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
can you buy generic adderallxr now
Hi,
Yes you can – in the US now.
Dr. Kenny
I went to have my XR prescription filled today and the pharmacy tried to give me the generic saying they are required by law to do it if there is a generic substitute available. What kind of crap is this? Why does the “government” get to decide weather or not I get a brand name or generic? They don’t do that at the grocery store! If I wanted a cheaper brand, I would ask for it.
Now, I’m on day two without my meds and I have to go get a new prescription from the doctor that says “no substitutions”. What a pain in the butt!
Pharmacies should be require to OFFER the generic but not to automatically GIVE it. That is just WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I too went to the pharmacy today to get my Adderall XR filled and was asked if I wanted the generic. I said no, that I would stick with what I have been taking for the past two years. I was told that they just got the generic last week and that some insurance companies would only fill the generic. My pharmacist tried to fill my Rx with Addreall XR but the insurance co came back saying that I had to try or test the generic. It made me feel like a lab rat! I filled it with the generic, which only saved my $5. She told me that I could get my Dr to say that the brand name was medically necessary, which I plan on doing, but in the meantime, I somewhat freaking out. I’m scared and afraid to take the generic because it’s different that what I’m used to. Have there been any different side effects with the generic? Has anyone experienced anything different? Is it the same exact chemical make-up? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I just got my script for Adderall XR 25mg. I have to pay for mine out of pocket and the price is ridiculous, I’ve been counting down for the day they became generic, my question is..
Does anyone know the price difference in the Brand name Addy’s vs the Generic?
what is the price difference between adderallxr brand name and generic brand
I’ve been on the new generic for about a week and don’t notice any differences. There was very little price difference between the brand name and the generic. I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield where I pay $5 monthly for generics and 20% for all others. But not with the generic Adderall XR… I was required to pay the 20% still. The only explanation the pharmacist could give was that there is only one company making the generic right now, and as more companies start making it the price will come down. The insurance companies use any excuse they can find to not pay. It is disgusting.
I just got my script filled for my generic substitute.
25mg XR’s usually cost me about $500 per month.
Generic version is $150 per month.
I almost threw a party!
I’ve been trying to find the generic Adderall XR, but it’s not available at my pharmacy yet. Where (pharmacy & location) are you finding the new generic? I’m in the Dallas, TX area. Thanks for any info!
The generic is available now in NY, Here is the amazing story. Shire makes adderall xr . Rcently they settled a law suit and agreed to let Barr pharmaceuticals infringe on the Shire patent and make and market generic adderall Xr as of April 1, 2009. 9 instead of 2019)
Here is the funny part. For now Shire is supplying Barr with the Adderall XR !!!!!
I couldn’t believe it and just went on the Barr website and looked up the drug and called the consumer hotline and they confirmed it is true.
So for the next 6 months or so until Barr gets it’s own manufacturing going, you get the Shire manufactured Adderall Xr at a really cheap price !
I’m in Metairie, LOUISIANA right outside of New Orleans.
I use my local Walmart. They said it’s going to be ready tomorrow.
I just started in on the generic today and so far it feels great (meaning the same as before). On my insurance I pay a standard co-pay of $40 for brandname Adderall XR. The new generic cost me $10!!! Not a big deal to some folks but I don’t make a ton of money and this was a pleasant surprise.
Also, for the person above looking Dallas… I’m in Waco and do my adderall (which requires me to and deliver the triplicate prescription) at CVS. The pharmacist says that all the CVS are bringing in the new generic.
I have been taking the generic Adderall XR for about a week now, after using the brand name for about 6 years. I definitely notice a difference. Since day one I have had moderate to severe stomach discomfort, along with intermittent bouts of nausea. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?
Just got prescribed Adderall Xr. Walgreens in Birmingham, al charged me $156.02 for generic. And that is with BC/BS. Seems a little pricey for generic anything.
