Methenamine Hippurate Coupons & Prices

Looking for a methenamine hippurate coupon? Methenamine hippurate is the low-cost generic version of Hiprex and Urex, a urinary tract antiseptic used to help prevent frequently recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs). Because it is a generic, cash prices are already modest, but the amount you pay can vary widely from one pharmacy to the next. Enter your ZIP code above to compare today's price across more than 60,000 pharmacies with Rx.com and pick up the lowest price near you.

What is methenamine hippurate and how does it work?

Methenamine hippurate is a urinary tract antiseptic (a methenamine salt) sold under the brand names Hiprex and Urex. It is FDA-approved for the prophylactic, or suppressive, treatment of frequently recurring urinary tract infections when long-term therapy is considered necessary. In acidic urine, methenamine is converted into small amounts of formaldehyde, which produces a nonspecific antibacterial effect in the bladder.

Importantly, methenamine hippurate is not an antibiotic and is not used to treat an active or acute UTI. It is started only after a current infection has first been cleared with an appropriate antibiotic, and it then works to help keep infections from coming back. It is increasingly used as an antibiotic-sparing option to reduce how often recurrent UTIs happen, particularly in women. Your provider will decide whether it is right for your situation.

Methenamine hippurate cost and savings without insurance

Methenamine hippurate is available as an affordable generic, so it is generally inexpensive compared with brand-name Hiprex or Urex. Even so, cash prices are not the same everywhere, and the gap between a high-priced and a low-priced pharmacy in the same town can be significant. That is exactly why comparing before you fill matters.

Rx.com checks prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies so you can find the lowest cash price near you, with or without insurance. There is no manufacturer savings card for this generic. To see what you would actually pay today, enter your ZIP code above and show the coupon at the pharmacy counter.

Alternatives and related UTI medications

Methenamine hippurate prevents recurrence rather than treating an active infection, so it is often discussed alongside true antibiotics that treat or prevent UTIs. Your prescriber may consider other options depending on your history and the type of bacteria involved.

• Nitrofurantoin and its brand form Macrobid — antibiotics commonly used for uncomplicated UTIs and sometimes for prevention.
• Trimethoprim and the combination sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim — antibiotics used to treat UTIs. Note that methenamine should not be combined with sulfonamides, because the two can form an insoluble precipitate in the urine.
• Phenazopyridine — used for the burning and urgency of a UTI, but it relieves symptoms only and does not treat the infection.

Each of these works differently from methenamine hippurate. Compare prices for any of them on Rx.com, and let your provider choose the right medication for you.

Safety, side effects, and what to avoid

Methenamine hippurate has no boxed warning, but it is not right for everyone. It should not be used by people with kidney (renal) insufficiency, severe liver (hepatic) insufficiency, or severe dehydration, and it should not be combined with sulfonamide antibiotics. Because it needs acidic urine (a goal pH around 5.5 or lower) to work, urine-alkalinizing agents such as sodium bicarbonate, acetazolamide, and some antacids should be avoided, and it is less effective against urea-splitting organisms such as Proteus and Pseudomonas.

Common side effects are usually mild and include stomach upset, nausea, and rash. Very large doses (about 8 grams a day for 3 to 4 weeks) have caused bladder irritation, painful or frequent urination, protein in the urine, and blood in the urine. Periodic liver function monitoring is recommended, especially for people with liver problems, and safe use in early pregnancy has not been established. This is general information, not medical advice, so talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your health history and any other medicines you take.