Pain Medicine // Rizatriptan (Maxalt)

What is Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?
Maxalt is a headache medicine. It is believed to work by narrowing the blood vessels around the brain. Maxalt also reduces substances in the body that can trigger headache pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and other migraine symptoms. Maxalt is used to treat migraine headaches. Maxalt will only treat a headache that has already begun. It will not prevent headaches or reduce the number of attacks. Maxalt may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is Maxalt (Rizatriptan)?
Maxalt is a headache medicine. It is believed to work by narrowing the blood vessels around the brain. Maxalt also reduces substances in the body that can trigger headache pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and other migraine symptoms. Maxalt is used to treat migraine headaches. Maxalt will only treat a headache that has already begun. It will not prevent headaches or reduce the number of attacks. Maxalt may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about rizatriptan?
Maxalt can cause serious side effects on the heart, including heart attack or stroke. Although these side effects are rare, do not use this medication if you have a history of heart disease, angina (chest pain), blood circulation problems, ischemic bowel disease, severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or history of a heart attack or stroke. Before using rizatriptan, tell your doctor if you have coronary artery disease, or risk factors for coronary artery disease (such as diabetes, menopause, smoking, being overweight, having high blood pressure or high cholesterol, having a family history of coronary artery disease, being older than 40 and a man, or being a woman who has had a hysterectomy). Maxalt will only treat a headache that has already begun. It will not prevent headaches or reduce the number of attacks. After taking a rizatriptan tablet, you must wait two (2) hours before taking a second tablet. Do not take more than 30 mg of rizatriptan in 24 hours.

How should I use rizatriptan?
# Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label. Take rizatriptan as soon as you notice headache symptoms, or after an attack has already begun. Your doctor may want to give your first dose of this medicine in a hospital or clinic setting to see if you have any serious side effects. Take one rizatriptan tablet whole with a full glass of water. To take rizatriptan orally disintegrating tablets (Maxalt-MLT): Keep the tablet in its blister pack until you are ready to take the medicine. Open the package and peel back the foil from the tablet blister. Do not push a tablet through the foil or you may damage the tablet.
# Using dry hands, remove the tablet and place it in your mouth. It will begin to dissolve right away.
# Do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing.
# Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet.
After taking a tablet: If your headache does not completely go away, or goes away and comes back, take a second tablet two (2) hours after the first. Do not take more than 30 mg of rizatriptan in 24 hours. If your symptoms have not improved, contact your doctor before taking any more tablets. Contact your doctor if you have more than four headaches in one month (30 days). Store rizatriptan at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Maxalt side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using rizatriptan and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

    * chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;
    * sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;
    * sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance;
    * fast heart rate, agitation, muscle stiffness, hallucinations, lack of coordination, with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
    * sudden and severe stomach pain and bloody diarrhea; or
    * numbness or tingling and a pale or blue-colored appearance in your fingers or toes.

Less serious side effects may include:

    * dry mouth, upset stomach;
    * mild headache (not a migraine);
    * feeling too warm or too cold;
    * tremors, confusion;
    * warmth, redness, or tingling under your skin;
    * feeling of pain or pressure in your neck and throat; or
    * weakness, dizziness, sleepiness.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.