Is it possibe to experience withdrawal when switching generics???????

Has anyone experienced withdrawal symptoms when switching from one generic to another? I had been on 30mg Temazepam (Mylan brand) for 5 years. Recently (07/01) I was switched to Actavis brand as the Mylan brand is impossible to find (was told they are having production issues). I know it may sound crazy, but I have experienced withdrawal when going from one brand of Lorazepam to another, even though the dose never changed! For the past couple of weeks, despite being on the same dose of Temazepam, I am experiencing the all too familiar symptoms of withdrawal (light headedness, crushing mental fatigue, lethargy, crying spells, tingling in arms, depersonalization, inner restlessness, agitation, etc. ). My doctor is trying their best to get the brand name filled for me, but honestly, I don't know if I will rebound from this current withdrawal...I had not intended to start an actual taper for some time, while we work on other health issues. 

 

I greatly appreciate any input as to if any of you have experienced anything similar any what you may have done.

Thank you!!!

Heather, unfortunately it is.  Generics can have a much wider range of meds and fillers in them.  It really shouldn't be allowed imo, but is .  So going from one to another could cause withdrawal or even give you an updose.  I believe I have seen, there can be as much as a 20% range.  Unbelievable.

There are two groups on here that have been hit really hard by it, the KK2 thread and the Teva discontinuation thread.  Check those out.  Mary 🍀🍀🍀🍀. Good luck!

Thanks, Mary, for the quick input. Although it really sucks, I am encouraged to know that I am not alone and that this is a real thing (even if the pharmacists don't acknowledge it!) Thank you kindly.

Yes Heather.  I felt withdrawal when switching Valium generics.

 

I found it hard to believe too.  I've heard many people report same. 

 

I switched back.  Hope you are able to do same. 

 

Production issues!  Jeez, thanks for caring Mylan.

 

Dee

for sure.

 

i was on (well, all of the brand name original and all the generics i believe) during the 15-20 years of my clonazepam rx's and last month they had switched my generic to solco after being on accord for a long time...i was really bummed but called my 2 pharmacies allowed by insurance and it was gonna be actavis or solco, and the one who said solco (walgreens) assured me their "contract" with the drug distro was going to be at least until the first of the yearand probably longer and i could rest assured that solco would be the generic for that time period. the other local pharmacy couldn't assure me of that. so i went with solco at walgreens ...lo and behold this month i pick up my rx and it's been switched to accord, again. the pharmacist said they have no idea what they're gonna get shipped until it gets there. she is a good pharmacist and tells me straight. the other was just spouting whatever she thought i wanted to hear apparently   

 

anyways i had a couple weeks of adjusting (sx's got temporarily worse and then calmed down) on the solco, and now after 2 weeks of relative calm, i get to go thru it again when i change back to accord... YAY

 

but you know what? we have no control over any of this stuff. so the way i see it, i can either roll with the punches, adjust as i need to, go with the flow...or i can be angry and upset and allow the lack of control to ruin my existence while on these stupid things. i'm trying to loosen my grip of control which is just perceived control, i really have none!...and also let it just encourage me to go forward with my taper/s...all of them. not to rush things, not at all, but to know that the sooner i get this process of tapering finished, the sooner i'll be free to not be unpleasantly surprised/disappointed or just plain pissed off when the pharmacy changes my rx.

 

wd sxs are normal to feel before tapering while in tolerance, and during tapering and afterwards. there's no way to get around it , for now so, i'm trying to accept it and minimize the severity of the sxs until i can get to my finish line. hope that helps

I had withdrawal when the pharmacy gave me Mylan instead of Teva. I didn't even notice until I started feeling real weird about a week later and figured out that was the only variable. I have a note on my prescription now to only get the Teva brand.

I had withdrawal when the pharmacy gave me Mylan instead of Teva. I didn't even notice until I started feeling real weird about a week later and figured out that was the only variable. I have a note on my prescription now to only get the Teva brand.

 

Me too!

Thank you all so much for the valuable input! If I could figure out how to respond to you each individually, I would. But then again, I am workign with a very impaired brain at the moment.   So, I have lost count of the countless pharmacies I have called looking to see if any might still have Mylan brand on their shelves. Unfortunately, the answer is the same across the board...none. So I continue to be on the Actavis brand 30mg (since (July 4th). I continue to experience HORRIFIC WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS, despite being on the same milligram. I don't know where to go from here. Do I ask my doctor to write a script for more (more than the 30mg/night)? Or do I just ride it out and see if my brain ever stabilizes? I cannot fathom going through another day of weeping and severe mental lethargy. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as I feel so hopeless right now.  :'(

My pharmacy switched from Teva to Actavis and then Accord. I still have some Teva left. I knew it was coming and thought I would give Actavis an honest try. Horrific. Right now I am getting the Brand which costs a fortune and that doesn't even work. Tried it for the liquid part of my DLMT and I felt withdrawal symptoms. We are in a difficult situation. More the reason to try to get off these drugs.

