Generic Adderall XR in the US
ByAs of April 3, 2009, generic Adderall XR is available in the United States. It is being made by Teva Pharmaceuticals. (You can review a news report about this here.)
What Does ‘Generic’ Mean?
When a medicine is first released – it is patented by the company that invested in the research to develop it. They have a certain number of years to market the medicine exclusively. After the patent runs out – the medicine can be created by other drug manufacturers – the ‘generic’ companies – generally at a significant discount.
The analogy here is ‘Kleenex’ vs. tissue.
Kleenex is a brand of tissue. It is only made by one company. However, tissue is made by many companies.
Using this analogy – Adderall XR is the ‘Kleenex’, and generic adderall XR is the ’tissue’.
Will it work the same?
The short answer is yes. Generic drug manufacturers are able to have a minor variation in how much of the medicine will be absorbed, but for most people, this will not have an impact. In my clinical experience, a small percentage of people are sensitive to the differences and may need to have the ‘brand name’ medicine only. If that is the case, the doctor needs to write a prescription for Adderall XR NO SUBSTITUTION. When the words ‘no substitution’ are there, it tells the pharmacist that only the original Adderall XR will do.
For further information on generic medicines in ADHD, please visit this article that I’ve written previously on this topic.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you have wanted to take a newer, long acting medication like Adderall XR – it just got cheaper.
If you have insurance to pay for your medication, then this is unlikely to matter much to you. If you have to pay for your medication yourself, then it may make a difference to you.
Please remember – this news just applies to the US, as Adderall XR has not gone generic in other countries – such as Canada.
Does this impact you? Share your thoughts and comments below.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
on the generic adderall XR I experienced severe uncontrollable irritability. I would lash out at everyone and everything. Little things would turn my stomach and cause me to feel nearly enraged and there was nothing I could do to soothe this feeling of extreme anger. I told my doctor, and had her put me back on the generic adderall xr and almost immediately anger went away. I don’t know if there’s more than one generic adderall xr, but the one I was on was put out by Teva. I’m glad to be back to my old self, but it’s a scary thing that a generic of a drug, which is supposed to be essentially the same, could have such different effects.
My doctor told me that pharmacies get a monetary kickback for making customers switch to generics and that there is no law requiring such.
As for generic Adderall XR not working for some people after the switch, I was also informed that some ingredients in generic drugs require higher water intake to be effective.
For your information Shire is the ONLY manufacturer of Adderall XR. period. If you call and speak to Shire you will find this out. Yes, the patent on brand name Adderall expired and Shire decide to manufacture their OWN approved “generic”. The medication is EXACTLY the same as the brand. In fact, if you were to open a bottle of “generic” from Shire and a generic from Teva, you will find that they are identical. Shire merely sells the generic in large quantities to other distributors, eg, Teva, who sell them as generic to pharmacies. ALL of the Adderall capsules are manufactured by Shire, some of them are stamped Adderall, and others are stamped M. amphet. salts. Same exact drug. There is only ONE license that exists right now for Adderall and “generic” adderall and Shire holds that license. If the other companies were actually manufacturing a generic they must apply to the FDA for another license for the new drug. This is just how is works. Call Shire , they will explain it to you. Stop freaking out that your generic isn’t working as well, or that you think there is some sort of conspiracy. Educate yourself. They are identical medications. Just relax people and be happy you can pay less for your meds. i know i am.
I’m not sure if my comment has been previously discussed or not but, I’m adding to my original comment made june 15th 2009.
Since that date i continued having the same side effects that never subsided and only became wors. One on occasion i had a full blown anxiety attack which quickly turned into a panic attack. A few days later while at work i began having shallow breath and heart palpitations. Upon my primary care Dr.’s advice I went to the emergency room. They did an EKG which was fine and they monitored me for about half an hour. They released me with an rx for a drug to help my body fight the effects sort of like a strong benadryl. And on my release papers they stated this was all due to an allergic reaction to the generic form of Adderall xr. I dont have a question in my mind that this in not ”in my head” or just a unique case to me. I’ve spoken to pharmacists before on the matter of generic vs name brand (not specificly adderall) and the answer is that in order to be recognized as a generic form of something, the active ingredients need to fall into a certain percentile of the original or namebrand. Thats it. So basicly every single componant is not required to be exact just the ”active ingredients” i suppose?
