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This is an X-PIL, which is a text only patient information leaflet, designed for people with sight problems.


A.Menarini Pharmaceuticals Ltd

A.Menarini Pharmaceuticals Ltd
2nd Floor, Castlecourt, Monkstown, Monkstown, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Telephone: +353 1 284 6744
Fax: +353 1 284 6769
E-mail: ireland@menarini.ie
Medical Information Direct Line: 1800 283 045


Patient Information Leaflet last updated on medicines.ie: 17/09/2009
XPIL Frovex

Table of Contents

  • PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER
  • 1. WHAT FROVEX IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
  • 2. BEFORE YOU TAKE FROVEX
  • 3. HOW TO TAKE FROVEX
  • 4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
  • 5. HOW TO STORE FROVEX
  • 6. FURTHER INFORMATION

PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER

Frovex 2.5 mg film-coated tablets

Frovatriptan

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine.

  • Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
  • If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
  • This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
  • If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

In this leaflet:

  • 1. What Frovex is and what it is used for
  • 2. Before you take Frovex
  • 3. How to take Frovex
  • 4. Possible side effects
  • 5. How to store Frovex
  • 6. Further information
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1. WHAT FROVEX IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR

Frovex 2.5 mg tablets contain frovatriptan, an anti-migraine treatment belonging to the class of triptans (5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT1) selective receptor agonists).

Frovex 2.5 mg tablets is a medicine for the treatment of the headache phase of a migraine attack with or without aura (a temporary strange feeling before a migraine, which varies from person to person but can affect, for example, vision, smell, hearing).

Frovex 2.5 mg tablets should not be used to prevent a migraine attack.

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2. BEFORE YOU TAKE FROVEX

The diagnosis of migraine must have been clearly established by your doctor

Do not take Frovex

  • If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to frovatriptan or any of the other ingredients of Frovex 2.5 mg tablets.
  • if you have had a heart attack, or suffer or have suffered from certain cardiovascular diseases such as angina pectoris (characterised by crushing pain in the chest which can extend into the left arm), or circulation disorders of the legs or arms (especially in the fingers and toes),
  • if you have had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA),
  • if you have severely or moderately high blood pressure, or if your blood pressure is not adequately controlled,
  • if you have severe liver disease,
  • in combination with certain other medicines also used in the treatment of migraine (ergotamine and ergotamine derivatives (including methysergide) or other triptans (5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT1) agonists).

Take special care with Frovex

  • if you are a patient at risk of coronary artery disease, including if:
    • you are a heavy smoker or a user of nicotine substitution therapy
    • you are a post-menopausal female or a male aged over 40 years

In any of these cases ask for your doctor’s advice before taking Frovex.

In very rare cases a feeling of tightness or pain in the chest can occur when taking triptans, even in patients with no history of cardio-vascular disease. If this occurs contact your doctor and do not take an additional dose of this medicine.

Using other medicines

Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.

You should not take this medicine at the same time as certain other medicines used for the treatment of migraine:

  • especially ergotamine, ergotamine derivatives (including methysergide); you should allow at least 24 hours to elapse between the discontinuation of these medicines and the administration of Frovex 2.5 mg tablets. Similarly, you should not take these medicines within 24 hours following a dose of Frovex 2.5 mg tablets.
  • especially other triptans (5-HT1 agonists, such as sumatriptan, almotriptan, eletriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan or zolmitriptan).

Unless otherwise directed by your doctor, you should not take this medicine at the same time as monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicines used in the treatment of depression (phenelzine, isocarboxazid, tranylcypromine, moclobemide).

  • you should also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking oral contraceptives or selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline).

It is recommended that you do not take Frovex 2.5 mg tablets at the same time as taking St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum).

Concomitant use of Frovex with the medicines listed above (especially monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors and hypericum perforatum) may also increase the risk of serotonin syndrome (the symptoms of serotonin syndrome include: shivering, sweating, agitation, trembling and abrubt contraction of muscles, nausea, fever, confusion).

