Medically reviewed by, Russell Braun RPH
It is back, that time of year when you have the symptoms. Watery eyes turn itchy, then your nose starts running and now your coughing. In the mirror your eyes are looking swollen, time to deal with the problem. You swing by the pharmacy to grab some Flonase Sensimist and wonder if there might be a coupon available?
Well you are not alone! According to the CDC by nearly 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from various types of allergies each year. What is worse is the cost of treating those allergies is estimated to be 18 billion dollars per year!
The good news? Flonase Sensimist can help prevent and clear up those allergy symptoms. Read below to find out how to get the best deal on Flonase Sensimist.
What is Flonase?
Flonase also known by the generic name fluticasone is a corticosteroid mediation. That means it blocks some of the effects your immune system has in reaction to allergens. Most allergy symptoms are due to these immune system overreactions that cause symptoms.
Fluticasone works by blocking the effects of the triggers that cause most allergies. The most common triggers include:
- Pollen
- Dust mites
- Pet dander
- Mold
Blocking the immune systems response to these triggers prevents swelling that leads to these classic symptoms of allergies. Hallmark allergy symptoms that Flonase Sensimist can help prevent are listed below.
- Sneezing
- Itchy eyes
- Eye watering
- Runny nose
- Stuffiness
What is the difference between Flonase Sensimist and regular Flonase?
The main difference between Flonase Sensimist and regular Flonase is the form of fluticasone they contain. As the table below shows the original Flonase contained the propionate salt form and Sensimist has the furoate salt.
| Product | Active Ingredient | Strength |
| Flonase | Fluticasone propionate | 50 mcg |
| Flonase Sensismist | Fluticasone furoate | 27.5 mcg |
The manufacturers of Flonase and Flonase Sensimist found that the furoate form binds tighter to the streroid receptors in the nose. However, there is not clear evidence that this provides better clinical benefit for patients.
Another difference is that Flonase Sensimist delivers the drug using a misting technology. The spray comes out in a very fine mist. Therefore, there is no dripping of the medication back out of the nostril. Studies are mixed but some have found that this may lead to Flonase Sensimist being better tolerated that regular Flonase.
Finally, the Sensimist product does not contain alcohol as part of the inactive ingredients like Flonase does. This may also be beneficial for patients who have side effects from using regular Flonase.
How much does Flonase Sensimist cost without insurance?
Flonase Sensimist costs $19 for 120 sprays on Amazon.com. Other pharmacies will sell Flonase Sensimist at nearly the same price point.
Both Flonase Sensimist and the original Flonase are sold Over The Counter (OTC). They can also be filled with a prescription from your doctor. Lets look at the various options this affords in an effort to save the most money on this medication.
Ways to save money on Flonase Sensimist… coupon or no coupon?
1. Is there a generic Flonase Sensimist?
There are generic versions of original Flonase available for sale at this time. Most are the store brands made by large retailers such as CVS and Walgreens. They are sold under the name fluticasone propionate nasal spray as that is the generic name.
However, Flonase Sensimist does not have a generic. Many times when drug patents expire a manufacturer will come out with a slightly different version of the product that can stay brand name. That is the case for Flonase Sensimist, therefore look to pay more for it.
A comparison of generic Flonase to Flonase Sensimist cost is shown below.
| Fluticasone propionate | 120 sprays | $13.58 |
| Flonase Sensimist | 120 sprays | $18.99 |
2. What can I use instead of Flonase?
A therapeutic alternative is a drug that had different chemical contents, but has the same effects as other drugs for treating a condition. Flonase Sensimist does not have generic alternative, but it does have therapeutic alternatives. Some of these therapeutic alternatives have generics as well, which also means they could be substantially cheaper.
Therapeutic alternatives to Flonase Sensimist
| Generic Drug | Brand names | Quantity | Generic Price |
| Budesonide | Rhinocort | 120 sprays | $14.99 |
| Triamcinolone | Nasacort | 120 sprays | $13.99 |
| Flunisolide | Nasalide | 120 sprays | $28.15 |
| Mometasone | Nasonex, Asmanex | 120 sprays | $29.95 |
While Flonase, fluticasone and Flonase Sensimist are available over the counter (OTC), not all steroid inhalers are. In the table above the bolded (budesonide and triamcinolone) are also available OTC. However, the other alternatives are not. The prices above are what you would pay either over the counter or in cash with no insurance for the prescription only options.
As you can see some of these can lower the cost to treat your allergies. If your insurance copay is lower than the prices of Flonase Sensimist that may be a good route to go as well. However, if you have to pay for a doctors office copay it might wipe out the savings.
BestRxforSavings tip: If you have had allergy symptoms in the past your doctor may just call you in a script for future cases without an office visit.
3. Utilize drug discount programs to research alternatives
Drug discount programs are available today in a variety of formats. These discount programs negotiate prices with one or all of the following to get discounts.
