another occasion to treat another migraine attack.
How to take Suminat
Your Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet should be swallowed with a drink of water. Do not crush or chew the tablet as it has a bitter taste.
When to take Suminat
It is best to take your Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet when the migraine headache begins; or when other symptoms of the migraine headache begin. These symptoms may be nausea (feeling sick), vomiting or your eyes becoming sensitive to light.
If you take your tablet later during the migraine attack it will still work for you. Do not take your Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablet before the above symptoms occur.
While you are taking Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets
Things you must do
Tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you are about to be started on any new medicines.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant or are trying to become pregnant.
Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed.
Otherwise, your doctor may think it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.
Things you must not do
Do not change the dose of your Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets without first checking with your doctor.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets affect you.
Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets generally do not cause any problems with your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, as with many other medicines, Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets may cause drowsiness in some people.
Side-Effects
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you have any problems while using Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets, even if you do not think the problems are connected with the medicine or are not listed in this leaflet. Like other medicines, Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets can cause some side-effects. If they occur, they are most likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical attention.
Tell your doctor at your next visit if you notice any of the following after taking Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets:
- pain, tingling, heat or flushing in any part of the body
- feeling of sleepiness, dizziness or tiredness
- nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting
- a change in blood pressure
- feeling of faintness
- visual disturbances
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor immediately and do not take any more Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets if you :
- feel heaviness, pressure or tightness in any part of the body, including the chest or throat
- feel abnormal heart beats - too fast, too slow, or irregular heart beats, palpitations
- have a fit or convulsion
These side effects are likely to be serious. If you have them stop taking Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets and seek medical attention straight away.
If you think you are having an allergic reaction to Suminat (Generic Imitrex / Imigran) tablets, tell your doctor immediately or go to your casualty department at your nearest hospital. Symptoms of an allergic reaction usually include some or all of the following:
- wheezing
- swelling of the lips/mouth
- difficulty in breathing
- hay fever
- lumpy rash ("hives")
- fainting
This is not the complete list of all possible side-effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side-effects not yet known.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell, even if it is not on this list.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand anything in this list.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side-effects. You may not experience any of them.
| 
