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
BTW if you have constipation, it is so easily remedied by taking magnesium. If you actually have done some research, you would have known that taking adderall with magnesium increases effect by keeping the drug inside blood longer and that too much magnesium causes one to poop. I take moderate amount of magnesium and I poop everyday just fine even though on some days I don’t eat at all I still poop the next day because magnesium helps loosen the excrement in your intestines. LOOK IT UP PEOPLE. If you have a problem all YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK FOR REMEDY. IT IS NOT THAT HARD PEOPLE. I DID SOO MUCH RESEARCH BEFORE I ACTUALLY TOOK ADDERALL. So I wouldn’t be ignorant on how I can make it not uncomfortable for me to take it. Plus I have somewhat of a high tolerance. SO TAKE LESS IF YOU DON’T.
I seriously think the people who are saying generic sucks and brand is better are really ignorant. The only reason you guys say that is because you are so desperately trying to compare the two drugs. Animals adapt to better suit their environment. Adapt with the new drug and take less or more or something else because you don’t need to cry about it, all you have to do put in some effort. You people are wasting so much on brand for no reason, making shire even richer. Seriously, right now is time of economic turmoil so why are you guys so desperate in wasting all your money in something that is not necessary for life such as heart medication is for someone who has a faulty heart. You guy’s don’t even care about others who are suffering that don’t even get to experience school or work in some place that isn’t physically labor intensive. Crying about generic. STOP, save that money and spend it on something more important. Maybe another visit to the doctors since you guys are obviously depressed.
Editor’s note – Thanks, Aldo for your comments.
When it comes to some of the comments you’ve made, they are close to the ‘line’ of being insulting to people who participate on this blog. Because they are aimed generally at everyone, and not any one specific person, I have allowed these comments to show on the blog. I hope that your comments are taken as a starting point for discussion, rather than as insults to people who rely on their Adderall as a treatment for their ADHD (as I rely on my eye-glasses to see as I type this).
Dr. Kenny
Thanks, Dr. Handelman for addressing that. I would like to ask Aldo some questions regarding the statements he made.
Aldo, listen to what you have said:
I seriously think the people who are saying generic sucks and brand is better are really ignorant. REALLY? WE’RE ALL IGNORANT? PLEASE HELP ME BECOME AWARE…
The only reason you guys say that is because you are so desperately trying to compare the two drugs. YES, LANDING IN THE HOSPITAL WAS ME DESPERATELY TRYING TO COMPARE THESE…
Animals adapt to better suit their environment (WE ARE HUMANS… ADDERALL IS A DRUG, NOT OUR ENVIRONMENT).
Adapt with the new drug and take less or more or something else because you don’t need to cry about it, (RUDE!)
all you have to do put in some effort (OH! THAT’S ALL! OKAY!…).
You people are wasting so much on brand for no reason, making shire even richer (THAT’S WHAT WORKS BEST FOR US, WHY DO YOU CARE WHO GETS OUR MONEY?).
Seriously, right now is time of economic turmoil so why are you guys so desperate in wasting all your money (WHAT?!) in something that is not necessary for life such as heart medication is for someone who has a faulty heart (TO GIVE US A CHANCE TO IMPROVE OUR WAY OF LIFE).
You guy’s (APOSTRAPHE?) don’t even care about others who are suffering (WHERE DO YOU GET THIS FROM? HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE CARE ABOUT?)
that don’t even get to experience school or work in some place that isn’t physically labor intensive. Crying about generic. STOP, save that money and spend it on something more important (HMMM.. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO SPEND OUR MONEY ON?).
Maybe another visit to the doctors since you guys are obviously depressed. WHERE DO YOU GET DEPRESSED OUT OF THIS? ONE OF THE FIRST SIGNS OF DEPRESSION IS NEGATIVITY, CHECK YOURSELF. THIS POST WAS TERRIBLY COMPOSED AND VOID OF ANY FACTUAL CONTENT. YOUR OPINION IN THIS CASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT TO YOURSELF, IT WAS NOT CONSTRUCTIVE IN ANYWAY AND IT WAS BITTER, CONDESCENDING, ASSUMED, RUDE, AND (AS YOU SAY) STUPID.
I’ve been taking generic Adderall XR since it was introduced (April, ’09) & it’s indistinguishable from brand for me (i.e., works well, can’t tell the difference. I’ve been on Adderall XR for a total of ~ 3 years now (recently changed dose from 15 mg/day to 10 mg/day)). Now that there are 2 generics out (Impax/Global & Teva/Barr), I do wonder when price will come down significantly. This is a medication for which there is a lot of off-label demand, & I’m sure that’s part of it; the details of the patent litigation (& legal payments (“kickbacks”?) involved) I’m sure also play a role. But I wish the antitrust/FTC people would be more aggressive in the U.S. in policing/enforcing these situations (as they do in Canada & generally in Europe) so that pricing fairness / integrity is more transparent & consistently enforced.
