Austedo XR, made simple.
Austedo XR is a once a day tablet that calms certain uncontrolled movements, the kind seen in tardive dyskinesia and in Huntington's disease. This guide explains how it works, how the dose is built up slowly, and what to watch for. A Mississippi pharmacist wrote it for you, with care.
This guide is here to teach you. It is not medical advice, and it does not replace your doctor or pharmacist. Always do what your doctor tells you, and ask a pharmacist before you change how you take any medicine.
Print this guide for your fridgeWhat Austedo XR is and why your doctor gave it to you
Austedo XR is a once a day tablet. Its other name is deutetrabenazine.
It is used for two kinds of uncontrolled movement. One is tardive dyskinesia, repetitive movements often of the face, tongue, or limbs that can develop after long-term use of certain psychiatric medicines. The other is the chorea, the involuntary movements, of Huntington's disease.
There is an older version simply called Austedo, which is taken twice a day. Austedo XR is the once a day version. They are the same medicine at the same total daily dose.
The simple version: Austedo XR helps quiet uncontrolled movements so they interfere less with daily life. It is taken once a day, and the dose is raised slowly at the start.
How Austedo XR works
Uncontrolled movements like these are linked to too much activity from a brain chemical called dopamine.
Austedo XR works by reducing how much dopamine is available to send those movement signals. It does this gently, turning the volume down rather than off.
With less of that overactive signaling, the uncontrolled movements ease. This is why the dose is raised slowly, so your doctor can find the amount that calms the movements without going further than needed.
Your dose
Austedo XR is one tablet, once a day. Swallow it whole, do not crush, chew, or break it, because it is a slow release tablet. You can take it with or without food.
Your doctor picks your dose and your pharmacist checks it. This page will not tell you what dose to take. The start is gradual: your doctor begins at a low dose and raises it step by step, usually once a week, over about a month or more, until your movements are well controlled or the right dose for you is reached. There may be a special starter pack for those first weeks.
That slow buildup is on purpose. It lets your body adjust and helps your doctor find the dose that works with the fewest side effects.
Timing, and what to do if you miss a dose
Take Austedo XR once a day, at about the same time each day. Tie it to a daily habit so it is easy to remember.
If you miss a dose:
- If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember that day.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the one you missed. Just take the next one.
- Never take two doses at once to catch up.
- If you have missed more than about a week of doses, do not just restart on your own. Call your doctor first, because the dose may need to be built back up.
Side effects, what is normal and what is not
Common, and often mild.
- Feeling drowsy or sleepy. This is the most common one.
- Restlessness, or a feeling of needing to keep moving.
- Some stiffness or slowness of movement.
- Loose stools or a dry mouth.
Call your doctor if you notice:
- Drowsiness that is heavy enough to interfere with your day.
- New stiffness, slowness, tremor, or a parkinson-like feeling.
- Restlessness that bothers you.
- For a person with Huntington's disease, any new or worsening low mood. See the note in special situations.
Go to the emergency room right away if:
- You have a high fever, very stiff muscles, sweating, and confusion all together.
- If you have Huntington's disease and you have thoughts of harming yourself. You can also call or text 988 at any time. Reaching out is the right move.
What to be careful with
Austedo XR is handled by a particular liver pathway, and a few common medicines, including the antidepressants fluoxetine and paroxetine, use that same pathway. If you take one of those, your maximum Austedo XR dose is lower. This is not a reason to avoid either medicine, it is a reason your doctor needs to know about both.
There is one firm rule. Austedo XR should not be used by people with liver disease of any degree. Make sure your doctor knows about any liver condition before you start.
The simple rule: before you start or stop any medicine or supplement, tell your pharmacist you take Austedo XR. Every single time.
Alcohol is best avoided or kept minimal, because both alcohol and Austedo XR can make you drowsy and unsteady, which raises the chance of a fall.
What it costs
The cost is different for every person, because every insurance plan is different.
Here is the honest way to find your price. If you pay cash, call Fairview and we will give you a price for your situation. If you have private insurance, there may be a coupon or a savings program from the maker of the drug that helps lower your cost, and we will check if one is available for you. The best step is to let a pharmacist look at your plan. We do this for every patient.
Do not let cost make you skip doses. Call us first. There is almost always something we can do.
There is also a generic version of many medicines. The generic is the same medicine. Ask your pharmacist if a generic is a good fit for you.
What should be checked
Austedo XR works best alongside some regular checks that keep you safe and confirm it is helping.
Your doctor should check, now and then:
- Whether the uncontrolled movements are improving.
- Any new stiffness, slowness, or tremor.
- How drowsy or restless you feel.
- For a person with Huntington's disease, mood and emotional wellbeing.
Your pharmacist should, now and then:
- Check every new medicine and supplement against Austedo XR.
- Remind you to swallow the tablet whole.
- Help with cost and assistance programs.
- Keep your information private, always.
At Fairview, we keep an eye on our Austedo XR patients. If a refill is running late, we call you. Your care is handled discreetly and with respect.
Special situations
Mood, for people with Huntington's disease.
If Austedo XR is being used for the chorea of Huntington's disease, there is an important caution. In Huntington's disease, this medicine can increase the risk of depression and thoughts of self-harm. This warning applies specifically to Huntington's disease, not to tardive dyskinesia. For this reason, Austedo XR is not used in someone who is having thoughts of self-harm, or whose depression is untreated or not yet well controlled by treatment. If you have a history of depression, your doctor will want it well managed before and during treatment. If you or your family notice low mood, hopelessness, or thoughts of self-harm, tell the doctor right away, or call or text 988. The doctor will balance the benefit of calmer movements against this risk and watch closely.
If you are treated for tardive dyskinesia.
If Austedo XR is for tardive dyskinesia rather than Huntington's disease, the depression and self-harm warning above does not apply to you in the same way. Still, as with any medicine, tell your doctor about any change in mood. Your care team is there to help.
Liver disease.
Austedo XR should not be used if you have liver disease of any degree. Tell your doctor about any liver condition before starting. This is a firm safety boundary.
Falls.
Because Austedo XR can cause drowsiness, and because uncontrolled movements themselves can affect balance, falls are worth thinking about. Keep walkways clear, take your time standing up, and avoid alcohol, which adds to the risk.
Cost should never be the reason you stop.
This medicine is expensive at full price, but there is help. There are manufacturer support programs. If cost is a worry, call Fairview before you ever skip a dose, and we will help you find your options.
How Fairview helps Austedo XR patients
When you fill Austedo XR at Fairview, here is what you get. This is normal care for us, and it is always private.
At your first fill:
- We check all your medicines and supplements against Austedo XR.
- We explain the slow dose buildup so you know what to expect.
- We talk through cost and help you find any program you qualify for.
At every refill:
- We check your file for any new medicines.
- We ask how the medicine is working.
- We answer any new questions, privately.
On our own, without being asked:
- If a refill is running late, we call you.
- If we see a medicine that does not mix with Austedo XR, we call your doctor.
- We check your cost at every fill to keep it as low as possible.
- We keep your care discreet and respectful, always.
Questions people ask about Austedo XR
It treats two kinds of uncontrolled movement: tardive dyskinesia, which can develop after long-term use of certain psychiatric medicines, and the chorea, the involuntary movements, of Huntington's disease.
Related guides
Have a question about your Austedo XR? Ask a pharmacist you can trust.
Uncontrolled movements can be tiring and frustrating, and a medicine that calms them can make a real difference. Fairview is here to support you and your family through it, privately and without judgment.