Mestinon
Mestinon is pyridostigmine 60mg in tablet form for myasthenia gravis, the short-acting version taken through the day; packs hold 30 to 240 tablets.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60mg | 30 tablets | $75.60 | $2.52 |
| 60mg | 60 tablets | $130.80 | $2.18 |
| 60mg | 90 tablets | $185.40 | $2.06 |
| 60mg | 120 tablets | $234.00 | $1.95 |
| 60mg | 180 tablets | $320.40 | $1.78 |
| 60mg | 240 tablets | $398.40 | $1.66 |
- Category
- Neurology
- Active ingredient
- Pyridostigmine
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 60mg
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Myasthenia gravis
- Therapeutic Class
- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
- Pharmacological Class
- Cholinergic agent
- Minor Side Effects
- Abdominal cramps, Salivation, Increased sweating
- Moderate Side Effects
- Diarrhoea, Nausea, Muscle twitching
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- Bausch Health
- Onset Time
- 30–60 minutes
- Duration
- 3–6 hours
- Storage Instructions
- Store in a cool, dry place.
- Drug Interactions
- Beta-blockers, Corticosteroids, Aminoglycosides
- Age Restrictions
- Use with caution in children.
What you will receive
Mestinon is the originator brand name, made by Bausch Health. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Mestinon.
- The same active ingredient (Pyridostigmine) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Mestinon strengths and pack sizes can I order?
You can order Mestinon 60mg tablets in packs of 30 to 240 tablets. It is generic pyridostigmine, not the original Mestinon. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
How do I track my Mestinon order to Hong Kong?
Once it ships, the tracking page shows where the parcel is; tracked courier usually arrives in 5 to 9 business days, in a plain box. Live chat in English or Cantonese is open around the clock if something looks stuck.
How often do you take Mestinon 60mg tablets?
Several times a day, spaced out, because the plain 60mg tablet is short-acting. A long-acting tablet lasts longer and is taken less often. The number of doses you end up with depends on when your muscles tire.
Can I take Mestinon with food?
Yes. You can take them whether or not you have eaten, and no foods need to be avoided. Something in the stomach often takes the edge off the queasiness and cramping pyridostigmine can cause, so a dose just before a meal suits some people, particularly when chewing and swallowing are the hardest part of the day.
Is Mestinon the same as pyridostigmine?
Mestinon is the brand name the medicine was first sold under; pyridostigmine is the ingredient itself. The tablets sold here are generic pyridostigmine 60mg, the plain short-acting form rather than the long-acting one.
Is there a long-acting version of pyridostigmine?
Yes. Besides the plain tablets, pyridostigmine is made as long-acting tablets and as an oral liquid. The long-acting kind is taken less often than the 60mg tablet and has to be swallowed in one piece, because chewing or crushing it lets the dose out faster than intended.
Do I need to take Mestinon at the same time every day?
Not to the minute. What counts is the spacing: with a short-acting tablet, doses are spread across the waking day so one wears off about when the next goes in. Long-acting tablets are taken less often and follow a different rhythm.
About Mestinon
What Mestinon tablets are for
Mestinon is pyridostigmine in tablet form, used for myasthenia gravis. The immune system attacks the point where nerve endings meet muscle fibres, so the signal that should make a muscle contract arrives weak. People notice it as eyelids that droop, meals that take effort to chew and swallow, and arms and legs that feel heavy. What is sold here is the plain 60mg tablet, in packs of 30 to 240.
How pyridostigmine works
Nerves pass their instruction to muscles with a chemical messenger called acetylcholine, released into the tiny gap between the two. An enzyme in that gap normally mops the messenger up within moments, and that is what ends the signal. Pyridostigmine slows the enzyme down, so each release lingers longer and a muscle that answers weakly gets more chance to respond. It belongs to the cholinergic group of medicines, which all act along this pathway.
Spreading the doses across the day
The plain 60mg tablet wears off fairly quickly, so doses are usually spread over the waking hours and timed around the part of the day when your muscles feel weakest, such as before a meal. A tablet goes down with water, and food makes little difference. A missed dose can be taken as soon as you notice, unless the next is almost due; double doses are not the fix. Pyridostigmine also comes as a long-acting tablet and an oral liquid. The long-acting tablet has to be swallowed in one piece, since breaking or crushing it releases the dose faster than intended.
Which side effects go with the medicine
Because the messenger builds up in places beyond the muscle junction, the usual complaints are queasiness, loose stools, vomiting, more saliva than normal, sweating that turns cold, blurred sight, a stronger urge to urinate, and cramps or muscle weakness. A bite to eat with a tablet helps if the stomach ones are troublesome. A smaller set of reactions is serious and needs urgent treatment: itching all over, a rash or hives, muddled speech, confusion, a fit, or breathing that becomes difficult.
Where to keep the bottle
Tablets stay in the bottle they came in, lid done up, away from warmth and damp. The little sachet inside is there to soak up moisture — leave it in and never swallow it. Put the bottle somewhere children cannot reach.
Sources
- Pyridostigmine: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Myasthenia Gravis | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke — NINDS / NIH