bepotastine
Bepotastine (Bepreve) is an allergy eye drop for people over the age of 2. It's an antihistamine medication that helps with itchy eyes from allergies. The typical dosing is to put 1 drop of the medication into the affected eye(s) twice a day. It can sometimes leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth as a side effect, even though you use the medication as an eye drop. You need a prescription from a healthcare professional for both the brand-name and generic version.
What is Bepotastine (Bepreve)?
What is Bepotastine (Bepreve) used for?
How Bepotastine (Bepreve) works
Bepotastine (Bepreve) is an antihistamine. It works by blocking histamine, a chemical in your body that causes itchy eyes when you have allergies. This medication also helps stop certain immune cells in the body from releasing histamine.
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Bepreve |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Antihistamine |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | Lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
Side effects of Bepotastine (Bepreve)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth after using (25%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Eye irritation
- Common cold symptoms
- Headache
The following Bepotastine (Bepreve) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Red, sore eyes
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Mild taste in your mouth
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Bepotastine (Bepreve)
Pros
- Relieves itchy eyes due to allergies
- Few side effects
- Works within 15 minutes and lasts for at least 8 hours
Cons
- Not available over the counter; needs a prescription from a healthcare professional
- Can cause a bad taste in the mouth
- Not for eye itchiness or irritation caused by infections or contact lenses
Pharmacist tips for Bepotastine (Bepreve)
- Wash your hands before putting bepotastine (Bepreve) drops in your eyes. Don't touch the dropper tip with hands, and keep the tip from touching your eye or any other surface. This helps you avoid eye infections that can happen if the medication gets germs in it.
- If you wear soft contacts, remove them before each time you use bepotastine (Bepreve). Wait for 10 minutes before putting your contacts back into your eyes. The eye drops have a preservative in it that can damage the contacts.
- How to use bepotastine (Bepreve): When you're ready, tilt your hand back and pull your lower lid away from the eye. Then, let 1 drop of medication fall from the dropper tip into this pocket. Afterwards, close your eye and press a finger to the inner corner of your eye by the nose for 1 minute. This helps your eye absorb the medication instead of letting it drain into your tear duct.
- If you need to use other eye medications along with bepotastine (Bepreve), wait 5 minutes between each one. This gives your eyes enough time to absorb each medication.
- You might have an unpleasant taste in your mouth after you put a drop of bepotastine (Bepreve) in your eye. If this side effect doesn't go away or starts to bother you, talk to your prescriber.
- In general, don't wear contact lenses when your eye is red. Otherwise, it can irritate your eye even more.
Risks and warnings for Bepotastine (Bepreve)
Bepotastine (Bepreve) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Avoid getting the dropper tip and medication contaminated
Don't touch the dropper tip of bepotastine (Bepreve) with your hands. Also don't let the tip touch your eye or any other surface. Close the bottle after you use the eye drops. This will help avoid getting the medication contaminated with bacteria and other germs. It helps lower your risk of getting an eye infection.
Must remove contact lenses before using
Bepotastine (Bepreve) has a preservative in it called benzalkonium chloride. This preservative can get absorbed by soft contact lenses and damage them. If you wear soft contacts, take them out before each time you use bepotastine (Bepreve). Wait at least 10 minutes after using the drops before putting your contacts back in. Don't use bepotastine (Bepreve) to treat eye irritation caused by contact lenses.
Bepotastine (Bepreve) dosage
Eye dropper| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5ml of 1.5% | 1 eye dropper | $51.20 | $51.20 |
| 10ml of 1.5% | 1 eye dropper | $72.60 | $72.60 |
Typical dosage for Bepotastine (Bepreve)
The typical dose is 1 drop in the affected eye(s) twice a day.
Interactions between Bepotastine (Bepreve) and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
How much does Bepotastine (Bepreve) cost?
$51.20
What are alternatives to Bepotastine (Bepreve)?
Bepotastine (Bepreve) images