It seems that many people are not aware that Shire has actually been providing (to Barr/Teva) all Adderall XR that is sold as “generic Adderall XR” by Barr/Teva. It’s actually the same exact medication as the “brand” version. Here’s verification from Shire’s web site in a December, 2009 news release:
http://www.shire.com/shireplc/en/investors/investorsnews/irshirenews?id=314
The placebo effect can be very powerful, & that must be what people are experiencing when they perceive a difference in the “generic” version, since in this case there’s no difference.
Question for the Doc. and everyone.
I am one of those for whom the generic from Teva/Barr did not work. Is the new one from Impax/Global any different? Is there any legal reason why the generic companies use slightly different fillers, etc. or use maybe a different mix than the original? For Aldo, it is bad news when a drug not only doesn’t work but makes one’s symptoms worse and possibly make a person more aggressive or easy to rage. This is miserable for the patient and possibly dangerous for those surrounding them or could cause a job loss. It is scarey for us who were diagnosed late and finally found what helps us. We don’t want to lose it. One thing I might try is Vyvance if it gets to that. We who have been misunderstood so much of our lives don’t need “one of us” to think that because a drug works for them it will work for all of us. Why should we waste money on a drug that makes us feel unfocused, aggressive and cause us to not be ourselves?
I do not buy that there is no difference. First, let me state that I am on medical assistance, due to the fact that I fit the criteria for the lowest income tier. That means my prescriptions are all $1 or free. Generic or not. I have had my dr. write “DAW1″s on my RX and have had generic. The generic is twice as potent and “dirtier”, as in it feels like I od’ed on cough meds… there are many conflicting reports on if there is on isn’t a difference, and I can definitely tell a difference.
Hello James,
We have been through this before. I think you should read further back into the comments and you will see that the problems are way more than the placebo effect would reflext. I went to you link and if you notice it doesn’t say that Shire sent the exact same ingredients to Tevo to quote “Shire has been supplying Teva with authorized generic ADDERALL XR since April”. The authorized generic can contain different substances by a certain percent. Also, I think someone raised the point that part of the miracle of Adderal XR was when they figured out how to release just the right amounts at the right times during the day to keep us with the correct dosages for most effective treatment. Also, Shire has a vested interest in now promoting Vyvance as the best extended release ADD/ADHD medication. You have a right to what you think but I am almost certain that there is something different between the brand Adderal XR versus generic. I was really happy to get the generic and i was super disappointed when I felt so awful. I never thought there would be a difference as I take a lot of generic medication and it works fine.
Hi Kathy & Amy,
I was told by Shire that they (Shire) are manufacturing the medication for Teva/Barr, but I don’t recall whether I asked them to confirm that it’s the exact same (i.e., whether Teva/Barr is being sent a version in which some subtle changes have been made to the forumulation), so I guess this could be the case. I do question whether this would be allowable under FDA’s guidelines (since it would presumably be somewhat different that what FDA has approved), though, & whether it would be economically practical for Shire. You might want to contact Shire &/or Teva/Barr (&/or perhaps Impax/Global) & ask about this. If you do, please report back & let us know. I’d be very surprised if it’s different, but would be very interested in hearing back either way.
I have BlueCross BlueShield as my incurance through the COBRA program and have been on Adderall XR 60mg for almost 2 years now. It cost me $100 every month to have it filled as it was still brand name. Then when April 2009 rolled around and the generic version was released, I was elated to think that I would be paying only $10 for it, like I do my other meds. But, no. The Adderall XR generic is still $100, just like the brand name.
So, since April, I’ve been receiving generic brand Adderall XR and was still paying $100 when I should only be paying $10. Can someone explain this to me because the pharmacist or my psychiatrist certainly couldn’t explain it. Nobody seems to have the answer as to why they cost the same. I’ve never encountered a situation where a generic medication cost as much or more than it’s brand name counterpart.
Hi to every one on this blog. I just want more info on this pill. I been reading every ones post and I really want to try both of them to see if they really do have diff effects on a person. I have the generic please let me know the pros and the cons thanks
And on the pill it’s read adderall xr but on the bottel it’s reads amphetamine salts er
I have been trying to find information from someone that is not taking Adderall or the generic for ADD or ADHD. My doctor added the generic to my anti-depressants about eight months ago. He thought it might help with my lack of motivation. I have tried many different anti-depressants over the years (started about 21 years ago)and now take Pristiq. Am I the only one using this medication for this?
Karen, I can’t help you because I take brand name Adderal XR but since the Adderal thing seems to be so messed up, I don’t know if I will be able to get XR in the not too distant future. Adderal XR works fine.