Since this episode i quick meds all together. This only last about 6mo?ths then i went running back to another Dr. to see if she had more insight into adhd treatments. She suggested Vyvanse which i’m currently taking and im 80% disappointed. Its just not the same in terms of efficacy and treatment of my symptoms. Plus the side effects such as headache irritabilty and anxiety are far more and much harder to deal with than any side effect i had with name brand adderall xr. Basicly its just not working for me. Im due to go back to my dr. soon but i would like to try something else and this just stimulated my curiosities about name brand so i called Shire for some answers. I was curious if perhaps another company had another version of the generic that may be different, also perhaps they may suggest trying it again or maybe even another medication. Well….the customer service rep that i spoke with was very kind and seemed interested in my case but shortly conected me to the ”medical dept” which was another story. Barely spoke english, this doesnt bother me normally but in this case it did. ?? anyway. He was totaaly on the deffense with me . He said no ma’am they are EXACTLY the same made by the same company and so on… i asked why would there even be a difference in name and price if there was no difference in formula and this queation wasnt exactly answered. Something about the insurence companies deciding what to buy. I asked why should one even buy the name brand if its exactly the same, like why is it even anoption? he said ‘Im sorry maam i can not tell u which to purchase the decision is up to you” then he went on to say that its not the meds its me and that whos to say that this ”reaction” wouldn’t have happened with the name brand had icontinued to take it. I didnt feel good when i got off the phone. I was genuinely curious when i called only looking for some answers but this call made a sort of alarm go off inside. They are treating this like a huge i?vestment the need to deffend rather than a serious problem. Im so upset and now even more so after reading everyones more current experiences with this drug.
Sandra…get a life! And as for educating ones self, you should take your own advice. If you believe that the brand and generic are exactly the same then you are naive. Read. Read all of the previous posts. Do you really believe that so many could be wrong and that one company could be right? Read. Generics only need come close to the original. They are not, in most cases, the exact same. This is the case with Adderall XR. The idea that people would prefer to spend more for a medication that is exactly the same is ludicrous at best. I chose to spend more for the name brand because it worked. The generic did not! Plain and simple. And now…the name brand is no longer reliable because now, as you so eloquently protest, the company is making only one version, the cheaper, less reliable version. Unfortunately, you will undoubtedly find this out the hard day when it happens to you. Won’t you be surprised to find out the truth. It’s all about the bottom line in big business. Read. Learn.
They are NOT identical.
The drug may be the same, but the fillers in them differ, therefore, people can react to them differently.
Who knows what is going on. So far I am still ok on the regular XR. I switched back to it after a horrible experience with generic. It is a horrible feeling to not trust the drug companies to tell the truth or that the FDA is being duped. I don’t think the FDA would try to con anybody but I don’t think they have the resources to always monitor as much as they should. I tried the generic quite a while ago and maybe the situation is different now. There is no way to know. It would be nice if they discovered how awful the generic was and covered this up by deciding to make the generic the same as the brand name but I can’t take the chance of them not working. I can understand where if you haven’t read all the posts or it didn’t happen to you that you would think or hope these people were crazy but it did happen to me.
If someone on this list is rich, maybe you could send a bottle of each to a lab. Actually I still have some generic ones from awhile back. Actually what we would need is a bottle of old generics, a bottle of recent generics and a bottle of regular Adderall XR that is known to be authentic. They would have to know what all would need to be tested in addition to ingredients and percentage. Probably they would need to find a way to test if the drug is released in the same intervals.
After reading this post I feel as if maybe I have watched too many CSI television shows
Dear Sandra…Can’t you read?? Why should I be happy? I am one of the consumers who was still paying the higher price for the “same exact” formula other consumers are paying less for. Do you even take this medication or better yet…is this even the right medication for you? Hmmm… I wonder if the medical field has discovered a medication for people who lack compassion and empathy.
For all the other bloggers who have been having problems with Adderall XR and it’s generic–I want you to know that my doctor said enough was enough and put me on a new med. One that Shire and the sub companies of Shire does not manufacture. I have been doing much better.
At least now, I have nothing to complain about. What will I do in my spare time? I don’t know if I have anything better to do than complain about something that is “all in my head”. Any suggestions? Can anyone tell me why Shire is getting away with charging one set of customers the higher price for Adderall XR and charging another set of customers the lower price for generic Adderall XR–when both formulas are “exactly the same”? Sandra does alot of reading. Maybe she can enlighten us. Lucky Sandy must be getting the cheaper price. I hope Sandy stays lucky with her meds…but I think it might be too late. Sandy sounds a little cranky and irritable in her blog. Maybe she is already affected by the meds. No wait…they are the same formula. The same formula with a different price. The same formula with a different name. The same formula with different results. Yeah–exactly the same. Jammie
I’ve been on Adderall XR for about 7 years now and can’t tell you how much it has improved my work life. When the generic came out, I gave it a try and immediately noticed a “stoned” feeling and my stomach tightened up. I switched back to the name brand the next month and was feeling normal again. Friday I got refill from CVS of the brand and have been a wreck since. The same side effects from the generic even though it clearly says its the name brand.
