Consumer medicine information

IMIGRAN® tablets

(Sumatriptan succinate)


Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet?

Please read this leaflet carefully before you start taking Imigran tablets.

This leaflet answers some common questions about Imigran tablets. It does not contain all of the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the expected benefits of you taking Imigran tablets against the risks this medicine could have for you.

If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.

What are Imigran tablets used for?

Imigran tablets contain the active ingredient sumatriptan succinate. This medicine belongs to a group of drugs called serotonin agonists.

Imigran tablets are used to relieve a migraine attack. They should not be used to prevent migraine attacks from occurring. Imigran tablets may be used for migraine headaches with or without what is known as ‘aura’.

It is thought that migraine headache is due to widening of certain blood vessels in the head. Imigran tablets work by making those vessels normal again and ease the symptoms of migraine.

Your Imigran tablets do not work in other types of headache which are not a migraine.

Imigran tablets are not addictive.

Before you take Imigran tablets

Do not take if:

You must not take Imigran tablets if:

  • you have ever had an allergic reaction to sumatriptan succinate (See “Side-Effects”) or any of the ingredients listed toward the end of this leaflet. (See “Ingredients”).
  • you have or have had:
    – heart disease or heart attack.
    – shortness of breath, pain or tightness in the chest, jaw or upper arm.
    – peripheral vascular disease (pain in the back of the legs) or are prone to cold, tingling or numb hands and feet.
    – Prinzmetal’s angina (an uncommon form of angina where pain is experienced at rest rather than during activity).
    – angina.
    – high blood pressure.
    – stroke.
    – severe liver disease.
  • you have taken any of these medicines in the last 24 hours:
    – Ergotamine (eg Cafergot)
    – Dihydroergotamine (eg Dihydergot)
    – Methysergide (eg Deseril)
    – naratriptan (eg Naramig)
    – zolmitriptan (eg Zomig).
  • you have taken any of these medicines in the last two weeks:
    – Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), a type of medicine used for depression.
    – SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) or SNRIs (Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors) used to treat depression.
  • the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.
  • the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering

Tell your doctor if:

You must tell your doctor if:

  • you are allergic to foods, dyes, preservatives or any other medicines, including any that contain sulphur (eg sulphonamide antibiotics).
  • you are allergic to lactose.
  • you are taking or have taken any other medicines in the last two weeks, including medicines you buy without a prescription, particularly herbal preparations containing St John’s Wort and medicines prescribed for depression
  • you are breastfeeding, pregnant or trying to become pregnant.
  • you have or have had medical conditions like:
    – liver or kidney problems.
    – heart problems. Risk factors including high blood pressure, even if it is under control, high blood cholesterol levels, a family history of heart problems, obesity, diabetes, you are male and over 40 years of age, you are female and have undergone menopause or you smoke.
    – epilepsy, seizures, or fits or been told that you are prone to this problem
    – stroke

How do I take Imigran tablets?

Take your medicine as your doctor has told you. The label on the pack will tell you how many tablets to take and how often you should take them. If you do not understand what you should do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

How much to take

The recommended starting dose for adults aged 18 to 65 is 50mg, however you may need to have your dose of Imigran tablets increased to 100mg. Your doctor will tell you which dose is right for you.

If the first Imigran tablet helps your migraine, but the migraine comes back later, you may take another Imigran tablet. Do not take more than 300mg of Imigran tablets in any twenty-four hours. Six pink (50mg strength) or three white (100mg strength) tablets contain 300mg.

Do not take more Imigran Tablets, or any other form of Imigran, if the first dose has not provided any relief from your symptoms. You may take your usual headache relief medication provided it does not contain ergotamine or methysergide. If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If your migraine is not relieved by Imigran, you may use Imigran tablets on another occasion to treat another migraine attack. Provided there are no side effects, you can use Imigran tablets to treat at least three separate migraine attacks before you and your doctor decide this medicine is ineffective for you.

How to take it

Your 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 it

It is best to take your Imigran tablet –
i) when the migraine headache begins; or
ii) when other symptoms of the migraine begin, such as 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 Imigran tablet before the above symptoms occur.

What do I do if I take too much? (Overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 131126) for advice, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too many Imigran tablets, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

If you are not sure what to do, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

While you are taking Imigran tablets

Things you must do

Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as directed. Otherwise, your doctor may think that it is not working and change your treatment unnecessarily.

Things you must not do

Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.

Things to be careful of

As with many other medicines, Imigran tablets may cause drowsiness in some people.

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Imigran tablets affect you.

If you use Imigran tablets too often, it may make your headache worse. If this happens, your doctor may tell you to stop taking Imigran tablets.

What are the side effects?

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you think you are experiencing any side effects or allergic reactions due to taking Imigran tablets, even if the problem is not listed below. Like other medicines, 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 if you experience any of the following after taking 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.
  • problems with your eyesight.
  • pain in the lower tummy and bloody diarrhoea (ischaemic colitis).
  • shaking or tremors,
  • uncontrolled movements,
  • shortness of breath.

Tell your doctor immediately, or seek urgent medical attention, and do not take any more Imigran tablets if you:

  • feel heaviness, pressure or tightness in any part of the body including the chest or throat.
  • feel irregular heart beats.
  • have a fit or convulsion.
  • have wheezing, swelling of the lips/mouth, difficulty in breathing, hay fever, lumpy rash (“hives”) or fainting. These could be a symptom of an allergic reaction.
  • have persistent purple discolouration and/or pain in the fingers, toes, ears, nose or jaw in response to cold.

These side effects are likely to be serious. Stop taking Imigran tablets and seek medical attention straight away.

This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

How do I store Imigran tablets?

Keep this medicine where children cannot reach it, such as in a locked cupboard.

Keep Imigran tablets in the blister pack in a cool, dry place where it stays below 30°C.

Do not leave them in a car, on a window sill or in a bathroom.

Keep Imigran tablets in their pack until time to take.

Return any unused or expired medicine to your pharmacist.

Product description

What Imigran tablets look like

  • Imigran 50 mg tablets are Pink, film-coated, capsule-shaped biconvex tablets, engraved ’50’ on one face and plain on the other
  • A box contains either 2 or 4 tablets.

The tablets have a film coating to protect the tablet and this gives the colour.

Ingredients

Each Imigran tablet contains the active ingredient sumatriptan succinate.

Imigran tablets also contain lactose, microcrystalline cellulose (460), croscarmellose sodium and magnesium stearate (572).

  • Imigran tablets 50 mg are coated with Opadry YS-1-1441-G.

Imigran tablets contain lactose.

Supplier

Your Imigran tablets are supplied by:

Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd
34-36 Chandos Street
St Leonards, NSW 2065
Australia.

Where to go for further information

Pharmaceutical companies are not in a position to give people an individual diagnosis or medical advice. Your doctor or pharmacist is the best person to give you advice on the treatment of your condition. You may also be able to find general information about your disease and its treatment from books, for example in public libraries.

This leaflet was prepared on February 2021.

The information provided applies only to: Imigran® tablets.

®Imigran is a registered trademark of the Aspen Global Incorporated.

Imigran® Tablets, Sumatriptan (as succinate) 50mg: AUST R 52261

This leaflet is subject to copyright.

Version 3.0

Published by MIMS May 2021