Sertraline brand change
Posted , 61 users are following.
I had been taking sertraline made by a company called aurobindo for a few months and I was doing great. Last week when I went to pick up my medication I was given a different brand made by a company called ranbaxy. I thought nothing of it and carried on with my day. I began taking the ranbaxy brand on the 28th of April 2018 and things have slowly been going downhill from there. I've been experiencing insomnia, low mood, irritability, I can't concentrate and I just want to be alone. Yesterday I called the pharmacist and asked whether they could retrieve the old brand for me. They told me that their supplier has stopped supplying them with aurobindo and that there's nothing they can do. I've called some other pharmacists and they're telling me the same thing. I appreciate that the cause of this brand being not dispensed anymore is likely due to a cost saving excersise by the pharmacy but these side effects are undesirable. I really hope they go away with time. I've had such a good experience with sertraline in the past and I hope with time things will get better. I am going to continue taking the ranbaxy brand of sertraline and report back. Has anyone reading this experienced side effects when changing brands of sertraline before?
4 likes, 98 replies
SerotoninSurfer max42697
Edited
Hi Max,
I've been taking 200mg Aubindo for several months and been feeling pretty good like things were starting to improve. My pharmacist switched brands to Ranbaxy and after 2 days of taking this brand i started to feel cold, anxious, reduced mood etc. Looking back now i remember having a similar episode when switching brands previously. I checked in my drawer and again, Ranbaxy was the culprit and i stopped taking them. I have a few weeks left of Aubindo so will switch back but will have to the same old argument with GP's and Pharmacists that insist that all brands have the same active ingredient so can't produce different effects. I think there is enough proof on these forums to prove otherwise. Feeling so bad i've had to take a Diazepam which i haven't taken for months.
I wish there was an indepth study on generic brands and efficacy as i think the results would surprise a lot of professionals.
Hope you are feeling better now.
Jackie1959 SerotoninSurfer
Posted
have you compared the ingredients in both manufacturers.?
SerotoninSurfer max42697
Posted
Just been to the chemist and they said they had received similar complaints about Ranbaxy. As you mentioned they just receive the generics they are given by their suppliers and have no ability to ask for specific generic manufacturers. They said the only option you have is to ring round the pharmacies to find out who has stock. I have 2 weeks supply left of Aurobindo so i better start searching 😉
SerotoninSurfer max42697
Edited
I have reacted badly to Ranbaxy twice went starting. I have thrown all my Ranbaxy in the bin and have been told by the pharmacist that i will have to ring round the chemists to try and find someone who stocks aurobindo or something else other than Ranbaxy.
When i first started Ranbaxy i thought it was all in my head and it was the anxiety coming back. I stayed on them for a few weeks and then i got Aurobindo again. I forgot how bad Ranbaxy were for me until i started on them again this week. After just 2 days i started to feel bad again. Been back on Aurobindo 2 days and feeling better already.
If you do some research although the active Setraline Chloride should be the same, the filler and coating ingredients vary and can produce side effects symptomatic of anxiety etc. I'm never going back to Ranbaxy again
ar53549 max42697
Posted
Hi all
please can anyone let me know whether sertraline by AUROBINDO or MILPHARM makes a difference since looks like AUROBINDO has acquired MILPHARM? Many thanks and stay well!
ian42867 max42697
Edited
I know this is an old thread but I'm pleased I found it. The accord ones send my anxiety through the roof. I really think this needs checked. People with terrible mental health problems are suffering more due to saving a little bit extra cash on the pharmacy side.
I was taking aurobindo for years and was doing OK but the Accord ones have awful side effects.
john24256 ian42867
Edited
Hi Ian,
Sorry to hear about your experience.
So glad I found this thread.
I just picked up my next 28 day supply of Lustral by Pfizer after having the Ranbaxy one for months.
Few days into the first box felt a bit weird, now I feel terrible. A bit spacey (not in a nice way, like a locked in daydream/stare type way. Feel generally crappy.
Looks like the issue is changing brands, not that one brand is worse necessarily although lots of people seem to have had problems with Ranbaxy, but only when changing from something else.
The pharmacists should warn you that some people get symptons with a brand name change. Perhaps they don't though if Dr's have been told to lie to people about it.
Its terrible if this is just a cost saving expert. Now I want to know what these coatings and fillers are than can make such a difference.
the chemist is going to try and get Ranbaxy again but they kinda said dont hold your breath.
