Megestrol Acetate Coupons & Prices

Use a free Rx.com megestrol acetate coupon to compare cash prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies near you before you fill. Megestrol acetate is a progestin available as a generic in tablet form and as an oral suspension, and what you pay without insurance can differ a lot from one pharmacy to the next, even within the same town. Because it is dispensed as a generic, comparing cash prices is the practical way to find your best option. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price at pharmacies around you.

What is megestrol acetate and how does it work?

Megestrol acetate is a progestin, a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. It is classified both as a hormonal antineoplastic agent and as an appetite stimulant. Megace brand tablets and the original 40 mg/mL Megace oral suspension are discontinued. Megace ES is the brand name for the concentrated 625 mg/5 mL (125 mg/mL) oral suspension. Generic megestrol acetate is available in tablets and in both suspension concentrations.

Its FDA-approved uses depend on the dosage form, so it matters which one your prescription is for. The 20 mg and 40 mg tablets are approved for the palliative treatment of advanced carcinoma of the breast or endometrium (recurrent, inoperable, or metastatic disease). The tablets are not a substitute for surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. The oral suspension (40 mg/mL) and the concentrated suspension (125 mg/mL, Megace ES) are approved to treat anorexia, cachexia, or unexplained significant weight loss in patients with a diagnosis of AIDS. Your prescriber will choose the form and strength that fits your situation.

Megestrol acetate cost without insurance and how to save

Megestrol acetate is available as a generic, and generics are typically dispensed as cash purchases when you do not have coverage. Cash prices are not standardized: two pharmacies a few miles apart can charge noticeably different amounts for the same drug, strength, and quantity. That is why it pays to compare rather than simply refill where you always have. Prices also vary by dosage form, since tablets and the oral suspensions are priced differently.

An Rx.com coupon is free to use, requires no membership, and can be presented at the pharmacy counter for the cash price shown. Enter your ZIP code above to compare today's prices across more than 60,000 pharmacies, then bring the coupon to the pharmacy you choose. If you have insurance or Medicare, ask the pharmacist to check both your benefit and the coupon price, and use whichever is lower.

Alternatives and related medicines

Megestrol is one of several medicines that come up in these treatment conversations, and the right choice depends entirely on what is being treated. In hormone-related cancer care, medicines such as tamoxifen and anastrozole work by different mechanisms than a progestin. Medroxyprogesterone acetate is another progestin, though its approved uses are not the same as megestrol's.

When the concern is appetite or weight loss, the FDA-approved options are narrow. Dronabinol is approved only for anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS, and it is a controlled substance (the capsules are Schedule III). Mirtazapine and prednisone have no FDA-approved indication for appetite or weight gain at all; any use for that purpose is off-label, and the evidence behind it is limited and debated. None of these is an equivalent swap for megestrol.

These are not interchangeable substitutes, and none of them should be swapped in on your own. Only your prescriber can say which medicine is appropriate. If cost is what is driving the question, bring it up at your next visit; there is often more than one reasonable option, and comparing cash prices on each can help you and your prescriber pick one you can actually afford to keep taking.

Safety information to know

Megestrol acetate tablets and oral suspension do not carry a boxed warning, but the label describes several risks worth understanding. With long-term use, the drug can suppress the body's stress-hormone (HPA) axis, and new-onset diabetes, Cushing's syndrome, and adrenal insufficiency have been reported. Signs of adrenal insufficiency include low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or weakness. This is serious, and failure to recognize it may result in death, so tell your care team promptly about these symptoms. Do not stop megestrol abruptly after long-term use; extra steroid coverage may be needed during illness or surgery. The label also notes thromboembolic events including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, so caution is advised if you have a history of blood clots. Hyperglycemia and new or worsening diabetes, heart failure, and edema are also described. Weight gain is a frequent effect and is considered a therapeutic effect rather than fluid retention alone.

Megestrol is contraindicated in known or suspected pregnancy because of the risk of fetal harm; animal studies showed reduced fetal weight, fewer live births, and feminization of male fetuses. Pregnancy testing before treatment and effective contraception during treatment are advised for people who could become pregnant. It is also contraindicated in anyone with a history of hypersensitivity to megestrol acetate or any component of the formulation, and women with HIV infection should not breastfeed. Side-effect rates on the label come from the oral suspension studied at 800 mg/day in the AIDS anorexia and cachexia trials: adverse events reported in at least 5% of patients on that dose were diarrhea, impotence, rash, flatulence, hypertension, asthenia, insomnia, nausea, anemia, fever, and decreased libido. Those figures describe the suspension at that dose in that population, and are not a rate list for the 20 mg and 40 mg tablets taken at 40 to 320 mg/day for breast or endometrial cancer. This page is information, not medical advice; talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.