The Generic doesn’t treat me any different than the Brand Name but I also read that there is NO difference between the two because Shire was actually making the Generic’s for Teva for the next 6 months as per their contract, but since I read this online, THIS INFO MIGHT BE WRONG.
I pay out of pocket for my meds so the Generic version of XR finally being an option is amazing!
I’m not trying to sell this site by any means but since I pay out of pocket and I’m always looking for ways to pay less at the pharmacy, I ran across this site called 1020RX.com that helps negotiate a different price with the pharmacies. And it actually works (I went to ripoffreport.com and the BBB.org before paying), I pay $14.99 a month and it cut my Generic price for 30 25mg from $160 to $100.
They advertise a lot of their discounts to run $10, $20, $30 and $40 for most meds, but that’s only on select ones. The Adderall’s and Generic Addy’s are obviously out of that range but they negotiate a lower price (I called to ask how they get their pricing and to make sure they didn’t charge an extra fee EVERY time you pick up meds -and they don’t, just once a month 14.99.)
If you go to their site you can go to their ‘drug search’ and enter the info -what meds you want, amount, MG etc. and they show you how much you’ll pay with their discount and show you Generic versions that will get you more of a discount (if you’re searching for the new Generic Adderall XR available, it’s under ‘DEXTROAMPHETAMINE-AMPHETAMINE’). It also shows you the participating pharmacies in your area and their price differences (I usually get mine from Walmart but I found out CVS is cheaper $100vs$135)
I do a lot of research before I commit to anything, especially online, so I would tell you to do the same if you’re interested in their service.
Other than that, Generic Add XR is awesome.
I just started taking the generic XR 30mg today after taking Adderall XR for the past 6 years. I was scared at first because the generic instant release Adderall affects me much differently than the brand name (my body can feel the difference between different MFG’s of generics, and it’s not psychosomatic either). At first I felt a little nauseous, but I figured it was all in my head, so I kept telling myself ‘it’s all your my head,’ after about an hour I felt totally normal.
I am also a pharmacy technician, and was interested in researching the chemical structural differences between the two, as of now there is none. Barr Pharmaceuticals is merely taking the Adderall XR’s and imprinting Dextro-Amph XR on them instead of Adderall XR… they are exactly the same capsules made by Shire.
A lot of drug companies do this, for instance; Protonix is brand for pantoprazole, but they also MFG a generic as well. I have filled many customers prescriptions for pantoprazole, and upon opening the bottle I have noticed that the pills say Protonix right on them, but not on the bottle.. not to mention they are much cheaper too!
LOL! That was supposed to say ‘it’s all in your head,’ not ‘it’s all your my head.’
I was also given the generic for my son. When I asked why it cost more than Adderall they could not explain so I called CIGNA. The reason is that the FDA has not approved it as the generic for Adderall so it is considered a new drug. Until the FDA approves it, I’m sticking with the name brand.
I’ve been taking the new generic xr for about 3 weeks now. I have been on Adderall XR for almost 3 years now, and I have never experienced any insomnia, hypertension, or anything too severe.
After 2 weeks of taking the generic, i have started to feel a difference. First, I had a terrible pain in my left shoulder and arm for a couple of days, which I am worried might’ve been a small MI. Now, I am experiencing sharp pains in my chest that i could only associate with pericarditis symptoms, which is basically pain when taking deep breaths, pain when laying down, and pain when laughing.
I was in class taking a test, and I felt so badly that I couldn’t stand up to turn my paper in.
It’s horrible and I am definitely changing back to brand name. If it’s true that for the next six months its the same product as the brand name, then I have no idea what could cause my recent chest pains (heart problems), I am only 21. Please be careful if you are buying this medication for children, don’t switch if there’s no need to.
Okay. I am pretty relieved to have found this info. I have been on Adderall XR 20 MG for 2 years and it has made such a positive change, but the costs really sucked. Needless to say, I was very excited to find a generic available 3 weeks ago which cost $10 for. 30 supply.