For kicks, I strapped on my heart rate monitor that I use for jogging to see what it said since I had done some previous tests. My normal resting heart rate without adderall is 65-70 bpm. On the brand it jumped to 70-75 as expected. On this new Brand/Generic it was actually at 85-90!
So, I opened one of the pills I got Friday and compared it with a known Brand pill. You can actually see the difference. The generic is a lighter orange and not as consistantly round. Basically, some of it looks like salt, which it is.
I’m with everybody else on this. If the name brand we’ve all become familiar with is no longer an option, where do we go from here? The side effects from the new formulas outweigh the benefits and I do NOT like feeling like this.
A comment which was a response to this thread was mistakenly emailed in to us. Normally, these emailed comments are not posted to the blog (i.e. make sure to come back here to add your comments).
Because this comment was very relevant to the discussion – I am moving it over here:
Anyone who has been experiencing different responses to either the generic or the brand named pill should read on line the Wikipedia description of Adderall, and look specifically at foot notes 20,21 & 22 and the links described there. Long story short, it appears that both the generic salts and the brand(s) named Adderall xr AND ir have now been reformulated, the generic starting in April, 2009 and the named brand(s) in about the summer of 2009; one can only speculate on why. There doesn’t seem to be a lot left to debate other than how to get back the old formulation or an an entirely new drug, and that probably will require the services on an Intellectual Property lawyer, and/or a competent health professional who has a great deal of CURRENT experience in treating ADD and ADHD.
Good luck to you all in your search for a better or different medication
A Very Concerned Father
It’s Dr. Kenny here.
With an important update with this discussion…
This blog is meant to inform, and provide a forum for discussion between readers.
People are encouraged to have differing opinions, and to share them.
People are STRONGLY DISCOURAGED from making personally directed comments at other readers.
And please know that all of the comments are moderated, meaning that no comment appears on this blog unless it is read by one of our staff and approved- which is why it can sometimes take a day or two until a comment appears on the blog.
I have noticed the tone of comments getting a little past my comfort zone on the last few.
I have allowed Jammie’s comment – and this is the last one which will be allowed which goes anywhere toward anger or insults toward other commenters.
(I am not trying to give Jammie the ‘last word’, rather there is enough good info in the comment that I want to allow it, and I want to warn going forward that any future comments which point toward other commenters will be deleted even if there is good info in the comment).
Please remember – we are all people who care about ADHD, and we really need to support one another – rather than put one another down!
Dr. Kenny
I apologize for my tone. This situation with Adderall XR and generic Adderall XR is very upsetting and very real. I still would like to know how and why Shire is being allowed to have two names and two prices for “ONE” formula? If the two medications are one in the same…why not just call it Adderall XR? Why go through the process of two different names on the capsules? How is it ethical for Shire to charge me for Adderall XR at a higher price AND on top of that…give me M.Emphat Salts? This is fraud. I was being charged the same high price for the Adderall XR as I was for the M.Emphat Salts. Aside from the product quality issue, what good is having a generic–if the customer does not get receive the generic pricing? I was under the impression that lower pricing was the upside to generic brands AND that generic branding was good for competition. How can competition exist when the company that manufactures the regular brand is the same company that manufactures the generic of that regular brand? This is a monopoly and a win/win for Shire. Shire is being allowed to sell a generic product and still get the higher price. This needs to stop. Jammie
I was taking Adderall XR for a couple of years before I got a recent refill with M. Amphet Salts instead. I knew this was a generic, but figured it wouldn’t make any difference. I couldn’t have been more wrong: I can barely tell when I’m on them. I normally can tell a significant difference between when I’m on it and when I’m not. Brand XR helps with my motivation, engery, focus, etc. But with this generic I can get up in the morning and take my full normal dosage, and then immediately go back to bed and sleep for 3 more hours. In fact, I’ve actually often noticed that it makes me feel sleepy, where the normal Adderall XR does quite the opposite. I’d write it off as tolerance, but it happened very suddenly and right when I got the refill. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one disappointed with this change. Without insurance I paid $849 for a bottle of placebo pills. Not very happy about that.
