Love A.D.D.erall

At 21 they diagnosed me with AD/HD & gave me smart pills. My grades shot up & my future brightened & some said I was better. But I am numb inside of this drug. People I love become distant strangers sometimes, so proud of me for victories I didn’t earn. How do I tell them I am not what I do or have done. I’ll never be happy on this drug, but I’ll never be successful without it. If only I could Love Adderall.

Teva’s Generic Adderall XR

July 17, 2009 at 5:27 pm · Filed under MEDS & PHARMACEUTICALS and tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In April of 2009, Adderall XR went generic.

According to this article in Philadelphia Business Journal:

“(O)n Thursday, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries became the first company to launch a generic version of Shire’s attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder drug Adderall XR.”

My first thought was: here we go again.

When the immediate release form of Adderall went generic a few years ago, it caused a shitstorm.  In particular, CorePharma’s cheap pink generic version of Adderall IR caused a shitstorm that I participated in.

For one, the pink generic Adderall was noticeably different from its orange predecessor.  Moreover, I simply do not believe the standard industry line that generic medications are “exactly the same” as their branded counterparts, given the leeway that generic drug producers have when it comes to binders and fillers.

The thousands of responses I received to my posts on this topic indicate that others tend to agree.  I’m wondering if some of these same issues arose (or are arising) with the generic extended release form of Adderall.

The new generic Adderall XR is produced by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, a pharmaceutical company based in Jerusalem that mergered with Barr Pharmaceuticals in 2008.   Barr laboratories had previously produced a generic Adderall immediate release, which I found less unpleasant than CorePharma’s pink Adderall.

But it’s also noteworthy that Teva was sued by Shire Laboratories in 2006 over patent issues.  Shire was the original patent holder for brand named Adderall.  It was around that time that many of us first began to notice the difference between generic and brand Adderall.  (I sure hope the clowns at CorePharma weren’t tinkering with the recipe to avoid lawsuits.)

I can’t speak from personal experience regarding Teva’s new generic Adderall XR, but early reports from friends and associates of mine are that “The timed release went generic and now it sucks.”

The Food & Drug Administration has a contact page.  People who notice these sorts of problems are encouraged to notify the FDA.

20 Comments »

  Anonymous wrote @ July 18, 2009 at 8:31 pm

this teva shit is pure garbage!

Reply
  CityCat wrote @ July 22, 2009 at 1:51 am

Wait a sec, according to Shire they are currently the only manufacturer making the new generic Adderall XR and with the identical formulation as the brand. The labeling is different, but they are still the manufacturer for now. That will probably change later. Do you think Shire is lying about keeping the formulation the same for the generic?

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  Voorhees wrote @ July 22, 2009 at 8:17 pm

Hi CityCat-

By selling a patent, the contract sometimes stipulates that the original company will cooperate with the generic company in producing the drug at first.

Shire is focused mainly focused on Vyvanse, now a competitor of Adderall. With a cheap generic version of Adderall XR on the market, it will effectively discontinue the Shire’s production of this drug under the brand name Adderall XR.

Not saying they’re liars. In fact, I’d be interested to read the link where Shire claims the formulations are “identical” rather than simply compliant with the legal parameters established in generic interchange legislation.

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  Cindy wrote @ July 25, 2009 at 9:23 am

I can tell you this from experience. I have been taking Adderall XR for about 2 yrs. Was diagnosed in my 50’s, best thing that ever happened to me. My last script I filled I was given the generic without even letting me know it was generic. I realized when I paid for it since it was so much cheaper. It is not the same. Feels like it is watered down. I talked to my doctor about it and he said that I am not the first to complain to him about it. He also told me that “generic” can be manufactured at 80% of the name brand and still be able to call itself generic of the brand name. I asked him and he agreed to write my next script for “brand only” that way I can get through my insurance, even though I still have to pay a higher price than the copay for generic. I much rather pay the extra. The problem at this point that I can see is that the pharmacies are not carrying as much of the name brand and I have to call ahead to make sure they actually have the name brand in stock, and as you know, since it is a narcotic you cannot fill until a certain day and you cannot leave the script with them. Makes it very inconvenient. Looks to me like another case of money and profits rule.

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  Courtney wrote @ August 6, 2009 at 8:30 pm

I have been taking Adderall XR since December 08 with very positive and successful results. In June 2009, Medco by Mail switched the prescription to generic. The Amphetamine Mixed ER caps look nearly identical so I did not realize they had been switched. Since June, I have been extremely irritable, unfocused, lethargic, and (in the last few weeks) experiencing severe depression. I could not understand what went wrong until I noticed that the medication I had been taking was not the same. I believe that there is something different in the generic that has caused such an adverse reaction in me and I have just filed a formal complaint with the FDA.

Reply
  kirk storm wrote @ August 24, 2009 at 6:48 pm

The generic is garbage (for me)

Reply
  Amy wrote @ September 2, 2009 at 11:12 am

I never tried brand name adderall xr. My only experiences were with barr’s ir adderall. iIwanted to see if add improved with a long acting adderall. I filled it and was given barr’s xr caps, 30 mg.

This has been a completely different feeling and one I do not like. It makes me angry, jumpy and depressed! Dose increase or decrese has no effect on these feelings. I have never experienced this with the ir.

My original thoughts were the time release formula was causing problems. I tried two methods to seperate the time release portion and ir portion, both were effective in process, but neither helped change the feeling. I’ll never take this again.

Reply
  anonymous wrote @ September 12, 2009 at 1:48 am

For me the Barr generic 30mg Adderall tab is too sweet, crumbly and offers about 75% potency compared to the 30 mg Shire. That tab is orange and oval.