If you have any doubt about taking other medicines with Frovex 2.5 mg tablets, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Taking Frovex with food and drink

Frovex 2.5 mg tablets can be taken with food or on an empty stomach, always with an adequate amount of water.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.

Frovex 2.5 mg tablets should not be used during pregnancy or when breast feeding, unless you are told so by your doctor. In any case, you should not breastfeed for 24 hours after taking Frovex and during this time any breast milk expressed should be discarded.

Driving and using machines

Frovex 2.5 mg tablets and the migraine itself can cause drowsiness. If affected, driving or operating machinery can be dangerous and should be avoided.

Important information about some of the ingredients of Frovex

This product contains lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.

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3. HOW TO TAKE FROVEX

Always take Frovex 2.5 mg tablets exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor if you are not sure.

Take Frovex 2.5 mg tablets as early as possible after the onset of the migraine headache. Swallow one tablet whole with water.

If the first dose does not give you any relief, do not take a second dose during the same attack. You can use Frovex 2.5 mg tablet for any following attacks.

If you obtain relief after the first dose, but later on suffer from the re-appearance of a headache within 24 hours, you can take a second dose provided that at least 2 hours have elapsed between the 2 doses.

Do not exceed the maximum dose of 5 mg (two tablets) in 24 hours.

Excessive use (repeated use over several consecutive days) of Frovex 2.5 mg tablets constitutes incorrect use of this medicine and may cause an increase in side effects and lead to chronic daily headaches requiring the temporary discontinuation of treatment. Consult your doctor if you start having too frequent or daily headaches as you may be suffering from medication overuse headache.

Frovex should not be used in patients under 18 years of age.

As there is little experience in patients over 65 years, the use of Frovex is not recommended in patients in this age group.

If you take more Frovex than you should

If you accidentally take an overdose of this medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately or go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital. Please remember to take the remaining tablets or this leaflet with you.

If you stop taking Frovex

No special precautions are necessary when stopping the drug.

If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

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4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS

Like all medicines, Frovex 2.5 mg tablets can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

A feeling of tightness or pains in the chest, sometimes intense and potentially extending to the throat, can occur within minutes of taking the medicine; if this occurs contact your doctor and do not take an additional dose of this medicine.

The side-effects reported during clinical studies with Frovex 2.5 mg tablets were temporary, generally mild to moderate and disappeared spontaneously. Some symptoms reported may be caused by the migraine itself.

The following side-effects were commonly observed (estimated frequency is more than 1 person out of 100 and less than 1 person out of 10):

  • nausea (feeling sick), dry mouth, digestion problems, stomach pain,
  • fatigue, chest discomfort (sensation of slight heaviness, pressure or tightness in the chest),
  • headache, dizziness, sensation of pins and needles, most frequently in the arms and legs, reduction or exaggeration of the sensations of touch, extreme sleepiness
  • hot flushes,
  • tightness in the throat,
  • sight disturbances
  • increased sweating,

The following were uncommonly observed (estimated frequency is more than 1 person out of 1000 and less than 1 person out of 100):

  • altered sense of taste, trembling, poor concentration, lethargy, increased sensation of touch, drowsiness, involuntary muscle contractions,
  • diarrhoea, difficulty in swallowing, gas in stomach or bowel, stomach discomfort, bloated stomach,
  • awareness of heart beat (palpitations), fast heart beat, increased blood pressure, chest pain (intense tightness or feeling of pressure in the chest),
  • feeling hot, reduced tolerance of heat and cold, pain, weakness, fever, thirst, sluggishness, increased energy, generally feeling unwell, foggy head or lightheadedness, sensation of spinning,
  • anxiety, inability to sleep, confusion, nervousness, agitation, depression, loss of sense of personal identity,- coldness in the hands and feet,
  • irritation of the nose, inflamed sinus, sore throat and/or voice box,
  • muscle stiffness, muscle and joint pain, pain in the hands and feet, back pain, painful joints,
  • eye pain, eye irritation, painful oversensitivity to light,
  • itchiness,
  • ringing in the ears, earache,
  • dehydration,
  • passing urine frequently, production of large amounts of urine.
  • high blood pressure.

