Dispense as written....

[deespoohbear]

Ugh!!! Anyone else have a problem with this? My husband takes Levoxyl for his hypothyroidism. Our doctor was adamant that he stick with this namebrand, he didn't want the namebrands changed. He writes the script for Levoxyl, dispense as written. So I pick up my husband's medication the other day and bring it home. I never looked at the medication in the bottle. My husband went to take his med last night and he brought the med to me. He said this isn't Levoxyl. (levoxyl has a distinctive bowtie shape). I called the pharmacy and they said they didn't have Levoxyl when they filled the script so the filled it with Levothyroid instead. I told them that the doctor did not want him changing brands once he was established on this med. So, my husband went to get the correct med today. We usually get the generics when they are available, but I really feel that since the doctor specified a name brand we should stick with that....

[sanakruz, ADN]

Legally generics only have to have 80% efficacy. This isnt good enough for me.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Sanakruz, where did that info come from?

http://www.pharmacistsletter.com/pletters/rumor.asp?section=PL&rtid=9

[sanakruz, ADN]

Thank you for that p.

I got the info from all 3 of the docs at my clinic and a PharmD from Lilly also acknowledged that this is the case with prozac- After I mentioned to her that clients were complaining about generic fluoxetine not working....

[frannybee]

Didn't know those stats but have a lot of experience with pts saying that they can only tolerate Brand x of warfarin because the others just don't work as well, or work *too* well and their INR gets outta control.

[deespoohbear]

Originally posted by frannybee

Didn't know those stats but have a lot of experience with pts saying that they can only tolerate Brand x of warfarin because the others just don't work as well, or work *too* well and their INR gets outta control.

Our pharmacy only stocks Coumadin. No generics. I have heard of others say that generics don't work for them either with some drugs.

Sanakruz-Of course of PharmD from Lilly is going to say the generic prozac isn't as effective as the brandname. He knows who is paying his salary....

[sanakruz, ADN]

And a local pharmacist would not switch our patients to generic clozapine from brand name clozaril for fear that they would lose ground (decompensate). The doc had ok'd the switch to save$$$, but the pharmacist was so concerned, I got the order changed!

My thoughts after reading that little blerb is -it does depend on the drug- So I'm thinking human thyroid hormones can be tricky enough.....? DAW

[deespoohbear]

Yes I do think it depends on the drug. I am not familar with clozaril so I can't speak from experience with that one. I have heard that some doctors don't like their patients to be changed from one brand to another when it comes to thyroid meds and to Coumadin. I am not sure about other drugs.

[kids]

Just curious (OK, and nosey): did they charge you the generic or the brand price?

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Good question Nancy! I surely would have noticed the price difference when they rung me up!

(then again, I'm one of those people that carts about half a dozen impulse items up to the pharmacy counter with me and smiles and says "can I pay for this here too?!)

[dianthe1013]

Usually, a doc will advise to stick with a brand name on drugs with a low therapeutic index - i.e., levothyroxine, warfarin, etc. There's not much room for variance on those, usually.

Donna :)

[deespoohbear]

The price was the same. Levothyroid and Levoxyl are both brand names for levothyroxine. Our doctor just doesn't want the brands switched since my hubby started on Levoxyl. Maybe I didn't state it clearly in my original post...the script didn't get filled with a generic form....just a different brand name...:imbar

[Mimi Wheeze]

My levoxyl bottle says it is generic for synthroid....(?)

Is is really true that generics have to only be 80% effective?