Carisoprodol Coupons & Prices

A carisoprodol coupon from Rx.com can lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter for this short-term muscle relaxant, whether or not you have insurance. Carisoprodol is the generic form of Soma, and because it is a widely stocked generic it is usually inexpensive to begin with. The catch is that the cash price for the very same 250 mg or 350 mg tablets can differ a lot from one pharmacy to the next, even between stores on the same street. Rx.com compares cash prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies nationwide, so you can see who is cheapest near you before you fill. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price and print, text, or email your free coupon.

What is carisoprodol and how does it work?

Carisoprodol is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant. It is a carbamate that the body breaks down into meprobamate, a sedative compound. Rather than acting on the sore muscle itself, carisoprodol works in the brain and spinal cord, which is why drowsiness is such a common effect. It is FDA-approved for adults to relieve the discomfort of acute, painful musculoskeletal conditions such as muscle strains, sprains, and back or neck spasm, and it is meant to be used alongside rest, physical therapy, and other measures rather than on its own.

The usual adult dose is 250 mg or 350 mg taken three times a day and at bedtime. Importantly, the label limits treatment to two to three weeks. Acute muscle injuries are generally short-lived, and carisoprodol's benefit beyond three weeks has not been established. It is not FDA-approved for chronic pain, fibromyalgia, or anxiety. It is a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States, and safety and effectiveness have not been established in people under 16 years of age.

Carisoprodol cost and coupons without insurance

Generic carisoprodol is one of the lower-cost prescriptions in its category, and a short two-to-three-week course means you are usually buying a small quantity. Even so, paying cash without insurance can still sting if you walk into the wrong pharmacy. Cash prices are set store by store, so the identical prescription can cost several times more at one chain than at an independent or grocery-store pharmacy a few blocks away. Insurance does not always help either: if you have a deductible to meet or a copay that runs higher than the cash price, the coupon price can be the better deal.

Here is how to keep your cost down:

• Enter your ZIP code above to compare today's carisoprodol prices across pharmacies near you.
• Check both the 250 mg and 350 mg tablet prices your prescriber offered, since they can be priced differently.
• Ask the pharmacist to run your Rx.com coupon instead of insurance if the cash price is lower. It is your choice, and you can compare at the counter.
• Fill the whole prescribed course at one pharmacy rather than splitting it, since dispensing fees are charged per fill.

There is no manufacturer savings card for generic carisoprodol. Rx.com's coupon is free to use, requires no membership, and works at more than 60,000 pharmacies.

Carisoprodol vs. other muscle relaxants

Carisoprodol is one of several muscle relaxants prescribed for acute back and neck spasm, and prescribers often reach for a different one first because carisoprodol carries abuse and dependence risk and is a controlled substance. Common alternatives include:

• Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril, Amrix) - probably the most commonly prescribed muscle relaxant for acute spasm; also sedating, but not a controlled substance.
• Methocarbamol (Robaxin) - generally considered one of the less sedating options.
• Tizanidine (Zanaflex) - short-acting, can cause low blood pressure and drowsiness.
• Baclofen - often used for spasticity from neurologic conditions as well as muscle spasm.
• Metaxalone (Skelaxin) - another non-controlled option.
• Soma - the brand version of carisoprodol itself, still marketed but almost always more expensive than the generic.

There is no single "best" muscle relaxant. The right choice depends on your other medicines, your medical history, your age, and how sedating you can afford the drug to be. All of the drugs above are available as generics, so if your prescriber is open to a switch, it is worth comparing prices on each one before you fill. Talk with your prescriber or pharmacist rather than switching on your own.

Safety, side effects, and things to watch for

Carisoprodol does not carry a boxed warning, but it has real risks worth understanding. Drowsiness affects roughly 13% to 17% of people and dizziness about 7% to 8%, so do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you. Its sedating effect adds to that of alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids, sleep aids, and other central nervous system depressants, and combining carisoprodol with opioids or benzodiazepines is a well-documented pattern of misuse. Because carisoprodol turns into meprobamate in the body, it can cause dependence; stopping abruptly after prolonged use may bring on withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headache, tremor, muscle twitching, anxiety, unsteadiness, and hallucinations. Seizures have been reported after marketing, mostly in overdoses involving several drugs at once.

Carisoprodol should not be used by people with acute intermittent porphyria or by anyone with a hypersensitivity to carbamates such as meprobamate. It is not recommended for adults 65 and older under the Beers criteria, and it should be used with caution if you have liver or kidney problems. People who are CYP2C19 poor metabolizers can end up with roughly four times the usual drug exposure. Keep the course to the two to three weeks your label allows, store it securely, and tell your prescriber about every other medicine and supplement you take. This information is general and is not medical advice - your prescriber and pharmacist know your situation.