Top 10 Expensive Drugs With Cheaper Alternatives

When should you opt for the brand name expensive drugs and when should you consider a cheaper generic option? The answer, surprisingly, is more often than you think! The truth is, more physicians and pharmacists are actually recommending that their patients opt for cheaper generic drugs as opposed to brand name expensive drugs.

They are the same quality and are just as effective, but they don’t come with a fancy unnecessary price upgrade. Don’t Take That Expensive Drug—Take This Generic Instead! In this post, learn about 10 expensive drugs that you can substitute with equally effective yet much cheaper generic drug alternatives.

For your convenience, we have linked to all medication prices listed within the eDrugSearch database that will help you save even more—up to 90% off U.S. retail drug prices.

1.) Dexilant

Dexilant is in a class of particularly pricey expensive drugs that are commonly prescribed to treat for peptic ulcers, gastritis, gastroesophagul reflux and other related conditions. These medications with other brand name proton pump inhibitor drugs like Prilosec and Protonix.

Ask your doctor to prescribe cheaper generic lansoprazole or pantoprazole.

2.) Vytorin

Vytorin belongs to a class of expensive drugs known as statins, which lower cholesterol. The only instance in which your doctor might insist you take Vytorin is if you have recently suffered from a heart attack. This is because Vytorin is a straight combination of simvastatin and another brand name drug called Zetia. If you re taking statins for reduction of heart attack risk, stick to generics.

Ask your doctor to prescribe cheaper generic simvastatin instead.

3.) Accolate (Zafirlukast)

Used for treating asthma, Zafirlukast (accolate) is much pricier than its competitor, montelukast (Singulair). In actuality, montelukast (Singulair) actually works much better for most people because you can take it just once per day and you don’t have to coordinate timing with meals.

Ask your doctor to prescribe cheaper generic montelukast instead.

4.) Pristiq

Pristiq is a relative newcomer to the SNRI brand name market and is quite expensive. If you are being treated for fibromyalgia or depression, there are two cheaper and equally effective generic options you can take instead.

Ask your doctor to prescribe cheaper generics, venlafaxine or duloxetine instead.

5.) Avodart

For patients suffering from enlarged prostate and related issues, the class of drugs commonly prescribed are 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. Avodart is the most expensive of these. Studies have shown that the less expensive Proscar (finasteride) works just as well.

Ask your doctor to prescribe cheaper generic finasteride instead.

6.) Benicar

Benicar is in a class of expensive drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB). This class, used to treat high blood pressure, offers a number of very effective generics, some of which also come with fewer side effects.

Ask your doctor to prescribe cheaper generics like, valsartan or losartan instead.

7.) Vimovo

Vimovo is very expensive, but underneath the fancy brand name you find naproxen and esomeprazole.

Ask your doctor to prescribe 20mg tablets of esomeprazole and 500 mg tablets of naproxen instead. Take the two together to cut your costs in half.

8.) Bystolic

Bystolic is commonly prescribed as a beta blocker for high blood pressure. What most patients don’t know is that it is just one of three options that can be successfully used to increase survival rate for heart failure.

Ask your doctor to prescribe these cheaper generic drugs, metoprolol and carvedilol instead.

9.) Pataday

For allergy sufferers and those with red itchy eyes, the brand name expensive drugs Pataday and Patanol is very commonly prescribed. But a cheaper and equally good option is azelastine (Optivar).

Ask your doctor to prescribe cheaper generic azelastine instead.

10.) Celebrex (Celecoxib)

Celebrex (celecoxib) is a very well known and popular arthritis medication in the class of expensive drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, even the recent introduction of a generic version has not affected the brand name price (or people’s willingness to pay for it). But there is another lesser known Cox-2 inhibitor option called Mobic (meloxicam) that works just as well and is much cheaper.

Ask your doctor to prescribe doctor to prescribe cheaper generic meloxicam instead.

About eDrugSearch.com

eDrugSearch is a free online drug price comparison search engine. Founded in 2007, eDrugSearch’s mission is simple: to help you find the lowest cost medication that will meet your needs. If your medication costs are eating into your monthly budget, eDrugSearch can help! Be sure to contact eDrugSearch.com to compare drug prices and save 50-90% off your medications costs.