Is imitrex a narcotic is it an nsaid? (2023)

Is sumatriptan considered an NSAID?

Sumatriptan is a serotonin receptor agonist that works in the brain to relieve migraine headaches. Naproxen is an NSAID.

Drug details

Imitrex belongs to a class of drugs called serotonin agonists. These are more commonly known as triptans.

The short answer is no. Sumatriptan (brand name Imitrex) is a triptan, one of a group of drugs that includes almotriptan, zolmitriptan, frovatriptan, rizatriptan, naratriptan, eletriptan, and of course, sumatriptan (Smith, 2020). Narcotics are another group of drugs entirely, called opioids.

The best-known NSAIDs used for acute migraine treatment are ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) and naproxen sodium (Aleve®, Anaprox®), both available over-the-counter (non-prescription) and by prescription.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Unlike other OTC pain relief medication for migraines, acetaminophen is not an NSAID.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) is not an NSAID. It's a pain reliever and fever reducer but doesn't have anti-inflammatory properties of NSAIDs. However, acetaminophen is sometimes combined with aspirin in over-the-counter products, such as some varieties of Excedrin®.

A 2019 study found that ibuprofen can be as effective as other migraine medications, such as triptans. They state that a dose of 400 milligrams (mg) was more effective than 50 mg of sumatriptan. However, they also noted that 400 mg of ibuprofen was less effective than 10 mg of rizatriptan.

You should not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) such as phenelzine (Nardil®) or tranylcypromine (Parnate®) within the past 2 weeks. Do not use this medicine if you have taken other triptan migraine medicines or ergot-type medicines within the past 24 hours.

Do not take any MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, metaxalone, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, safinamide, selegiline, tranylcypromine) during treatment with this medication. Most MAO inhibitors should also not be taken for two weeks before treatment with this medication.

Sumatriptan works in the brain to relieve the pain from migraine headaches. It belongs to the group of medicines called triptans.

Can I take ibuprofen and Imitrex together?

Interactions between your drugs

No interactions were found between ibuprofen and Imitrex.

Using Imitrex too often may cause a medication overuse headache (rebound headache). With this side effect, migraine may occur more often, you may develop more cluster headaches, or you may feel migraine-like pain every day.

Triptans. Prescription drugs such as sumatriptan (Imitrex, Tosymra) and rizatriptan (Maxalt, Maxalt-MLT) are used to treat migraine because they block pain pathways in the brain. Taken as pills, shots or nasal sprays, they can relieve many symptoms of migraine.

Acetaminophen is a safe alternative to NSAIDs for people who are allergic or hypersensitive to ibuprofen or other NSAIDs. In addition, certain supplements can help provide relief from inflammation and pain. Common alternatives to NSAIDs include arnica, curcumin, and bromelain.

NSAIDS — or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — are the first line of treatment when it comes to migraines. These include ibuprofen, which is known by the brand names of Motrin and Advil; and naproxen, which is known as Aleve.

NSAID side effects

Advil Migraine and Excedrin Migraine both contain NSAIDs, which are known to be tough on the stomach. They can cause stomach upset and raise the risk of stomach ulcers, although ibuprofen may cause less stomach irritation than aspirin.

Research shows diclofenac is the strongest and most effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine available.10 Diclofenec is sold under the prescription brand names Cambia, Cataflam, Zipsor, and Zorvolex. It is also available as a topical gel, Voltaren, which is available over the counter.

What is the safest NSAID drug?

by Drugs.com

For those adults with moderate-to-severe migraine attacks that cannot tolerate triptans or who have found them ineffective, Ubrelvy is beneficial for treating migraines compared to no treatment. Ubrelvy is associated with fewer side effects than Imitrex, but is more expensive, costing almost twice as much.

These results suggest that mild vasoconstriction in peripheral skeletal muscle is associated with the action of sumatriptan and is likely to be the source of the side-effects experienced by some users. Migraine with aura patients were more susceptible to this effect than migraine without aura patients.

There is a reason behind the limit on pills. Headache doctors know that taking triptans more than 10 times a month can actually make migraines more frequent or more severe in some people. Rebound headache, or medication overuse headache, is a pretty common migraine trigger.

This medicine may increase your risk of having abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, angina, or stroke. This is more likely to occur if you or a family member already has heart disease, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or if you smoke.

This is not a medication you take daily, but one you would take as needed at a migraine or headache's start. Imitrex is not used for preventing headaches or migraines. Imitrex has also not been tested for safety of treating more than four headaches per 30-day period.

