The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved new prescription medication for acute migraine in adults last October 11, 2019, called Reyvow (lasmiditan). The medicine has been clinically tested to provide pain relief in, at best, two hours.
Moreover, Reyvow is thought to provide different treatment options to migraine sufferers. But it will only treat migraine headaches, not prevent them. Today, this medicine is only available for prescription use.
Cautionary Advice
Since Reyvow contains lasmiditan, a molecule belonging to a class of drugs called Ditans that can be abused, it is considered a federally controlled substance. That said, make sure to keep this medicine in a secure place to protect it from being stolen.
Do not give your Reyvow to somebody else because it could jeopardize them. Also, take note that giving away or selling Reyvow is illegal. What’s more, if you’ve abused street drugs, prescription medicine before, tell your doctor.
In a twenty-four-hour period, don’t take more than one dose of Reyvow. Also, for at least eight hours after taking medicine, refrain from any hazardous activity and don’t drive.
Before Taking Reyvow
To ensure this medicine is safe for you, tell your healthcare provider if you have the following:
• Drug addiction
• Slow heartbeats
• Liver disease
• High blood pressure
• Lasmiditan allergy
Another thing, tell your doctor if you plan to become pregnant because lasmiditan is known to cause harm to an unborn baby. Aside from that, it might not be safe to breastfeed while using Reyvow, as well. Be sure to ask your doctor about the risks. Finally, this medicine isn’t approved for use by people below 18 years old.
Taking Reyvow
Take this medicine as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Read all medication instruction sheets and follow the directions on the label. Occasionally, your doctor may change your dose.
Reyvow may cause an extreme need to regularly take it, which can lead to overdose, addiction, and even death. Instead, take Reyvow as soon as you feel any symptoms of acute migraine. You can take it with or without food. When you buy it, use an Rx app that saves up to 80% of your medications to lessen the cost.
Furthermore, never take more than your prescribed dose or else, it can make your migraines worse. If you think the medicine stops working in treating your headaches, tell your doctor.
Dosing Information
Normal adult dose for acute migraine:
• Initial dose: 50, 100, or 200 mg taken orally per day
• Maximum dose: 1 dose per day
Reyvow shouldn’t be taken unless you can wait at least 8 hours before operating machinery or driving. Well, it is because your reaction to the medicine might be flawed, and you may not be aware of the impairment’s extent.
And since this medicine is taken only once when needed, it doesn’t have a daily dosing schedule. If your migraine attacks don’t improve after taking Reyvow, call your doctor.
Side Effects
Seek medical help if you have symptoms of allergic reaction to this medicine, such as:
• Swelling of throat, tongue, lips, or face
• Difficulty breathing
• Hives
Additionally, get emergency medical help if you have signs of serotonin syndrome, including:
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Loss of coordination
• Twitching
• Muscle stiffness
• Fast heart rate
• Shivering
• Sweating
• Fever
• Hallucinations
• Agitation
The most common side effects associated with the use of Reyvow include tingling, feeling tired, drowsiness, dizziness, hoarseness, diarrhea, anxiety, seeing things, restlessness, poor coordination, and overactive reflexes.
Interactions
Know that drug interaction can raise your risk for severe side effects and change how your medicines work. With that said, you must keep a list of all the medicines you are taking (prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, or herbal products) and tell it to your doctor.
The risk of toxicity elevates if you’re taking other medications that increase serotonin, as well. For example:
• Herbal products
• Opioid medicine
• Stimulant medicine
• Medicine for migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, mental illness, and depression
• Medicine for nausea and vomiting
• Street drugs: ecstasy
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors: linezolid, safinamide, isocarboxazid
• Antidepressants: fluoxetine, venlafaxine
These medicines can interact with lasmiditan and lead to a severe health complication called serotonin syndrome.
Reyvow may interact with medicines that cause drowsiness, too, including:
• Cough relievers
• Opioids
• Alcohol
• Lorazepam
• Cetirizine
• Carisoprodol
• Alprazolam
Storage
Store your Reyvow at room temperature, ideally away from moisture and light. Don’t keep it in the bathroom, and keep all medicines away from pets and children. Unless you are told to do so, don’t flush medicines down the drain or toilet. You must dispose of them properly when it’s no longer needed or past their expiry date.
Takeaway
Reyvow is the first oral medication to treat severe headaches and acute migraines in adults with or without aura. Although it’s expensive, Reyvow has been shown to treat bothersome migraine symptoms in hours. In addition, prompt treatment will help you decrease your need for other pain relievers and allow you to return to your normal daily routine.