- Pharmacies
- Pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s)
- Drug manufacturers
Most work with pharmacies who want to show up in the search function on the discount programs website or mobile application. Therefore, patients can see a discounted price the pharmacy negotiates with the discount program. Keep in mind these can not be used with insurance, but instead when the negotiated price is better than the price with insurance. Most people would not think the discount price could be better than insurance, but many times it is. A few of the major discount programs available today include:
- GoodRx
- BlinkHealth
- Singlecard
- Trialcard
Again, checking to see if the therapeutic alternatives that have generics are cheaper without insurance is a good idea. Many times your insurance copay might be more than what you can buy them for from the pharmacy paying cash.
Things to remember about drug discount programs!
You will need your doctor to write you a prescription.
Even though Flonase Sensimist is only over the counter, for a drug discount program to work it has to have a prescription. The requirement has to do with how these services offer their discounts. Over the counter drugs are typically not searchable by these vendors.
4. How much does Flonase Sensimist cost with insurance?
Flonase Sensimist is an OTC medication. That means insurance will likely not cover it. If they do cover it your copay might be slightly higher than normal because it doesn’t have a generic.
Remember, if you have an HSA or an FSA money you spend on OTC drugs like Flonase Sensimist can be paid for out of those funds.
Two of the therapeutic alternatives listed above to Flonase Sensimist are prescription only. Given that they have generics most insurance plans will cover them. If you have a low copay for generic drugs this might be your best bet.
5. Does Medicare pay for Flonase Sensimist?
Flonase Sensimist is NOT covered by Medicare. Again, the reason being it is an OTC drug.
To find out if therapeutic alternatives are covered go to Medicare.gov and use the plan compare tool. Follow the prompts and provide your basic information about prescriptions and pharmacy preference. Next, you will see many details about coverage, focus in on two things:
- Drug deductible
- Pharmacies & prescription drugs
Clicking on the link under pharmacies & prescription drugs will show you exactly how much these drugs would cost you monthly and yearly.
6. Do doctors have Flonase Sensimist free samples?
I always encourage people to try samples before paying for any medication. Brand name drugs that are prescription will have samples that the manufacturer provides to doctors. Sampling the medication allows a trial where it can be determined if the medication is going to be well tolerated or not. For the best outcome I recommend bullet journaling medication effects.
Unfortunately, samples are not provided to doctors for OTC drugs like they are for prescription medications.
7. Flonase Sensimist coupons
GlaxoSmithKline the manufacturer of Flonase Sensimist does offer a coupon. If you go to their website you can grab a coupon for any any Flonase product. It is good for $2 off any 60 spray or $5 off a 120 spray product.
They require you to enter the following information to get the coupon:
- First name
- Last name
- Zip code
- Email address
The data gathered may be used to send you health information and promotional offers, so be ready for a few emails.
Keys to remember about Flonase Sensimist coupons
- The GlaxoSmithKline coupon can be used each time you purchase Flonase.
- Other coupons are typically not legitimate and end up with you receiving a bunch of offers from couponing websites.
8. Does Costco sell Flonase Sensimist?
Costco wholesale stores have been found to have some of the best prices on medications according to consumer reports. The good news for you is that they also sell Flonase Sensimist.
If you will be taking this medication on a consistent basis you may want to buy it in bulk. They offer 3 of the 120 spray inhalers for $56.99. However, this is the same price per inhaler as was listed above that can be found elsewhere.
9. Is it bad to use Flonase everyday?
As mentioned Flonase is a steroid. These medications take time work provide their full benefits. Therefore, using the nasal spray each day consistently will provide the most benefit. Allergy sufferers typically know the season that they have the most problems and should use Flonase daily during that time.
Normally about two weeks of use will get patients feeling better and many should be able to stop using Flonase. However, some people are very allergic and need to use the inhaler daily for up to 6 months.
If you plan on using Flonase for more than 6 months you should consult with your doctor. Long term use of steroids can have side effects.
10. Should I take Flonase in the morning or at night?
Allergy symptoms can provide the answer to this question. Meaning, if you have more symptoms in the morning, use Flonase in the morning. However, if you have more trouble breathing at night so you can sleep then using in the evening makes more sense.
Both Flonase and Flonase Sensimist are recommended to take 2 sprays in each nostril daily. It is important to gently blow your nose before use and to shake the container prior to administering. Those key tips can make a difference in how you respond to the medication.
If you have symptoms in the morning and at nighttime then splitting up and using 1 spray in each nostril in the morning and 1 in each nostril in the evening can be effective as well.
You may notice that after a week or more of use, your symptoms are under control. It is a good idea at that point to try and lower the dose to 1 spray in each nostril daily. This should let you maintain symptom relief without using as much medication.
11. What is the strongest allergy medicine?
In general the strongest allergy medications tend to be the ones that block many parts of the immune system responsible for allergy symptoms. Steroids, such as Flonase Sensimits are the best drugs for that because they typically block the following immune causes.
- Histamine release
- Prostaglandin formation
- Cytokine release
- Leukotriene activation
If steroids do not provide full relief then, the next step would be to add another kind of medication along with a steroid nasal spray.
Click here to get Dr. Jason Reed’s exclusive list of medication questions you MUST ask your doctor, for FREE!
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