Colestipol Hcl Coupons & Prices

Looking for a colestipol HCl (Colestid) coupon? Colestipol hydrochloride is an inexpensive generic bile acid sequestrant used with diet to help lower high total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, but the cash price still swings widely from one pharmacy to the next. Enter your ZIP above to compare the current colestipol price across more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies and pull up a free Rx.com discount coupon you can show at the counter.

What is colestipol and how does it work?

Colestipol hydrochloride (brand name Colestid, also sold as Colestid Flavored granules) is a bile acid sequestrant, also called a bile acid-binding resin. It is FDA-approved as an addition to diet to reduce elevated total and LDL cholesterol in adults with primary high cholesterol who have not responded well enough to diet alone. It is often used together with a statin, or when a statin by itself is not enough.

The medicine works inside the intestine rather than in the bloodstream. It binds bile acids so they are carried out of the body in the stool. Because the liver needs bile acids, it pulls cholesterol from the blood to make more, which helps lower LDL cholesterol over time. Colestipol comes as tablets and as granules; the granules must always be mixed with water or another liquid and never swallowed dry.

Colestipol cost and coupons without insurance

Colestipol is available as an FDA-approved generic, so it is generally one of the lower-cost cholesterol medicines even without insurance. Still, the cash price is not the same everywhere, and it can vary a lot between two pharmacies in the same town, so comparing before you fill is worth it. There is no manufacturer copay savings card for colestipol.

Rx.com compares the cash price at more than 60,000 pharmacies nationwide and gives you a free discount coupon to use instead of, or alongside checking, your insurance. Enter your ZIP above to see today's colestipol price near you, then show the coupon to the pharmacist. The brand-name version, Colestid, is also on the market, but the generic contains the same active ingredient and usually costs less.

Colestipol vs. other cholesterol-lowering options

Colestipol is one of several bile acid sequestrants. Its closest relatives are cholestyramine (brand Questran) and colesevelam (brand Welchol). All three work the same basic way but differ in dosing form, taste, and how many other drug interactions they carry; your prescriber picks based on your needs and tolerance.

Bile acid sequestrants are frequently combined with, or considered alongside, other cholesterol treatments such as statins like atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, or the absorption inhibitor ezetimibe. These are different drug classes and are not interchangeable with colestipol, so any change should be made with your doctor. This is general information, not medical advice.

Colestipol safety, side effects, and interactions

Colestipol has no boxed warning. The most common side effects are stomach and bowel related: constipation (which can be severe and lead to fecal impaction or hemorrhoids), bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and nausea. Because it can raise triglycerides, it is used with caution in people who already have high triglycerides. Long-term use can lower vitamin K and increase the tendency to bruise or bleed, and it may reduce absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and of folic acid. It should not be used by anyone allergic to it or who has complete blockage of the bile ducts.

Colestipol can bind many other oral medicines in the gut and keep them from being absorbed, so other drugs should be taken at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after colestipol. Always mix the granules with liquid and never take them dry, to avoid choking. Tell your provider and pharmacist about every medicine and supplement you take, and talk to them before starting or stopping colestipol.