I would like to know if you get any help for your ADD/ADHD from Pristiq? I take Effexor XR for depression and clonopin for anxiety.
Here is my problem. Yesterday, I went to my pharmacy to get my prescription for Adderall XR. The pharmacist shows me that the label on the bottle says Adderall XR–BUT–the capsules inside the bottle no longer have “Adderall XR” printed on them. The capsules now have the words “M.Emphat Salts” printed on them. I was mistakenly, in the past, given the generic of Adderall XR. I know what the generic capsules look like. The label on the bottle says “Adderall XR”, but these capsules are generic. My pharmacist and my neurologist office called around and were told that the FDA approved the bottle to be labeled in this way and the capsules to be labeled another way. They were also told that my prescription was definately Adderall XR. And we are all just supposed to believe that? My doctor and pharmacist are very uncomfortable with this. Why would Shire put their top of line product in second rate packaging? I could understand the “bait and switch” if it were reversed. Is this even legal? I feel like I might me be getting ripped off. I am paying a higher price for the real Adderall, but I don’t know what I am getting. Has anyone else experienced this? My pharmacist said that he first noticed this problem only 2 weeks ago. Thanks, Jammie
I have been trying to get my Adderall XR prescription filled for 5 days now with no luck. As of January 1st, Blue Cross will no longer cover the brand name product. However, they will not cover the generic either. They actually keep telling me that it is not “FDA approved” which I know is a bunch of crap. Pharmacies would not be able to offer it if it wasn’t FDA approved. Is anyone else having this issue with Blue Cross and the generic version of Adderall XR???
Help!
Well, this is getting a little scary. I just checked my bottle from 12/9/2009 and it still says Adderall XR on the pills. I will sure pay attention to what or if on the next bottle. I should look and see what United Healthcare has done with their formulary. My doc sent a letter to my insurance to get the XR because the generic made me feel awful and did things to my personality. But this is a new year so it’s anybodys guess. Thank you Jammie and Terri for sending a note.
Ive been on Adderall Xr for years now and I too was told months ago that I HAD to take the generic or get a prior authorization from my insurance. I was not thrilled but I gave the generic a go… not a fan. I found the generic to be very different, maybe I am just more sensitive than other/most people but I was shakey and kind of restless/anxious. I called my dr. and he told me a few other people had the same problem, I actually tried a different medication made by shire that is similar to adderall xr but metabolized differently and it was awful. Needless to say I got my prior authorization and everything was fine until I lost my insurance and had to go on the states… they have refused my prior authorization from my dr twice now and I am so aggrevated. Obviously my dr is asking for this for a reason, they aren’t drs they dont know… I think im going to appeal it and hopefully go back on brand name. In December I had to pay out of pocket for the brand name and it was $500… talk about ridiculous. In the meantime I told my dr I would give the generic another go… not looking forward to this. What really aggravates me is that the generic is like 20% cheaper… oh gee great savings.
If anyone else got denied let me know what happened/if you appealed… thanks!
If there is no difference between generic and brand Adderall XR, then why do I get sick to my stomache and have headaches when I take the generic?
I had been taking the Adderall for about 2 years when the generic came out. Like so many, I picked up perscription to find that it cost $4 instead of $60. Cool. Didn’t think anything about it just figured the generic was now available. Well, I began with extreme fatigue to the point of feeling like I needed to close my eyes from two hours after I took my medicine at 7:30 a.m. ALL DAY I was exhausted! I was bloated, easily irritated, and the worst part, spaced out. I was putting the dog snacks in the fridge, the milk in the cabanet. I couldn’t remember what I had just done or said. The constant yawning and sleepyness was enough but add in the total destruction of brain function…well. At first, I just figured my body had to get used to the generic. This went on for a full month and a half. I tried to wait it out thinking it would eventually pass but not the case. I contacted my doctor and made a mad dash to her office emotionally expressing the issues I had been having with the generic. That was four months ago and all has been fine since. Name brand Adderall XR. Check. That is until this week. Monday, I picked up my perscription. Bottle says Adderall XR, pills have Adderall XR printed on them. Guess what? It is in no way shape or form the original name brand formulation of Adderall XR. It is Friday and I am so damn sleepy, cloudy, unmotivated, out of focus, and bloated! The pharmacy says they have had no complaints. I have called the FDA Consumer Complaint hotline and am awaiting a return call. I am at my wits end now. If I can’t even trust the name brand of this drug what are my alternatives. I have both the generic and supposed name brand as the pharmacy would not take back the perscription they filled incorrectly. Is there any way to have them analyzed? Either way, if ANYONE has had the same issue, please post. I cannot reach my doctor until next Tuesday at the earliest. This is a total nightmare I assure you.
to those who say it’s the placebo effect:
i had no idea that i was switched from brand name to generic for two full months – but over those months, i was extremely irritable, sleepy, disorganized and depressed…
then, i happened upon this here blog, and BINGO – captain obvious told me to check the label – yep, it was generic…fast forward to a week later: i fought with my insurance company, got back on the brand name (because they’d already approved it in writing for a full year in august ’09 – they stopped covering it 1/1/10), and VOILA – instantly back to my former (much improved) self.
