Rizatriptan

What is Rizatriptan?

Rizatriptan (commonly sold under the brand name of Maxalt) is a selective serotonin 5-HTR1B/1D receptor agonist, which are collectively known as triptans.

Rizatriptan is taken to relieve the pain caused by migraine headaches. It helps to shrink the blood vessels in your head back to normal during a migraine attack, relieving the headache and other symptoms caused by this problem.

You must have a prescription to buy Rizatriptan. 

What is Rizatriptan used to treat?

Rizatriptan is one of the most prescribed medications for migraine treatment. Chiefly, it is prescribed to treat the headache stage of a migraine attack.

You should take this medicine at the onset of a migraine attack for best results. It will normally take around 30 minutes for Rizatriptan to relieve your symptoms.

Why is Rizatriptan recommended for migraines?

Clinical studies have concluded that Rizatriptan is a well-tolerated and effective medicine for the acute treatment of migraines. This means that it will get to work to provide sufficient relief from your symptoms and it is unlikely that you will suffer any side effects as a result of taking this medicine. 

How does Rizatriptan work?

A migraine is believed to occur when the blood vessels surrounding the brain start to swell, triggering pain and other symptoms. Rizatriptan works by reducing the swelling of the vessels around the brain, preventing pain messages from being sent to the brain, suppressing the production of a natural substance that causes pain, all of which helps to relieve the pain caused by a migraine headache.

Rizatriptan does not prevent a migraine attack from occurring and should not be taken as a preventative measure against migraines.

Who can take Rizatriptan?

Before taking Rizatriptan tablets, you should talk to your doctor if you have any of the below:

• You have any of the following heart disease risks: high blood pressure, you are a man over the age of 40, you have a family history of heart disease, you are a postmenopausal woman, you smoke or use any form of nicotine substitute
• You are over the age of 65
• You have an intolerance to certain sugars
• You have kidney problems
• You have liver problems
• You have a problem with how your heart beats (bundle branch block)
• You are allergic to rizatriptan or any other ingredients in the medication (see Ingredients tab)
• You have or have had any allergies
• You use any herbal remedies that contain St. John's Wort
• Your headache is related to dizziness, difficulty in walking, lack of coordination or weakness in the leg and arm
• You have any blockage problems in your arteries
• You have had a stroke or mini-stroke
• You have high blood pressure
• You have ever had any heart problems

Always read the patient information leaflet for comprehensive information on who may not be suitable to take Rizatriptan.

This medicine should not be taken by children who are under the age of 18.

Can you buy Rizatriptan over the counter?

Rizatriptan cannot be bought over the counter, it must be prescribed by a doctor.

Can you buy Rizatriptan online?

Rizatriptan is only available on prescription. To buy Rizatriptan online from Medicine Direct, you will need to fill out our online questionnaire to make sure this medicine is suitable for you to take. It should not be taken by anyone who has not been diagnosed with migraines by a doctor.

After you have completed our online questionnaire, one of our registered prescribers will review your answers. We sell Rizatriptan 10mg in packets of 3, 6, 9 or 12 tablets.

Order by 2pm for next day delivery.

Never buy any medicine online unless you are ordering from a registered pharmacy, like Medicine Direct.

Rizatriptan alternatives

Medicine Direct stocks a large variety of medicines for migraines. If Rizatriptan is not suitable for you to take, there are plenty of alternatives.

Various other triptan medicines, including Sumatriptan and Almotriptan, are available to buy from our online pharmacy after you have completed an online consultation questionnaire. These medicines work in the same way as Rizatriptan and are also prescription-only medicines (POMs).

Non-prescription alternatives include the likes of Migraleve Pink and Anadin Extra, which can also be ordered from our pharmacy after an online consultation.

Rizatriptan Indications and Dose

Our pharmacists and prescriber follow NICE guidelines when precribing Rizatriptan.

Always follow your doctor's instructions when taking this medication. Always read the patient information leaflet thoroughly before you start to use the treatment. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Rizatriptan should be taken as soon as possible after the onset of migraine symptoms.

The usual dose of Rizatriptan is 10mg.

If you are also taking propranolol or have kidney or liver problems, the dose will be lowered to 5mg. Leave at least 2 hours between taking propranolol and Rizatriptan tablets and do not take more than 2 doses in the same 24 hours.

Rizatriptan tablets should be swallowed whole with a drink of water. You can take them with or without food, but Rizatriptan will begin to work faster if it is taken on an empty stomach.

