Patient leaflet - Sumatriptan 50 mg tablets
1. What Sumatriptan tablets are and what they are used for
Each tablet contains a single dose of Sumatriptan, which belongs to a group of medicines called triptans (also known as 5-HT1 receptor agonists).
If you use Sumatriptan frequently Taking Sumatriptan too often may make your headaches worse.
Tell your doctor if this applies to you.
He or she may recommend you stop taking Sumatriptan.
Sumatriptan tablets are used to treat migraine headache.
Migraine symptoms may be caused by the temporary widening of blood vessels in the head. Sumatriptan is believed to reduce the widening of these blood vessels. This in turn helps to take away the headache and relieve other symptoms of a migraine attack, such as feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting) and sensitivity to light and sound.
2. What you need to know before you take Sumatriptan tablets
Don't use Sumatriptan:
If you're allergic to Sumatriptan, or any
of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
If you have a heart problem such as
narrowing of the arteries (Ischaemic heart disease) or chest pains (angina), or have already had a heart attack
If you have circulation problems in
your legs that cause cramp-like pains when you walk (peripheral vascular disease)
If you have had a stroke or a
mini-stroke (also called a transient ischaemic attack or TIA)
If you have high blood pressure. You may be able to use Sumatriptan if
your high blood pressure is mild and is being treated
- If you have serious liver disease
With other migraine medicines,
including those which contain ergotamine, or similar medicines such as methysergide maleate; or any triptan or 5-HT1 agonist (such as naratriptan or zolmitriptan).
With any of the following anti-depressants:
MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
or if you have taken an MAOI in the last 2 weeks.
For children under 18 years of age
If any of these apply to you:
Tell your doctor and stop taking
Sumatriptan tablets.
Take special care with Sumatriptan tablets Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Sumatriptan tablets.
If you have any extra risk factors
If you are a heavy smoker, or using
nicotine replacement therapy, and especially
- If you are a man aged over 40, or
If you are a woman who has been through the menopause.
If you feel pain or tightness in your chest after you use Sumatriptan These effects may be intense but they usually pass quickly. If they don't pass quickly, or they become severe:
Get medical help immediately. Section 4 (overleaf) has more information
about these possible side effects.
Other medicines and Sumatriptan tablets
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes any herbal products or medicines you've bought without a prescription.
Some medicines must not be taken with Sumatriptan and others may cause adverse effects if they're taken with Sumatriptan.
You must tell your doctor if you are taking: Ergotamine also used to treat migraine, or similar medicines such as methysergide (see section 2 Don't use Sumatriptan). Don't take Sumatriptan at the same time as these medicines. Stop taking these medicines at least 24 hours before taking Sumatriptan. Don't take any medicines which contain ergotamine or compounds similar to ergotamine again for at least 6 hours after using Sumatriptan.
Other triptans/5-HT1 receptor agonists
(such as naratriptan, rizatriptan,
zolmitriptan), also used to treat migraine, (see section 2 Don't use Sumatriptan). Don't use Sumatriptan at the same time as these medicines. Stop taking these medicines at least 24 hours before using Sumatriptan. Don't take another
triptan/5-HT1 receptor agonist again for at least 24 hours after using Sumatriptan.
MAOIs used to treat depression. Don't take Sumatriptan if you have taken these in the last 2 weeks.
SSRIs and SNRIs used to treat depression. Using Sumatriptan with these medicines can cause serotonin syndrome (a collection of symptoms which can include restlessness, confusion, sweating, hallucinations, increased reflexes, muscle spasms, shivering, increased heartbeat and shaking). Tell your doctor immediately if you are affected in this way.
St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum). Taking herbal remedies that contain St John's Wort together with Sumatriptan may make side effects more likely.
Driving and using machines
Either the symptoms of migraine or your medicine may make you drowsy. If you are affected, don't drive or operate machinery.
Sumatriptan tablets contain
Lactose: If you have been told by your
doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
Sodium: This medicine contains less
than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium free’.
3. How to take Sumatriptan tablets
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
When to take Sumatriptan
It's best to take Sumatriptan tablets as
soon as you feel a migraine coming on, although - you can take it at any time during an attack
Don't use Sumatriptan to try to prevent
an attack - only use it after your migraine symptoms start.
How much to take
Adults aged 18 to 65 years
The usual dose for adults aged 18 to
65 years is one Sumatriptan 50 mg tablet, swallowed whole with water. Some patients may need a 100 mg dose
- you should follow your doctor's advice.
Children under 18 years
Sumatriptan tablets are not
recommended for children under 18 years old.
Elderly (aged over 65 years)
Sumatriptan tablets are not recommended for people aged over 65 years.
If your symptoms start to come back
You can take a second Sumatriptan tablet if at least 2 hours have passed since the first tablet. Don't take more than 300 mg in total in 24 hours.
If the first tablet has no effect
Don't take a second tablet or any other
Sumatriptan preparation for the same attack. Sumatriptan can still be used for your next attack.
