Ampyra Cost & Side Effects?

Ampyra is a medication which doctors may prescribe to help people walk with Multiple Sclerosis. Doctors usually use this drug in a combination with other medications that help people with MS. Ampyra has received FDA approval as of January this year.

What is the cost of Ampyra, is it expensive? My grandmother has MS and I will ask her doctor about this, but the way the economy is right now, I hope the price is not too high.

What about the side effects of Ampyra? Any info on the cost, please let me know.

Ampyra (dalfampridine) is a potassium channel blocker.

Ampyra is used to improve walking in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Dalfampridine produced an increase in walking speed in clinical trials. Exactly how it works is not known. It is thought to increase nerve function.

Ampyra, when given at doses greater than that recommended (10 milligrams twice a day), can cause seizures. The most common side effects and adverse reactions reported by patients taking Ampyra in clinical trials include urinary tract infection, insomnia, dizziness, headache, nausea, weakness, back pain, balance disorder, swelling in the nose or throat, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, throat pain, and burning, tingling or itching of skin.

Ampyra should not be used in patients with moderate to severe kidney disease. In these patients, blood levels with the drug approach those associated with the occurrence of seizures.

Ampyra is taken with other MS drugs and does not keep MS from getting worse, says Andrew D. Goodman, MD, director of the MS center at the University of Rochester, N.Y. Goodman led some of the clinical trials that led to the drug's approval.

"A large segment of people with MS have difficulty walking, and we have found that it helps some patients -- 35% in one study and 42% in another -- to consistently walk faster," Goodman tells WebMD. "Among those who do walk faster, they improve about 25% from baseline. These patients said they could walk longer distances, be on their feet longer, climb stairs better, and better perform other walking functions."

How much will Ampyra cost? According to a company press release on February 3, 2010, the wholesale price of Ampyra will be $1,056 per 30-day supply. The actual retail cost to an individual will depend on many factors, such as the cost negotiated by his or her insurer.