Okay to take migraine meds the morning of my covid vaccination?
March 26, 2021 2:33 PM Subscribe
I'm currently taking sumatriptan and ondansetron on an "as-needed" basis for migraines. Would taking these medicines the same day I get the vaccine cause any issues either with the vaccine's effectiveness or a reaction to said drug combo?
I'm currently taking sumatriptan and ondansetron on an "as-needed" basis for migraines. These migraines are usually brought on by going an extended period without getting enough sleep; they usually come on in the morning and last for the rest of the day. Fortunately, as long as I take the aforementioned meds right away, the symptoms go away within an hour (otherwise worst case scenario I'll be too woozy to even get off the couch, much less leave the house). I've been trying to get enough sleep this week so I wouldn't need the meds come the day of the shot but, well, Stuff Happened. So now there's the real possibility I might wake up with the aforementioned migraine the day I get my vaccine. Would taking these medicines the same day I get the vaccine cause any issues with the vaccine's effectiveness or any other "bad combo" reactions? If I have to take the meds, then there'd be a period of at least five hours between taking the meds and getting the vaccine. (Note: I tried asking my doctor but he's out until the week after next, and I'm not optimistic about the clinic getting back to me in a timely manner).
I'm currently taking sumatriptan and ondansetron on an "as-needed" basis for migraines. These migraines are usually brought on by going an extended period without getting enough sleep; they usually come on in the morning and last for the rest of the day. Fortunately, as long as I take the aforementioned meds right away, the symptoms go away within an hour (otherwise worst case scenario I'll be too woozy to even get off the couch, much less leave the house). I've been trying to get enough sleep this week so I wouldn't need the meds come the day of the shot but, well, Stuff Happened. So now there's the real possibility I might wake up with the aforementioned migraine the day I get my vaccine. Would taking these medicines the same day I get the vaccine cause any issues with the vaccine's effectiveness or any other "bad combo" reactions? If I have to take the meds, then there'd be a period of at least five hours between taking the meds and getting the vaccine. (Note: I tried asking my doctor but he's out until the week after next, and I'm not optimistic about the clinic getting back to me in a timely manner).
You might give the CDC's Covid Questions Hotline a shot:
Call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) and ask for the Clinician On-Call Center
posted by Ufez Jones at 3:02 PM on March 26, 2021
Call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) and ask for the Clinician On-Call Center
posted by Ufez Jones at 3:02 PM on March 26, 2021
If you pursue this with the CDC please let us know. I'm a volunteer vaccinator and this seems like the kind of question vaccinators or pharmacists might get asked. Thanks!
posted by citygirl at 3:41 PM on March 26, 2021
posted by citygirl at 3:41 PM on March 26, 2021
Best answer: I'm a pharmacist and have been giving the Covid-19 vaccine. The only meds we ask people about before getting the shot are immunosuppressants. If I were in your shoes, I would feel totally comfortable taking the migraine meds.
posted by selfmedicating at 4:45 PM on March 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by selfmedicating at 4:45 PM on March 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I called the pharmacy twice (the second time because I belatedly realized they answered one of my questions but not the other) and basically (1) said meds are safe to take the same day I get the vaccine (i.e. no Bad Reactions) and (2) the meds wouldn't reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. (It's more stuff like Tylenol and Advil that you shouldn't take beforehand). So if I wake up with a migraine, I can take the meds and still get the vaccine that day.
(Worth noting that I called the CDC hotline between pharmacy calls (to avoid having to do a call-back) and they ended up reading off a script that basically said "ask your health care provider". Which I admit is better than them pulling something out of the air that turned out to be fatally incorrect).
posted by gtrwolf at 4:58 PM on March 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
(Worth noting that I called the CDC hotline between pharmacy calls (to avoid having to do a call-back) and they ended up reading off a script that basically said "ask your health care provider". Which I admit is better than them pulling something out of the air that turned out to be fatally incorrect).
posted by gtrwolf at 4:58 PM on March 26, 2021 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
2) Q: I am due to get my first vaccine next week and I am worried that I might have my typical migraine later that evening. Will I be able to treat it with my usual medications?
A: It is always a good idea to have a treatment plan in place should a migraine attack strike. There is no reason to suspect that any migraine-specific medications such as triptans (sumatriptan, rizatriptan, eletriptan, etc.), ditans (Reyvow®), or gepants (Nurtec®, Ubrelvy®) would reduce the vaccine’s effectiveness. But this combination has not been studied.
3) Is there anything you can safely take the night(s) before your appointment to improve your sleep?
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:57 PM on March 26, 2021