If Sumatriptan doesn't give you any relief:
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
If you take more Sumatriptan than you should
Don't take more than six 50 mg
tablets or three 100 mg tablets (that's 300 mg in total) in 24 hours.
Taking too much Sumatriptan could make you ill. If you have taken more than 300 mg in 24 hours:
- Contact your doctor for advice.
If you have any further questions about the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, but not everybody gets them. Some symptoms may be caused by the migraine itself.
Allergic reaction: get doctor's help straight away
The following side effects have occurred but their exact frequency is not known.
The signs of allergy include rash, hives (itchy rash); wheezing; swollen eyelids, face or lips; complete collapse.
If you get any of these symptoms soon after using Sumatriptan:
- Don't use any more. Contact a doctor straight away.
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people
Pain, heaviness, pressure or tightness in the chest, throat or other parts of the body, or unusual sensations, including numbness, tingling and warmth or cold. These effects may be intense but generally pass quickly.
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people
- Liver function changes. If you have a blood test to check your liver function, tell your doctor or nurse that you are taking Sumatriptan.
Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data
- Seizures/fits, tremors, short-lived/temporary muscle spasm, (which may affect jaw movement), neck stiffness
- Visual disturbances such as flickering, reduced vision, double vision, loss of vision, and in some cases even permanent defects (although these may be due to the migraine attack itself)
- Heart problems, where your heartbeat may go faster, slower or change rhythm, chest pains (angina) or heart attack
- Pale, blue-tinged skin and/or pain in your fingers, toes, ears, nose or jaw in response to cold or stress (Raynaud's phenomenon)
- Feeling faint (blood pressure may go down)
- Pain in the lower left side of the stomach and bloody diarrhoea (ischaemic colitis)
- Diarrhoea
- If you had a recent injury or if you have inflammation (like rheumatism or inflammation of the colon) you may experience pain or pain worsening at the site of injury or inflammation.
- Pain in the joints
- Feeling anxious
- Excessive sweating
- Difficulty swallowing
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at:
www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Sumatriptan tablets
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date shown on the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Don't throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Sumatriptan tablets contain
- The active substance is Sumatriptan (50 mg or 100 mg)
- The other ingredients in the tablets are lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, magnesium stearate, anhydrous lactose and titanium dioxide (E171), mannitol (E421), talc and triacetin.
What Sumatriptan tablets look like and contents of the pack
Sumatriptan 50 mg tablets are white, oval, biconvex, 6.5 x 12.7 mm film-coated with break line on both sides. One face debossed with SN on one side of break line and ‘50’ on other side, other face debossed with break line.
They are available in a blister pack containing 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28, 30, 50, 100, 250, 500 or 1000 tablets. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Sumatriptan 100 mg tablets are white, oval and biconvex, 8.2 x 17 mm coated tablets debossed with 'SN100' on one side and plain on the other side. They are available in a blister pack containing 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 14, 18, 21, 24, 28, 30, 50, 100, 250, 500 or 1000 tablets.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer:
Relonchem Limited,
Cheshire House, Gorsey Lane,
Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 0RP, UK.
PL 20395/0063
PL 20395/0064
In very rare cases, people have developed serious heart conditions after using Sumatriptan, even though they had no signs of heart disease before. If any of the points above applies to you it could mean you have a greater risk of developing heart disease - so:
Tell your doctor so that your heart
function can be checked before Sumatriptan is prescribed for you.
If you have a history of fits (seizures) Or if you have other conditions which might make it more likely that you'll have a fit - for example, a head injury or alcoholism:
Tell your doctor so that you can be supervised more closely.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine. There is only limited information about the safety of Sumatriptan for pregnant women, though up till now there is no evidence of any increased risk of birth defects. Your doctor will discuss with you whether or not you should use Sumatriptan while you are pregnant.
Don't breast-feed your baby for 12 hours after using Sumatriptan. If you express any breast milk during this time, discard the milk and don't give it to your baby.
If these effects continue or become severe (especially the chest pain):
Get medical help urgently. In a very
small number of people these symptoms can be caused by a heart attack.
Other common side effects include:
Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick
(vomiting), although this may be due to the migraine itself
- Tiredness or drowsiness
Dizziness, feeling weak, or getting hot
flushes
- Temporary increase in blood pressure
- Shortness of breath
Aching muscles.
POM
This leaflet was last revised in September 2026.
VERSION XXXXX DATE 02.09.2026 148mm 148mm
1.1
NO. OF COLORS 01
PRODUCT NAME
Sumatriptan Tablets
██ Black
PRODUCT LICENCE NO.
20395-0063-0064
Pil
COUNTRY
UK (English)
148 x 420 mm
MANUFACTURER
Marksans (North)
STRENGTH
50 mg & 100 mg
SOFTWARE
Adobe illustrator CC
PACK SIZE
-
ARTIST
Bhuddish
FONT & SIZE
Arial Regular (13pt, 9pt)
REMARKS
NA
REASON FOR CHANGE
Commnets received from Niranjan on 02.09.2026.