Ergotamine-Caffeine Coupons & Prices

If you've been prescribed ergotamine tartrate and caffeine for migraine attacks, what you pay depends on which form your prescriber writes and which pharmacy fills it. The oral tablet form is sold only as a generic today. The rectal suppository form is different: it's currently sold only under the brand name Migergot, with no generic suppository on the market. Either way, cash prices for the same product can vary widely from one pharmacy to the next. Enter your ZIP code above to compare an ergotamine-caffeine coupon across more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies and find where it costs less near you.

What Is Ergotamine and Caffeine, and How Does It Work?

Ergotamine tartrate and caffeine is a combination medication that pairs an ergot alkaloid vasoconstrictor (ergotamine) with caffeine, a methylxanthine that helps the body absorb and act on the ergotamine more effectively. It's classified as an abortive antimigraine agent, not a preventive one, meaning it's meant to stop a headache attack that has already started rather than to keep attacks from happening in the first place.

According to its FDA labeling, it's used to abort or prevent vascular headaches, including migraine, migraine variants, and cluster headache (labeled as "histaminic cephalalgia"). It's meant to be taken at the very first sign of an attack, following the dosing schedule your provider gives you, and the labeling specifies maximum amounts per attack and per week; it is not intended for regular, chronic daily use.

Ergotamine-Caffeine Cost and Coupon Savings

Ergotamine tartrate and caffeine is available in two forms with two different market pictures. The oral tablet is sold only as a generic; the brand-name oral tablet, Cafergot, was discontinued years ago, so a generic tablet is the only oral option on pharmacy shelves. The rectal suppository is the opposite situation: it's currently sold only under the brand name Migergot, and there is no generic equivalent of the suppository marketed in the US. Neither being generic nor being brand-only guarantees one uniform price everywhere; cash prices can still differ substantially from pharmacy to pharmacy, even within the same city.

Rx.com compares prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies nationwide, including major chains and independent pharmacies, so you can see where your ergotamine-caffeine coupon goes furthest before you head to the counter, whichever form your prescriber writes. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price near you.

Ergotamine-Caffeine Alternatives for Migraine and Cluster Headache

For many patients today, triptans such as sumatriptan and rizatriptan are used as abortive migraine treatment, and your provider can discuss how they compare with ergotamine and caffeine for your particular health history. Dihydroergotamine is another ergot-derived medication in the same broad drug family.

Because ergotamine and caffeine is meant only for treating an attack already in progress, it is not a substitute for daily migraine prevention. Medications such as propranolol and topiramate are taken on a regular schedule to help reduce how often migraines occur. Ask your provider whether an abortive medication, a preventive medication, or a combination of both fits your situation.

Safety Information for Ergotamine and Caffeine

Ergotamine and caffeine carries a prominent warning on its FDA label: taking it together with strong CYP3A4-inhibiting drugs, including certain protease inhibitors, macrolide antibiotics, and azole antifungals, can cause serious and potentially life-threatening reduced blood flow to the limbs or brain, with risk of stroke, gangrene, or death. These drug combinations are considered contraindicated, so tell your provider and pharmacist about every medication and supplement you take.

This medication is also contraindicated in pregnancy, peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, sepsis, and significant liver or kidney impairment, and smoking adds further vascular risk. Using it more often than directed can lead to ergotism or medication-overuse headache. This is general information, not medical advice; talk with your provider about whether this medication is appropriate for you.