I’m a 21 year old college student and I have been on ADD meds since the age of 5. As I grew, I switched from one med to another as my body chemistry changed before settling on Adderall XR as my best option. A little over a year ago, i discovered that I not only had ADD, but depression as well, so I began to take generic Zoloft. A few months later, after talking with my doctor, he informed my that some symptoms that I showed when I felt depressed were actually signs that I have anxiety, but my Zoloft has an immediate effect on it. Almost a year later, I’ve been taking both meds (Adderall XR in the morning and Zoloft before bed) and I couldn’t be happier. I feel like I’m finally ‘normal’ (at least on an emotional level). Before I started taking both meds, I always felt very apathetic and found my emotions easy to shove to the side. However, now that I’m taking both, that apathy is gone and I feel like I’m feeling emotions for real for the first time. Maybe some of the negative side effects of the generic could be countered by use of a drug like Zoloft?
However, I recently found out that my insurance company (Healthsmart Preferred Care) will no longer pay for my brand name Adderall. They said that they will only pay for the generic. My doctor already warned me to stay with the brand name because some people had experienced negative side effects with the generic. My parents tried to fight it, but it looks like I’m going to have to try the generic after all. I’m worried about how I’ll react to it, especially since my cousin and uncle (who both have ADD and have taken Adderall XR) have had negative side effects with the generic. My parents are hoping that if I do have a negative reaction then that will give us more leverage to fight the insurance company.
Does anyone know of an insurance company that will still pay for the brand name? I live in West Texas if coverage area matters. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks
i started on the 10 mg regular adderall, blue football tabs, i’m color blind, so maybe more like purple or dark blue, generics. my rx was 2x early a.m. and early aftnoon. They worked. AND were VERY VERY cheap. after a couple months, i asked for change to xr. Doc gv me 30 mg xr’s. I crush them, and btw, a pill crusher for $7 is a good investmt. I put half of it in my coffee crushed, and the rest i take in the capsule. Works great. BUT, the cost of xr’s generic is a fortune. i went to a diff pharm last x and dn hv my ins card. when she gave me the 30 day (30 xr’s) it was 150 bucks. Generic. I quickly came back with my card and get them for 15 bucks. I like 1x day dosing. Adderall has changed my life. I can concentrate, focus, and have energy during the day for work. I cant say how much this medication has helped me. Other than the crushing half of them, i don’t abuse them. I never knew I had adhd, i just thought maybe i was stupid cause couldn’t focus. I’m still stupid, but slightly less. lol!!
and i had taken stratera before and it was WORTHLESS to me. Maybe it works for others.
My thanks to everyone for the many informative posts.
I noticed this morning that each capsule of my new script of 25mg Adderall XR is labeled “M. Amphet Salts”. My CVS pharmacist showed me the reason, listed on the paperwork attached to the name brand bottle. It describes that the medicine is “imprinted ADDERALL XR or M. Amphet Salts 25 mg.”
He then brought out both bottles, name brand and generic, and showed me the contents, which were visually identical.
I conclude that the “name brand” no longer exists. This is not at all good.
Im on the same boat here. I have taken adderall for 7 years and on February was given the generic amphet salts only to have a horrible narcoleptic/depressive reaction. Then the pharmacy (CVS) mixed the generics in with brand when my doc wrote brand name only. I started to take only the pills market with Adderall XR on them but the symptoms were the same as with the generic. So I bit the bullet and tried vyvanse for 2 months which turned out to be garbage too.
I made a complaint at the FDA’s website in March this year, but I doubt anything will be done. Also, I called Shire only to be told that they were making a “brand name generic” (whatever the hell that means) and distributing it to the other companies such as Barr, Teva etc. So, in my view, Shire has sabotaged their own product in order to puch vyvanse now that their Adderall patent has expired and other companies are biting off their profit chunk. Its all about the money. Health should never be for profit or this criminality ensues.
I take Adderall XR 30mg twice a day for over 2 years…… as of today my insurance CIGNA still will not cover the generic because it is not FDA approved, my question is…… if the generic is not FDA approved then how can it be sold as a prescription? Is it not illegal anymore to sell amphetamines??? If it is no longer illegal and does not need FDA approval to be sold, then why is it not sold as an over the counter as a holistic aid like all the others and say “these statements have not been approved by the FDA user discretion advised”???
Last time I checked it was illegal to sell amphetamines in the united states of any kind that is not approved and regulated by the FDA, so are all our pharmacies selling illegal drugs? I’m sorry but it sounds like it to me. I use to work in a pharmacy and they do get hell if they do not follow FDA guidelines, on top of that my doctors office assistant scribbled out a date on my script after I pointed out the date was written wrong, I took it to my Pharmacy and was given hell because it is AGAINST THE LAW to have any funny business on a script of a controlled substance, it has to be written perfectly for the pharmacy to run it.
