I'm in the donut hole for Medicare. I started to pick up my prescription for Silenar and was shocked that for a 3 month supply of 3my every night, the cost was over $500. How can anyone afford this?
Why the high cost for a lower dose of an old drug?
- Asked
- 7 Dec 2010 by caveshar
- Updated
- 28 Oct 2011
- Topics
- silenor
Responses (3)
Its expensive because it is a branded pharmaceutical. 5 to 6 bucks a pill for a low dose of an old drug is ridiculous. However, generic 3 and 6 mg tablets won't be out for 3 more years.
You might want to discuss using the 10 mg doxepin generic capsule ($4 a month) with your doctor. I know people who take this inexpensive dose with good results and no side effects.
Alternatively, if you don't mind measuring out a liquid, you can get the doxepin elixir (comes in 10 mg/ml so you can take 0.3 ml each night --- also very very cheap).
Well, I am not sure why a drug that old does not have a generic and the only reason that I can think of is, is that there are probably better options that have already been created. I am not sure if you are married to this particular sleep aid, but personally, as an insomnia suffer for many years and one who has tried all of the benzos, all of the hypnotics and even some of the almost never scripted anymore barbiturates, I took the advice of a young doctor in Hawaii and tried this drug that in high doses is an anti-psychotic, but in low doses it is great as a sleep medication.

Further Information
- Silenor Information for Consumers
- Silenor Information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details)
- Side Effects of Silenor (detailed)
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