After the first week, I really felt a difference, but tried to put it out of my mind. My shoulder and rib cage is sore, I don’t sleep and I am snapping at people all day, all night. This is not the same drug mixture/compound. It cannot possibly be. I feel tired from the lack of sleep, moody/agressive/weepy (not me!), sore (for no apparent reason) and just plain out of sorts.
Has anyone had any luck figuring out why some of us are feeling this hell-ish effect from the generic version?
- Sleepless (and crabby) in Seattle
i have not taken any adderol at all untill a coupple weeks ago. I had taken ritalin for six years while in elementary and part of high school, for ADD. I started college in january and found it very diffacult to concentrate, so i asked my Doctor to perscribe me with something for ADD, and he put me on straterra. It made me imppotent, caused bladder constriction, and me very jittery, like i had drank two pots of extra strong coffey!!! So i went back to my doctor about two weeks after my perscription had run out, by then the drug was completely out of my system and I felt completely normal again. I told the Doctor about the side affects, and he then perscribed me with the generic form of Addreall. I have been takeing it for two weeks now and have experienced constipation, appetite loss, and can’t seem to get to sleep until one or two in the morning.
i think i will ask my Dr. to get me the name brand Adderall and see if the symptoms go away. I will finish the whole perscription to see if the side affects decrease over time.
The drug i am takeing is manufactured by Barr Labs and is infact produced by them, not by CIGNA. I whish I could just get my old ritalin back!!! As long as you didn’t take it after lunch time, it had no noticable side affects.
I was on adderall xr 10 – 15 mg per day. I metabolize my meds very slowly. I took the generic one day and could notice the difference. It felt the dose had been doubled. Going back to the brand name today. Still trying to decide whether to stay on adderall xr at all. Not one for taking meds. Does the brand or generic make anyone else feel like they are in space or overwhelmed? I’m still playing around and trying to get the dose right. I take 5mg in a.m. and 5mg about noon. I tolerate my afternoon dose much better than the morning. As it wears off I seem to feel better. Is this normal? Thanks for any imput.
I was switched to the generic for Adderal XR and I notice a big difference. The worst part is that it used to lift my mood a little bit. Now I feel like I have a nasty disposition, etc. although I try to keep it under wraps. I have been upemployed so I have been working a lot on sending in resumes’ etc. and wasn’t able to to do anything. My provider gave me a “Dispense as Written” prescription but the insurance company has rejected it so she has filled in paper work with the company to get an exception. She will repeal if they turn it down. In the mean time I am going on like this I checked the formulary and they say they will dispense the brand Adderal XR only for those under 22 years old. Why would they do this? It seems like discrimination to me. It’s definitely not working. I can’t focus. I read on Yahoo something about Adderal XR and the generic being the same stuff but what is different is the smoothness with which the timed release works, if it works. This makes some sense to me but this sure is a mess and is happening at the wrong time for me. Good luck everyone. I was happy too when I picked it up and it was cheaper but it is definately not worth it for me.
I have been taking brand adderall XR for about 4 years now and I noticed a huge difference when I tried the generic. I felt depressed, like I was in space, not able to focus, and like I had taken away energy. I got sad and really didn’t feel like myself. On brand adderall, I feel like myself but focus much better, not the lost feeling I had on the generic.
If anyone has yet to try generic, I would try to get a RX for a weeks worth, then see how you feel, because dealing with having a highly regulated drug but not wanting the rest of it is a pain. I have to go back to my Dr., deal with the pharmacy and my insurance.
And, I have BC/BS and it was only $5 for the generic, which was wonderful, since the brand is $175 normally for me. Although it is much cheaper, the generic is not worth the side effects for me.
I have been taking Adderall XR for a few months and with insurance it has cost me $25/month. Yesterday I filled my month’s prescription and it cost $69 with insurance, apparently because there is a generic available now. Well, apparently my pharmacy in Jackson Hole, WY doesn’t have it yet. When will it be available? I can’t afford $70/month!