sarah7789 john24256
Posted
Hi John I've just posted on the bottom of this thread. Not entirely sure who to or if you can see it but once posted I had a quick scroll and came across your comment which is the exact same brands I have/am taking. Any advice would be hugely appreciated. No idea how these forums work haha
Thanks
matt18802 max42697
Edited
i had been taking cresent sertraline now im on milpharm and had absolutely no issues
melanie28084 matt18802
Posted
i think Crescent are the best ive taken i felt fantastic on them no fuzzy head and tinnitus. became very productive for a couple
of months but couldnt get then again - so depressing - literally
Paulajane1264 max42697
Edited
i have taken Milpharm sertraline for approx 4 years and having just moved area and new pharmacy has issued Crescentpharma tablets instead . i was wondering if anyone has experienced severe muscle aches, like a burning, shooting pains and stiffness particularly in legs, symetrically. (i had this side effect from a different drug for cancer treatment 5 yrs ago) I ow have these pains back getting more severe daily and it seems odd that the only thing to have changed in mylife is the brand of sertraline
melanie28084 Paulajane1264
Edited
We need a Swap Shop! I loved the Crescent brand now got Milpharm
ross23132 melanie28084
Edited
couldn't agree with you anymore, we definitely need a swap shop
laura48643 melanie28084
Posted
yes i was thinking a swap shop would be excellent...only ones that seem to suit me is accord iam on 50 mg... pharmacy cant get them. .Had milpharm this time and 2 weeks in papitatations and swimming head. going to be in dire straights without Accord.
alma20230 max42697
Edited
10/05/20 - I don't know how to use forums yet, so here goes. I'll be as short as I can to begin with.....
I've been using AUROBINDO Sertraline for about 3 years and it's perfect. Last year, the brand changed to MILPHARM (not good after 6 weeks of use) which is a UK branch of AUROBINDO (Netherlands), so I asked my pharmacy to make sure I only got AUROBINDO. Fine. 6 weeks ago, they gave me RANBAXY due to short supply of others. After 5weeks and 4days, I stopped taking them because of very bad side effects. Now I'm suffering extreme form of "withdrawal" or lack of Sertraline in my system.....dizzy, headaches, confusion, nightmares, loss of appetite. I'm determined to stick with this dreadful condition, though, in the hope that I'll recover within the next 2 or 3 weeks. I desperately want to get AUROBINDO. I need to!!
I'll post some facts about RANBAXY as soon as I can, because I found out some horrendous information about that company which is hard to believe, but true! Sorry if this is fragmented, but I'm in a bad state of mind at present. Stay well, everyone...;-)
PS - I'm not sure where this comment will go, but I've so far read a few comments/posts by.....
andy33926
ryan79128
louise24797
Paulajane1246
GreatOutdoors
.....all of which made me feel relieved to know I'm not the only one who is suffering.
louise24797 alma20230
Edited
Gosh, so sorry to hear this, have you stopped Sertraline altogether?
alma20230 louise24797
Edited
Hi, Louise. It's good to hear from you, and thanks for getting back to me.
I've been on 100mg since I started Sertraline and, yes, I completely stopped taking it on Wednesday (6th). This is Day 5 without it, and it's been sheer hell.
I've spent about 6 hours earlier today reading tons of information about Sertraline, and discovered that I'm suffering from withdrawal symptoms which will last for at least 4 to 6 weeks minimum. However, I'm determined to continue without it because the RANBAXY brand was affecting me very badly, and just hope to reach the end of withdrawal as soon as my body allows me to. In fact, I won't use Sertraline again until my pharmacy can supply the AUROBINDO brand again, which will probably be an indefinite period of time because of supply problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I'll just have to see how things go, but I can be a stubborn old b***h (just turned 69) when it comes to making decisions, particularly when drugs are involved because I've always been very much against the use of them, unless absolutely necessary. Old age can sometimes be unkind, but I'm happy to have reached this point in reasonably good order...;-D
Sorry for twottling on a bit, but it's good to talk. Stay well and stay safe...;-)
Do a search on Ranbaxy Looking Under the Rock
Moderator comment: I have removed the link as users can easily find the information using a search engine rather than linking to a specific website. If users want the specific link use the Private Message service to exchange.
louise24797 alma20230
Edited
You are hard core! I'm not surprised you're having a tough time. Please do be careful and perhaps check in with your Dr. Thanks for the search tip and good luck. 😃
alma20230 louise24797
Posted
Aha!! I see I've got a lot to learn about using websites on the internet when it comes to what I can/cannot say or use. I'm self-taught because I live alone and don't know anyone who could teach me the ins and outs, so have to learn by my mistakes.
I'm glad you eventually got my message, although the "moderator" decided to delete part of my first one, saying "Moderator comment: I have removed the link as users can easily find the information using a search engine rather than linking to a specific website. If users want the specific link use the Private Message service to exchange". Then he/she decided to remove my two following messages to you with "This reply and 1 other has been deleted by a moderator." Goodness knows why, as there was nothing either offensive or inappropriate in any manner. He/she must be a member of the PC brigade.....(squirms)...;-D
Hard core?!!? Really? I'm a big softie, but can be blunt at times when needed. Maybe that's because I'm Irish (Dublin, originally).
Anyway, Louise, I'll leave you alone now because I can be a real chatterbox. I wish you and yours all the best for the future. Thank you for your time and good wishes...;-)
louise24797 alma20230
Edited
I had one of my posts removed as it was linking to a Facebook support group. I don't think they like external sites on here as they'd need to vet the information and credibility of the advice I guess.
Love Dublin by the way, I wanted to live there when I was in my twenties but not the right job opportunity!
Sounds like you're doing amazing, stay strong.