I am Praying that with time your brain will adjust and stabilize. I believe some people have had to up dose on their different generic to get relief. That is an option. Please don't lose hope.

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

 

my friend is the senior pharmacist at my local walgreens told me that generics can vary as much as 40% so i don't think your echo chamber theory on this particular point is correct. also my Hubbs works for a major pharmaceutical distributor in the US for animals which uses the same drugs as humans and he and the pharmacist chat frequently as much of their product comes from the company my Hubbs works for and they agree on this point. i have had just about all of the available generics and original brand name for clon/Klon over the past 15 years and have xperienced marked diferences in potency. be glad you are in the group who hasn't noticed any big differences! for the rest of us, sigh, this is indeed an issue. it's not like we get together and made up a theory and cling to it for dear life because we have no other source of camaraderie. this is a real problem with generics.

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

 

my friend is the senior pharmacist at my local walgreens told me that generics can vary as much as 40% so i don't think your echo chamber theory on this particular point is correct. also my Hubbs works for a major pharmaceutical distributor in the US for animals which uses the same drugs as humans and he and the pharmacist chat frequently as much of their product comes from the company my Hubbs works for and they agree on this point. i have had just about all of the available generics and original brand name for clon/Klon over the past 15 years and have xperienced marked diferences in potency. be glad you are in the group who hasn't noticed any big differences! for the rest of us, sigh, this is indeed an issue. it's not like we get together and made up a theory and cling to it for dear life because we have no other source of camaraderie. this is a real problem with generics.

 

The 40% variability is a complete myth and not true.

https://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/timothy-o-shea/2016/06/debunking-a-common-pharmacy-myth-the-80-125-bioequivalence-rule

Show me a single study that proves what you are saying. I'll wait. There is a very very small difference between a brand name and a generic, were talking about a few percent. It's not clinically significant and spreading disinformation about potency being as much as 40% different is laughable! These drugs are tested routinely and if they did what you claim they would be recalled in a heart beat because many millions upon millions of people are taking the generics, more people then the brand name!

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

Not true. Some people are just more sensitive. They switched my generic and I didn't notice until I got sick.

Was it bad as withdrawal sick

No

But it was hell

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

Not true. Some people are just more sensitive. They switched my generic and I didn't notice until I got sick.

Was it bad as withdrawal sick

No

But it was hell

 

And may I ask how you came to the conclusion that it was the generic that made you sick? How do you know it was the generic and not a stomach virus, flu, or cold and everything else?

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

 

You bet it's in our head. Our brains! It is very true that the generics vary up to 40%. This has been know for a long time. Why do you think so many people are calling and writing to Teva to bring it back? Years ago, I was on some generic and then switched to Mylan. Didn't think a thing about until I went into withdrawal. That was in 2010. I then switched to Teva and have done well all of these years.

Also, we are all different. Some of us are very sensitive. Have you been through a C/T withdrawal? That will sure sensitize the CNS. Also, there are medications that Dr's will only write brand for because the generics could compromise the patient. Heart meds and anti-seizure meds to name some. Consider yourself lucky. At least for now.

Again not true.

 

https://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/timothy-o-shea/2016/06/debunking-a-common-pharmacy-myth-the-80-125-bioequivalence-rule

 

Myth.

 

Also doctors do write prescriptions for generic heart meds and anti seizure meds. Again not true at all. If an individual doctor doesn't write for a generic that's in his own opinion that generics could compromise something, that is not an established medical fact and not the case. Show me a single study showing people getting "sick" and all this other stuff from generics. I'll wait.

Hi dagored,

 

While you may not have experienced this yourself, I can assure you that many others have, unfortunately.

Yes, the inactive ingredients do differ from generic to generic. The drug may be very similar in terms of the active ingredient, but it is possible to get a lower concentration.  And no two people are exactly alike when it comes to receptors, formulations, and bio-availability. For you to suggest that this is “all in my head” is very ignorant and close-minded of you. You don’t have to search very far on this board to find others in the same unfortunate predicament. I would hope you would choose your words more wisely as this is meant to be a supportive platform. Under no circumstance should you suggest that something is in someone's head; especially in this group where so many are suffering and trying to find support.

 

Hi dagored,

 

While you may not have experienced this yourself, I can assure you that many others have, unfortunately.

Yes, the inactive ingredients do differ from generic to generic. The drug may be very similar in terms of the active ingredient, but it is possible to get a lower concentration.  And no two people are exactly alike when it comes to receptors, formulations, and bio-availability. For you to suggest that this is “all in my head” is very ignorant and close-minded of you. You don’t have to search very far on this board to find others in the same unfortunate predicament. I would hope you would choose your words more wisely as this is meant to be a supportive platform. Under no circumstance should you suggest that something is in someone's head; especially in this group where so many are suffering and trying to find support.