I have been calling the FDA, Shire, my pharmacist and my doctor about the generic/ Adderall XR. Shire told my pharmacist and my neurologist office that Shire is making both the generic and the Adderall XR at Shire . Shire explained to these people that there are two separate medicines going down two separate conveyors. Shire also told these professionals that the FDA has approved the packaging of the Adderall XR formula into either/or a capsule stamped with the Adderall XR on it or into a generic capsule that does not have the words Adderall XR on the capsule–and that it is okay to have the medicine bottle still labeled Adderall XR even if that is not what the capsule has on it. I called Shire and Shire tried to tell me the same thing. The woman from Shire even told me to look at the inlet(the prescription description paper that comes with the prescription) and that the inlet said the FDA approved Shire to use whatever name Shire wanted to use. I checked the inlet and so did my pharmacist. It was UNTRUE. I called and talked to the FDA twice. The FDA called Shire and then the FDA called me back. Shire told the FDA something completely opposite of what Shire had told my pharmacist and my neurologist office. Shire told the FDA that Shire was running two separate conveyors of the SAME product. Shire told the FDA that Shire was packaging the same product into capsules labeled Adderall XR and capsules not labeled Adderall XR. Shire told the FDA that Shire was now giving everyone the Adderall XR. This includes the people that are given a generic prescription. Shire’s explanation for doing this was Shire wanted to stay competitive. I won’t even pretend to understand what that is supposed to mean. Shire told the FDA to have me call Shire back and speak with a specialist who worked at Shire named Sylvia. I called Shire and was told that no one named Sylvia worked there. I called Shire at 2:00PM my time–3:00PM their time. I was told that no one could assist me and that I had reached an “after hours” phone service. I questioned why an “after hours” phone service was needed during the day and was told that EVERYONE at Shire was in a meeting together. Basically, I was blown off by Shire and by the FDA–BUT–I am not finished. This medication that I have been given SUCKS. I don’t care what name Shire puts on the capsule or what name Shire puts on the bottle–because I know that this medication is not Adderall XR.
Shelly – Try testing your blood sugar. It might not be the meds, it might be more along the lines of your blood sugar being out of whack. Or it could be time for an increase in the dose…I’m not sure. I do know the days where my Adderall doesn’t seem to work as well – it’s my blood sugar.
Also, if you are taking large doses of Vitamin C with the medicine – it’s going to interrupt the Adderall. Look it up – I had one doc give me Adderall for my narcolepsy, another one told me to take Vitamin C and I experienced a dramatic decline in how well the Adderall worked. Turns out, Vitamin C will interfere with how Adderall is absorbed. So…I started taking the Vitamin C at night – and the problem got better (assuming my blood sugar is okay that day) even still, I still have days that are better than others.
If you aren’t taking a Vitamin C supplement, maybe you’ve started taking the meds with OJ or Lemonade or anything else high in Vitamin C? If so – stop taking them at the same time and see if you notice a change. If that’s not the problem, see about testing your blood sugar. If that’s not it – ask your doctor about a higher dose – because you can build up a tolerance…which is understandable.
Side note – the good thing about Vitamin C at night in combo with Adderall is that it sort of acts as a “kill switch” so if you’re having problems going to sleep, it can help…it’s obviously not 100% foolproof (as I’m up at 1:30 am) but I did take my dose later than I should have today. Oh well…c’est la vie!
Good luck!!
“Shire told the FDA that Shire was now giving everyone the Adderall XR. This includes the people that are given a generic ”
I wonder if this means that there used to be separate drugs on each convair belt but they (Shire and Teva)decided to just give everyone XR either because it is cheaper when you only have to make one medicine or was the reason that the generic was giving a lot of people trouble? Maybe they found some more cost effective ingredients or a new process and they didn’t realize until people started buying them that there was a problem. They don’t have to do as much testing with generics. This is just pure speculation. Maybe everyone in the factory wasn’t told, especially customer service people, just the have-to-knows and the people on the line would know. One would hope that the company would tell the FDA the truth. It’s pretty sensitive information and who would want to admit that they made a mistake with medication that wasn’t caught until the public had problems with it? Someone could claim that their child who did something horrible or took their life did it because of this generic drug. Instead they quietly get it out of the market by just using the regular Adderall for both. This is just me sitting here in the middle of the night, speculating.