The following were rare (estimated frequency is more than 1 person out of 10,000 and less than 1 person out of 1000):

  • muscle spasm, floppy muscles, diminution of reflexes (hyporeflexia), movement problems,
  • constipation, burping, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, lip blisters, lip pain, spasm of the gullet, blisters in the mouth, ulcer in the stomach or upper part of the small intestine, pain in the salivary gland, inflammation of the mouth, toothache,
  • fever
  • loss of memory, abnormal dreams, personality disorder,
  • nosebleed, hiccups, overbreathing, breathing disorder, sore throat,
  • night blindness,
  • skin reddening, sensation of hairs standing on end, purplish spots or patches on skin and mucous surfaces of the body, hives,
  • slow heart beat,
  • ear discomfort, earache, ear itchiness, sensitive hearing,
  • increase in bilirubin (a substance produced by the liver) in the blood, decrease of calcium in the blood, abnormal urine analysis,
  • low sugar in the blood,
  • passing urine frequently at night, pain in the kidneys,
  • self-inflicted injury (eg bite or bruising),
  • swollen lymph nodes,
  • breast pain or discomfort.

There have been cases of allergic reactions to Frovex, with skin rash and sometimes serious whole-body allergic-type reactions (anaphylaxis), with possible sudden difficulty in breathing, fast heart beat and palpitations. If this occurs, get medical help immediately.

If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

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5. HOW TO STORE FROVEX

Do not use Frovex 2.5 mg tablets after the expiry date which is stated on the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

Do not store above 30°C.

Blister: store in the original package.

Bottle: keep the container tightly closed.

Keep out of the reach and sight of children.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.

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6. FURTHER INFORMATION

What Frovex contains

The active substance is 2.5 mg of frovatriptan as succinate monohydrate per tablet.

The other ingredients are: anhydrous lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, sodium starch glycollate (type A), silica colloidal anhydrous. Film coating: OPADRY white: titanium dioxide (E171), anhydrous lactose, hypromellose (E464), macrogol 3000, triacetin.

What Frovex looks like and contents of the pack

Frovex 2.5 mg tablets are available in the form of round film-coated tablets, debossed with "m" on one side and "2.5" on the other.

Each blister pack contains 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 12 tablets.

Each child-proof bottle contains 30 tablets.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorisation Holder:

Menarini International Operations Luxembourg S.A.
1, Avenue de la Gare
L-1611
Luxembourg

Manufacturer:

Almac Pharma Services Limited
Almac House
20 Seagoe Industrial Estate
Craigavon – County Armagh
Northern Ireland
BT63 5UA
United Kingdom

or

Berlin-Chemie AG
Glienicker Weg 125 – D-12489 Berlin
Germany

or

A.Menarini Manufacturing Logistics and services s.r.l.
Via Campo di Pile – L’Aquila (AQ)
Italy

or

Laboratorios Menarini S.A.
Alfonso XII, 587
E-08918 Badalona (Barcelona)
Spain

This medicinal product is authorised in the Member States of the EEA under the following names:

France (RMS) : Tigreat

Austria : Frovamig

Hungary : Frovalon

Poland : Migren

Belgium : Frovatex

Iceland : Tigreat

Portugal : Dorlise

Czech Republic : Fromen

Ireland : Frovex

Slovakia : Frovamen

Estonia : Frovamig

Italy : Auradol

Slovenia : Frotan

Denmark : Tigreat

Latvia : Frovamig

Spain : Perlic

Finland : Tigreat

Lithuania : Frovamig

Sweden : Tigreat

Germany : Allegro

Luxembourg : Frovatex

The Netherlands : Fromirex

Greece : Migralin

Norway : Tigreat

United Kingdom : Fromig

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This leaflet was last approved in June 2009.

Frovatriptan developed by Vernalis Ltd



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Active Ingredients

 
   Frovatriptan succinate monohydrate

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