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Rimantadine Coupon - Rimantadine 100mg tablet

rimantadine

Generic Flumadine
Used for Flu
Used for Flu

Rimantadine is an antiviral used to treat influenza A in adults, and prevent influenza A in children and adults. But rimantadine hasn't been a recommended option in recent years because many strains of flu virus have become resistant to this medication. Rimantadine is taken by mouth, typically twice a day. Side effects aren't common, but can include nausea, trouble sleeping, and dizziness. The brand name Flumadine has been discontinued so it's only available as a generic.

Last reviewed on June 15, 2023
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What is Rimantadine?

What is Rimantadine used for?

  • Treatment of influenza type A - adults ages 17 and older

  • Prevention of influenza type A - people ages 1 year and older

How Rimantadine works

Rimantadine is an antiviral medication that prevents the influenza A virus from making copies of itself.

Drug Facts

Common BrandsFlumadine (brand no longer available)
Drug ClassAntiviral
Controlled Substance ClassificationNot a controlled medication
Generic StatusLower-cost generic available
AvailabilityPrescription only
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Avg retail price
$184.18(save 69.24%)
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$56.66
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What are the side effects of Rimantadine?

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

  • Nausea (3%)
  • Vomiting (2%)
  • Trouble sleeping (2%)
  • Dizziness (2%)

Other Side Effects

  • Dry mouth
  • Poor appetite
  • Nervousness
  • Weakness or lack of energy
  • Stomach pain
  • Diarrhea

Serious Side Effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
  • Seizures

Source: DailyMed

The following 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

Difficult or labored breathing

shortness of breath

tightness in the chest

wheezing

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

Anxiety

chest pain or discomfort

dizziness

dry mouth

fainting

fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat

hyperventilation

irregular heartbeats

irritability

lightheadedness

nervousness

pounding or rapid pulse

restlessness

seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there

shaking

trouble with sleeping

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:

Less common

Abdominal or stomach pain

acid or sour stomach

belching

continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears

diarrhea

difficulty with concentrating

headache

hearing loss

heartburn

impaired concentration

indigestion

lack or loss of strength

loss of appetite

nausea

rash

shakiness and unsteady walk

sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

stomach discomfort, upset, or pain

unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination

unusual tiredness or weakness

vomiting

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.

pros-and-cons

Pros and cons of Rimantadine

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Pros

Available as a lower-cost generic

Tablets can be made into an oral suspension for people who have a hard time swallowing tablets

Can be used for prevention of the flu in children as young as 1 year old

Not many known interactions with other medications

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Cons

Works best if taken within 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms

Not recommended as the first-choice option to treat influenza since some virus strains are resistant to it

Doesn't work for the influenza type B virus

Not a good option for people with serious kidney problems

pharmacist-tips

Pharmacist tips for Rimantadine

pharmacist
  • Start taking rimantadine as soon as you or someone around you has flu symptoms. It works best if you take it within 2 days of the onset of symptoms.

    • If you're taking rimantadine for treatment, take it for the full 7 days unless your healthcare provider tells you to stop, even if you don't have any more flu symptoms.

      • If you receive the live intranasal vaccine (LAIV), make sure you don't take rimantadine until 2 weeks after you received the vaccine. If you choose to get the LAIV vaccine after a course of rimantadine wait at least 48 hours after your last dose.

        • Though very rare, people who take rimantadine are more likely to experience seizures if they've had seizures in the past. Tell your provider if you have a history of seizures, or take anti-seizure medications. Report any seizure activity to your healthcare provider.

          • If your pharmacist gives you the oral suspension, shake it gently before each use. Only use the measuring device provided to you to measure the dose. Store the mixture at room temperature and throw it away after 14 days.