So if the FDA is coming down on insurance companies and pharmacies so strict about controlled substances, how is it even possible for an insurance company to insure such a drug? and how is it possible that a pharmacy can even sell a controlled substance without FDA approval? Wouldn’t they be considered just another drug dealer that receives their shipment from the drug lord each week? Shouldn’t the law be busting down the doors of all pharmacies right at this moment???
I think it is hypocritical of our country to be allowing this, what makes it any different if amphetamines are being sold in a pharmacy or in the streets? shouldn’t the pharmacies and the company that makes the drug be shut down and their license be taken away? because in all reality if some dude got caught on the streets doing exactly what the THE BIG PHARMA is doing that dude would go to prison for a long time…..
On top of that I’ve heard, anybody taking a drug that has not been approved by the FDA is basically a lab rat, the reason is a drug has to be tested and approved by the FDA to treat or cure a specific illness, this can take up to many years to push a new drug or a different version of an old drug to become available to the public, so even if it is the exact same ingredients just a “different name” because of that different name it still must go through the same FDA process to get approved to treat or cure an illness.
Since the generic Adderall XR 30mg is an amphetamine and is not approved by the FDA then it is illegal to be sold by anybody in the United States and if they are it is breaking the law, and I stand by my insurance company for not covering it and protecting not only themselves but in turn protecting all CIGNA clients from being sold any illegal substances as well.
It is amazing what drug companies get away with.
I have been dealing with the same problem of paying for the brand Adderall, but getting the M.Amphet Salts. I called Shire, after speaking with Aetna, and Shire assured me that the two capsules are the same medication and that they (Shire) are selling them as Brand name Adderall XR and Generic. SO, if you ask for “generic”, you pay the cheaper price, but if you request the brand name “Adderall”, you get the same M.Amphet Salts BUT pay the much higher price!! This sounds illegal to me, HOW can they be allowed to do this??? I have also talked to pharmacists at Walgreens and they have the same problem. The container that is labeled “Adderall” has M.Salts capsules inside, just as the “generic” container has M.Amphet Salts inside. Sounds like the beginning of a class action lawsuit.
Jumping into this Adderall v. Generic discussion late.
Was on Adderall a number of years ago. Excellent results. My progress at work was noticed.
After a year, insurance company said I had to switch. Switched to Dexedrine CR and later generic Dexedrine CR. Not as good as Adderall, but adequate.
After a few years and having changed insurance companies, I tried to get Adderall XR again (6 months ago). Successful and the results were excellent. If Adderall xr was a 9, then Dexedrine cr was a 7, maybe 8.
Last month, my presription was filled with generic Adderall. Called the pharmacy and was told that it was an error and I will get the Adderall. A few days later I was called and told that generic is exactly the same and the I would have to have the doctor write a new presription and that I would not get a refund of the $1,000 for a 3 month supply. Having been convinced that generic and Adderall were the same, I gave the generic a try.
In the last two weeks, my productivity plummetted, I gained two pounds and I have not felt “clear” or at ease. I looked at all of the posts on this subject. I called the pharmacist back again and they are sticking to their position that generic and Adderall are the same (but I guess that does not mean that Adderall has been “improved” to a new formula that is the same as the generic).
One a scale of 1 to 10, the generic almost did not even register a benefit (a 2 would be generous).
Finally this morning I took some of my old Dexedrine (had some old ones around from before I switched back to Adderall).
I felt more productive, clear and I got that feeling that all is ok (yes the degree changes during the day; as of 7:00, I still feel pretty good; I took one at 5:30 am and the second at 9:30).
I went to lunch with my wife. I had previously complained about the new adderal, but did not tell her I switched to Dexedrine today. I did not even bring up the subject. She brought it up and asked if I switched. She said she could tell that my attitude was better and that I was more talkative.
It would be pretty tough to convince me that I imagined there would be a difference and that belief changed me that much. If it is all in my head and that at any time as can just be “normal,” then I have wasted a lot of money on these drugs.
Something is different. Possibilities range from Generic/Brand Adderal are just a little different and I do not absorb the stimulant to there is something rotten going on. Of course there is the “it is all in my head possibility.”
Short version — I trust neither the Generic or Brand Adderall now. I would love to get a refund for my worthless generic, but now that I have already covered my insurance deductible, I guess it is my insurance company’s problem.