Hi dagored,

 

While you may not have experienced this yourself, I can assure you that many others have, unfortunately.

Yes, the inactive ingredients do differ from generic to generic. The drug may be very similar in terms of the active ingredient, but it is possible to get a lower concentration.  And no two people are exactly alike when it comes to receptors, formulations, and bio-availability. For you to suggest that this is “all in my head” is very ignorant and close-minded of you. You don’t have to search very far on this board to find others in the same unfortunate predicament. I would hope you would choose your words more wisely as this is meant to be a supportive platform. Under no circumstance should you suggest that something is in someone's head; especially in this group where so many are suffering and trying to find support.

 

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

 

 

 

my friend is the senior pharmacist at my local walgreens told me that generics can vary as much as 40% so i don't think your echo chamber theory on this particular point is correct. also my Hubbs works for a major pharmaceutical distributor in the US for animals which uses the same drugs as humans and he and the pharmacist chat frequently as much of their product comes from the company my Hubbs works for and they agree on this point. i have had just about all of the available generics and original brand name for clon/Klon over the past 15 years and have xperienced marked diferences in potency. be glad you are in the group who hasn't noticed any big differences! for the rest of us, sigh, this is indeed an issue. it's not like we get together and made up a theory and cling to it for dear life because we have no other source of camaraderie. this is a real problem with generics.

 

The 40% variability is a complete myth and not true.

https://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/timothy-o-shea/2016/06/debunking-a-common-pharmacy-myth-the-80-125-bioequivalence-rule

Show me a single study that proves what you are saying. I'll wait. There is a very very small difference between a brand name and a generic, were talking about a few percent. It's not clinically significant and spreading disinformation about potency being as much as 40% different is laughable! These drugs are tested routinely and if they did what you claim they would be recalled in a heart beat because many millions upon millions of people are taking the generics, more people then the brand name!

 

Many, many people have reported problems switching generics when in withdrawal.  In addition Many medical sources say it can happen, example:  https://www.webmd.com/depression/features/generic-antidepressants-what-you-need-to-know_#1. There’s several good reasons this can happen I would say.  1. The equivalency studies are not done with people in withdrawal, they are done with normal healthy people.  2. While statistically generics all meet a certain standard, certain people won’t follow the statistics.  It wouldn’t be surprising to find out many struggling on BB aren’t really a “random” sample and don’t fit the norm.  3. The fillers are different and do affect the speed of absorption into serum.  4. Of course the actual amount of active ingredient is indeed going to be different by some amount just due to process variations.  4.  Although the equivalency testing is standardized and minimizes certain measurable parameters, the tests may be missing some parameters some people are sensitive to.

 

Personally I would expect some difference when switching, especially if in strong withdrawal

No, this is not possible. This is an echo chamber of people saying the same thing. The only difference between the brand name and the generics is the filler is just a little different which is completely inactive. The active part of the drug is exactly the same. I've had many many different generics from Teva, Mylan and others with Klonopin and they were and all the exact same. To suggest that one generic is worse then the other and is capable of causing "withdrawal" would force a recall of the entire generic if this was happening. It's just in your head.

 

I agree.

Hi dagored,

 

While you may not have experienced this yourself, I can assure you that many others have, unfortunately.

Yes, the inactive ingredients do differ from generic to generic. The drug may be very similar in terms of the active ingredient, but it is possible to get a lower concentration.  And no two people are exactly alike when it comes to receptors, formulations, and bio-availability. For you to suggest that this is “all in my head” is very ignorant and close-minded of you. You don’t have to search very far on this board to find others in the same unfortunate predicament. I would hope you would choose your words more wisely as this is meant to be a supportive platform. Under no circumstance should you suggest that something is in someone's head; especially in this group where so many are suffering and trying to find support.

 

I feel that I have to speak up because the evidence out weighs the complete lack of evidence for supporting the notion that different generics actually are so different they cause WD's and make people sick! That is ridiculous. People are going to come to this thread and get scared to death and cause themselves anxiety because they think their WD's are because they are on a different generic or switching is going to make them sick. This is just non sense. I'm open to seeing any actual studies on this, but there are none because the variance is so minor people aren't getting sick from a different generic. And by the way, I've been on this crap for 7 years myself. I've been on Teva,Mylan, now the ODT of whatever brand, and also a few other generics.....and I like 99.9% of people never reported any difference and never got sick. So what does that tell you? Exactly what my original point was. Also I changed generics in the middle of a withdrawal and nothing changed. So there ya go.

Hi dagored,

 

While you may not have experienced this yourself, I can assure you that many others have, unfortunately.