Shire is no more giving the name brand version as generic than I am Santa Claus! I work for a manufacturing company and can assure you of one thing. The generic and name brand are different in 99% of the cases. The ingredients look the same but the process or formulation are different. I like Jammie am outraged that with all that goes into getting the medicine right and then the dosage right, that we the people are not protected by the “FDA”. I too have been dismissed by the FDA and if I hear one more time that, paraphrasing here, its in my head because it is generic, I think I’ll scream. So now I have to start all over again because our government cannot regulate the drug companies? And not just me…what about the tweens that are on this medication. As if puberty wasn’t hard enough, but to add the generic formulation on top of the already unstable emotions of a child. I am beyond furious! I do not see my doctor again until NEXT FRIDAY. In the mean time, I am going nuts as are my co-workers. The ADD diagnosis is real people. I am so scattered with very little focus. Add the anger in the mix and I am a mess! My doctor is not the most level of persons either but Psych doctor’s are hard to come by here and my GP is not comfortable managing this issue with me. Jammie, we need to start a campaign against this kind of stuff right?
As I asked the FDA rep,…NOW WHAT? What’s the point in getting a diagnosis, finding a managment option only to have the rug pulled from underneath you. Oh, also, my doctor stated when I spoke with her by phone about this issue, that this isn’t like life or death. Sure you aren’t able to function clearly perhaps but I mean… WHAT? At My Wits End in the South!!!
I had my prescription (a 90 day) filled by my mail in thing thro Cigna drug. The 30 mg pills I have are not a ball filled gel capsule but a flat pill – orange in color. It reminds me of the blue flat generic short activing 10 mg adderall.
I have been on this about 2 weeks and have been getting more and more depressed and down. Yesterday I was so angry inside and yet was emotionally flat. I just wanted to pack my bags and quit. As I am a homemaker and homeschool one of my kids…… My poor family didn’t know quite what to make of it all. I was also extremely tired and went to bed before my kids (thanks hubby) and got 9 hrs of sleep and woke feeling like I could do it all over again.
Today I tried taking one of my husbands ADDERALL XR 30 mgs (yes, ADD runs in families) and feel SO much better. I just cannot believe the difference. Now what do I do with 76 of those suckers.
BTW I also had a huge reaction to generic wellbutrin (Buprion) just didn[t work fo rme – there is a lot of information on that out there too. That medicine difference seems to be quite well documented.
Thanks for all of you writing this.
Thanks to Jammie for her research in trying to untangle the mystery surrounding Adderall XR generic.
My take on it is this: I’m really confident that the drug co. (Shire, or any other pharmaceutical co.) would not knowingly provide the FDA with false information. Will drug companies suggest things that aren’t necessarily true (at least to the degree implied) to physicians, pharmacists, & patients? Of course – it’s done all the time. (Pharma. co. marketing has become too aggressive (in my opinion), esp. advertising messages targeting consumers).
So, if it’s the case – as Jammie says – that:
“The FDA called Shire and then the FDA called me back. Shire told the FDA something completely opposite of what Shire had told my pharmacist and my neurologist office. Shire told the FDA that Shire was running two separate conveyors of the SAME product. Shire told the FDA that Shire was packaging the same product into capsules labeled Adderall XR and capsules not labeled Adderall XR. Shire told the FDA that Shire was now giving everyone the Adderall XR.”
…then I’m confident that this version of the story is the correct one. Pharma. companies regard their relationship with FDA (based on trust & integrity) as being absolutely critical to their business & viability. They’re not going to jeopardize this relationship, which is a critical lifeline to their entire business strategy & success, by knowingly providing false or misleading information to the FDA.
Another quick point re: Adderall XR. Normally, generic drugs enter the market due to expiration of the primary drug maker’s patent. However, that’s not the case with Adderall XR, where Shire’s patent will not expire until 2018. In this case, generic drug makers challenged the patent, which is something that’s encouraged by U.S. law (via the Hatch-Waxman Act). However, one of the unintended consequences is that generic drug makers who challenge the validity of a pharma company’s patent often end up reaching an out-of-court settlement with the company with terms that benefit the companies, but are sometimes detrimental to consumers. In my opinion, that may be the case with Adderall XR, unfortunately. Here’s an interesting article from a few weeks ago in the New York Times about generic drug competition that describes some of the tactics that often lead to a lack of competition and inflated drug prices (Adderall XR is not included in this piece, but Provigil is):
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/business/13generic.html
kATE,
Thanks for your post. I too had what I would describe as dips in my mood when I too the generic Wellbutrin. On a whim, my doctor and I decided to try the name brand as opposed to adding another drug to the mix. It worked. My mood can be considered stable now with no depressing dips.
As for James, how niave you are. Perhaps you have been living under a rock. Total and complete trust in any government agency is just not wise.
In addition, If the FDA was such a trusting agency, why are they brushing consumers off so quickly? I have medicine, that for my budget is very expensive, that I cannot use. I have been given no other options regarding this problem except to “find another drug”.