But I would love to hear the full story on the status of Adderall.
here’s the problem I’ve run into: Teva who made the brand name adderall bought Shire who makes the generic so basically, one firm now controls the entire supply. The costs will not change much, if at all, between generic and brand. They also do not offer any kind of patient assistance program so my son is nearly bankrupted by the cost of the meds even tho he has some insurance (it won’t cover the XR pills). we’re looking at other options than Adderall. even his doctor said that this is nuts and Teva is playing with people’s lives. Its never been their intent to make people feel better, only to make money.
I have just run into this issue…….My son is on Adderall XR 30mg. When the generic came out, the pharmacy automatically filled it with it. No issues and my son hasn’t complained about anything. Since, his insurance has changed, twice. When he was under his father’s, the co-pay went to the generic price and they approved the generic. When it changed under my insurance HBCBS, same thing, co-pay was $20 for the generic (it was $10 for generic under his father’s) Now I have CIGNA high deductible plan, deductible is $5,000, my company pays the first $2,500, then I am responsible for the next $2,500, then the insurance pays everything. Well, it cost me $189 (I don’t care if the company pays the first 1/2 of the deductible, with high costs, that 1/2 of the deductible will get met pretty quickly, then I will be responsible out of pocket). CIGNA said that the “generic” is not FDA approved so they will not support it, so I had to get the brand name. The previous 2 insurances approved it. Something is fishy, and I don’t like it. It’s such a shame that you have to worry about who is playing with your lives. I honestly can’t see how all these pharmacies could be dispensing something against any kind of regulations. Universal healthcare is looking better and better, but who knows, somehow some way, people still get screwed, so who even knows anymore. This is ridiculous and I have phone calls in, to the FDA and to our CIGNA rep. The cost when I went to get 2 of my son’s scripts was $313, that is for a 30 day supply of each. I could get that mail in 90 day supply of the Singulair, which would be over $300 and in the end only save me not even $20. Dumb. So in about 6 months or so, I can look forward to paying at least $300 per month on 2 scripts for my son. And what do you know, by the end of the year, the next 1/2 of the deductible will not be met, and then it starts all over, and the insurance didn’t have to pay for shit, but I also pay $140/month for the insurance. I am outraged and vow to get to the bottom of all this.
My two sons (14 and 17) have been on Adderall XR for what seems like forever. I moved the prescriptions to a new pharmacy and was offered the generic for the first time, but then the pharmacist went a few screens deeper into the software and told me BCBS would not pay for the generic, so I was back to my $60 copay for the brand.
I called our benefits administrator, who called BCBS and was told they didn’t cover the generic because it was not approved by the FDA.
My question is this, how can pharmacies sell the generic if it’s not approved by the FDA? Isn’t that what the FDA is for?
I had to take the prescription to another pharmacy to get it filled because they no longer stocked the brand name drug since demand for it had fallen off so much. Other health plans cover the generic. My question remains the same: How can they sell the generic if it is not approved by the FDA? The pharmacist said it sounded to him like BCBS just wanted more money.
Kudos to han2222
Here’s my story for the record. I took 5mg Adderall XR for years. Worked great. Stopped for a year. Decided to return to medication, tried Concerta, Vyvanse but dosage was too strong, not quite as good of an effect. Took some of my old pills for comparison, worked great again. Filled a 90 day prescription and agreed to take the newly available generic 5mg instead of brand at the suggestion of my pharmacist, who failed to mention any issues with generic, despite what is posted here.
Took the first one this morning and immediately knew there was a problem. Lack of focus, mid-day crash/bad feeling, tired/anxious. It’s not the same, as I took what I know was an old pill two days ago with the same effect’s I’d known fo years. Looked online and found this thread. Called the pharmacist who wasn’t very helpful but at least tried. I’ll try the brand next of course, but what worries me is the reformulation posts. Dr. Kenny, can you provide any insight into this?
It sure sounds like generic and brand are now one and the same. Based on this series of posts from start to finish, I suspect that our reaction to the generic could be a reaction to the reformulation as it is slowly introduced into the supply chain. They just started with the generic. All of the “my pharmacist showed me the bottles with the same pills” posts were recent. Was there a reformulation of the brand drug sometime in the last two years?
If so, a minority of users would experience problems, just like the posts here reflect. It would also explain my problem. If they are now indistinguishable/interchangeable at the pharmacy/FDA level, as the pill markings in common would suggest, I’m sure we’d all like to know.