            faqs

            Frequently asked questions about Rimantadine

            Is rimantadine over the counter?
            No, rimantadine isn't sold over the counter. You'll need a prescription from your healthcare provider.
            Is rimantadine an antibiotic?
            No, rimantadine is an antiviral and only works against the influenza virus. Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infections.
            Is Tamiflu the same as rimantadine?
            While both rimantadine and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are oral anti-flu medications, they have some differences. Oseltamivir (Tamilfu) is used to prevent and treat influenza types A and B, whereas rimantadine only works against influenza type A. Because the flu virus can change from year to year, your provider might recommend one anti-flu medication over another, depending on the most up-to-date research. For example, rimantadine hasn't been a recommended option for flu treatment for many years because of viral resistance. But oseltamivir (Tamilfu) is one of the first-choice options and the most commonly prescribed anti-flu medication.
            Does rimantadine interact with cough and cold medications?
            A few small studies have show taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin (medications found in some cough and cold medications) can lower the amount of rimantadine in your body. But it's unclear whether or not this has any effect on how well rimantadine works to treat or prevent the flu. Talk to your provider about which cough and cold medications are safe for you to take together with rimantadine.
            What if I don't take rimantadine within 48 hours of my first symptoms?
            Rimantadine works best if you take it within 48 hours after the first flu symptoms appear. Research shows that when you take this medication as soon as possible, it can shorten the amount of time you're sick with fever or other symptoms, like chills or body aches. If you start rimantadine more than 48 hours after your symptoms appear, if might not work as well.
            Does rimantadine work against COVID-19?
            Rimantadine has only been proven to work against the influenza virus. It should never be used for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 or any other infection. There is ongoing research looking at how rimantadine and other medications might be useful against COVID-19, but there isn't enough information in humans to know if it works against the virus.
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            What are the risks and warnings for Rimantadine?

            Rimantadine 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.

            risk-warning

            Higher risk of seizures

            • Risk factors: History of seizures | Use of amantadine

              People with a history of epilepsy have a higher risk of seizures when taking a similar medication to rimantadine, amantadine. In clinical studies, some people with a history of seizures experienced seizure-like activity while taking rimantadine. If you experience seizures while taking rimantadine, stop taking the medication and contact your healthcare provider.

              risk-warning

              Higher risk of side effects in people with liver and kidney problems

              People who have liver and kidney conditions break down and clear rimantadine slower than people who don't. This can lead to rimantadine building up in the body, which can be dangerous. Your provider might adjust your dose if you have liver or kidney problems.

              dosage

              Rimantadine dosage forms

              The average cost for 60 tablets of 100mg of Rimantadine is $56.66 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 69.24% off the average retail price of $184.18.
              tablet
              Tablet
              DosageQuantityPrice as low asPrice per unit
              100mg60 tablets$56.66$0.94

              Typical dosing for Rimantadine

              • Treatment of influenza type A: The typical dose is 100 mg by mouth twice a day for 7 days.

              • Prevention of influenza type A:

                • Adults and children ages 10 years and older: The typical dose is 100 mg by mouth twice a day.

                • Children ages 1 to 9 years old: Your child's provider will determine their dose based on your child's body weight. The typical dose is 5 mg/kg by mouth once a day. The maximum dose is 150 mg.

              Your dose might differ if you have liver or kidney problems.

              interactions

              Interactions between Rimantadine and other drugs

              Rimantadine may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Rimantadine. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.

              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.

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              How much does Rimantadine cost?

              To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.View prices & coupons
              contraindications-icon

              Rimantadine contraindications

              Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Rimantadine will not be safe for you to take.
              alternatives

              What are alternatives to Rimantadine?

              There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Rimantadine. Compare a few possible alternatives below.
              Rimantadine
              Used for:
              • Treatment of influenza type A - adults ages 17 and older

              • Prevention of influenza type A - people ages 1 year and older

              $56.66 Lowest GoodRx priceView Prices
              Used for:
              • Flu treatment (flu types A and B) in people 2 weeks of age and older

              • Flu prevention (flu types A and B) in people 1 year of age and older

              $24.72 Lowest GoodRx priceView Prices
              Used for:
              • Flu treatment (flu types A and B) - age 7 years and older

              • Flu prevention (flu types A and B) - age 5 years and older

              $66.64 Lowest GoodRx priceView Prices
              images

              Rimantadine images

              Orange Oval G And 1911 - Rimantadine Hydrochloride 100mg Tablet
              This medicine is Orange, Oval Tablet Imprinted With "G" And "1911".Orange Oval G And 1911 - Rimantadine Hydrochloride 100mg Tablet
              Orange Round Cor And 111 - Rimantadine Hydrochloride 100mg Tablet
              This medicine is Orange, Round Tablet Imprinted With "111" And "Cor".Orange Round Cor And 111 - Rimantadine Hydrochloride 100mg Tablet

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              References

              Best studies we found

              Amneal Pharmaceuticals of New York LLC. (2022). RIMANTADINE HYDROCHLORIDE tablet, film coated [package insert]. DailyMed.

              Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Antiviral drug resistance among influenza viruses.

              Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Influenza antiviral drug resistance.

              View All References (3)

              Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Influenza antiviral medications: Summary for clinicians.

              Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Types of influenza viruses.

              Halder, U. C. (2021). Predicted antiviral drugs darunavir, amprenavir, rimantadine and saquinavir can potentially bind to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 conserved proteins. Journal of Biological Research.

              GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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