D-Amphetamine salt combo - very different results by generic manufacturer?

[k4rnage]

On the day that I was to get this prescription filled, CVS was out of 20mg, and I was forced to go to Walgreens, in stead. This label read as follows:
D-AMPHETAMINE SALT COMBO 20MG TABS
MFG COREPHARMA
This pill was (i want to say pink, but it may have been orange) and circular, with a bit of a bitter/salty taste.

As I'm not accustomed to taking prescription medications, I didn't even think to check the label, at the time. I just took the pills as directed, and was very satisfied with the results. The jittery feeling was non-existent. I was extremely productive at work and in my personal projects, and my ability to focus was flawless. I assumed this was because I had found the correct dose, and never thought a thing of the difference in the pill appearances.

So what you're saying is the opposite of what has been previously said, and that is that the Corepharma pills are really working for you, while BARR labs isn't. And that seems believably so. Maybe Corepharma has a better blend than BARR, and while people are getting used to the effects of the new binders or residuals of the chemicals used to make the amphetamine from corepharma, they may be getting the jitters or headaches from the new blend. I've had BARR labs before and I didn't like them that much, the feeling was short lasted and I felt burnt out when I came down. I would like to try these corepharma ones, pink pills sound kinda fun. My favorite generics were Sandoz/Eon Labs, they said E 404 on them. Damn, those were good. I miss them =(.

 

[motiv311]

So what you're saying is the opposite of what has been previously said, and that is that the Corepharma pills are really working for you, while BARR labs isn't. And that seems believably so. Maybe Corepharma has a better blend than BARR, and while people are getting used to the effects of the new binders or residuals of the chemicals used to make the amphetamine from corepharma, they may be getting the jitters or headaches from the new blend. I've had BARR labs before and I didn't like them that much, the feeling was short lasted and I felt burnt out when I came down. I would like to try these corepharma ones, pink pills sound kinda fun. My favorite generics were Sandoz/Eon Labs, they said E 404 on them. Damn, those were good. I miss them =(.

I've been on all (4 types? counting brand) and I've noticed the pink laides (as I call the COR pink brand) to be weaker, yet smoother with less side effects then the Orange Blossums (the football 20mgs) ... the orange blossums will kick your ass the first time(s) you take them. in a a good way.

Its like noticing the sublte differences in weed. All the weed gets you high with very slight differences.

Also being on one variant for so long, it can only be good to switch it up?

Brand name def feels the best whether its adderall XR IR or Vyvanse. But way more money.

 

[gloeek]

Maybe you should switch to Adderall XR. It's much smoother.

Oh and I have taken both brand and generic and there doesn't seem to be much of a difference at all.

 

[motiv311]

im going to vyvance. its settled. Yes adderall XR is good . Me likey, but I don't like the "wave" effect .. the coming and going. Which only causes me to "piggy back" accidently.

 

[ellua]

Maybe you should switch to Adderall XR. It's much smoother.

Oh and I have taken both brand and generic and there doesn't seem to be much of a difference at all.

again, no one is arguing the difference between generic and name brand!

this issue is concerning one particular brand of generics which have had noticeably "different" effects than previously tried generics - Core's are noted by hundreds of users to just feel different than the Barr/Teva. Not consistently better or worse, but there's something that makes people who were previously happy with their generic adderall question the change.

if anything, the perception of the Corepharma pills should be *better* than other generics right off the bat, because they look almost identical to the name-brand Shire's -- the Barr's, however, do not.

at the amount i take every day i can't tell a difference anymore, but when walgreens made the switch a few years ago it was noticeable enough to make me want to do some research into the drug company that made those new pills, something i normally wouldn't give a flying fck about.

i've always believed a drug is a drug is a drug, the brand $$$ comes from the research & FDA approval & marketing, etc. And I often see headlines where generics are recalled for having MORE of the active ingredient than they should, not less as implied with the generic placebo effect.

 

[3DayRun]

I've been prescribed Adderall XR from before Shire lost the patent and ever since April 2009, I've started taking the generic. Has there been a difference?

I can honestly say, without a doubt, I've noticed no difference whatsoever. I'll also state that the pills look exactly the same. I'm sure there would be a larger outcry if the pills look remarkably different. The only difference in appearance is the writing. One said Adderall and the other says mixed amphet. salts. These are on the 30mg capsules.

Also, let me address the methamphetamine statement regarding the different types of methaphetamine production methods. You're aware of the three big past methods of making methamphetamine (P2P, Birch, LWR), but you miss an important point. P2P methamphetamine is racemic. You're going to get d/lmethamphetamine in a 50/50 ratio. Birch reductions and LWR produce 100% d-isomer methamphetamine. This is going to explain why some methamphetamine is "tweakier".

