Frova

Frova is a prescription medication used to treat migraine headaches once they have started. Frova belongs to a group of drugs called selective serotonin receptor agonists or "triptans." It works by narrowing blood vessels around the brain.

This medication comes in tablet form and is taken at the first sign of a migraine headache.

Common side effects include dizziness, tiredness, and tingling feeling. If you have these symptoms do not drive a car, use machinery, or do anything where you need to be alert.

Frova is a prescription medicine used to treat migraine attacks with or without aura (vision problems) in adults.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

The recommended dose is a single tablet of Frova 2.5 mg taken orally with fluids.

If the migraine recurs after initial relief, a second tablet may be taken, providing there is an interval of at least 2 hours between doses. The total daily dose of Frova should not exceed 3 tablets (3 x 2.5 mg per 24 hour period).

Do not take Frova if you:

• have uncontrolled high blood pressure
• have heart disease or a history of heart disease
• have hemiplegic or basilar migraine (if you are not sure about this, ask your doctor)
• have had a stroke
• have circulation (blood flow) problems
• have taken a similar drug (a serotonin receptor agonist) in the last 24 hours. These include sumatriptan (Imitrex), naratriptan (Amerge), zolmitriptan (Zomig), rizatriptan (Maxalt), eletriptan hydrobromide (Relpax),or almotriptan (Axert)
• have taken ergotamine type medicines in the last 24 hours. These include Bellergal, Cafergot, Ergomar, Wigraine, DHE 45, or Sansert
• have any allergic reaction to Frova

Frova can cause dizziness, tiredness, and tingling feeling. If you have these symptoms do not drive a car, use machinery, or do anything where you need to be alert.

Common side effects include:

• dizziness
• fatigue (tiredness)
• headache (other than a migraine headache)
• paresthesia (feeling of tingling)
• dry mouth
• flushing (hot flashes)
• feeling hot or cold
• chest pain
• dyspepsia (indigestion)
• skeletal pain (pain in joints or bones)

Tell your doctor about any symptoms that you develop while taking Frova. If you feel dizziness or fatigue, take extra care or avoid driving and operating machinery.

In very rare cases, patients taking this class of medicines experience serious heart problems, stroke, or increased blood pressure. If you develop pain, tightness, heaviness, or pressure in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw, contact your doctor right away.

Also contact your doctor right away if you develop a rash or itching after taking this medication. 

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• propranolol
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), two types of drugs for depression or other disorders. Common SSRIs are Celexa (citalopram HBr), Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac/Sarafem (fluoxetine), Symbyax (olanzapine/fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and fluvoxamine. Common SNRIs are Cymbalta (duloxetine) and Effexor (venlafaxine).

This is not a complete list of Frova drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Frova falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans, though. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

It is not known if Frova crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Frova.

If your headache comes back after your first dose, you may take a second tablet after two hours.

Do not take more than three frovatriptan tablets in a 24-hour period.

Some people who take too many frovatriptan tablets may have worse headaches (medication overuse headache).

• You should write down when you have headaches and when you take frovatriptan so you can talk with your doctor about how frovatriptan is working for you.