Imigran Tablets

Imigran is an effective migraine treatment that contains the active ingredient sumatriptan. It belongs to a category of medications called serotonin agonists. Imigran is available to buy as an oral tablet or as a fast-acting nasal spray.

The exact cause of a migraine is unknown, but it’s widely thought that a migraine is caused by irregular brain activity that temporarily affects nerve signals, blood vessels, and chemicals in the brain. 

This alteration in brain activity can be caused by your genes being more receptive to certain triggers, which in turn causes a migraine attack. This is because pain signals are being sent through the blood vessels in your brain. 

Imigran can help reduce this process by narrowing the blood vessels in your brain and preventing the release of natural chemicals that cause pain and other symptoms, effectively stopping migraine symptoms from continuing.

Imigran tablets are taken orally with or without food when cluster headache or signs of migraines first appear. They should not be taken at the ‘warning stage’ that can happen prior to a migraine, usually when people experience aura symptoms such as tingling, numbness, dizziness, and vision issues. 

Imigran tablets are swallowed whole with water. The tablets shouldn’t be crushed or chewed. You should always read the information leaflet before starting to take Imigran and ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions.

When pain medication or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have proven ineffective, Imigran can be prescribed as an alternative treatment. It can also be used as part of a combination course of medication with NSAIDs to treat migraine headaches.

The dosage for Imigran tablets will depend on factors such as: 

• Your symptoms
• The severity of your symptoms
• Your age
• Any other conditions you have
• Your reaction to your first dose

At Chemist Click, we stock Imigran in 50mg and 100mg tablets. The medication also comes as a fast-acting Imigran nasal spray that can help relieve symptoms within 15 minutes.

The typical adult (18 – 64 years old) dosage for migraines is one tablet when symptoms appear. If symptoms recur, a second dose can be taken after 2 hours. Do not take a second dose for the same attack if the first dose did not work. You should not exceed more than 300mg of Imigran in 24 hours. 

If you are over the age of 65, your doctor may prescribe a lower dose to prevent the drug from building up in the body. Before being prescribed Imigran, you may need to have your heart condition evaluated to assess heart disease risks.

Imigran has not been officially approved for use in children, although it can sometimes be prescribed by a specialist doctor for older children.

Imigran tablets take between 30 minutes to an hour to work, and the nasal spray takes as little as 15 minutes to relieve migraine symptoms. You should take them as soon as your migraine starts but do not consume more than the daily recommended amount. 

Alcohol does not impact how Imigran works. But if you are experiencing a migraine or cluster headache, avoid drinking alcohol.  

Alcohol can activate symptoms of migraines and cluster headaches, and can also make symptoms worse. Drinking alcohol while taking Imigran could accentuate side effects such as feeling dizzy, feeling drowsy, or nausea.

Whilst there are no studies that show negative effects of Imigran on the human fetus,  if you are pregnant, planning on becoming pregnant, or become pregnant while taking Imigran, you should still talk to your doctor about whether the drug is suitable for you. Ultimately, the benefits must outweigh the risks involved. 

Women should not breastfeed less than 12 hours after taking Imigran. There is the potential that Imigran can pass into the breast milk which may affect your child. If you are breastfeeding, you should talk to your doctor who will be able to advise as to a course of action.

Zomig is the UK brand name for the migraine relief drug zolmitriptan. Imigran (sumatriptan) and Zomig (zolmitriptan) both belong to the triptan family of drugs, which are typically used to treat migraines and cluster headaches. They both work by stimulating the serotonin (5HT) receptors in the brain, reversing the process of blood vessel widening that can cause a migraine, and alleviating pain. 

There are no significant differences between the way that Imigran and Zomig work. Some people will find that one medication is more effective than the other in treating their migraines. 

Both are available in tablet form and nasal spray. Zomig comes in 2.5mg and 5mg oro-dispersible tablets (these are tablets made with super disintegrants that dissolve in the mouth and are swallowed easily).

To find out more about Zomig tablets, take a look at our Zomig tablets reviews or Zomig nasal spray reviews pages.

Yes, there is no difference between Imigran and sumatriptan tablets, the two are medically equivalent. The active ingredient of Imigran and sumatriptan is the same; sumatriptan succinate. Imigran is the branded version of sumatriptan in the UK. Sumatriptan is also sold under the brand name Migraitan in the UK.

Click through to our sumatriptan guide to find out more information about sumatriptan, take a look at our guide. Or, to read what our customers had to say, take a look at our sumatriptan reviews page.

According to research, using sumatriptan (Imigran) over the long term “does not cause serious adverse events”. Over the two-year study period, none of the patients who were monitored as part of the research required the discontinuation of sumatriptan. 

You can buy Imigran tablets over the counter in the UK, but the maximum quantity supplied is 6 tablets. Imigran tablets are also available on prescription in the UK. The same applies to Imigran nasal spray.

At Chemist Click, you can buy Imigran through our online pharmacy. Before our clinicians can prescribe this migraine medication, you will need to fill out a short online questionnaire, which will determine your suitability for this product. Once approved, your medication will be dispatched to you with next-day delivery (for all orders placed before 3pm).