Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. If the amount you are to take does not prevent your headaches from occurring as often as before, do not take more than your doctor ordered. Instead, check with your doctor. Taking too much of this medicine or taking it too frequently may cause serious effects such as nausea and vomiting; cold, painful hands or feet; or even gangrene.

If this medicine upsets your stomach, it may be taken with meals or milk. If stomach upset continues or is severe, check with your doctor.

Dosing

The dose of methysergide 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 methysergide. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For preventing migraine and other throbbing headaches:
    • Adults 2 milligrams (mg) (one tablet) two to four times a day.
    • Children Use is not recommended.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For methysergide, the following should be considered:

Allergies Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to methysergide or to other ergot medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy Methysergide is not recommended during pregnancy. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding This medicine passes into the breast milk and may cause unwanted effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, weak pulse, unstable blood pressure, and convulsions (seizures) in nursing babies.

Children Methysergide can cause serious side effects in any patient. Therefore, it is especially important that you discuss with the child's doctor the good that this medicine may do as well as the risks of using it.

Older adults Elderly people are especially sensitive to the effects of methysergide. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.

Other medicines Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking methysergide, it is important that your health care professional know if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine, or if you smoke.

• Arthritis or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• Infection or
• Itching (severe) or
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease or
• Lung disease The chance of serious side effects may be increased

• High blood pressure or
• Stomach ulcer Methysergide can make your condition worse