Ibuprofen-Famotidine Coupons & Prices

An ibuprofen-famotidine coupon from Rx.com can lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter for this prescription combination tablet, sold under the brand name Duexis before that brand was discontinued in the United States in August 2023. A generic version of ibuprofen and famotidine is available. Cash prices for the same prescription can differ a great deal from one pharmacy to the next, even within the same town, which is why comparing is worth the minute it takes. Rx.com compares prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies, so enter your ZIP code above to see today's price near you.

What is ibuprofen and famotidine, and how does it work?

Ibuprofen and famotidine is a fixed-dose combination tablet that puts two familiar medicines together. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (an NSAID, and a nonselective COX inhibitor) that eases pain, swelling, and stiffness. Famotidine is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist, the same kind of medicine used to reduce stomach acid. In this tablet, the famotidine is included only to help lower the risk of stomach ulcers from the ibuprofen. It does not add any extra pain relief.

The FDA-approved uses for this tablet are relief of the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, and decreasing the risk of developing upper gastrointestinal ulcers (in the stomach and/or the first part of the small intestine) in people taking ibuprofen for those two conditions. It is not indicated for the initial treatment of sudden, acute pain, because the ibuprofen in this formulation is absorbed more slowly. The label also notes that the controlled studies did not run beyond six months, and that the ulcer-risk studies mainly enrolled patients under 65 without a prior history of GI ulcer. Your prescriber decides whether this combination fits your situation.

What it costs without insurance, and how to pay less

There is no manufacturer savings card for this medicine, and the Duexis brand is no longer marketed in the U.S. (the FDA's March 2024 Federal Register notice confirmed the brand was not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons, which allows generics to be approved). If you are paying cash, the price you are quoted depends heavily on which pharmacy you walk into. Prices vary widely by pharmacy, so comparing before you fill is the single most useful thing you can do. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price and bring the coupon to the counter.

One honest note worth knowing: this is a single tablet made of two drugs that are also sold on their own. Prescription-strength ibuprofen is available as a generic, and famotidine is available generically both by prescription and over the counter. The combination tablet has historically been priced well above what the two separate components cost. That does not mean it is the wrong choice for you, but it is a fair question to ask your prescriber: would taking generic ibuprofen plus famotidine separately be appropriate in my case? Do not make that switch on your own. Ask first.

Alternatives and related medicines to discuss with your prescriber

Other options exist for arthritis pain, each with its own trade-offs on stomach and heart risk. Your prescriber may consider a plain NSAID such as naproxen, meloxicam, or diclofenac, or the COX-2 selective NSAID celecoxib. If stomach protection is the goal, another approach is an NSAID paired with an acid-reducing medicine, either as a separate omeprazole prescription or as another combination product like esomeprazole and naproxen.

Because prices move independently for each of these, the cheapest option near you is not always the one you would guess. Compare each candidate on Rx.com before you decide with your prescriber. This page is information, not medical advice, and the right choice depends on your history, especially any past ulcers, bleeding, kidney problems, or heart disease.

Safety information you should know

This medicine carries a two-part boxed warning, the FDA's most serious warning. First, cardiovascular thrombotic events: NSAIDs increase the risk of serious cardiovascular events including heart attack and stroke, which can be fatal. That risk may start early in treatment and may grow with longer use. It must not be used around the time of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Second, gastrointestinal bleeding, ulceration, and perforation: NSAIDs increase the risk of serious stomach and intestinal bleeding, ulcers, and perforation, which can be fatal and can happen at any time without warning symptoms. Older adults and people with a prior ulcer or GI bleed are at greater risk. Importantly, the famotidine in this tablet reduces but does not eliminate that risk.

Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to ibuprofen or famotidine, if you have had asthma, hives, or another allergic-type reaction after aspirin or another NSAID, if you are having CABG surgery, or if you are hypersensitive to other H2-receptor antagonists (cross-sensitivity can occur). Other important label warnings include liver injury (rarely fatal liver failure), high blood pressure and worsening heart failure or swelling, kidney problems and high potassium (avoid in advanced kidney disease), anaphylaxis, serious skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, anemia and other blood effects, masking of fever and inflammation, and nervous system effects including aseptic meningitis. Avoid use from about 20 weeks of pregnancy on because of risks to the baby's kidneys and amniotic fluid, and avoid from 30 weeks on because of premature closure of the ductus arteriosus. Tell your prescriber and pharmacist about everything you take, especially low-dose aspirin (ibuprofen can interfere with its heart-protective effect), blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs, SSRIs or SNRIs, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, beta-blockers, diuretics, lithium, methotrexate, cyclosporine, or pemetrexed. The most common side effects reported more often than with ibuprofen alone are nausea, diarrhea, constipation, upper stomach pain, and headache. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time needed. Because the two drugs are combined in one fixed tablet, the famotidine cannot be dose-adjusted on its own, which matters for people with moderate to severe kidney impairment. This is a summary, not medical advice, and it is not a complete list. Read the label and talk with your provider or pharmacist.