How many actually get brand name instead of generic meds?

[drz]

Most insurance plans require you use generic brands when available so I take azathioprine instead of Imuran and generic form of Fosomax and generic for most of my other drugs. I get brand name if no generic is available. So far the generics seem to have worked OK for me but I know some people have had trouble with generics and needed to go through an appeal process to get the brand names.

What is your experience with generics versus brand names?

[manalolana]

I have been on azathioprine instead of Imuran for I think over a year now. I have always used generic except Humira. I understand there is no generic for that.

[jola57]

Yep, all mine are generic in Canada. When I paid for them myself, the pharmacist asked if I wanted the brand or generic. Now that I have private insurance, its all generic. They literally told the pharmacist to stop giving me the name brand and switch to generic.

[Pete]

All of my wegs and BP meds are generic. I just switched to the generic of Singulair for asthma. The only brand drug I use is pulmicort. I've had no adverse side effects from any of these meds.

Pete
dx 1/11

[Dirty Don]

Generally, most generics contain the exact same drugs (or should) as the brand names. The only differences are: 1) the 'brand name' (aka copyright) time is up on the drug at which time the company makes a 'refined' version to put back on the market and/or they let it go to the 'generic' makers of drugs; and, 2) the materials used for generics are usually somewhat different both in compaction & makeup: materials used to fill, and kinds of 'fillers'. Since the drugs remain the same, the 2nd rule is what affects most people in that one or many of those changes affect the user. For example, I use Lexapro, the generics at the time did not have the effect of the brand name...now that version of Lexapro has gone generic (still same drug) the manufacturer has produced the new and improved version (actually a more refined version with less side effects and more specificity to targets). If one experiences poor effects from the generic it is because of the ingredients used and the style of compaction, not the drug. But, the flip side, obviously, is that the generics, though cheaper because of production costs, may not be effective at first. Some people start with brand names, and later switch over after determining side effects. My personal decision has been to pay the price of the brand names until the 'lease' runs out, then experiment with the generics, as I've done with Lexapro. Thyroid patients, for example, are pushed away from generics to begin with...as the drug used initially is far superior to what's out there. Guess ya just gotta try them all!!!!!!

[Sangye]

Johns Hopkins recommends that you use brand name drugs for drugs that require micro-precision, such as seizure meds and blood thinners (coumadin/warfarin). The 20% difference between generic and brand name drugs can be huge in drugs like that. Also, generic drugs can come from a number of manufacturers, making them even more variable. For example, each time you get a warfarin prescription filled the pills might be from a different company. When I was first on warfarin I couldn't get my blood levels to stay in range no matter what I did. My non-Hopkins doctors thought I was non-compliant with my diet. JHU put me on generic and immediately I stayed in range and never have a problem doing so.

I had to get special approval from insurance to get them to cover brand name warfarin (Coumadin).

For drugs that don't require micro-precision, it's perfectly fine to use generics. But if you find that the drug doesn't seem to be working the way it should, ask your doctor if you can try the brand name.

[freakyschizogirl]

*enters with a sarcastic comment*

Always comes down to money, doesnt it?

My mum and i wanted the enteric coated Pred but was told it was more expensive than the uncoated pred = yucky tasting pred for us.

[rif]

All brand names here and all are soluble apart from the Ad-Cal which is chewable and fruit flavoured to mask the chalky taste.

Rif

[freakyschizogirl]

All brand names here and all are soluble apart from the Ad-Cal which is chewable and fruit flavoured to mask the chalky taste.

Rif

I have issues with Adcal, i used to like the lemon flavour but the pharmacy i went to stopped giving me that and i got fruit instead. I'd like to know exactly what flavour 'fruit' it is! Fruit is too generic a term for me!