Generic vs. Brand Name Drugs

[live4today]

yesterday, i had my first reaction to the celexa i take for depression. i've been on this med two years now, and no reactions experienced before now. i just had the rx refilled, and took the first pill yesterday. i noticed the med is a salmon pink color, not white, as it usually is, so my guess is they gave me a generic drug.....or a "placebo". within one hour of taking the medication, i had the same reaction i get with asa...i'm highly allergic to asa and a bunch of other drugs. i quickly swallowed two benadryl capsules (a total of 50 mg) and in less than 45 minutes, i felt tons better....just drugged too much, so slept til ten this a.m. i called my doc...she called back this morning...told me to take the medication to the pharmacist to have them recheck the dosage and the drug for generic qualities, and call her back so she can enter a new rx for me that would be the brand drug itself, and not a generic one. now...i am waiting for hubby to exit his classroom (he's a medical instructor), so i can get him to come get me since i'm still droggy on benadryl...not to mention i had to take allegra and flonase this a.m. for allergy control. now i'm really wiped out. so...here i sit at the puter with my groggy self typing away to you all about my rx reaction.

my question is: have any of you ever had an allergic reaction to a medication and found out you were given the generic brand instead of the brand name drug itself? how many of you have found in practicing nursing that patients often react negatively to generic drugs vs. the brand name drugs? thanks for your input, gals and guys.

[susanmary]

For many years, I frequented a small local pharmacy who was owned by the pharmacist. Several years ago, I got a prescription for a new med and told him I had a question about the medication. He replied "just read the insert." I never went back. Tried to support the local pharmacy ... but now go to good old CVS where I'm always asked if I have any questions about the medication.

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Originally posted by cheerfuldoer

Now.....in regards to the docs giving placebos??? Yes sirs and Yes maams......boo-koo years ago, Docs and pharmacist were giving patients placebo tabs without their permission. Sugar pills do no harm, and they were perfectly within their medical rights to do so due to the rationale behind them. IF the placebo pills had any adverse effects on the patients......THEN...they would be legally liable had they NOT gotten the patients permission. These pills are often times used in studies with anti-depressants, or new pills on the market depending on what pill it is they need to know the efficacy of with the patients condition.

I'm sure boo-koo years ago things like this did take place. These activities were then deemed unethical and illegal and aren't done today. You must consent to being in any type of study like this. Even if, by the action of a highly unethical MD and pharmacist, you were given sugar pills.... are you allergic to sugar?

I think it's more probable that the problem lies with the pharmacist, either a substitution or complete error took place.

This thread's placebo theme is just beginning to have an X-Files quality to it. Maybe they gave you small pox.

Heather

[CATHYW]

I've never had a problem with generic meds, either for myself or my family, or any of my patients.

I have heard people say that they feel "safer" taking brand name meds.

[live4today, RN]

so sorry i'm just getting a chance to sign on today, but i had much to catch up on this morning, including checking out my meds with the pharmacists and my family med doc.

okay...here is what went down with the celexa...my reaction...and so forth...

the pharmacist verified that the pills given me were indeed celexa. he proved it to me by showing me a huge container full of pills that had the name celexa typed and taped on the side of the container. he even opened a brand new bottle to compare the pills...everything came up completely kosher.....

his recommendation was for me to not take the pill again until i had a chance to speak with my doctor. i thanked him for that profound advice since i do not let on that i am a rn. the pharmacist couldn't have been kinder. very gentle soothing voice, tall in stature, tanned to the max...gorgeously.......oh...i'm drifting into one of my male trances again...:chuckle

anyways...he even checked in the system to verify what other meds i was taking...all were correct...and i was sooooo thrilled to learn that tid bit of information as that isn't always the case with some patients.

i finally got to speak with my doctor a few minutes ago. after we went over my history of how long i've been on celexa, what other drugs i am taking, how i take them, what i ate and drank on the day that i suffered the reaction, and so forth...doc suggests the following:

after hubby comes home from work (so i'm not alone), she wants me to take another pill from the same bottle i had the reaction from...have hubby monitor me for changes -- of course i would notice firsthand whether or not i was having a reaction. if a reaction occurs...take benadryl 50 mg. again...then report to her the outcome. if i show a reaction again...it's the pill...if i don't...it was something i ate or drank in conjunction with the med that day that may have caused the reaction. so.....i'll have to wait until after four or five this evening before hubby gets home to take the pill. meanwhile...i'm not to eat anything that i haven't been eating all along...do not try any new foods or drinks...or take any other meds up until the time of this next celexa dose. so.......time will tell. i thank you all for sharing so much with me about this as i was truly worried. also...thanks...jen911for the website. it proved that i am not taking some other drug, etc. :kiss

heather...no, i am not allergic to "sugar"...i should be then i would have to lay off those darn hershey and baby ruth candy bars that i crave so much! :chuckle it's good to know those rules regarding giving "placebo" pills is outdated. shows ya how...ahem...mature...i have truly become. :chuckle

[sunnygirl272]

Originally posted by KarafromPhilly

Quick question-- I thought that Prilosec and Protonix were two different drugs. Generic name for Prilosec is omeprazole, for Protonix--? ?

