Frovatriptan - anyone try this?

I've been on Imitrex for years and it isn't working so well lately. Either my migraines have doubled up, or the stuff just isn't as effective anymore for me.

I was thinking of trying Frova. The article in HealthCentral says that it is specific to 'menstral migraines' and that "Researchers found that the migraines disappears in over half of the women on the higher dose (5mg) of frovatriptan.

Anyone with experience with it?

Angela

Hi Angela,

I am on Frova. Been taking it for 4 or 5 years now.
It suits me better than the others....I have had them all.
It is slower than some, but has a longer half life so less chance of recurrence and rebound.

I have 2.5 mg. Can take up to 5mg, but never have. I dont know if we get a 5 mg, but I wouldn't need it.
I have never had a Triptan actually remove all my pain, but this one gets as close as I can and the side effects are much less than Imigran and Maxalt which I was on previously.

I also find I can take it hours into the migraine and it still works.
So no wonder drug by any means but so far the best for me.

Oh and although I am past menopause, my migraines have never shown any other trigger than hormones.
It is used as a preventative in UK for menstrual migraines. But it isnt exclusively for them.

Hope that helps a bit.

Pen

it made my pain worse. but then, one has to remember that some of us are highly overly sensitive to most meds. people with fibromyalgia, especially so.

two of the triptans, maxalt and amerge, work for me. imitrex worked for 4 years and then abruptly quit, so it's likely that you've built a tolerance for it. for what it's worth, dianne

HI Dianne,

I did try Axert and it made my pain worse, so went straight back to the Migard.
Never had that with anything else.

I am very drug sensitive with the fibro but on the whole not to Triptans.
Maxalt worked for several years but then quit.
Most of them see to quit in the end. I think Frova has been my longest.
Tolerance I guess as you say.

How different we all are.

pen

I've tried all 8 triptans. Frova is good especially if you are regular in your monthly cycle as you can take it before you usually start with your migraine symptoms. In that way, it can be used preventatively (off label).

I have taken this for several years. I stop occasionally but always end up going back to it. It works better than any of the others w/ fewer side effects. It also lasts the longest. It has a 26 hour half life. That is excellent when the migraines always last several days.

Hi Angela

Ditto what most of the others have said. If you take it a long time into the migraine or for a waking m, then it can take a heck of a time to work but it does get there in the end. When I could differentiate between the menstrual migraines and others, it helped the long 3 day ones, not stopped them altogether but definitely broke them up. I take 2.5mg too.

Good luck, I hope you have luck with it.
Liz

Thanks for the input

Angela