Generic Adderal XR 20mg $175 for 30 pills
To all those out there, control yourselves. Some of you act like crack-feens and some of you are actually appreciative of the fact that Adderall has finally come out with a generic version. For those who are taking Adderall, you’re already suppose to have an IQ higher than the average man out there. So do this. Do some research. Yes, a lot of these responses are quite ridiculas. There is no differences in the actual drug administered into the little tiny balls you ingest. It is only the taste and the pigment color in which is different.
Now, could we do something….like make sure that the people who are actually on Adderall to take that psychological IQ boost and use it towards actual research rather that complaining about the fact that you’re taking something different? Seriously, why are you on the medication, if you’re not using it to benefit your reactions, and to benefit your mental IQ??? If you seriously notice your body reacting differently, you need to go back to your doctor and talk to him or her about your symptoms changing, because you’re not suppose to be on Adderall. You’re on a psychological altering drug, and if you do not have ADHD or ADD, you are letting your dopamine levels to change based off of the drug.
The drug-(Adderall) is nothing but a dopamine booster for individuals with ADD. For those without ADD, its legal methamphetamines, and you should not be on this medication. Get the hell off of the drug, and quit being the individual whom makes our medication look bad for society. Because this drug was meant to help our brain dysfunctions. Increase our IQ’s. Take people who grew up in families that didn’t raise them properly with food and the right nutrients to allow our brains to grow and function properly. I’m not a victim. I’m a person who is solving my problems, and just like gun control, I expect the drug I am taking to be taken seriously. Very seriously. If you were meant to be on this drug, you wouldn’t let your brain to alter just because you got the generic version.
I am extremely huge on this, because there is one drug out there that I can’t get my hands on that my brain requires for the performance I’ve seen to eliminate anxiety. And I can’t get this specific medication because people have taken vicodin and completely taken its, “euphoric feeling of well-being,” effect, and completely took it out of context. Now, doctors won’t even believe me to just try to see the effects on my brain and my brain patterns. Doctors completely forgot about neurotic brain cells, and that, even though someones dopamine levels may be low, doesn’t mean that Citalopram (Celexa), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Fluoxetine (Prozac), Fluvoxamine (Luvox), Paroxetine (Paxil), or Sertraline (Zoloft), all anti-depressants, are the only things that a doctor says are acceptable in my brain for my serotonin levels also. In other words, those who are taking the generic version of Adderall, and you claim that it is magically different, think again. Get off the drug. Because if you don’t, you’re eventually going to ruin it for everyone else who actually needs to be on the medication.
I respect my IQ enough to know if the generic version of XR is helping my ADD the same way as regular XR is. It is not. It’s flunking the test. I am guessing that somehow the gradual release of the drug isn’t working correctly. Yes, the actual drug is the same. This is really hard on me as I am supposed to be applying for jobs and I am suffering from gross disorganization since I started on the generic. I just want to get my life back. At first I was very happy about having a generic and paying less but it is just not worth it.
For More information about generic medication – and the differences – read this article that I wrote some time ago:
http://www.addadhdblog.com/adhd-medication-are-generics-the-same/
Best,
Dr. Kenny
I have been taking Adderall XR for over 3 years now and it has been great- it helped me get on track in life and I am no longer known as ‘the slow kid’. I have full time work and school which could be hard at times. I take 60mg everyday and it’s great. Recently, I have tried the generic version of adderall xr and it sucks! It does not work- all it does is make me furious for about an hour and that’s it. The first time I took it was crazy, i took 7 30 mg pills because I kept forgetting taht I already took it (since it doesn’t work). I got really mad and depressed for about an hour an then i just wanted to go home and sleep… If I ever took the same amount of the brand name adderall xr I would probably die! the next day, i decided to give it a second chance and again, nothing happened… it sucks. I decided to not take this medication and just wait for my appointment with my doctor but this is definetly a lesson learned… I WILL NEVER GET THE GENERIC VERSION EVER AGAIN!!!!
