Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given as a shot into one of your muscles, under your skin (usually in the middle of the thighs), or through a needle placed in one of your vein.

You may be taught how to give this medicine at home. Make sure you understand all of the instructions before giving yourself an injection. Use this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

Do not use this medicine for a regular headache that is different from your usual migraine. Talk to your doctor about what to do for regular headaches.

This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about:

  • How to prepare the injection.
  • The proper use of disposable syringes.
  • How to give the injection.
  • How long the injection can be stored at home.

Check the liquid in the vial. It should be clear and colorless. Do not use it if it is cloudy, discolored, or has particles in it.

If you feel much better after a dose of this medicine, but your headache comes back or gets worse after a while, wait at least 1 hour before using another dose.

If you get another migraine headache after you have used this medicine, do not use a second dose unless it has been more than 6 hours from the last dose.

Tell your doctor if you use other medicine to treat migraines, including sumatriptan. You should not use sumatriptan or other ergot medicines within 24 hours of using dihydroergotamine.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For injection dosage form (solution):
    • For migraine or cluster headaches:
      • Adults—1 milliliters (mL) injected under the skin. If the headache comes back after being relieved, one more dose may be injected after 1 hour. However, the dose should not be more than 6 mL per week.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Throw the vial away 1 hour after opening. Do not save unused medicine from an opened vial.

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container where the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.