# A question about prescription Motrin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595 "2004-02-11T04:00:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/1 "2004-02-11T04:00:17Z")
Is there any difference between the Motrin that is prescribed by a doctor/dentist and what you buy in the store? My boyfriend went to the dentist and was given a prescription for 800 milligram tablets of Motrin. I told him that rather than fill the prescription, he should go to the store and buy the 200mg version and take 4 of them. The reason being that the ones from the pharmacy probably cost a lot more. He didn’t take my advice, saying that he would rather do what the dentist told him. I can respect that and his course of action is probably the safe one. Still, I had to wonder, is there a difference? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/2 "2004-02-11T04:32:43Z")
> [@Club 33](#): > > Is there any difference between the Motrin that is prescribed by a doctor/dentist and what you buy in the store? According to my internist, no. I had tendonitis and he said he could write me a prescription for Ibuprofen (active ingredient in Motrin, not sure what brand name he mentioned), or I could just buy some over the counter and take double the recommended dose. He said the latter would be cheaper and just as effective. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/3 "2004-02-11T04:35:00Z")
Exactly the same. But take the amount of pills X 800mg and compare it to the amount of mg in a regular bottle. Are you better off paying the OTC price or the pharmacy price (assuming you have insurance that will cover it). Also you said dentist. I don’t know what kind of work was done. But will it be easier to swallow one big pill or 4 small ones? ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/4 "2004-02-11T04:43:22Z")
There is no difference in the active ingredient or dose. There are probably differences in the other ingredients depending on what actual brand of generic Ibuprofen the script would be filled for and what brand of Ibuprofen your friend could hypothetically take in its place. While your advice holds true in many cases, it is possible that certain OTC formulations should should not be substituted for prescription formulations, particularly timed-released or specially-coated drugs. The pharmacist can be consulted about drug formulations, but IIRC, the doctor is the only person who can legally make changes to the prescription. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/5 "2004-02-11T12:47:55Z")
According to the Walgreens website, generic ibuprofen costs $11.99 for 60 800 mg tablets. Assuming he was prescribed 3 a day, that works out to a 20-day supply. Advil, on the other hand, costs around fifteen bucks a bottle for a (roughly) equivalent supply at the same dose. Even if you used generic ibuprofen, it works out to about the same cost. Whatever you save in not buying the prescription strength you lose in having to buy the over the counter more often. A good rule is to at least check the prescription price at the pharmacy. You do have the option of not filling it if it’s too expensive, but you’d be surprised at how inexpensive some generics are. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/6 "2004-02-11T16:34:16Z")
The last time I bought ibuprofen, I paid $12.99 for 500 200 mg. Tablets. That would be 125 800-mg. doses, so a little under half the price per dose of the prescription dosage. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/7 "2004-02-12T06:29:37Z")
Thanks for the information, everyone. I knew the dopers would come through yet again. 🙂 Much appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![legendarytech7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f9b8f/32.png) [@legendarytech7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legendarytech7)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/8 "2016-05-24T04:36:47Z")
My doctor has had me on prescription-strength ibuprofen taking 1 800 milligram tablet twice a day for the last 3 months for back and leg pain. I know that a prescription for 60 tablets prescription strength Motrin at Walmart is on the $4 prescription list. With my insurance I only paid $0.50 a month for my script it is extremely cheaper to get it by prescription. Anytime my doctor prescribes medication whether he says I can get it over the counter or not I always ask for a script so my insurance will pay for it. If it’s something they don’t cover then I will pay out of pocket but I’ve only had that happen once ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/9 "2016-05-24T11:07:39Z")
> [@Stan\_Doubt](#): > > There is no difference in the active ingredient or dose. There are probably differences in the other ingredients depending on what actual brand of generic Ibuprofen the script would be filled for and what brand of Ibuprofen your friend could hypothetically take in its place. > > While your advice holds true in many cases, it is possible that certain OTC formulations should should not be substituted for prescription formulations, particularly timed-released or specially-coated drugs. The pharmacist can be consulted about drug formulations, but IIRC, the doctor is the only person who can legally make changes to the prescription. ^ This is one of the things pharmacists are for, asking if you can make a substitution of that sort. Most seem happy to be consulted for this expertise, probably because it gives them a break from counting pills. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/10 "2016-05-24T12:58:20Z")
FYI - This is a Zombie but most likely still relevant. I was about to reply to a long absent poster. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/11 "2016-05-24T14:21:00Z")
> [@legendarytech7](#): > > My doctor has had me on prescription-strength ibuprofen taking 1 800 milligram tablet twice a day for the last 3 months for back and leg pain. … [unsolicited comment] That is a helluva lot of ibuprofen to be taking for that long. It can be really hard on the [kidneys](https://www.google.com/search?q=ibuprofen+kidney+damage&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8). Do look into this. [/unsolicited comment] ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/12 "2016-05-24T23:09:08Z")
I think he meant 1 tablet of 800 mg, not a 1800 mg tablet. ETA: Upon re-reading, I see that was twice-a-day. That’s 1600 mg a day. That’s about what my doctor told me was the maximum safe dosage for long-term usage. I take 400 mg (2 tabs of 200 mg), three or four times a day, totaling 1200 to 1600 mg per day. My doctor told me I could take as much as twice that amount safely. I get generic supermarket store brand ibuprofen in bottles of 1000 for $18.00 – and that’s at a rather pricey supermarket. The same at Target or Walmart would be even cheaper I’m sure. But I still can’t see that competing with a prescription if you can get that at Walmart for $4.00 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-prescription-motrin/228595/13 "2016-05-25T21:28:58Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > ETA: Upon re-reading, I see that was twice-a-day. That’s 1600 mg a day. That’s about what my doctor told me was the maximum safe dosage for long-term usage. > > I take 400 mg (2 tabs of 200 mg), three or four times a day, totaling 1200 to 1600 mg per day. My doctor told me I could take as much as twice that amount safely. I’m not following the math here. Your doctor told you that 1600mg is the max safe dosage, but your doctor told you that you could take 2 x 1600mg safely?