I so wish your view of this situation were accurate but after all of my research which include conversations with a drug company QC Director (not Shire obviously), I do not have the confidence I once did in Adderall XR in any dosage. My daughter takes a lower dose as well and has expressed extreme aggitation and blurry vision as well.
Really? Really!
Shelly -
You must have misunderstood my comments. I don’t have anything more than average trust & confidence in the FDA. The point is that the potential negative consequences for a pharma company that knowingly provides clearly false or misleading information to FDA are so significant that it’s extremely unlikely the company (Shire, in this case) will do that. If Shire told the FDA that the exact Adderall XR medicine that’s being distributed as the brand is being sent to generic companies to be marketed as generic, then I’m confident that’s the case. The companies (Shire & generic cos.) reached a business agreement as a result of patent litigation, and I think creating the impression that the “generic” version is a slightly altered version of the brand (which is usually the case with most generic drugs, but not this one) is part of their marketing & distribution strategy (including creating this impression for consumers).
It’s extremely unlikely that Shire is producing a slightly altered version of its own Adderall XR, in addition to brand version, to be marketed as generic.
Here’s my take on this situation–sit down–because it’s going to make you all very frustrated and much more upset than you already are. Shire has a new adhd drug out (Vyvanse) and their patent exclusivity runs for many more years to come with this drug. Unfortunately (at least for those of us who have taken XR in past), Shire no longer has exclusivity for their Adderall XR. So, in order to maximize their overall profits for the company and increase shareholder value (which is the point of public companies)they are trying to lure all those that once regularly took Adderall XR into the Vyvanse market.
Why?-it’s simple, nobody else can make Vyvanse for several years to come which means–Shire can have ALL the profits to themselves: a true monopoly. So this is the evil and downright cruel part, Shire has intentionally sabotaged their XR product in an effort to re-direct adhd patients to a different drug i.e. Vyvanse. Why would Shire want to compete against generic companies for profits with the XR when they can set their own prices and have no competition with Vyvanse? They wouldn’t and they don’t! As such, what better way to pique patients interest in “trying something different” than to intentionally sabotage the drug that has served them so well (with very little problems) in the past.
This shrewd and unethical (notice: not illegal bc FDA allegedly approved) business move is made with relative ease compared to pulling it off with other types of drugs because of the patient base that relies on it. In other words, Shire/Pharmacists/Dr’s can be dismissive about our very real claims surrounding the tampering of this drug because of the stigma of being drug abusers or just being “adhd” stupid and not knowing what we are talking about.
I have been taking brand name adderal xr for 4 years and two weeks ago got changed to generic without my knowledge. I got the pills and noticed as i left the pharmacy that they were generics. I decided to give them a try and was totally convinced that they were the same thing as the brand name expecting great results. Well, I have been feeling sleepy, sad and super depressed since then. All i want to do is sleep and I have no interest in my job or working out anymore (Im an athlete). I definitely am not myself at all! I dont care if the same company makes the generic. It just plainly DOES NOT WORK!
So i post how the generic sent me into a hellhole of depression this month and you delete my post?
You got money riding with the generics or what? Garbage!
Rodrigo,
All comments are moderated – i.e. they do not show up on the blog until I review them to ensure that there are no spam or inappropriate comments.
It is not an instant thing – i.e. it can take a few days (I was recently travelling).
Thank you for sharing your experiences with the generics.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
Anyways back to brand name vs generic. enough of fda and shire and blah blah blah.. the point of this blog was to help us in understanding why (Adderall Generic) is Less affective and causes more side affects. the only thing i think we can do is ask our doctors to prescribe the name brand and in any way shape or form do not accept the generic stuff.
actions speak louder than a phone call to shire and fda and so forth!!! if we refuse to take the generics within a matter of time the will eventually lose and give us back our GOOD OL BRAND NAME ADDERALL.
I had been taking Adderall XR for two years before I became pregnant. By the time I weaned my child, a generic was available; however, I had a bad reaction and asked to return to the brand. Henceforth, I received the “Dispensed As Written” brand and experienced no problems. Then, months later, I started having symptoms of exhaustion, difficulty focusing, and soon entered a terrible manic state. I called my doctor to request an increase in my low dose (100mg) of Lamotrigine, thinking it would resolve the problem. The day I was going to start the increase, I noticed that the label on what I had assumed was a bottle of Adderall XR read “Amphetamine”. I called the pharmacy to report the error, which they acknowledged, and fingered it as the likely culprit for my altered mood. My doctor also identified it as the cause.
Now, it is important at this point to note that particular fill of of Adderall XR had been split because the pharmacy did not have enough in stock, and I had taken my last dose that day. The first 10 doses of the split were the brand, and it wasn’t until two weeks after I received the remaining doses that I noticed the label read “Amphetamine.”
