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Problems with different brands/manufacturers of generic Sertraline

Posted , 6 users are following.

paul91753
paul91753

Hello,

I'm wondering if I'm alone with this or anyone else had similar experiences. I have been taking a fairly low dose (50mg/day) of Sertraline for around four years. As it is a generic there are several different manufacturers who produce this. When I get a repeat prescription it is pot-luck which brand you get, depending on the pharmacy, their stocking policies, their suppliers, whether their wholesaler is offering something, for example.

My point is, If I have spent six months taking Sertraline by manufacturer 'A' and then I get a repeat prescription and go onto Sertraline by manufacturer 'B', it is as if I have stopped taking it. The aggravation, frustration and irritability kicks back in for at least a week and then settles down again, until it happens again maybe 3 or 6 months later.

I know that the composition of the product by seperate manufacturers must be identical (right?). I realise the placebo / nocebo effect might be in play here but the effect is identical to the rare situations I have forgotten to take it (where I don't realise my mistake until a day of suffering the same symptoms).

Is this just me? If not has anyone had any experience getting a GP or pharmacist to keep to one brand? Thanks.

Paul

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • valerie01412
    valerie01412 paul91753

    Posted

    No they buy in whatever is the cheapest.whether it's identical is questionable.  if it's identical then why is it cheaper?

    • hypercat
      hypercat valerie01412

      Posted

      It's cheaper because the original drug has gone past it's copywrite date and the drug companies charge a fortune for their own brand.  Generic makes are a lot cheaper as a result.  x

  • 2chr2015
    2chr2015 paul91753

    Posted

    Yes.  This has happened to me a couple of times.  It took me a while to figure out what was going on.  I talked to my doctor about it.  He said that the generics are only required to have 83% of the active ingredient.  Therefore when you are taking a low dose maybe it’s more noticeable.  I had to get my doctor to write on my RX that I can only use certain brands.
  • hypercat
    hypercat paul91753

    Posted

    Hi this can be because although the ingredients are the same the way it is delivered is different. For example if it is a powder drug the particles can be finer or the reverse which can affect you.  x
  • mia70909
    mia70909 paul91753

    Posted

    I’ve had this problem, they can use different binders and stuff , if ur sensitive like I am it can really effect u, speak to the doctors and they can put a certain brand only on ur repeat persciption, that’s wat I had to do as I was so bad 
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