Rizatriptan Side Effects

The below side effects occur in 1 to 10 in every 100 people who take Rizatriptan:

• Throat discomfort
• Palpitations
• Dizziness, headaches, a tingling sensation, decreased sensitivity of the skin, decreased mental awareness
• Difficulty in sleeping, sleepiness or feeling tired
• Flushing (redness of the face)
• Body feeling heavy, stiffness or neck pain
• Dry mouth
• Feeling sick or being sick
• Diarrhoea
• Indigestion
• Abdominal pain or chest pain

In rare cases, you may suffer from serious effects while taking Rizatriptan. You should seek immediate medical attention if you:

• Have a heart attack or a spasm of a blood vessel in the heart
• Have serotonin syndrome, which may cause adverse effects like a coma, unstable blood pressure, high body temperature, lack of muscle coordination, agitation or hallucinations
• Have severe shedding of the skin, with or without fever
• Have seizures, convulsions or fits
• Experience a spasm in your extremities' blood vessels, including coldness and numbness of the hands or feet
• Experience a spasm of the blood vessels of the colon, causing abdominal pain

This list may not be exhaustive. Always read the patient information leaflet for full information on all the possible adverse reactions you may suffer while taking Rizatriptan.

Rizatriptan Warnings and Drug Interactions

Certain medicines may interact with Rizatriptan when taken at the same time; this can increase your risk of undesired effects.

You must always make sure your doctor is aware of any other medication you are currently taking, including both prescription and non-prescription medications, herbal remedies, vitamins and supplements.

In particular, you should inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following before you start to take Rizatriptan:

• Any herbal remedies that contain St. John's Wort
• Any other 5-HTR1B/1D agonists or 'triptans'
• Any monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors
• Any ergotamine-type medications
• Methysergide
• Propranolol
• Any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Any serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Read the leaflet that will accompany your medication for full information on drug interactions. If you have any questions or concerns at all, we strongly advise you to speak to your doctor.

Never order medicine online unless it is from a registered pharmacy. Medicine Direct is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council and all of our doctors are also certified.

We offer speedy delivery, with the option of next day delivery if you order before 2pm. Aside from our excellent delivery standards, we also assure you that your medication will arrive in plain packaging, promising discretion.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Sumatriptan is the preferred treatment for migraines during pregnancy as there is more data analysing how safe it is for use in pregnancy. With that said, analysis of other triptans for use in pregnancy found no risk of major malformations or congenital defects.

If you become pregnant while using this treatment, speak to your doctor.

You should not breastfeed for 24 hours after taking this medication.

Speak to your doctor for more information if you are unsure of anything.

Rizatriptan Ingredients

The main active ingredient within this medicine is: Rizatriptan benzoate.

For a full list of the inactive ingredients, please read the Summary of Product Characteristics.

What is the difference between Rizatriptan and Maxalt?

Maxalt contains rizatriptan as its active ingredient. Both medicines are used for the treatment of migraines, although the generic version of Rizatriptan is usually significantly cheaper than the branded version.

What happens if you take too much Rizatriptan?

Taking too much Rizatriptan can increase your risk of side effects. If you have taken more than you were supposed to, you should call 111, contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital. If you need to go to hospital, you should take the medicine and patient information leaflet with you.

Is Zolmitriptan stronger than Rizatriptan?

Studies have shown that Rizatriptan acted faster than Zolmitriptan when it came to providing pain relief. Furthermore, headache recurrence occurred in a slightly smaller number of patients who took Rizatriptan compared to those who took Zolmitriptan.

Does Rizatriptan help with anxiety?

Rizatriptan should not be taken to treat anxiety. If you are suffering from anxiety, you should talk to your GP, who will recommend a suitable treatment. This may not include taking medication.

What does Rizatriptan do to the brain?

Rizatriptan works to narrow the blood vessels in the brain back to their normal size, which helps to alleviate the symptoms of a migraine headache.

Will Rizatriptan help me to sleep?

Rizatriptan can effectively relieve migraine symptoms, which may aid in helping you to sleep. However, a side effect of Rizatriptan can be sleeping problems. Sleepiness is also a possible side effect of this medicine. You should not take Rizatriptan as a sleeping aid.

Does Rizatriptan make you gain weight?

Weight gain is not a side effect associated with this medication.

Is Rizatriptan a painkiller?

Although Rizatriptan will effectively help to relieve the pain brought on by migraine headaches, it is not a generic painkiller and should not be taken to relieve pain from other problems like backache or toothache.

Are triptans addictive?

Triptans are not likely to cause addiction. Furthermore, you should not take Rizatriptan for extended periods, making the risk of addiction to this medicine even less likely.

Can I take Rizatriptan 3 days in a row?

You are not advised to take Rizatriptan more than a couple of days a week. Using a triptan medicine like Rizatriptan too frequently can cause a headache from overusing the medication.