Brand Name V. Generic, The Epic Battle

[landocomando]

So, we know the basic idea behind generics. They are the advertised as "same thing" however, the fillers are not the same between brand name and generic.

After X period of time the patent on the brand name goes away and identical generic versions of the brand names can be produced. Correct? (Please fill in the X for me.)

I've only taken generic drugs (except for a few occasions) so i have little personal experience with such brand name perscription drugs.

I'm currently Rx'd/month:
"Amphetamine ER" - 30mg (Generic Adderal XR) 30ct
"Amphetamine IR" - 30mg (Generic Adderal IR) 30ct
"Alprazolam" - 2mg (Generic Xanax) 30ct

A long time ago (15yrs old), i was first rx'd adderal xr (5 or 10mg it was brand name, unfortunately i do not recall how it was. Then (17yrs old) i was represcribed it, but it was generic. I knotice (with both er and ir) that i sometimes become in a sullen and quite mood, not particularly sad about anything, or sad at all, but my outward appearance, facial expressions make people think i am mad, sad, or whatever. I also know that i often feel less social when taking adderal.

I could ramble on forever about this, but...in anyones experience have they seen a difference in how generic ir differs from brand name ir, and how generic er differs from brand name xr.

In addition, how generic alprazolam differs from xanax

Input, experiences, comments and questions would be appreciated! Thanks +}

 

[Kaelfi]

I have experience with Generic vs. brand name opiates. I notice a difference in the action and `feeling`between them. I much preffer brand name.

My GF takes clonazepam and can only tolerate brand name. Generic requires almost twice the dose to acheive the same results! I should state that she was a chemist for a large pharma company and has a lot of experience with this.

I gotta run right now, I will try to elaborate later

cheers

 

[BabyGurl3171]

With my oxy I notice the brand name works better for me. It might just be placebo but I really think brand name is better. As for Xanax, I get generics and they don't do anything for me. My mom gets brand name and gave me some and they worked beautifully. Again, it could be placebo effect, but I think brand name is better in some situations.

 

[phatass]

it's all placebo IMO... furthermore for subutex for example, the generics are way smaller and less of a hassle to consume sublingually, intranasaly or even IV...

also generics cost half the price... not that i care because my social security covers all my meds and doctor appointments....

 

[skoat]

With Xanax, there is no difference as long as the pills are made in the United States still. It is chemically the same thing, what you are feeling is placebo. The FDA (here in the US) would concur.

There is no difference with adderal either. Its all the same.

With Opiates, there can be quite a difference. For the most part going generic is simply the more logical option.

 

[landocomando]

There is no difference in the way the drug affects you if its generic? That seems entirely logical.
I do have one thought however. In order for a company to produce a generic without infracting upon patent laws the inactive ingredients have to be different. Those inactive ingredients (especially in adderal XR, specifically the type of salts used to bind with the amphets) are what i would think is the vehicle for the active ingredient to be absorbed into the body.

Different absorbtion = different effect?

 

[John_Burrows]

I'd be curious to hear if anyone has experience with brand name vs generic dilaudid.

I've never had brand but two different generics seemed the same.

The only case I am familiar with of people universally recommending brand over generic is for Synthroid, a thyroid medication. I'm sure there are others but I haven't heard.

 

[smith07]

Nice post friend. Nowadays generics are more popular than brands because of their very low cost and they are affecting very badly the brand names.

 

[landocomando]

i just got my doc to check the "no substitutions" box on the xr script. i will see if it ends up being different. i still have one generic xr left.

 

[TheFDA]

I'm glad to see that there's a thread on this topic.

I have a general question about Brand Name vs. Generic that hopefully somebody who knows a lot about such things can answer for me...

A few years ago, I asked the woman who was my psychiatrist at the time what the different between Brand Name & Generic was. She said [& I know it's more complicated than this, but she was simplifing] that Brand Name medication was 100% the medication, & that the FDA only demanded that Generic medication be at least 90% of that medication.

I know that's a horrible explanation on my part, hopefully it at least gets my point across somewhat. Anyway, it didn't occur to me to ask until months later, but, does that mean that a Generic version of a medication is only 90% as potent as the Brand Name version of the same medication? Or does it mean something more along the lines of that there's much more filler crap & whatever in Generic medications than in Brand Name, so the potency doesn't differ between the two, & the 90% is a result not of a decrease in potency but of an increase in filler stuff?


... Basically, the question I'm getting at is, are generic meds less potent than brand name meds, & if so, by how much? What are the actual facts regarding this, because I know many people have already shared their observed differences between the two.

 

[fm1983]

^ I heard something along the same lines. I heard that generics are not held to the same standards as their name-brand counter-parts. I heard generics have +-15% active-ingredient leniency. Meaning a generic can have 15% more or less active ingredient.

My only run-ins with generics are the generic xanax I get at .5mg. Those work just as good as their name brand counter-parts.

 

[landocomando]

Could this thread be moved to advanced discussion? i really would like to find some more information on this.

 

[deaf eye]

i had a pretty big benzo habit, i've tapered down to 2mg's a day, now all the people i gave my green paper to are calling, do you need ? do you need? prices have dropped, its funny, well anyway

this chick was trying to tell me two brand name 1mg footballs are not the same as eating one generic 2 mg stick 8)
shes like you need more footballs, to get the same effect
im like the footballs are brand name, the sticks are generic, not that it matters , cuz its all the same to me, as long as im not pitching a fit, or feeling twitchy
who gives a shit,
its like right now im not even feeling the xanax generic, or name brand
im eating .50 mg's every six hours be it 2 mylan .25's or 1 .50 or a football broken in half, or sticks made into quarters, its just keeping me comfortable and keeps me from having any w/d convulsions,

but the good lard knows, she just needs the green paper, she was trying to tell me how im gunna need xanax for the rest of my life now since i crossed the line into being dependent on them ,
its like shut up bitch, its sounds like your trying to sell me a used car