Brand or Generic

[alivenwell]

Is your preference generic or brand?
Do you have better control with generic or brand?

[BuckeyeFan]

I take Phenytek (same as dilantin) and it only comes in 200 or 300 mg tablets. I alternate 500 and 600 mg every other day to maintain a theraputic level. 500 was not enough and I had auras. 600 was too much and made me foggy and off balance.

No way I am going to mess with a generic when I am that touchy with my levels.

[brain]

I go either way; Brand or Generic,
it wasn't until not that long ago
where I just couldn't take Zonisamide
(generic) due to so many manufacturers
of this generic and the formulary
differences was causing problems
for me whereas I had to be placed
on the brand name - Zonegran.

But in the past for decades; I've
been on anti-epileptic drugs
both generics and brand which also
includes Dilantin / Phenytoin which
I was on it the longest out of all
anti-epileptic drugs.

[BuckeyeFan]

Screwy thing about my insurance which is decent overall. They will cover my 200 mg Phenytek, but my 300 mg phenytek is considered 'non-formulary' and they only pay a small fraction on that.

Same medication, just different pill size. Just plain stupid!

[alivenwell]

Screwy thing about my insurance which is decent overall. They will cover my 200 mg Phenytek, but my 300 mg phenytek is considered 'non-formulary' and they only pay a small fraction on that.

Same medication, just different pill size. Just plain stupid!

I can relate. Mysoline is available in 250mg and 50mg. Up until April this year, both were available in brand name. The 50mg is the only one left in brand name only right now. If I insist on brand name only I'm only covered for two of the 50mg tablets in one day, but I can get full coverage on four of the 250mg pills (brand or generic!).

I suppose I can get a supply of 22 of the 50mg per day and only get covered for 2 of them. That adds up to an outragious monthly supply of 1,100 of the 50mg pills in one month if I only took brand name. I bet the pharmacist would really love me if I did that one!

[PurpleAngel]

Kater takes Depakote which is the brand name, but also takes Ethosuximide which is generic. To me it's a matter of what works for her since she can't swallow pills yet. (wondering if ever...) I have tried getting her to swallow small things like baking M&M's and she gags. Her gag reflex is so bad that she even chews (I know it's not a good thing) the pudding that I sprinkle her Depakote into.

[hawke86]

I take both brand and generic. It just depends on which one is availuble.

[BuckeyeFan]

I have a 23 year old that still gags on pills. We tried all kinds of things to teach her to swallow them, but nothing works for her. Hard to get past that mind barrier sometimes.

Me, I can pop 6-7 at a time (including vitamins and iron).

[alivenwell]

I have a 23 year old that still gags on pills. We tried all kinds of things to teach her to swallow them, but nothing works for her. Hard to get past that mind barrier sometimes.

Me, I can pop 6-7 at a time (including vitamins and iron).

OOOh. That sounds so familiar. My kid is 21 and really hates pills, too. He was on Ritalin as a little kid which he said made him feel awful and tasted really horrible. We had to give him liquid cold medicine or chew able medicine for years.

Last year, he had a minor case of pneumonia. It was a major effort to get him to take antibiotics. He was fine with the liquid cold meds. I think it scares him when he gets sick. He is rarely, if ever, sick.

I can relate to the pill popping. It's the story of my life, too. Lamictal tastes kind of bad if I don't swig a drink immediately. And, a little bit of chocolate works wonders.

[skillefer]

Buckeye, you just described my hubby! He can't swallow pills either. He chews tylenol, aspirin, as well as all prescribed pills. :P I have to ask the doctor every time he goes in, if the pill has to be swallowed, or if it can be chewed.

[Bee91]

I take both....I don't usually have a problem with generic drugs.

I used to take generic dilantin but that didn't work because my for some reason, my levels would get really low even though I was taking the right amount.

But here's the kicker....I'm allergic to brand name Dilantin. (at least IV form anyway)

[Nancy]

A couple months ago our insurance co decided the would pay for nothing brand name if a generic were available. My prescriptions (Topamax and Trileptal) both specified the brand names but the pharmacy, of course (??) issued the generic Trileptal which I refused and paid for the brand name. My neurologist (at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis) wrote to the insurance appealed their ruling. The insurance co refused so she appealed again and won!! It took two months but now I get the brand name drugs.