The remaining generic doses were swapped out for the brand, and my symptoms disappeared soonafter. Later, though, the pharmacy informed me that the brand and generic are both produced by the same manufacturer, Shire, and that their ingredients are identical. I called Shire to confirm this and to ask if the process is also identical for the brand and generic–yes, was their reply. Shire also informed me that they are the only one licensed to manufacture Adderall XR and its generic in the US.
Therefore, I am terribly confused: It’s not like the generic was forced on me, and I then had some psychosomatic reaction. After I discovered the error, I could trace the onset of my problems to when I started taking the generic. If coincidence, why did my symptoms improve shortly after I received the brand? Could mistaking the generic as the cause, and then getting the brand, cure symptoms that were caused by an unrelated source?
In closing, my latest Adderall XR Rx had capsules inside marked “M. Amphet Salts” (I began checking the label and contents after the aforesaid mishap). I thought the pharmacy had made another mistake, but I was told that the FDA approved the use of either imprint on the brand. Though I have been told the drugs are identical, I can’t shake the suspicion that the generic was somehow the cause… But now with the interchangeable imprint, I think I should either request the cheaper generic, if truly identical to the brand, or find a different ADD drug in which I can tell the difference between the brand and generic, despite which one I take.
Dr. Kenny, I would love for you to shed any light on this mystery.
Thanks,
Rebekah
Hi,
As you can see from the many posts on this blog – there are many people who have a worse response to the generic than the brand name. If the name brand seems better for you – do your best to stick to it!
I have been taking Adderall XR for 2 years. One month ago the pharmacy filled a prescription for “Adderall Xr” with “M. Amphet Salts” without informing me of the switch.
The label on the pill bottle read “Adderall Xr”.
After several weeks of increasing signs of depression. I noticed the capsules in this bottle did not say “Adderall XR” they read “M. Amphet Salts”.
I called the pharmacy who’s tech stated that they had received a memo from Shire stating that it is “ok” to substitute the “M. Amphet Salts” for the “Adderall XR” even if the script reads “do not substitute”
The label also reads Standard Orange Capsule. Side 1 : Adderall XR
Side 2: M. Amphet Salts
The websites I have checked all state that the M. Amphet Salts capsule is generic.
My question is: Is it legal for a pharmacy to substitute a known generic for a name brand without a prescription from a md that says they may substitute?
Is is legal for the pharmacy to not inform the customer of a switch in name brand to generic?
Is it legal to label a bill bottle with the name brand medication when it is not name brand by adding a note in fine print which reads “side 2″ “M. Amphet Salts”? Thank you for your help.
It’s important to note that I was not aware of the medication switch therefore did not know what was causing the depression. A friend of mine asked me “What is wrong with you” My answer was ” I don’t know but I don’t have very good control of my ADD symptoms now” “I don’t know what’s wrong”
Same thing happened to me. I went to my doc, got a DAW script and the pharmacist gave me a bottle of brand name and generics combined! I am reduced to 1/2 or 1/3 of my true dosage now as i only take the ones labeled ADDERALL XR not the other ones. This should be freakin’ illegal! The generic and brand Adderall XRs are NOT the same medicine. I ended a 3 year relationship after 2 weeks on the generic. I was depressed, constantly exhausted and hopeless to the point that I didnt care what happened with anything. It was NOT psychosomatic since I truly believed the generic was exactly the same as the brand having being given the speech by the pharmacist about Shire making both and all that. It is only when I talked to my doctor about the sudden change in me that we arrived to the true culprit of my emotional downfall! We need a lawsuit or something.
The pharmacy wont take back the generics either as they have been told by Shire that generics and the brand XRs are the same. Furthermore, the bottles of brand XR already come in mixed with the salts ones. Seems to me Shire is sabotaging their own med to make us go on that vyvanse garbage. The FDA is corrupt to the core. I filled an online complaint with them, but I am sure nothing will be done.
I’m having the same issue as many of these other posts.
I recently bought my three month supply of Adderall XR 20 mg through my health insurance company’s mail order prescription drug program. On the bottle, it read Adderall XR 20 mg, but when I looked at the actual pill, it read “M. Amphet Salts 20 mg.” After some research on the internet, I was suspicious of this, as I thought I was getting the brand Adderall, not a generic (and I’m paying $150 per prescription for the name brand stuff). I went and spoke with the pharmacy at my local CVS and she informed me that the pill I had was the generic, not the brand name form, and I should be paying the generic price for the medication.
I called the mail order place and spoke with one of the pharmacists there. She said that Shire had sent them pills with “M. Amphet Salts 20 mg” printed on the pill, but it was, in fact, the brand form of Adderall XR. She also went on to say that the mail order program did not carry the generic form of Adderall XR. I checked out the mail order pharmacy website, and it listed “amphetamine/dextroamphetamine salts combo TAB 20MG” on its options of alternatives to Adderall XR, which I was under the impression that it is the generic form of Adderall XR.