P.S. Isa, I don’t know what you were talking about because you lost me on the second sentence but I do recommend taht you get a life… you talk to much.
I have taken adderall xr for 4 years now, and got the generic this month. I have noticed it affects me a little different than the oroginal. Like the good doctor stated in his article, it can effect people sensitive to meds differently. I dont feel the same way I do with the original for some reason. I am willing to give it some time, well have to since I have a month supply now. Thanks for you OPINION Isa, but that is how it works with you. Dont down on those that find help with adderall.
Me again.
After taking the generic version for over a month now I’ve noticed only that I’m moodier and a little more on edge than if I was taking the brand name.
Of course I doubt I’m ‘sensitive to meds’ and what I do is psychosomatic.. I tell myself that there’s no difference and then tell myself that it will work for 12 hours even though it doesn’t, of course I’m still mean but I get over it.
Either way, the small side effects don’t warrant a big change to me.
Ciao
The generic is not the same in this case for my son. We have been on it for 2 weeks and it has been the worst two weeks of our lives.. He is extremely aggitated and angry while the meds wear off ..something we never saw with Adderall XR. He has developed some hand twisting repetitive movements we have not seen on the Adderall. His teachers are telling me he is not as focused..and seems so out of it in his own world enough for me… He is happily back on Adderall xr..we are out $175..but it was the best $175 we have spent.. I dont thinks insurance comapnies should have any right to charge extra when you get a RAW order from the doctor..
A few people have posted that they feel IRRITABLE using the new generic Adderall XR, and few others have mentioned feeling tired.
Me too!
However, I had been taking it for two weeks, and didn’t realize it was the new generic version! The pharmacist didn’t bother to tell me that it was a generic substitute, and I hadn’t bothered to look at the label until last night…
Last week I snapped, and about quit my job, after the phone rang too many times, too many client’s needing assistance, etc. Then, the phone rang, and in front of two clients, I blurted out, F*CK this F*cking phone. I was literally seeing red. The situation leading up to my announcement was not unusual, however, my response was…
I remember relating the experience to my coworkers who said it was just stress. I remember telling them,”Yeah, but I feel sooo irritable right now…”
Another thing, I’ve had a really hard time getting out of bed this week too. Amphetamine withdrawal perhaps, if the “absorption rate” between the brand and generic is different?
I doubt the claim that Shire is providing the same medication to Barr. I knew something was not right with me last week, I just didn’t realize my meds had changed!
I’m headed to the pharmacist today for a replacement. I’ll probably also mention to the pharmacist that it seems rather unethical that they previously failed to mention the switch…
I have a 7 yr. old grandson that I have custody of, and he is on AdderallXR. I just got the generic yesterday and gave him 1. He was awake all night and may have slept an hour this morning. He told me his stomach was quizzy(queasy)and I kept him home from school today due to lack of sleep. He is laying around, unlike his usual behaviour, and irritable. He needs this med as he is ADHD, and cannot concentrate, and becomes cranky, and hard to deal with. I was so concerned about this, I looked up this site to see what’s going on. He was fine until he took the generic. He is argumentative and just generally miserable. I should also mention he has an auto immune disorder from birth, but seems to be doing better these days.He is laying in his bed as I write..He stayed in his bed the entire night from 9pm, but never slept! Someone please tell me if this is shortlived as I don’t believe he has any choice in meds as he is a Medicaid kid…
I’m seeing such different numbers and the like I’m wondering whether we’re talking about the same thing. The generic I’m using has Amphet Salts on the capsule. The capsule color and the little balls inside the capsule look pretty much the same as what I remember.
In my experience, the generic doesn’t work much at all. Fortunately, I haven’t had any of the negative reactions that many others have reported here but I wonder if there’s a point to me taking it since I don’t feel any different from when I’m not on it and very different from when I was on the brand.