In my opinion, this seems like a well executed management strategy: reformulate to reduce costs/prepare for generic competition and/or new competing drug, but introduce reformulation as generic. Early release of generic gives them control over the process. Measure reaction to reformulation as generic. Blame “generic” if not well received/not providing adequate clinical effect. If effects are manageable/within acceptable range, roll out reformulation of brand. Makes marketing easy – “generic is EXACTLY the same” & FDA loves it as well. Great job all around. Unless you are one of the minority with adverse effects from the reformulation, as I’m pretty sure I am after today. I would simply like to know if the old pills and the current brand pills are not the same formulation. I guess the best way to do that is to try the new brand pills and compare to my old “baseline” pills, but I’m not optimistic. Any professional comments or confirmations would be appreciated and perhaps help provide some clarity to everyone posting their reactions to the generic here.
One poster mentioned Adderall as being a Methamphetamine. It is not. It’s a “dextroamphetamine”. Methamphetamine is the parent drug to amphetamine.
I’ve recently started taking TEVA’s Adderall XR for Multiple Sclerosis fatigue. Having never experienced the original name-brand version of this drug, I have nothing to compare it with. But it’s definitely made a huge difference for me. I was just about to apply for disability (couldn’t drive or work … way too tired.)
Since being on TEVA’s Adderall XR 20mg/day, I’m back to working full time and can finally function pretty normally throughout the day. It’s been like a miracle drug for me. (Just have to take it no later than 8:00 a.m. or it’ll give me insomnia.) After reading all of these posts, I’m wondering if I need to talk to my doctor about not using a generic form of this drug and trying the name brand…
I don’t know if I should cry or jump up and down over all this information. I have been taking brand adderall for 5 years now and it has been the best compliment to my depression, but something happened this year that I could not explain. I have been unfoucused, sleepy, uninterested, and sad all year. I was thinking my depression had just gotten worse and have been searching for answers(diet,exercise,brain imagery,etc.) to feel better again. Last week as I was filling out info for a Dr. I found in Dallas that does a SPECT scan on the brain, I realized I was not taking brand adderall but a generic formula. I was shocked because I had no idea I had been swithched to a generic(I did not even know a generic came out). I did a little research and found out that I was switched last year. I do not know yet if this is the problem, but I have an appointment with my Dr. so we can write a script that says I have to have brand. This has been a tough year for me and my family and I will be thrilled(and a little angry) if I found out a medicine was causing all the problems. To those of you who are sceptic of people having problems from drugs consider yourself fortunate, I would love to not have to take medicine for my depression and have tried.
Good luck, Julie
I, for one, will be interested in how it turns out for you. The main thing is that you feel better. Anything you can tell us about the composition/reaction of generic vs. brand would be appreciated. Thanks for the post. Good luck.
Julie,
I’m curious. I’ve been taking 30mg of Adderall for close to a year. Like you I was given the prescription in addition to my antidepressant. I cannot remember for sure but I believe I started with brand name and when the generic came out, I was switched. After reading yours and many of the other comments I may discuss this with my doctor. I really use to notice a difference as it got into my system. Not anymore. I already take the highest dose they make so it’s worth checking. By the way I’ve been on antidepressants for about 22 years…many different ones and they all basically seemed the same. Right now I’m on 100 mg. Pristiq.
Karen
Just find this online:
The FDA has not given the generic form of Adderall XR an AB rating. It has not been shown to be bioequivalent in vitro or in vivo.
Although I had a pretty good idea what that meant I looked that up too:
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has defined bioequivalence as, “the absence of a significant difference in the rate and extent to which the active ingredient or active moiety in pharmaceutical equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives becomes available at the site of drug action when administered at the same molar dose under similar conditions in an appropriately designed study.”
Doesn’t sound good for the generic. I don’t understand. Why would they sell a product that is not considered equivalent?
Does any of the drug companies making adderall ER XR IR offer financial assistance?
I have been taking Adderall XR for about seven years. When the generic brand came out I found this site and reviewed many of the posts and was greatly discouraged from switching. Recently, my insurance company (BCBS) took Adderall off the preferred drug list increasing the price from $55 to $75. So I finally decided to just try it. I was expecting all sorts of weird side effects that folks here have been describing.
After a week on M. Amphet Salts, I’m very pleased to say I can’t tell a difference. I’m sure everyone reacts to the generic differently but I want to encourage folks to try it before you decide. I wish I would have switched a long time ago. It would have saved me so much money.
For those who haven’t tried it yet and (like myself) read these posts to help them decided what to do, please keep in mind those who do have a positive reaction often don’t feel the need to share with others. We most go to blogs to complain, I’m guilty of this as well.