Eletriptan. Eletriptan has a fast onset similar to Axert and Maxalt with response within 30 minutes. It has superior efficacy to Imitrex 100mg at 40 and 80mg doses.

Can Imitrex cause weight loss? Weight loss isn't a direct side effect of Imitrex. But if you have unexplained weight loss during your treatment, it may be a sign of reduced blood flow to your stomach or intestines. This is a serious side effect of Imitrex.

It can interact with other medications that raise serotonin levels. This includes many antidepressants, tramadol (Ultram, ConZip), and linezolid (Zyvox). Sumatriptan can tighten your blood vessels and raise your blood pressure. It shouldn't be used with other triptans or a class of medications called ergot derivatives.

Is Imitrex a muscle relaxer?

Imitrex is a muscle relaxer that works by stimulating tissues in the central nervous system to become more robust. It is by binding opadry protein, which functionaceous cells on muscle cells, increasing the ability to function and contracting the muscles.

Sumatriptan is not an ordinary pain reliever. It will not relieve pain other than from migraine headaches. This medicine is usually used for people whose headaches are not relieved by acetaminophen, aspirin, or other pain relievers.

What is Imitrex? Imitrex is a headache medicine that narrows blood vessels around the brain. Sumatriptan also reduces substances in the body that can trigger headache pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and other migraine symptoms. Imitrex is available as oral tablets, a nasal spray, and as an injection.

It's not the number of consecutive days that medications are taken that is important, but how many days in a week acute medications are taken. Most experts agree that the total number of days per week that ALL acute medications combined be taken is no more than two or three.

Effective for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. In most people, sumatriptan works quickly, within 5 minutes for the injection or within 10 to 20 minutes with the tablets.

For migraine headaches: Adults—25, 50, or 100 milligrams (mg) as a single dose. If you get some relief, or if the migraine comes back after being relieved, another dose may be taken 2 hours after the last dose. Do not take more than 200 mg in any 24-hour period.

Do not lie down for at least 10 minutes after taking this drug. To prevent stomach upset, take this medication with food, milk, or an antacid.

Overall, the study determined that sumatriptan has low abuse potential and does not result in any intense feelings of being high, nor is the substance quick to cause physical dependence.

It works by narrowing blood vessels in the head, stopping pain signals from being sent to the brain, and blocking the release of certain natural substances that cause pain, nausea, and other symptoms of migraine.

Which OTC drugs are commonly recommended to treat migraine headaches? NSAIDS — or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — are the first line of treatment when it comes to migraines. These include ibuprofen, which is known by the brand names of Motrin and Advil; and naproxen, which is known as Aleve.

Who should avoid sumatriptan?

Use of sumatriptan is not recommended in elderly patients with kidney problems, heart or blood vessel disease, or high blood pressure, and should not be used by elderly patients with liver problems.

It is not a painkiller but you can use this medicine if painkillers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have not worked. Sumatriptan comes as tablets, a nasal spray or injection. The nasal spray and injection are used to treat migraines and cluster headaches.

Research shows diclofenac is the strongest and most effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine available.10 Diclofenec is sold under the prescription brand names Cambia, Cataflam, Zipsor, and Zorvolex. It is also available as a topical gel, Voltaren, which is available over the counter.

For a mild headache, acetaminophen and ibuprofen both can be effective, and patients should take whichever medication offers the best relief, says Cedars-Sinai hospitalist Nicole Van Groningen, MD.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is often the pain reliever of choice for people with high blood pressure (hypertension) because most other options are types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), which can raise blood pressure.

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.

It can interact with other medications that raise serotonin levels. This includes many antidepressants, tramadol (Ultram, ConZip), and linezolid (Zyvox). Sumatriptan can tighten your blood vessels and raise your blood pressure. It shouldn't be used with other triptans or a class of medications called ergot derivatives.

There is a reason behind the limit on pills. Headache doctors know that taking triptans more than 10 times a month can actually make migraines more frequent or more severe in some people. Rebound headache, or medication overuse headache, is a pretty common migraine trigger.

If you take Imitrex too often, you may develop rebound headaches. * It's recommended that you take Imitrex less than 10 days per month, to avoid this side effect.

Welcome to MyMigraineConnection! None of the Migraine abortive medications have caffeine in them: Triptans: Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, Amerge, Relpax, Axert, Frova. Imitrex is now available as the generic sumatriptan or combined with naproxen sodium in Treximet.