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
Jackie1959 max42697
Posted
The one I'm on is by Milpharm. How are people doing on this brand, I'm on my 3rd box, 2 was ago had to go up to 100g as was still getting waves of anxiety, better, but not 100%.
What i find strange is the first 3 weeks on them, no side effects and no anxiety, then massive panic attacks and anxiety back. A friend said it could be the sertraline, but when I asked my dr, I was told if it was, it would have happened as soon as I started it 🤔
Jan_R_G max42697
Edited
I have looked into this, and asked some psychiatry professionals. For any generic version of a drug to be licence in the UK it has to have from 80% to 120% of the active ingredient from the original brand
So if you are on 100mg Sertaline by changing brands it could vary as much as +-40%.
60mg to 140mg. This is a exstream case. But what you a feeling is an increase in the drugs so side effects or a decrease withdraw symptoms
chlos26001 max42697
Posted
I've just come across this thread, and after being on Aurobindo for around two years and I went to go pick up my prescription last week and I got given the Ranbaxy brand instead. I've had the occasional brand change of my sertraline tablets in the past, but this recent change has given me the worst side effects (worse than when I first started taking antidepressants). I'm suffering from really bad stomach pains and have been nearly sick three times in the week that I've been taking them (mentally I feel fine, it's just physically that I'm being effected), and was just wondering if anyone else has had these pains whilst on Ranbaxy, and if so how long did they last/any tips to overcome them? (I've been taking antacids and get about an hour's relief but wondering if there's anything else to try.)
Thanks in advance!
Xkayla89x max42697
Posted
I have recently had the same experience on 'TEVA' or was 'ranbaxy' I've been on them the past 2 months and from day one I felt absolutely awful. Nauseous, shakes, intrusive thoughts, up and down. Within the first few hours I feel terrible and around the 12hr mark I feel as if I have missed a dose.
My Drs are aware and will have an alternative prescription for me tomorrow.
I've been on sertraline for 4+ years and have had several different brands and never experienced anything like this.
I have recently completed a yellow card with MHRA for this particular brand of drug I felt so strongly about it.
I feel so reassured I'm not the only one to experience this.
james29517 Xkayla89x
Posted
Hi...Old post and i hope you are doing well...In your post do you mean that Teva used to be Ranbaxy...im having a nightmare with teva and ive read a lot of bad news about Ranbaxy but nothing about teva...
Anyway,all the best..
nic38442 max42697
Edited
Hello - glad I found this thread. I have been on Sertraline for over 6 years and have been happy on various generic brands - mostly ACCORD and RANBAXY.
I was recently given LUSTRAL and have felt horrendous - irritable, dizzy, spaced out unable to concentrate! Has anyone else had issues with this brand?
Mike_apollon nic38442
Edited
Yes, same! Glad I am not the only one. I was given Lustral and took it for about two weeks. I was feeling awful. Anxious, intrusive thoughts. Seemed like it did not work. I then asked my GP to prescribe me the Generic one from Millpharm. Within a day or two I was feeling great again.
It's really weird why this happened considering Lustral is a brand name (Pfizer) and not a generic!
azzzaoo6 nic38442
Edited
i agree lustral are horrendous there suppose to be the best as they developed sertraline in the first place but for me its Accord at No1
No2 ranbaxy, all others like eurobindo , medreich , dont seem to work.
stephen33784 max42697
Posted
hello Max Thank you for posting your review I too take sertraline by Ranbaxy i am a bit shocked the side effects you describe are totally some of the side effects I get and I didn't known I just thought it was me Just having depression and anxiety I too have been told June 2021 that the pharmacy don't stock Ranbaxy from now on But the pharmacy are looking to get me another brand from your list Thanks again i hope you find a brand you can get on with
SerotoninSurfer stephen33784
Posted
Dear all, great thread and spreadsheet from Max. I've taken my Ranbaxy back to my pharmacist after feeling bad 2 weeks on and is the second time when taking this brand. I have been given Medreich which i start tomorrow morning. Anyone else have experience of Medreich, hopefully positive 😃
stephen33784 max42697
Edited
Hello All Following on from what's been said I wonder if other people have had weird dreams like your in a house with family and you cant move Also regarding anxiety side effects do you have story's
rebecca26239 stephen33784
Posted
yes i hav very vivid nitemares every nite
ann27898 stephen33784
Posted
Intense dreaming definitely!
Sometimes they are so consistently themed I want to tell my subconscious to finish processing already! lol
1 brand did give me nightmares consistently.
most of my intense dreaming passed... how long it took depended on the mfgr
SerotoninSurfer max42697
Posted
Hello, been hit by the Ranbaxy effect again after being given this by pharmacist. After 2 weeks of feeling bad i went back and exchanged for Medreich. Hoping to see a better reaction. I had Lustral all over the summer and felt good but stock ran out and will only be able to get Lustral if GP prescribes specifically and at £35 a pack in the UK the answer is no despite my persistence. Anyone else had experience of Medreich, hopefully positive 😃
azzzaoo6 max42697
Edited
yes i totally agree with you there is a difference in brand quality i have to have Accord sertraline any other brand doesn't work for me, the closest is ranbaxy but Accord is the winner i did use eurobindo they were ok but were not enough the worst brand is pfizer lustral they are horrible and have the worst side effects i asked my pharmacist why do pfizer which are supposed to be the best as they developed it are the worst he said they should be the best as the most quality ingredients go into these as opposed to generic brands but that doesn't make sense because i feel nothing when taking them weird i know.
ann27898 azzzaoo6
Posted
If Accord works for you Northstar might also