Botox Alternatives Compared

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA)	Nurtec ODT (rimegepant)	Topiramate	Enter another drug to compare

Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA)

Nurtec ODT (rimegepant)

Topiramate

Prescription only

Botox is approved to treat many conditions, such as chronic migraine, involuntary muscle contractions or twitching, excessive sweating, increased saliva, and overactive bladder to name a few. Botox... View more

Prescription only

Nurtec ODT may be placed onto or under the tongue to treat the symptoms of migraine in adults, and it may also be used to prevent episodic migraine when taken every second day. Nurtec ODT works by... View more

Prescription only

Topiramate may be prescribed either alone or in combination with other medications for the treatment of certain types of epilepsy, or it may be given for the prevention of migraines. Drowsiness is a... View more

More about Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA)

More about Nurtec ODT (rimegepant)

More about Topiramate

Ratings & Reviews

Botox has an average rating of 5.7 out of 10 from a total of 473 ratings on Drugs.com. 47% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 41% reported a negative effect.

Nurtec ODT has an average rating of 6.3 out of 10 from a total of 320 ratings on Drugs.com. 53% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 30% reported a negative effect.

Topiramate has an average rating of 6.3 out of 10 from a total of 1332 ratings on Drugs.com. 51% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 28% reported a negative effect.

View all 473 reviews

View all 320 reviews

View all 1332 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Pain (18.0%)
Headaches (8.2%)
Neck pain (5.9%)
Urinary tract infection (4.9%)
Anxiety (3.6%)
Migraine (3.6%)
Dizziness (3.4%)

View all Botox side effects

Nausea (18.4%)
Dizziness (4.4%)
Headaches (4.1%)
Tiredness (4.1%)
Migraine (3.4%)
Vomiting (3.1%)
Brain fog (2.8%)

View all Nurtec ODT side effects

Tingling (15.6%)
Memory loss (12.7%)
Weight loss (11.5%)
Brain fog (10.1%)
Loss of appetite (7.9%)
Depression (6.6%)
Dizziness (6.4%)

View all Topiramate side effects

Drug Class

Skeletal muscle relaxants

CGRP inhibitors

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor anticonvulsants

Generic Availability

N/A

No lower cost generic approved

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	1 powder for injection
Strength	100 units
Per unit^*	$699.62
Cost^*	$699.62

View all Botox prices

Quantity	8 tablet, disintegrating
Strength	75 mg
Per unit^*	$138.56
Cost^*	$1,108.47

View all Nurtec ODT prices

Quantity	7 tablet
Strength	50 mg
Per unit^*	$2.36
Cost^*	$16.55

View all Topiramate prices

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Dosage Forms

Injectable powder for injection

Oral tablet, disintegrating

Oral capsule
Oral capsule, extended release
Oral tablet

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

N/A

11 hours

56 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category C Risk cannot be ruled out

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Summary unavailable.

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category D Positive evidence of risk

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 120 drugs are known to interact with Botox:

25 major drug interactions (60 brand and generic names)
95 moderate drug interactions (557 brand and generic names)

A total of 167 drugs are known to interact with Nurtec ODT:

57 major drug interactions (174 brand and generic names)
109 moderate drug interactions (310 brand and generic names)
1 minor drug interactions (2 brand and generic names)

A total of 291 drugs are known to interact with Topiramate:

108 major drug interactions (654 brand and generic names)
180 moderate drug interactions (721 brand and generic names)
3 minor drug interactions (13 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

No known alcohol/food interactions. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

If you are receiving therapy with rimegepant you may want to avoid the regular consumption of large... View more

Ask your doctor before using alcohol together with topiramate. This can cause excessive sleep... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

December 09, 1991

February 27, 2020

December 24, 1996

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

More Information

Patient Resources

Botox uses

Nurtec ODT uses

Topiramate uses

Professional Resources

Prescribing information

Prescribing information

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Botox Alternatives Compared

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