Brand Change - Feel like I’m back to square one!
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi,
Having been on Citalopram for approx 7 months its not been an easy road but finally i was starting to feel better, feel myself again (30mg) then my pharmacy changed the brand. i didn't notice the brand had changed until i started to go downhill again. i found a packet of the old tablets and took for a week and felt better then went back on the new brand and i started to downhill again. anxious, irritable and down.
the old brand was Medreich the new brand was Crescent. the gp was very receptive and noted on a new prescription i must only be give Medreich.
the only issue is how the hell do you find a chemist that has the brand without physically calling everyone in the area. my chemist cannot get them so im stuck, ive tried 3 others and its bit a brand they buy. any body have any ideas or cad advise, i understand from reading on here many people have had issues with brand changes.
ps should i just stick with the new brand for another few weeks or longer and see if things settle? has anybody else done this? any help much appreciated.
thanks in advance.
0 likes, 5 replies
ian90586 Rig2020
Edited
Hi, the answer to your question is that you are at the mercy of the pharmacy,and you can't always keep to the same generic brand. There are over 50 brands of generic Citalopram on the list of available companies,all competing for their medicines. I don't know exactly what happens,but common sense says that when a contract is up,they will go for the cheapest available brand.
I've experienced running around pharmacies trying to keep to the same generic brand,fruitless. Every pharmacist company will only stock the brand they have chosen. Your best option is to do what I done the last time I was on Citalopram if you have an understanding doctor. That is ask for the original branded Citalopram only,(Ciprimil in UK,Celexa in US) which the doctor has to agree to and specify it on the prescription so that the pharmacy has to order it in for you specifically. I was on it for years several times until the patent expired,and the originals are more potent in my experience. I was given Ciprimil by my doctor on request until once they gave me generic by mistake. Within days I was in relapse until I rectified the mistake. Most doctors and pharmacists will not recognise there is a difference,either through ignorance or will admit to it,but there are genuine reasons for potency difference between brands.
Rig2020 ian90586
Posted
hi,
did you manage to get the original cipramil?
many thanks
ian90586 Rig2020
Posted
Hi, I specifically asked my doctor for Ciprimil going on Citalopram again after going through the same as you previously. They have to agree to it as the original Ciprimil is more expensive, and they have to justify giving it to you. Money,money,money. It will be written on the prescription as Ciprimil,and the pharmacist has to order it if they don't stock it,which they probably won't. If you can't get your doctor to agree,you are at the mercy of random brand changes at the pharmacy. It's one of the several reasons I stopped antidepressant use for anxiety,and manage my anxiety naturally now. Good luck.
lizzy26012 Rig2020
Edited
Hi, I know what you mean about brand change and how it affects you, the same happens to me. Mine are changing all the time, I dread it when they give me Crescent. I tried asking the pharmacist to keep to the same brand but they don't for the reasons Ian stated. It's one of the reasons I am tapering off them. You could ask for your prescription and take it to another pharmacy but that involves a lot of phoning around. Good luck!
Rig2020 lizzy26012
Posted
thanks, yes they just dont work for me.
im ringing around and even trying to ask the manufactures who they supply!
nightmare!
x