I'm also going to throw out there that there are no quality controls in a meth lab. You get the possibility of producing dimethylamphetamine as an impurity along with quite a few others. So, that analogy isn't exactly accurate.

My two cents.

 

[ellua]

I've been prescribed Adderall XR from before Shire lost the patent and ever since April 2009, I've started taking the generic. Has there been a difference?

I can honestly say, without a doubt, I've noticed no difference whatsoever. I'll also state that the pills look exactly the same. I'm sure there would be a larger outcry if the pills look remarkably different. The only difference in appearance is the writing. One said Adderall and the other says mixed amphet. salts. These are on the 30mg capsules.

didn't i just address this? jeebus. and this doesn't apply to the XR's, even the generics are still manufactured by Shire for Teva at the moment, i think...

 

[3DayRun]

Not specifically, no, but it does apply in the broad spectrum of things with the debate of generic vs. name brand, which Adderall is not the soley privvy too.

 

[Roger&Me]

Corepharma vs. Barr -- Riddle Solved

This is what I'm talking about. You are talking about amphetamine. A generic version of amphetamine is still amphetamine. It's not some cheaper version of amphetamine. In fact, the formulation is the same in the case Adderall (salt ratios identical), so the only difference is the inert ingredients in the pill

Sorry to dig up old shit man, but let me school ya for a second on the difference between corepharma and barr generic adderall. They are not the same, and they don't claim to be.

COREPHARMA TABS

Active Ingredients:
dextroamphetamine saccharate
amphetamine aspartate monohydrate
dextroamphetamine sulfate USP
and amphetamine sulfate USP

Inactive Ingredients:
lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and pregelatinized starch.
Colors: Mixed Amphetamine Salts Tablets 20 mg and 30 mg contain D&C Red # 27 Aluminum Lake as a color additive.

source: go to http://www.corepharma.com/ click products, click amphetamine, click 5mg, click download prescribing guide, then read the ingredients.

BARR TABS

Active Ingredients:
dextroamphetamine saccharate,
amphetamine aspartate,
dextroamphetamine sulfate USP
amphetamine sulfate USP

Inactive ingredients:
collodial silicon dioxide, compressible sugar, corn starch, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and saccharin sodium.

20 and 30mg tablets also contain: FD&C Yellow no. 6 Aluminum Lake

Source: this FDA document

Notice the Corepharma brand contains amphetamine aspartate monohydrate, while the Barr brand contains amphetamine aspartate. These two compounds are not equivalent, chemically or pharmacologically.

Amphetamine aspartate monohydrate has a loosely bound water molecule in its crystal structure. That water molecule contributes about 18 grams of mass for every mole of the monohydrate salt. This will effect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the compound profoundly!

I'm quite confident this is the cause of the differing subjective effects between the two brands. Corepharma uses a hydrated amphetamine aspartate salt, whereas Barr uses the anhydrous salt. (Also I'm sure the so-called "inert" ingredients actually do alter the subjective effects for various reasons, but I don't want to get into that right now.)

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^I'm not saying you're wrong, but do you have some documentation demonstrating the exact difference in pharmacological effects between the two so we can see if the difference in is fact significant? What are the differences in pharmacokinetics? pharmacodynamics? bioavailability?

 

[Roger&Me]

^Unfortunately I haven't found any data on anhydrous vs. hydrated amphetamine salts, but extrapolating from data I was perusing on antibiotics (cefdinir, I think)-- the dissolution rates for monohydrate salts are much faster because of microstructural properties of the monohydrate crystals (binding the water molecule changes the specific surface area of the compound).

 

[common12]

I'm prescribed the Core Pharma 20 mgs. I don't really notice a difference. I noticed a lot of people commenting that different manufacturers produced different qualities. I didn't really think it was true. To confirm, I went to the manufacturers website.

They had the medication guide:

http://www.corepharma.com/UploadedFiles/amphetamine_PI_MF_177_4_Product Information.pdf

It say's the exact amounts of dextro and racemic amphetamine bound to each salt. It is closer than 20% the original adderall. Most of the four salts contain EXACTLY the same amount. The others are extremely close.
Compare the tables for yourself:
http://www.adderallxr.com/pdf/AXR_FPI.pdf


Now, I'm not saying this rules out the argument entirely, but it's not the amount of amphetamine that is the problem.

 

[motiv311]

Get the Sandoz brand.. some walgreens will order them for you. then i'd go for bARR. Then CorPHarma in that order