Back in cycle... not having much luck this time with the methods I used to stay out of cycle for the last 5+ years.

Looking into my war chest.  Lots of Imitrex ampules, way out of date but still effective.  About the only thing I have that is recent are those Suminat nasal sprays from India (10x 20mg doses per 1ml bottle for $40).

I see not much has changed with regard to getting Imitrex injectables.  Stupid-high co-pay.  Stupid-low limits on how many you can get a month. 

Then I look at this Suminat.  One package is 10 doses of 20mg.  200mg of Sumatriptan for $40 bucks.
The ingredients are about identical to the Imitrex ampules, just at different concentrations.  Sumatriptan succinate, chloride solution, aqueous buffer.

Imitrex Injectable Ampule ==  6mg of Sumatriptan.
Suminat Nasal == 200mg of Sumatritan == $40ish.

To make a long story short, I cranked open a 40% full bottle of Suminat (80mg of Sumatriptan remaining... .4ML) and watered it down to the same concentration of the injectable ampule.

If this works, it maps out to one Suminat Nasal for $40 will be the equivalent of 33 ampules of Imitrex.   

Will post the results.  First two doses (I take half a vial normally) were entirely effective. 

Just posting this out there for general edification.  Don't try this at home.  Being bad with math can kill you. 

Wow! I've used ALOT of IMitrex in my day (every since they first came out) and I would be too scared to do that. Sounds like playing with fire to me ...so I just wanted to say Be careful and goodluck if you are trying that.

I once ALMOST tried an Imtrex injection 6mg via IV at the hospital. The nurse prepared it wrong and was about to put it in my IV when I YELLED at her to STOP !! Geez ... that would've probably sucked !!  :o

Quote:

Geez ... that would've probably sucked !!

Probably not for long.

Since an imitrex inject is 6mg, a nasal spray 20mg and tablet 100mg, there must be some absorbtion issues by the various routes.

Exactly Bob.  Injection is clearly more efficient than nasal, which is more efficient than tablet. 

Seeing that Nasal and Ampule are essentially the same formulation at differing concentrations sparked my curiosity.

Really just going down this path as a bit of research for those of us who simply cannot get enough meds for their CH.  30 full 6mg injections from $40 worth of product would be of benefit to someone.

That said, it involves a degree of home compounding which involves the obvious risk.  So would I tell everyone to run out and try this?  Nope.   

An update on this.  It is working, plain and simple.  The 2-4 aborts per day I am doing are identical to the regular Imitrex vials. 

At the ratio I am using, which results in the same Sumatriptan dosage as the vials, I am getting 33 vials of injectable from one $40 bottle of Suminat. 

I can give the exact ratio of Suminat Nasal to distilled water I am using at some point if anyone wants to give it a shot.

I am mixing up only small batches at present to reduce risk of contamination resulting from long term storage.  I have not messed with trying to add the sodium chloride preservative.

Note the vial ingredients are the drug and saltwater.  Not much to it. 

For the next batch I plan to replace the distilled water with saline.