Neurology
Amantadine
Amantadine treats Parkinson’s disease and movement problems caused by other medicines; its immediate-release label also lists influenza A, but the CDC no longer recommends it for treating flu. Generic tablets, capsules and liquid are inexpensive, while the extended-release capsule Gocovri is brand-only and not interchangeable with them.
This page is general information about a medication and how cash prices for it are set. It is not medical advice and does not replace the label, your prescriber or your pharmacist. How we handle medical information
Tablets, capsules and the solution are generic; Gocovri has no generic, and Osmolex ER is listed as discontinued.
About Amantadine
How amantadine works in Parkinson’s disease is not known. Immediate-release amantadine is labeled for Parkinson’s disease and other parkinsonism and for movement problems caused by other medicines, usually at 100 mg twice a day, with lower doses in reduced kidney function. Gocovri, taken once at bedtime, is labeled only for Parkinson’s disease: to reduce dyskinesia, the involuntary movements levodopa can cause, and as an add-on to levodopa/carbidopa for "off" episodes.
The CDC says amantadine has not been recommended for treating flu in the United States for many years, because nearly all circulating seasonal influenza A viruses are resistant, and it does not work against influenza B.
Hallucinations, dizziness, dry mouth, swollen legs, constipation, falls and a drop in blood pressure on standing were the most common side effects in Gocovri’s studies. It can also cause depression and suicidal thoughts, sudden sleepiness during activities such as driving, intense urges such as gambling, and swelling of the cornea. There is no boxed warning. Stopping suddenly can cause fever, confusion and stiff muscles or worsen Parkinson’s symptoms, so the prescriber tapers it. Gocovri must not be used in end-stage kidney disease.
Gocovri’s label says it cannot be substituted for any other amantadine product, and its 68.5 and 137 mg capsules do not match the 100 mg generics. Osmolex ER, an extended-release tablet, is listed as discontinued in the FDA Orange Book, so anyone who took it needs the prescriber to choose another product; the original brand, Symmetrel, is also discontinued.
Taking Amantadine
- How to take it
- Immediate-release forms: usually once or twice a day. Gocovri: once a day at bedtime, with or without food, swallowed whole or opened and sprinkled on a teaspoonful of applesauce or other soft food. Do not stop either form suddenly.
- If you miss a dose
- Immediate-release: take it when you remember, unless the next dose is almost due; then skip it. Gocovri: skip the missed dose, and call your prescriber if you have missed several days.
- Storage
- At room temperature, tightly closed, away from excess heat and moisture (not in a bathroom), and out of reach of children.
- Interactions to know about
- Other anticholinergic medicines add to side effects such as dry mouth and constipation, and alcohol adds to dizziness and confusion. Quinine, quinidine and triamterene with hydrochlorothiazide can raise its level, as can medicines that make the urine alkaline. The live nasal-spray flu vaccine is not given from 2 weeks before to 48 hours after immediate-release amantadine, and is not recommended during Gocovri treatment.
This summarizes the official prescribing information. Your prescriber’s and pharmacist’s instructions, and the leaflet that comes with your medicine, take priority.
Why the cash price for Amantadine differs from pharmacy to pharmacy
Immediate-release amantadine is an old generic from many makers, so a quote is mostly the pharmacy’s fee and markup. Capsules and tablets are separate products that are not always priced alike, and the liquid has fewer makers.
Gocovri has one maker and no generic, so there is nothing cheaper to substitute at the counter, quotes differ mainly by markup, and a pharmacy that seldom fills it may need to order it.
Upload it and licensed pharmacies reply with their own cash price. You pay the pharmacy, not us.
Ways to pay less for Amantadine without insurance
- Ask whether generic amantadine is on the pharmacy’s flat-price list, and for quotes on both capsules and tablets if your prescriber allows either.
- If Gocovri’s cost is a barrier, ask the prescriber whether immediate-release amantadine would suit you; only the prescriber can make that change.
- For Gocovri, ask its maker about patient assistance.
- Upload the prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote their cash price. You pay the pharmacy directly.
How Script Unlock gets you a cash price for Amantadine
Prices on this site come from pharmacies responding to a real prescription. We do not publish estimated, average or "typical" prices, because none of those would be your price.
- 1You upload your prescription
A photo of your Amantadine prescription is enough. Nothing is sold on the site; you are asking pharmacies to quote.
- 2Licensed pharmacies respond
Pharmacies that Script Unlock has verified see the request and each can reply with its own cash price for your exact drug, strength and quantity.
- 3You choose and pay the pharmacy
You compare the responses, pick a pharmacy, and pay that pharmacy directly when you collect. Script Unlock never takes a patient payment and never sets the price.
Questions to ask your pharmacist about Amantadine
- 1.Is this immediate-release amantadine or Gocovri, as my prescriber intended?
- 2.Is my dose right for my kidney function?
- 3.Which flu vaccine can I have while taking it?
- 4.Which side effects, such as hallucinations or sudden sleepiness, should I report?
Related medications
Sources
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.