Sumatriptan Tablets

Buy Sumatriptan Tablets Online

You can buy Sumatriptan tablets from our UK registered online pharmacy and doctor service. You just need to complete an online assessment so our GPs can issue a prescription to our UK pharmacy.

If the doctors approve your order, a prescription is passed to our pharmacy, which will then dispense and dispatch your medication via the Royal mail service.

Sumatriptan Tablet Summary

What are Sumatriptan Tablets?

Sumatriptan is a medication used to treat migraine symptoms. If used quickly, it can help alleviate the symptoms before they become severe and many people find it far more effective than traditional painkillers for migraine headaches.

Sumatriptan belongs to a family of medicines called triptans. Triptans are a second-line treatment for migraines. They are used only when required and when traditional painkillers (e.g ibuprofen, paracetamol) are not effective at treating your migraine.

How does it work?

The cause of migraines is not well known but it is thought to involve temporary changes in the nerves and blood vessels of the brain. Triptans like sumatriptan seem to work to reverse these temporary changes in the brain. They are thought to work by causing a narrowing of the blood vessels of the brain, which may swell during a migraine.

Sumatriptan Dose

You should take sumatriptan exactly as your doctor has told you. 

Sumatriptan is available as a 50mg and 100mg tablet. It works best if taken when you feel the onset of a migraine. You can, however, take them at any point during an attack if you do not have them to hand when your migraine starts. Do not take sumatriptan tablets to prevent a migraine before it occurs.

A second tablet may be taken 2 hours after your first dose if you have noticed an improvement in your symptoms but they have not fully resolved. If your symptoms resolve and then return, you can take another tablet after 2 hours. 

If the first dose had no effect on the migraine, do not take another tablet and speak to your doctor or pharmacist for advice on what to do. You must not take any more than 300mg of Sumatriptan in 24 hours.

Sumatriptan is available as Sumatriptan 50mg tablets or Sumatriptan 100mg tablets. People who try the 50mg tablets and find them ineffective may find the 100mg dose is more effective. It can begin to relieve migraine symptoms within 30 minutes of taking a dose.

Over the counter

Sumatriptan is available over the counter in the UK, as the brand name, Imigran Recovery. This is a pharmacy medicine, so must be obtained from a pharmacy, and a qualified pharmacist.

It can be cheaper to obtain prescription sumatriptan online rather than over the counter sumatriptan.

Alternatives

The initial migraine treatments are pain-killing medications such as Aspirin (Anadin Extra), Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. Sometimes taking painkillers too often can cause medication-overuse headaches. Feeling sick is common in migraine sufferers and anti-sickness medicines such as Metoclopramide or Prochlorperazine can be used to relieve those symptoms.

Other medicines such as amitriptyline and propranolol are sometimes used to prevent migraines in people who suffer from them often.

At Simple Online Pharmacy, our doctors are able to prescribe other triptans for migraines:

• Imigran (branded version of sumatriptan)
• Rizatriptan
• Zolmitriptan

We also offer triptans in the form of nasal sprays and tablets that disperse on the tongue.

Sumatriptan Side Effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, but not everybody gets them. Some side effects may be caused by the migraine itself. Please see the patient information leaflet for a full list of the potential side effects of sumatriptan.

Some common sumatriptan side effects include:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Feeling hot or cold
• Flushing of the face
• Nausea and vomiting (may be related to the migraine)
• Tingling or tightness in your face, arms, legs or chest
• Unusual feelings of heaviness in your arms, face, legs or chest pain

If you experience any long term feelings of tingling, pressure or tightness after taking sumatriptan stop taking it and tell your doctor straight away. These sensations do not usually last for a long time but if they do seek medical attention immediately.

Prices

FAQ

What does Sumatriptan do?

Triptans like sumatriptan tablets seem to work to reverse temporary changes in the brain caused by a migraine. This can effectively provide relief from the migraine if taken in its early stages.

What can sumatriptan be used for?

It can be used in the treatment of diagnosed migraine attacks. It can also be used to treat acute cluster headaches.

Can you take Paracetamol with Sumatriptan?

Yes, you can take a painkiller like paracetamol if your sumatriptan dose is not effective.

Can I buy Sumatriptan over the counter?

Yes, you can buy two 50mg sumatriptan tablets from pharmacies without a prescription for those previously diagnosed with migraines. It can be prescribed in higher quantities and strengths online by our UK registered doctors.

Written by Qualified Experts

All of our medication and condition content is writted by UK qualified pharmacists and doctors.

Author Authored By: Hywel McGlinchy GPhC Registration: 2215744 Date Authored: 07/03/2023

Reviewer Reviewed By: Karim Nassar GPhC Registration: 2064752 Last reviewed on: 20/03/2024

You can read the patient information leaflet for Sumatriptan online, at medicines.org.uk

• Sumatriptan PIL

Warnings and Precautions

Sumatriptan may cause pain, tightness in your chest and shortness of breath after use. These effects may not happen to everyone but should pass quickly. If they do not pass quickly, seek urgent medical care.

Overuse of the medicine may result in medication overuse headaches. If you require the treatment frequently or believe you may have medication overuse headaches, consult your doctor about migraine prevention treatments.

Other conditions and Sumatriptan

Sumatriptan should not be taken by people by people with the following medical conditions or circumstances:

• If you have had a heart attack, heart rhythm problems, angina or ischaemic heart disease
• If you have had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack
• If you have high blood pressure
• If you have liver disease
• If you have fits or seizures
• If you have circulation problems in your legs (peripheral vascular disease)
• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to sumatriptan or any of the ingredients

You should tell your doctor if you have any of the above. Check the patient information leaflet for further information.

Interactions with other medicines

The patient information leaflet contains a full list of medicines that can interact with sumatriptan. These interactions can cause changes in medicine effectiveness and side effects. Always inform your prescribing doctor or pharmacist of the medicines you take before using them. Examples include:

• Antidepressants called MAOIs, SSRIs or SNRIs
• Other triptans

Sumatriptan in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnancy: There is limited evidence for the safety of the medicine in pregnant women. There is no current evidence that it causes harm, however due to the lack of evidence on safety in pregnancy, sumatriptan is generally avoided unless absolutely necessary. Consult a doctor before using the treatment during pregnancy.

Breastfeeding: Sumatriptan does cross into the breast milk and can be passed to the child during feeding. For this reason, breastfeeding 24 hours after a dose should be avoided or an alternative migraine treatment should be considered by your doctor.