Naratriptan (Systemic)

Brand Names : Amerge

Proper Use of This Medicine

Do not use naratriptan for a headache that is different from your usual migraines . Instead, check with your doctor.

To relieve your migraine as soon as possible, use naratriptan 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 naratriptan.

Lying down in a quiet, dark room for a while after you use this medicine may help relieve your migraine.

Ask your doctor ahead of time about any other medicine you may take if naratriptan does not work. After you take the other medicine, check with your doctor as soon as possible . Headaches that are not relieved by naratriptan are sometimes caused by conditions that need other treatment.

If you feel much better after a dose of naratriptan, but your headache comes back or gets worse after a while, you may use more naratriptan. 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 naratriptan 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 can reduce the amount of naratriptan or other pain medicines that you need. If you do not notice any improvement after several weeks of headache-preventing treatment, check with your doctor.

Dosing - The dose of naratriptan 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 naratriptan. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For migraine headaches:
    • Adults - 1 or 2.5 mg as a single dose. If the migraine comes back after being relieved, another dose may be taken four hours after the last dose. Do not take more than 5 mg in any twenty-four-hour period (one day).
      Patients with kidney or liver disease should take less than 2.5 mg as a single dose once daily and should not exceed 2.5 mg in a twenty-four-hour period.
    • Children - Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Storage - To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children since overdose is especially dangerous in children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store tablets in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.