Yes, the inactive ingredients do differ from generic to generic. The drug may be very similar in terms of the active ingredient, but it is possible to get a lower concentration.  And no two people are exactly alike when it comes to receptors, formulations, and bio-availability. For you to suggest that this is “all in my head” is very ignorant and close-minded of you. You don’t have to search very far on this board to find others in the same unfortunate predicament. I would hope you would choose your words more wisely as this is meant to be a supportive platform. Under no circumstance should you suggest that something is in someone's head; especially in this group where so many are suffering and trying to find support.

 

I feel that I have to speak up because the evidence out weighs the complete lack of evidence for supporting the notion that different generics actually are so different they cause WD's and make people sick! That is ridiculous. People are going to come to this thread and get scared to death and cause themselves anxiety because they think their WD's are because they are on a different generic or switching is going to make them sick. This is just non sense. I'm open to seeing any actual studies on this, but there are none because the variance is so minor people aren't getting sick from a different generic. And by the way, I've been on this crap for 7 years myself. I've been on Teva,Mylan, now the ODT of whatever brand, and also a few other generics.....and I like 99.9% of people never reported any difference and never got sick. So what does that tell you? Exactly what my original point was. Also I changed generics in the middle of a withdrawal and nothing changed. So there ya go.

 

you are new here and seem very agitated, so perhaps it would do you some good to read others' experiences on the TEVA clonazepam discontinued group or the Klonopin Klub II  etc, to become aware of just how many people are being affected and have been affected by the difference in potency of the various generics and brand name versions of this drug before you call us delusional/accuse us of parroting what others have made up/or just perpetuating a "myth"... because your experience has been different ie you have not felt any difference in the potencies nor any sxs from switching generics etc... because we are all here trying to get well and get support and your attitude is not supportive nor allaying any fears that people who are experiencing this issue have. also the "evidence" that i place weight on is the actual real life experiences that i personally and hundreds  of others who visit these 2 BB threads in particular have had and are having, NOT some spokesperson for a website or any particular study sponsored by the FDA for that matter, as they have been proven many times to be in it for the money, and have not been honest ie conflicts of interest.

Here are some pretty interesting articles. Whereas the first one deals primarily with name brand vs generic drugs, it does point out that things are not exactly rosy in the generic drug manufacturing world.

 

I never switched from one generic valium to another, so can't speak to that exact problem, but I was recently switched from one generic blood pressure medication to another and became seriously ill. At my doctor's suggestion, I switched back to my original generic and the problem went away. It was a serious problem. And no, it wasn't in my head.

 

So here's the article. Given that most of our generic drugs come from overseas where the FDA has little oversight I think we should be cautious and not switch generics if at all possible.

 

I am not disputing anyone's experience, just offering mine, and posting the articles for consideration.

 

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/how-reliable-are-your-generic-drugs-from-india/

 

And here's the other one. It's somewhat dated, but I wonder how much things have really changed since the article was written.

 

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/04/are-generic-drugs-made-in-india-safe/index.htm

 

Just a note: both my generic cardiac medications -- the one I had been taking for years and the one I was switched to that gave me trouble -- came from India.

 

Katz

Here are some pretty interesting articles. Whereas the first one deals primarily with name brand vs generic drugs, it does point out that things are not exactly rosy in the generic drug manufacturing world.

 

I never switched from one generic valium to another, so can't speak to that exact problem, but I was recently switched from one generic blood pressure medication to another and became seriously ill. At my doctor's suggestion, I switched back to my original generic and the problem went away. It was a serious problem. And no, it wasn't in my head.

 

So here's the article. Given that most of our generic drugs come from overseas where the FDA has little oversight I think we should be cautious and not switch generics if at all possible.

 

I am not disputing anyone's experience, just offering mine, and posting the articles for consideration.

 

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/how-reliable-are-your-generic-drugs-from-india/

 

And here's the other one. It's somewhat dated, but I wonder how much things have really changed since the article was written.

 

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/04/are-generic-drugs-made-in-india-safe/index.htm

 

Just a note: both my generic cardiac medications -- the one I had been taking for years and the one I was switched to that gave me trouble -- came from India.

 

Katz

 

yeah exactly, the SOLCO generic clonazepam i had last month was made in India and it was one of the ones that took me 2 weeks to adjust to and also caused my SI. then i was acclimated and when i picked up the new refill it was for ACCORD once again, so  i had to adjust all over again, and had SI but thank goodness my Hubbs was home the whole time and i'm ok now. but there's no guarantee at my pharmacy what they will get month to month so it's a crapshoot as to which brand i'll get, so i'm just going to be glad when i'm off it for good and not at the mercy of my pharmacy receiving the cheapest current generic available to them. too bad there is not a better regulatory agency that tests each batch for potency and makes sure the rules and regulations are followed. it would save us so much suffering. i hope these days will be just a bad memory for our kids n grandkids one day to have a better medical system.