Funny …when I had my May prescription filled for adderall xr 30 the Target Pharmacy substituted the new generic I was thrilled because my co pay was now $5.00 instead of $20.00. On Thursday when I went to get my new prescription filled the Target pharmacist told me my copay was $50.00 – I said what happened to the $5.00 generic? She told me there was some kind of issue and the generic isn’t an exact substitute so they can’t automatically substitute – so my dr would need to write a prescription specifically for the generic. Meanwhile back at the Ranch….the insurance company was quick to update the formulary – so that now instead of my $20 co pay – I’m being charged $50. Ticks me off beyond belief.
I wonder if Barr or Shire are getting feedback and you think they would be since those of us who had to go back to the brand name are costing the insurance companies more money plus ourselves. I wonder if the quantity of people who are having trouble is more than for most startups of generics for use in place of brand names? I don’t suppose there is any way we customers can find anything out as to what the problem with them is?
Last month I had my Adderall XR prescription filled as normal, but had no idea that it was switched to generic. I could not figure out why I was not feeling well (couldn’t focus, groggy, etc.) Then one day I noticed the generic word on my prescription bottle & figured out what was going on! Anyway, it was an ordeal, but I’m back on name-brand Adderall & feel back to normal. Here’s the catcher – I have BCBS of Alabama and the generic Adderall XR is $60 and the name-brand is now $30! Apparantly BCBS now prefers the name-brand to the generic!!
My son of 12yrs has ADHD. He is currently on the generic form of Adderall 20 mg. It does not work. I thought perhaps it was time to change his dosage due to his recent behavior. I looked at his prescription and notice the generic equivalent. Needless to say I am going to call his pediatrician tomorrow and see if we can get Adderall or a different medication. I am all for generic medication. If it cost less and it works why not? This is one that I will have to say NO too. It is not effective, even if it it cheaper. I love my son more than saving a few dollars.
Fun facts:
- Shire produces Adderall XR and they also produce Vyvance.
- Shire made an agreement with BARR (subsidary of Teva) giving them 100% exclusive rights to the generic version of Adderall XR 180 days earlier than any other company can.
- During this 180 days, Shire will actually supply the generic version of Adderall XR to Teva.
Think about it, you have all these people complaining to their doctors about the generic Adderall XR. The doctor tells them of a similar, “new and improved” medicine called Vyvanse and switches you to the new and improved medicine… Shire wins. Other option, he writes you a script with for a NO GENERIC Adderall XR… again Shire wins, assuming your insurance company will pay. The Vyvance is expensive, about the same as the Adderall XR; but at least if you have insurance they will cover it… most insurance companies will not cover a “designer” drug if a “generic” version is available.
Either there are a lot of people who are having “false” side-effects from the generic Adderall XR; after all it is being supplied by the company that actually makes Adderall XR so it should be identical… or perhaps there is a little tweak in the formula of the Adderall XR that Shire is supplying to Teva; purposly; to get as many of the Addy patients on their Vyvance before the Adderall XR truely becomes generic later this year. Vyvanse will not have a generic for years to come and is actually cheaper to make than the Adderall XR… and once again Shire wins… their goal is to make Vyvanse the #1 ADD/ADHD drug and to capture 50% of the $3+ billion dollar ADD/ADHD market.
All of that said… I do prefer the Vyvanse over the Adderall XR. Both have worked very well for me and there are pro’s and con’s to both. For me, the Vyvanse has a smoother and more consistant effect that allows me to get through the entire work day.
It’s not much cheaper – cash price $20 less at my local pharmacies (Oregon) – $186.95 for 30 days of 5 mg Adderall XR.
Isa states that Adderall is legal methamphetamine. A friend of mine told me this too. If you look at the ingredients, it does not contain methamphetamine – it contains dextroamphetamines and a bunch of other amphetamine salts, but not methamphetamine. It is an important difference. If something gets repeated enough, people start to believe it is a fact.