Should I continue to look into this further? I feel like I’m getting lied to about this and it’s costing me an arm and a leg! Should we work with our local pharmacists toward a resolution? This is frustrating and I feel like there’s nothing we can do to avoid this!
When I filled my prescription for DAW (dispense as written) name brand Adderall XR, the pharmacist showed me that all the pills in the name brand bottle were all imprinted with M. Amphet. Salts – just like the generic. She even opened a new bottle, to show me that Walgreens wasn’t trying to screw me over.
I called Shire and they said that the FDA approved Shire imprinting the name brand capsules with either ADERALL XR or M. Amphet. Salts and that as long as my prescription came from a name brand bottle that said “Shire” that I was taking the same name brand drug I’ve been taking all along.
I HIGHLY doubt what I’ve been taking for the past few days is regular name brand Aderall XR. I have been experiencing headaches, tight/clenched upper back muscles, tingling/numbness in my face and pressure behind my eyes. I also feel like I’m on something – I never felt like I was on something when I took name brand Adderall XR before!
I called Shire again and again they told me that as long as my prescription came from a bottle that said “Shire” that I was taking the same name brand drug.
No, expect nothing from the FDA. I did the same thing and they blew me off. As for “sticking with the brand name”, Dr. Kenny, as you can see by the posts…this too proves unreliable. I have what is marked Adderall XR but it is certainly not.
My question now is what do I try in place of the Adderall XR? My daughter took the Vyvanse prior to the Adderall and it made her nuts. I mean angry beyond words. So, since that drug is out (she and I both need to find a replacement now), I need to find out where to go from here. There a very few Psych docs available in my area anymore and my doctor actually turned to her computer once I explained my problem and looked it up on the internet. She got to a blog site, read over it outloud and then suggested that we try the drug the blogger tried. This, though she knew nothing about this drug herself.
I want to be normal again Dr. Kenny. I want to have a normal focus and have a normal disposition with no deep depression. Can you or anyone give me a suggestion? My doctor threw out Ritalin, Focalin, Concerta but could not discuss any of them.
Please, PLEASE, somebody tell me that they switched from Adderall XR to something that is working for them!!!
Dear John,
Well said. I recently had this same conversation with my pharmacist. Funny thing about Shire giving up the patent… is one has to question what exactly did Shire give up? There have been so many acquisitions between Barr, Teva, Shire,etc… but at the end of the business day, they are all really the same company. Shire “gave up” their patent to the Adderall XR nine years earlier than they had to. Why would a company with a patent until 2018, give up the patent in 2009? MONEY!! I feel that you are so correct about the newest and shiniest Shire ADD drug, Vyvanse. Shire does want us all to jump off the Adderall XR ship and onto their new “lifeboat”, The Vyvanse. I won’t be doing it. It sucks that the FDA allows this monopoly on these drugs to exist. I find it very disgusting that once again, something that was supposed to be good for consumers–generic drugs–with better pricing and more readily availibility–has been taken away from the consumer. I feel so badly for all of the children who are being wronged by Shire’s SELFISHNESS!! Does the FDA really exist? I’m wondering if the FDA should be placed in the same category as Santa Claus and unicorns.
One more thing. If I pay a very low price for generic and a very high price for name brand…And its the same crap (so they say), then are the insurance companies being ripped off too? Maybe if we get the insurance companies involved, that will get angry enough to get to the bottom of this issue. Whatcha think?
just to add to people’s experiences –
The past couple of weeks I was getting extra shaky, dizzy, a weird blurry feeling in my head — sometimes blurred vision, but just feeling faint. I was also feeling unusually nauseas and almost sedated (lethargic). I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me, but then I realized that after 2 years of taking Adderall XR 25 mg, the pharmacy switched me to the generic. My doctor had been writing no substitutions on my prescriptions (she said that a lot of the time the generic doesn’t work the same for some people). So, I called the doc and they said those side effects were definitely possible from taking the generic.
I absolutely hate it, I’ve experienced some shaking from the brand before, but this is like almost a bone-deep shake that I’ve been having. Not to mention, it’s been making me feel so lazy and tired, I haven’t been getting my work done – like I usually do when I take my meds. I also agree w/ melanie — the pressure behind the eyes, and feeling like you’re on something. I feel “messed up”. Like when people use the term “cracked out” – I feel like that’s how I am.
I don’t recommend the generic if you don’t have to take it — especially if you experienced any minor side effects from the brand.
side note – I also take instant release 20mg adderall, but in the generic form — that one doesn’t affect me as badly — probably because it’s such a short release.
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.