Sumatriptan Transdermal Patch

Sumatriptan transdermal patch has been discontinued. It is no longer available.

Sumatriptan comes in the form of an oral tablet, a nasal spray, an injectable solution, or a nasal powder.

Sumatriptan is used to treat migraine headaches when symptoms first start. It’s not used to prevent headaches.

The more common side effects of this drug can include feeling warm or cold, tingling or prickling sensations, and pressure or pain in the chest, neck, jaw, or throat. Side effects can also include dizziness or tiredness.

Sumatriptan may cause serious problems with your heart or blood circulation. People who have certain serious health conditions, such as heart disease, or who are at risk of heart disease should not use this medication.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Heart attack See Details

• Arrhythmias See Details

• Chest, throat, neck, or jaw pain See Details

• Brain hemorrhage or stroke See Details

What is sumatriptan?

Sumatriptan is a prescription drug. It comes as an oral tablet, a nasal spray, an injectable solution, or a nasal powder.

Sales of the sumatriptan transdermal patch with the brand-name drug Zecuity are stopped temporarily. This drug is not available as a generic drug.

Sumatriptan may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other medications.

Why it's used

Sumatriptan is used to treat migraine headaches.

How it works

Sumatriptan belongs to a class of drugs called serotonin-1 receptor agonists.

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More Common Side Effects

The more common side effects that can occur with use of the sumatriptan skin patch include:

• feeling warm or cold

• tingling or prickling sensations in your skin

• pressure or pain in your chest, neck, jaw, or throat

• pain, itching, warmth, redness, or irritation of the skin where you applied the patch

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious Side Effects

Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 9-1-1 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:

• Heart attack. Symptoms can include:

  • chest pain that spreads to your shoulder or arm
  • excessive sweating
  • dizziness
  • weakness
  • shortness of breath

• Other heart problems. Symptoms can include:

  • severe chest pain
  • fast heart rate
  • irregular heart beat
  • palpitations (feeling like your heart is skipping beats)

• Abnormal feelings in your chest (not related to your heart), throat, neck, or jaw. Symptoms can include:

  • tightness
  • pain
  • pressure
  • heaviness

• Vision problems. Symptoms can include

  • blurred vision
  • loss of vision (may be temporary or permanent)

• Stroke or brain hemorrhage. Symptoms can include:

  • headache
  • face drooping
  • trouble speaking
  • numbness or weakness on one side of your body
  • loss of balance

• Changes in mental health. Symptoms can include:

  • confusion
  • agitation
  • hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real)
  • thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself

• Digestive tract problems. Symptoms can include:

  • pain in your abdomen (stomach area)
  • bloody diarrhea
  • nausea and vomiting

• Serotonin syndrome. Symptoms can include:

  • agitation
  • confusion
  • hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real)
  • fast heart rate
  • shaking
  • sweating
  • big pupils (dark centers of your eyes)
  • diarrhea
  • rigid muscles

• Seizures

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

Sumatriptan can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.

To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Medications that might interact with this drug

Drugs you should not use with sumatriptan

Do not take these drugs with sumatriptan. Doing so can cause dangerous effects in the body. Examples of these drugs include:

• Monoamine oxidase-A inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine, isocarboxazid, or tranylcypromine. 
  • Taking these drugs with sumatriptan can cause a severe condition called serotonin syndrome. Symptoms can include agitation, sweating, fast heartbeat, or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real). They can also include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of balance.
• Ergot-containing drugs, such as dihydroergotamine or methysergide.  
  • Taking these drugs with sumatriptan raises your risk of certain side effects, such as tightness or pressure in your chest. Don’t take these medications if you’ve taken sumatriptan in the last 24 hours.
• Other serotonin-1 receptor agonists, such as almotriptan or zolmitriptan.
  • Taking these drugs with sumatriptan raises your risk of certain side effects, such as tightness or pressure in your chest. Don’t take these medications if you’ve taken sumatriptan in the last 24 hours.

Interactions that increase your risk of side effects

• Side effects from sumatriptan: Taking sumatriptan with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from sumatriptan. Examples of these drugs include: 
  • Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline. 
    • You’re at higher risk of developing a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if you take these drugs. Symptoms can include agitation, sweating, fast heartbeat, or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real). They can also include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of balance.
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors used to treat depression, such as sertraline or fluoxetine. 
    • You’re at higher risk of developing a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if you take these drugs. Symptoms can include agitation, sweating, fast heartbeat, or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real). They can also include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of balance.
  • Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, such as venlafaxine or duloxetine.  
    • You’re at higher risk of developing a serious condition called serotonin syndrome if you take these drugs. Symptoms can include agitation, sweating, fast heartbeat, or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real). They can also include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of balance.
  • Medications used to control headache pain, such as dihydroergotamine, codeine, or hydrocodone.
    • Using too many medications to help control your headache symptoms may make your headache worse. Talk with your doctor about which medications to take to help manage your headache symptoms.