I have been taking Adderall XR for about 8 years now. Last month I went to get my prescription filled and the pharmacy gave me the generic brand. I decided to try it for the month to see how it works. It was horrible!!! I have not felt that awful since I was pregnant and couldn’t take my meds. I was depressed, couldn’t focus, couldn’t sleep and had the hardest time dealing with day to day life. I kept snapping at everyone. I always felt angry. I felt like a completly different person. I am back on the brand Adderall and feel great. After the first day I noticed and felt a complete difference. But now my insurance won’t cover the brand Adderall. I will have to pay the difference in price between the generic and brand plus my copay. Can you believe that crap? I have no idea what I am going to do now.
I just started taking the generic version two weeks ago, and ever since that day I’ve been feeling tired and unfocused. Others have noticed a difference in my behavior and my work. I think it also has been irritating my stomach. At first I thought I ate something bad, but it’s been going on everyday since I first started taking it. Now that I’m reading other people’s posts experiencing similar symptons,I’m almost sure it’s the medication.
I’m definitely tell my doctor to specifically prescribe the brand version, and not to allow substitutions. I’ll pay more if I have to.
I’ve been taking adderall xr 20 mg since september ’08. this last month when i went to fill my rx, the pharmacy clerk asked if i wanted generic or name brand. i didnt remember ever being asked this before so i said to give me whatever i had been getting. my husband acctually picked it up for me once it was ready, and he brought home the generic. i was a little confused. i had not known that there wasn’t a generic previously availible and i was really happy to see that i would no longer be paying $35. per month because the generic is only $10! the first day that i took my new generic i noticed the difference in about 30 minutes of taking it. my lips were a little tingly and my skin was crawling. i just assumed this was because it had been almost a week since i’d had my meds because in typical adhd style i procrastinated getting my rx filled.as that first day went on i just noticed more and more symptoms that hightened my concern. i was even looking up symtoms online. i thought i might be having an allergic reaction. the next day i skipped my meds and felt fine. on the third day i decided to try again. that day i experienced headaches that i atributed to being hungry so i had lunch. after lunch my headache was still there and just became progressivly worse. it was like a tension headache that i could pinpoint on the sides of my skull and by the end of the day at the base of my skull. tylenol didn’t relieve this. i continued to take my meds, but i contacted my pharmacist to ask questions.she said that the ‘active ingredients’ are generaly the same but the over all components may be different. in order for it to be considered ‘generic’ form of a drug it still needs to address the same concerns but it’s formula does not need to be exact which is why they may cause different side effects. she also said that when you take on form of a drug for a while your body becomes tolerant or used to metabolizing the drug’s ingredients. so a change in the formula will sometimes be noticed by the body. she said there are many drugs on the market in which they strongly recomend staying consistent with only one brand and not switching from brand to brand as to alow your body consistent tolerance of a familiar drug. sometimes switching from brand to brand causes your body to aclimate to new ingredients. she said the symptoms i was experiencing should subside as my body became used to it. i am now on the third to last pill of the month and i have had every common sides effect listed. i’ve had:
•Loss of appetite (anorexia)
•Dry mouth
•Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
•Headaches
•Abdominal pain (or stomach pain)
•Weight loss (see Adderall and Weight Loss)
•Emotional changes
•Dizziness
•Diarrhea
•Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
•Heartburn.
also blurred vision.
to make it all worse, i dont even think that my adhd symptoms have been helped this month. i’ve been just as distracted and forgetfull as i am off my meds. i’m speaking really quickly, i’m more fidgity than normal, i’m basicly feeling like i’m on speed, or one to many redbulls. i generally feel like crap. with the name brand i NEVER felt this way. i never felt any different physicaly i only noticed the mental changes or behavioral changes. im going to my doc this week for my three month apt to get my next three month rx and i have many questions for him about all of this. i havent investigated if my insurence will still cover name brand now that a generic is available, but if they only cover this generic brand i am going to look into other treatment. i cant help but wonder why it took so long to get a generic form of adderall xr on the market. and i can’t help but wonder if we are all like their lab rats to test it out and see how it works. oh, and i dont know if this is related to the meds or not but this month on two different occasions when i had gotten up in the night to go to the bathroom , i had very sharp, very quick BUT mild pains shoot from my pelvic area through to each side of my lower back which i assume is my kidney area. i really hope everyone will pay close attention to any unusual side effects from this NEW drug.
good luck!