I suggest asking your doctor for a one month prescription and just try it out. As you can tell from the posts above, its not for everyone. But for the sake of saving some cash, try it out. I’ll be saving $65 a month.
Good luck and keep an open mind.
If it wasn’t for the fact that my husband’s insurance changed and we became responsible for the first $2500 before the insurance company would pay, I would not have found out all the information in this thread.
My son got switched to the generic and we felt that the effectiveness didn’t last very long. His doctor said several other patients complained about the generic, so she began writing “no substitution” on his scripts. But when the pharmacy filled his prescription with the name brand, we didn’t notice any difference from the generic. We were baffled, because for 2 years he did great on the name brand.
Now I know that we have not lost our minds, and there is something very wrong going on with this medicine (both generic and name brand). I want to ask his doctor to prescribe something else, but school starts in a week and I am worried that a new medication would have unknown effects.
I wish I was even in a position to complain about having to purchase “generic” Adderall XR!! Being that “generic” Adderall XR still costs an arm and a leg, and that I’m a student with no medical insurance, I’m still taking instant release Barr tabs. I’d much rather be taking XR, but it’s simply not a possibility.
There seems to be a bias and a stigma against prescribing instant release formulations. As such, my doctor will not prescribe me over 60 mg/ day of amphet. salts, which is woefully inadequate for me, even though many adult patients routinely take 60 mg of XR (which equates to more than 60 mg of instant release). A 60 mg/ day dose is completely inadequate for me, but I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place right now because I have no access to extended release formulations.
As far as I can tell, there’s no clinical evidence that taking more than 60 mg/ day for an adult is “bad,” but I digress.
My doctor seems to have a love affair with Vyvanse. I don’t understand it. I could care less that it’s a “prodrug.” I’m not an abuser in the first place. Furthermore, when I did try Vyvanse on a free trial, it just didn’t agree with me. So, is there any clinical significance for using Vyvanse over Adderall XR, other than abuse prevention? Oh, I’m sorry….it’s more like snorting prevention. You can still swallow more Vyvanse pills, correct? It’s mind boggling. What percentage of people with amphetamine prescriptions actually insufflate/ snort the drug in the first place?
I’m sorry, but attaching the d-amphetamine molecule to an amino acid and then patenting it is sort of fraudulent, in my book – especially while you’re simultaneously manipulating the market for the predecessor drug (Adderall XR), for which you have lost your patent. I mean, is this not obvious? Is everybody on the take here?
Did you know that D-amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887? That’s right. But yet, Shire is able to keep riding that gravy train. Un-friekin-believable.
The whole sequence of events regarding Shire’s aggressive attempts to transition people to Vyvanse seems very, very shady, and truly alarming….and pharmaceutical companies wonder why people don’t trust them?!?! Isn’t there some kind of price fixing (or otherwise antitrust activity) going on here? This makes me want to rip my hair out.
They have succeeded in keeping the price of the “generic” high in order to get people on their new patent (same thing Wyeth is doing with Effexor/ Pristiq). It seems to me that this should be an issue for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in addition to the FDA.
I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to be United States-centric with my post regarding the FDA and FTC, and our horrible healthcare system here…Sorry for assuming that this was a U.S. based site.
I have been taking adderall xr ( 60mg daily) for years. About 6 months ago I switched to the generic and did not even notice a difference at first. But recently have noticed not one but all side affects or complaints listed on this page. My heart racing out of control, feeling like it is about to burst, has done it for me. I really don’t care if my insurance will pay for the name brand anymore or not, No amount of saving is worth this. I’m in need of HELP with a problem i’m facing which may be related as well. I was recently FIRED from my job of ten years due to a methamphatamien and amphatimien positive Drug test. I have NEVER taken, handled, or even seen meth(other than on tv) my entire life!!!!!!!! Yet my test results were positive. How is this even possiable? I have taken probably close to 100 of these random urine tests the last 10yrs and the results were always the same positive for amphetiamines ,yes, due to the adderall xr but never positive for meth. I consider myself to be a family man and good christian. I have 3 wonderful children and would never jeopardize my job (my familys only source of income) for something so stupid!!! I knew and know due to the nature of my work drug tests at random are going to take place. I can’t help but wonder if the generic is playing a part in this as well. I AM TRYING TO FIGHT THESE RESULTS because they are not accurate. so please if anyone has any information or suggestions about what to do next it would be immensely appreciated. THANKS AT A LOSS !!!
Wayne – that is awful. I would push the company which made the generic you took to see if there is any evidence for the medication causing a positive urine drug screen. If you can receive documentation from the company which makes the medicine, then that may help you to prove your point to your employer.