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking. Sumatriptan warnings

People with heart conditions

Sumatriptan may cause serious problems with your heart. Tell your doctor if you’ve had a heart attack before. Also tell them if you have any other heart condition, such as coronary artery disease (CAD) or angina (chest pain). If you have any of these conditions, you should not use this drug. Your doctor will find other options to treat your symptoms of migraine or cluster headache. If you have certain risk factors for CAD, your doctor will give you tests to see if you have CAD. If you don’t, your doctor may prescribe this drug, but they may have you take the first dose in their office.

People with heart rhythm disorders

Sumatriptan may cause changes in your heart rhythm. Tell your doctor if you have any heart rhythm disorders. If you have certain types of heart rhythm disorders, you should not use this drug.

People with a previous stroke or mini-stroke

This drug may cause severe bleeding in the brain (brain hemorrhage) or stroke. If you’ve ever had any form of stroke in the past, you should not use this drug.

People with problems with circulation

Sumatriptan may cause or worsen symptoms of a condition called peripheral vascular disease. If you have this condition, you should not use this drug. Your doctor will find other options to treat your symptoms of migraine or cluster headache.

People with serious bowel disorders

Sumatriptan may cause or worsen symptoms of a condition called ischemic bowel disease. If you have this condition, talk with your doctor about whether this drug is safe for you.

People with uncontrolled high blood pressure

Sumatriptan can increase your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure that’s not controlled, you should not take this medication.

People with serious liver disease

You should not use sumatriptan. Your doctor will find other options to treat your symptoms of migraine or cluster headache.

People with seizures

Sumatriptan may cause seizures. If you’ve had seizures in the past, talk with your doctor about whether this drug is safe for you.

Pregnant women

Sumatriptan is a category C pregnancy drug. That means two things:

1. Research in animals has shown adverse effects to the fetus when the mother takes the drug.
2. There haven’t been enough studies done in humans to be certain how the drug might affect the fetus.

Talk to your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant. This drug should be used only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. 

Women who are breast-feeding

Sumatriptan may pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. You should not breastfeed your child for at least 12 hours after taking sumatriptan. 

Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. 

For children

It has not been confirmed that sumatriptan is safe and effective for use in children. Do not use in people younger than 18 years.

When to call the doctor

Call your doctor if:

• Your symptoms of migraine headache don’t improve at all after taking this drug.
• You become pregnant while taking this drug. 

Allergies

Sumatriptan can cause a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:

• hives
• allergic dermatitis, with symptoms such as redness or itching that can turn into a rash
• swelling of the tongue, mouth, or throat
• trouble breathing

If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room. 

Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Taking it again could be fatal (cause death).

All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on: 

• your age
• the condition being treated
• how severe your condition is
• other medical conditions you have
• how you react to the first dose

What are you taking this medication for?

Migraine headache Adult dosage (ages 18–64 years)

• Typical starting dosage: One patch applied to your thigh or upper arm when migraine symptoms appear.
• Dosage increases: If you don’t get enough relief within 2 hours of the first dose, talk to your doctor. They may suggest that you apply another patch on a different part of your body.
• Maximum dosage: Do not use more than 2 patches within a 24-hour period.

Child dosage (ages 0–17 years)

It has not been confirmed that sumatriptan is safe and effective for use in children. Do not use in people younger than 18 years.

Senior dosage (ages 65 years and older)

The kidneys, liver, and heart of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This increases your risk of side effects.

Your doctor may start you on a lowered dose or a different medication schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body. Before prescribing sumatriptan, your doctor should also evaluate the condition of your heart if you have certain risks for heart disease.

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always to speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Important considerations for taking sumatriptan

Take this drug at the time(s) recommended by your doctor

Store this drug carefully

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A prescription for this medication is refillable

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Travel

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Self-management

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Clinical monitoring

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Not every pharmacy stocks this drug. When filling your prescription, be sure to call ahead

Hidden costs

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Insurance

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Are there any alternatives?