I have been purchasing Adderral xr, with no insurance ofset, for my adult son for about 5 years now. In January of this year the price jumped to almost $400/month, here in California. I sent Teva an e-mail in April asking about a generic (I also had read about the law suit settlement), and was told then that it had no plans to produce a generic. From reading the emails here, it appears that in fact there is a generic available from Teva (although produced by Shire), although it appears to have some adverse side effects.
Does anyone know if the generic Adderall xr (called amphetamine dextroamphetamine extended release capsules) is availabe in California through any of Walgreens, Safeway or Costco?
Any information would be appreciated.
The bad news for some of us is that the cash price is not much less than the brand cash price($20 less at Kmart). Also check with your pharmacist BEFORE filling. To my surprise, my copay (with Anthem) for the generic is $60 vs $30 for brand!! The pharmacist said she has been seeing this quite a bit. I checked with my insurance and they said its true. So, with your insurance, a generic can sometimes cost you more!
Sorry- I didn’t see someone else had posted something to the effect of my last comment. (I’m at work and haven’t had my meds today
i get really irritated when dr. kenny handelman and others like him say that the generic adderall XR is just like the brand name adderall XR, when it so clearly is not. it is a real problem when dr’s and prescribers don’t take us seriously when we tell them that generic medications have side affects that brand name medications do not have, and they do not work as well even if we forget about the added side affects. a common problem for women with ADHD that is not mentioned or written about is sensitivity to noise and smell. i am surprised by how much the adderall helped decrease that sensitivity, but now with the generic stuff, i am back to square one. i am nervous and jumpy and can’t focus, and am unable to get anything done. i just stand in the middle of the room and don’t know where to start. i take the 20 mg. capsule, and they switched on me, and didn’t say a word, because the capsules look the same. i wouldn’t have noticed except for that i just picked up my adderall that day and i noticed the difference in price. i am pissed.
Sue,
I’m sorry to hear that the generic adderall doesn’t work well for you.
In my article above, I explain that for most people there isn’t a difference – but there is for some people.
Unfortunately, that includes you.
I hope the discussion on this page can help you to find some ideas to help you in getting the regular Adderall XR again.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
This message is for JennB. I’m a pharmacy technician, well I use to work in a pharmacy now i’m a nurse technician working on my BSN in nursing. Anyway, its not the government that decides what medication to give out. Well in a small way yes they do but here’s the inner workings of a pharmacy and insurance for you to think about. 90% of insurance companies want to make money, so by doing this they usually only pay for generic medications if there is one available. This is called “Formulary” medications. its a list of meds that are approved for whatever you have that the insurance company will cover. So if you have asthma and you need Proventil (the generic is albuterol) if the FDA approves albuterol as a substitute for Proventil (which is does) then your insurance will pay for only the cheaper of the two meds because according to the FDA they work the same. That’s where the government comes in. They regulate the FDA and the FDA has a lot of rules and regulations, on of which states that if a pharmacy is billing for 10 pills of Adderal XR generic with an NDC# of 11111-22-3333 then they have to dispence exactly that. if you insurance covers only 10 pills of Adderal XR generic with NDC# 11111-22-3334 then they pharmacy can only dispence what the insurance is paying for. NDC# stands for National Drug Code, its on all medications both over the counter and prescription. its equal to a UPC code on almost everything that you buy. So anyway, its a mix of both your insurance company and our government that decide what meds we take.