Breaking Down the Blowfish Pill: Save by Knowing Your Active Ingredients

^{Photo courtesy of Jamiesrabbits, via Flickr}

Earlier in the week, the blogosphere went nuts over Blowfish, the first ever FDA-approved hangover cure. Just drop a couple of these tablets in a glass of water, let it fizz like Alka-Seltzer, and soon your headache, nausea and profound self-loathing will be nothing more than a memory.

The problem is that Blowfish doesn't do anything extraordinary. The only active ingredients are aspirin and caffeine. And, while aspirin and caffeine really do work for a hangover, the company is charging a whopping one-dollar-per-tablet for an order of Blowfish. That's two dollars to relieve a hangover, when you could have the same results with some 99-cent-store aspirin and a little coffee.

What it comes down to is this: If you don't know what you're paying or, you'll likely pay too much for it. This is why a basic understanding of active ingredients--those ingredients that make drugs work--will save you money. If you know what ingredient you're after, you can buy whatever formulation is cheapest.

Read on to learn of some more examples of common drugs that share active ingredients.

Antihistamines and Sleep Aids

Have you ever noticed how Benadryl, the over-the-counter allergy medicine, makes you sleepy? Turns out drug manufacturers had the same insight. That's why they repackaged diphenhydramine HCI as an over-the-counter sleep aid. It's the same stuff you'll find in Tylenol PM.

Now, it's important to keep in mind that dyphenhydramine HCI packaged as an antihistamine isn't necessarily cheaper than the same drug packaged as a sleep aid. I have, however, noticed that the dosing is the same, and that often times one kind will be on sale while the other isn't.

It's also worthwhile noting that sometimes you can find dyphenhydramine HCI and acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) cheaper when you buy them separately, as opposed to pre-mixed in Tylenol PM. Next time you shop, just be sure to check out both the allergy aisle and the pain-reliever aisle.

Calcium Supplements and Antacids

Osteoporosis is a wide-spread disease, and no fun at all. Calcium, on the other hand, is safe, readily available, and has a pleasant, creamy taste. These two reasons explain why supplement manufacturers have taken to sticking calcium in every kind of chocolate, candy, and smoothie imaginable. This kind of supplement isn't cheap.

If you're only interested in getting your calcium and getting out the door, you'll find that the active ingredient in many over-the-counter antacids, including Tums, is just calcium carbonate. You'll also find that store-brand calcium carbonate antacids are dirt cheap, and just as good as the name brand. Just make sure you check the label, so you're not getting any additional active ingredients you don't need.

Smoking Cessation Aids and Antidepressants

If you're considering quitting smoking, there are a number of prescription drugs that can make it a lot easier. One of these is Zyban, a name-brand drug that is considerably more effective than going cold turkey.

But you should never let your doctor write you a prescription for Zyban. Instead, make it bupropion, the generic name for the antidepressant Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin is--you may have guessed--identical to Zyban.

And there's more good news: bupropion is available on most $4 prescription drug programs.

Menstrual Cramp Medicine and Headache Medicine

While Motrin's marketing is targeted mainly toward women, with the promise that it will alleviate pain associated with menstrual cramps, and Advil is marketed mainly as a headache medicine, they are both in fact the same thing. Ibuprofen is a common NSAID pain reliever, and it is the active ingredient in both.

As in the Benadryl/sleep-aid example, you won't necessarily find one indication cheaper than the other. Your best bet is to look for generic, store-brand ibuprofen, and to buy it in bulk.

If you have frequent aches and pains, and ibuprofen works best for you, ask your doctor to write you a prescription for generic ibuprofen. You can often get a stronger formulation, and break the tablets in half when you don't want to take quite so much. The best part is that ibuprofen is covered by all major $4 prescription drug programs.

Know of any other common drugs or remedies that share active ingredients? Or know of any other tips for saving on medicine? Please share in the comments.