[alivenwell]

A couple months ago our insurance co decided the would pay for nothing brand name if a generic were available. My prescriptions (Topamax and Trileptal) both specified the brand names but the pharmacy, of course (??) issued the generic Trileptal which I refused and paid for the brand name. My neuro (at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis) wrote to the insurance appealed their ruling. The insurance co refused so she appealed again and won!! It took two months but now I get the brand name drugs.

They are looking into passing laws that prevent exactly what is happening to you. At least in PA, there is one House Bill that still needs to get through the Senate. It is specifically supposed to provide people with epilepsy with information when a switch is made between brand and a generic, a generic and a different company for the generic, and generic back to brand.

I found brand name only provides excellent control. Unfortunately, many drug companies seem to be after the money. I've been finding that one drug company, Valeant, doesn't appear to be producing Mysoline. I called several major warehouses and numerous pharmacies (at least 100 in my area). Instead, only generic is available. That's just nasty. I guess not too many insurance companies cover this brand name drug due to the expense. Drug companies seem to go for the more profitable newer drugs.

My drug insurance currently covers both brand and generic with a higher copayment for brand if I or my doctor request brand name only.

It doesn't do any good if generic is the only choice. I feel ripped off. And, they claim the 'therapeutic' drug is exactly the same, but the fillers vary. How can they be so incredibly ignorant to know that the fillers can release a drug at different rates.

[BuckeyeFan]

Ohio is working on a similar law. If I understand it correctly, it would prevent a pharmacist from substituting generics for brand names. It would also prevent or require notification when being changed from one generic to another.

That second part can be as bad as the first. Some patients are able to find suitable, effective doses of a generic, but then have trouble when unexpectedly moved to another generic that they may absorb differently.

[alivenwell]

Ohio is working on a similar law. If I understand it correctly, it would prevent a pharmacist from substituting generics for brand names. It would also prevent or require notification when being changed from one generic to another.

That second part can be as bad as the first. Some patients are able to find suitable, effective doses of a generic, but then have trouble when unexpectedly moved to another generic that they may absorb differently.

I suggest that we all take close note of what any medication that works looks like in color, design, lettering, and whether it is brand or generic. I have been handed generic many times even though I have specifically asked for brand only.

If it works for you, take a close look at it. There is also an 'Orange Book' that every pharmacist has in the US. This book includes practically every type of medication known within the pharmaceutical world in the US.

They have an abridged version of the Orange Book in the FDA website as well.

[1096]

i was started on brand. i havent tried generic and of course i feel safe without change.

[Loudmouth]

I am taking Gabapentin,and one month my usual pharmacy was closed,so I filled my prescription at another one...what I didn't know at that time was that this other pharmacy used a different supplier.I suffered from severe breakthrough seizures all month and ever since then,my GP has stated on my prescription that I must have TEVA gabapentin.All the advice I can find/have been given is that you should not switch between brand and generic as the differences in fillers/binders can cause differences in how your body "takes up" the medication,which can lead to breakthrough seizures.I am also on topamax (topiramate) now,and wouldn't risk being given a cheaper version just to suit my PCT or pharmacy (or insurance company for you americans...),my seizure control is more important than their bottom line!

[Loudmouth]

There's me saying that earlier,and my pharmacy has gone and given me some cheap,greek version of my topiramate....I'm gonna have to go back tomorrow and get it changed as i didn't look until I got home!!!

[stilldancing_98]

I do research on both the generic and brand. And then I get the one that works for me or my son. Sometimes it's what your body is used to.

[maureen]

I take brand name Dilantin and generic Keppra - my husbands insurance won't pay for brand name Keppra. There used to be a generic Dilantin but it didn't last and so it's all that is available here (Ontario)

I also work in a pharmacy as a technician. We are required to dispense the cheapest form of a drug that is considered interchangable unless it says "No Sub" or the patient specifically asks for the brand name.

The active ingredient is the same. It has to be. If people have problems with generics, it must be from the fillers.