Carbidopa-Levodopa Coupons & Prices

A free carbidopa-levodopa coupon from Rx.com can lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter for this Parkinson's disease medicine, even if you have no insurance or a high deductible. Carbidopa and levodopa is the generic form of Sinemet. What you pay in cash is not the same everywhere: two pharmacies on the same street can charge very different amounts for the exact same tablets, and prices also change over time. Rx.com compares prices across more than 60,000 pharmacies, so you can see what your prescription costs near you before you go. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price, then show the coupon at the pharmacy.

What is carbidopa-levodopa and how does it work?

Carbidopa and levodopa is an antiparkinson medicine. Levodopa is a dopamine precursor, which means the brain converts it into dopamine, the chemical messenger that is in short supply in Parkinson's disease. Carbidopa is a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor: it blocks the breakdown of levodopa outside the brain, so more of each dose reaches the brain and there is less nausea. The two work as a team, which is why they are given together in one tablet.

It is FDA-approved to treat Parkinson's disease, post-encephalitic parkinsonism, and symptomatic parkinsonism that can follow carbon monoxide or manganese intoxication. It remains the most effective medicine available for the motor symptoms of Parkinson's, including tremor, stiffness, slowness of movement, and trouble walking. It comes in several forms: immediate-release tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, a functionally scored tablet (Dhivy), extended-release tablets (Sinemet CR and its generics), extended-release capsules (Rytary and Crexont), and an enteral suspension given through a tube (Duopa). These forms are not interchangeable milligram for milligram, so your neurologist chooses the form and the dosing schedule based on how your symptoms behave through the day.

Carbidopa-levodopa cost and coupon savings without insurance

Carbidopa-levodopa is available as a generic in more than one form: immediate-release tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, and extended-release tablets all have generic versions on the US market. Brand products such as Rytary, Crexont, Dhivy, and Duopa are separate products with their own pricing, and generic availability differs from one of them to the next, so ask your pharmacist what is stocked for the exact product on your prescription. Whatever form you are filling, cash prices for the same strength and quantity can vary a great deal from one pharmacy to the next, which is why comparing is worth the two minutes it takes.

If you are paying cash, here is a practical approach:

• Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price at pharmacies near you, and compare a few before you fill.
• Ask your prescriber whether a generic form of carbidopa-levodopa is appropriate for you, and have the prescription written so the pharmacy can dispense it.
• Ask whether a 90-day supply is an option for you, then compare the price of a 90-day fill against three 30-day fills.
• Bring your Rx.com coupon to the counter and ask the pharmacist to run it as a cash discount. A discount coupon is not insurance, and you cannot use it together with your insurance on the same fill, but you can use whichever is cheaper that day.

Carbidopa-levodopa vs. other Parkinson's medicines

Carbidopa-levodopa is the mainstay of Parkinson's treatment, but it is often used alongside, or compared with, other drugs. Which one fits depends on your age, how long you have had the disease, and which symptoms bother you most. This is a decision to make with your neurologist, not on price alone.

• Sinemet is the original brand of carbidopa-levodopa. The generic tablets are FDA-approved and substitutable, so most people take the generic.
• Dopamine agonists such as ropinirole and pramipexole are sometimes used earlier in the disease or added to reduce "off" time.
• Entacapone extends the effect of each levodopa dose and is also sold combined in one tablet as carbidopa-levodopa-entacapone.
• MAO-B inhibitors are used differently from one another. Rasagiline is approved both as initial monotherapy and as an add-on to levodopa. Oral selegiline is approved only as an add-on for people already taking carbidopa-levodopa whose response to it is deteriorating; its label states there is no evidence of benefit without concurrent levodopa.
• Amantadine is used for parkinsonism and can help with levodopa-related involuntary movements, and benztropine is an older option used mainly for tremor.

Safety information you should know

Carbidopa-levodopa does not carry a boxed warning, and it is not a controlled substance. It does have hard contraindications. It must not be used by anyone with a known hypersensitivity to any of its components, and it must not be used by people with narrow-angle glaucoma. It must not be taken with nonselective MAO inhibitors, which have to be stopped at least two weeks before starting it. People with chronic wide-angle glaucoma may be treated cautiously if intraocular pressure is well controlled and is monitored during therapy, so tell your prescriber and your eye doctor that you are taking it.

Do not stop it suddenly or cut the dose sharply on your own: abrupt withdrawal can trigger a serious reaction with high fever, muscle rigidity, and confusion. The medicine can cause sudden sleep attacks with no warning, including while driving, as well as drowsiness, a drop in blood pressure on standing, dizziness, fainting, and falls. Talk to your doctor before driving until you know how it affects you.

Other effects to watch for: hallucinations, confusion, or paranoia, which are more likely in older adults or people with dementia; impulse-control problems such as compulsive gambling, shopping, eating, or hypersexuality, which often improve when the dose is lowered; involuntary movements (dyskinesias) and "wearing off" between doses after long-term use; nausea; and harmless dark or reddish-brown discoloration of urine, sweat, and saliva. People with a history of peptic ulcer may have a higher risk of GI bleeding. Because levodopa is linked with a higher rate of melanoma, periodic skin checks are advised. High-protein meals and iron supplements reduce how much levodopa your body absorbs. This page is general information, not medical advice; report new or worsening symptoms to your prescriber.