Pantoprazole

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

Cheerfuldoer

Sounds like a scary experience you had! There sure is a difference between some generic and brand name drugs. I can't take the generic of Synthroid, (levoxine I believe it is). It works pretty much like a sugar pill on me. My TSH remained elevated for the month that i was on that, but I do fine on brand name Synthroid. My pharmacist said that he had seen that happen before with other people with that drug.

[live4today, RN]

sbic56.....yes indeed there is. My doctor agrees wholeheartedly...she's the type of doctor to NOT hold back on any info when it comes to her patients. That's what I love about her...she's totally straight up. :) I haven't taken a dose of Celexa yet today because hubby hasn't made it home yet, so when he does, I'll take it and see what happens. Say a prayer for me. Anyhoo...I've got my Benadryl close by in case I need it. :)

Well....it is getting ready to cut loose again outside. The thunder is rolling along the clouds and the rain is coming down. I sure hope we do not get another heavy rain. Our bedroom wall is still not repaired from last weeks downfall when it rained into our bedroom at four o'clock in the a.m. Pray for all of us who live in Texas. This weather has really put some people out...and the poor little tykes and big kids that have their lives turned upside down by this weather. Anyway...I may have to shut down my computer until after the storm...but will be back when it's over...providing it's not too terribly late...or I'm not on my way to ER d/t a second drug reaction. :chuckle

[Nurse Ratched, RN]

Thanks sunnygirl - I think I meant aciphex for prilosec. There's another way to get cofused - we also have what the pharmacy considers "formulary equivalents" which I think may be what protonix is to prilosec (or at least they are deemed similar enough to substitute.)

[CATHYW]

Renee,

Have the Benadryl where you and your husband can get to it, immediately (like right beside you!) Also have a glass of water at your side.

I would also suggest that you try these things with the pill bin case it IS the thing that caused the reaction:

-rub the tablet across your lips and see if anything happens within 15 mins. If it does, don't take.

-if no probs. with the lip thing, touch the tab to the tip of your tongue, and again, wait 15 mins. If nothing happens, go ahead and take the pill.

If you are sensitized to the medication, either of the above should cause a fairly immediate reaction.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

[nell]

Good suggestions Cathy.

Can't allergic reactions get worse with repeat exposures? As in unpleasant once but anaphylaxis the next? Is 50 of benadryl going to be enough?

Renee, I will be waiting to hear that you're OK.

[live4today, RN]

Hi Cathy and Nell :)

It was too late for me to test out your theory today, Cathy, because I had taken the pill during our storm here...had to shut off computer until the storm subsided. THAT drove me nuts not being able to be on it and all.

Hubby came home and said "Go take your pill...Daddy's home now." :chuckle Sooooo crazy! He even marked down the time I swallowed it which was 6:34 p.m. One hour later, no reaction. Go figure! And.....praise God in the process of it all because I was sooooo nervous. I did have my Benadryl handy though, but so far haven't had to take it.

My doctor thinks it may have been that I took the pill with grape juice which she says is so similar in acidic quantity to grapefruit juice and grapefruits.......which I already know NOT to take with Celexa...and haven't in the almost two years I've been on it. She wants me to call her and let her know how I did on MONDAY as she is "off work until then". Okay....if I had had a reaction, I suppose I would have had to go to ER with my Benadryl already 'on board'. Good thing I am doing okay, huh? :chuckle I am suppose to schedule an appointment to see her as soon as the appointment desk receives her August schedule. It's a trip trying to get an appointment these days in the military system. But, it beats having NO health insurance at all, so I'm thankful for what we do have. Nighty night...again...thanks for you alls concern and great advice. (((hugs)))

[Q.]

Originally posted by KarafromPhilly

Quick question-- I thought that Prilosec and Protonix were two different drugs. Generic name for Prilosec is omeprazole, for Protonix--??

Prilosec and Protonix are different drugs; protonix is the "new" form of prilosec, like an alternative, sort of like clarinex is to claritin. They do the same thing but different formulas.

Also, I don't believe aciphex and prilosec are the same.

A better example would be zestril and prinivil, which are both lisinopril.

As far as substituting placebo pills, I believe this is illegal. Pharmacists can only dispense what is ordered by the nurse/doctor. It sounds like Renee got the wrong pill. What are your allergies anyway?

Pharmacists also can't switch generic to brand without physician order, or without informing them, or at least without patient consent. The only reason they switch is for cost-savings. Did you notice a lesser charge for what you thought was generic tablets? If not, you probably got the wrong pills.