I feel I had better results from an orange, round, 4 scored harder compounded 30 mg tab, but don’t know which company makes it. Is that the CorePharma brand. If so, I prefer that brand compared to Barr.
I read on another ADD forum than many patients taking Barr Adderall generics didn’t like them and went back to Shire, but Shire is literally about 10 times the cost of generics

Reply
  bill wrote @ October 3, 2009 at 4:44 pm

The fact that people are experiencing withdrawl symptoms from these smaller dosages just proves to me that these drugs are nothing more than prescription addiction.

Reply
  David wrote @ October 4, 2009 at 6:44 pm

Most will never admit this, but they really are taking the drug because it improves their mood, and gives them a high. That’s why you all like the orange………. let’s lay the cards on the table.

Reply
  Corine wrote @ October 5, 2009 at 9:38 am

Hello,
About the generic adderall: this summer, my son, 24, experienced terrible adverse reactions with the Corepharma pink pill. He has ADD, and so far, CVS sold him the Barr generic. But this summer, without any warning, they sold him the Ranbaxy Corepharma pill 20mg. As soon as he tasted this pink pill he knew that something was seriously off. He went back to CVS but was told by the pharmacist that this pink pill “was the same recipe” as the others. Anyway, seeing what my son went trhough, I decided to do something to maybe protect other patients. I filed a complaint to the FDA , wrote to Ranbaxy, Corepharma, everywhere I could to protest. Would you guys send me an email describing your experience with this pink pill. I need help because they are not really responding to my complaint. Email me at metzreis@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Reply
  Vince wrote @ October 5, 2009 at 9:42 pm

I just received the generic for Adderall EX 20mg through my prescription insurance plan’s “by mail” plan after taking the brand name for almost a year. The capsules look identical except for the text on them. It is definitely not the same drug. I can’t believe the FDA let’s this happen. I am on my fourth day with these and I feel horrible. Something needs to be done to stop this unacceptable substitute.

Reply
  corine wrote @ October 20, 2009 at 12:18 pm

Hi,
Could you please tell me the generic name of your pill? Thanks.

Reply
  Brittany wrote @ October 20, 2009 at 10:51 am

I have been unknowingly taking the generic XR 30mg for two months now and in those two months i have been complaining to my friends that i just don’t feel right and can’t sleep even when i take it at 7 am. I know thats a typically side effect but i’ve been taking it for years and never experienced it unless i took it after 2pm. This month when my mother sent me my perscription (i’m away at college) i looked at the bottle and realized it was the generic form and then i looked at my previous bottles and the symptoms started when the generic version was given to me. Since the pills look the same i just naturally thought it was. I also realized that the new ones smell different. I feel like they have a lower effectiveness and worse side effects. I never really had a problem with generics until now and i hope enough complaints are sent for the FDA to listen and place stricter control on these generic manufacturing guidlines.

Reply
  corine wrote @ October 20, 2009 at 12:20 pm

Hi,

Could you please tell me the generic name of your pill? Thanks

Reply
  Maggie wrote @ November 16, 2009 at 3:46 pm

My son took Vyvanse last Spring. He took summer vacation from his meds. When school started back up, he started taking the Vyvanse again. He hated it. He said it depressed him – temporarily. A teacher confirmed that he seemed in a trance. So he started taking 2 – 10mg Ranbaxy (CORE) tablets of Adderall (blue). These had been for use when working a big homework project at night. He says they are great. I am guessing he feels this way because they probably aren’t doing much. Thanks for all of your comments. He’s a senior in high school this year and we are struggling with him and his school work – again. I am thinking it could be because the Ranbaxy isn’t very effective. I have a call into his doctor. Thank you all again.

Info that I’ve learned today. TEVA took over Barr – generic formula and the Duramed – Shire Brand formula. I cannot tell if the Brand formula is really still available. Right now TEVA’s site shows the 20 mg “Adderall Brand” as an orange oval tablet with p 973 imprinted on it. People seem to like the Barr (or is it TEVA) generic formula better than the Ranbaxy (CORE) generic formula. It seems Shire has already stopped making IR – I think it passed to Barr and then to TEVA. It sounds like Shire will stop making XR in early 2010. They want to focus on Vyvanse. It seems the Ranbaxy generic may be manufactured in India. Several of Ranbaxy’s India plants have had issues with the FDA in the past. I cannot tell where the TEVA/Barr is/will be made. But I will be calling pharmacies before I fill another prescription. I will try to locate a TEVA/Barr/Duramed generic. Wish me luck.

Reply
  Anonymous wrote @ November 18, 2009 at 10:09 am

No offense, but i really think most of you guys are crazy.
The xr made by teva has the same ingredients, its just the time of release that makes the brandname and generic different. Take for instance the IR brand name/generic battle. It’s the fillers that are different. People who had been on barr generics (which i suspect have faster dissolving fillers) complained that the Corr generics didn’t do anything, but lasted too long. The corr generics customers complained that the barr generics are too short lasting and too speedy. if you’re following what i’m saying, the corr customers were used to a slower, smaller release of medicine over the day. Now, i suggest to you all to just fricken break up your immediate release pills. if you have a problem with the fillers, do something about it. its an INSTANT release pill and will be dissolved within 30 minutes anyway, so just break it up and stop bitching about fillers and differences.

Reply
  Anonymous wrote @ November 18, 2009 at 10:11 am

YOU GUYS, THE FLIPPIN TEVAS JUST RELEASE SLOWER. THE EXTENDED RELEASE FORMULATION ISNT EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE BRAND NAME. QQ

Reply
  Anonymous wrote @ November 18, 2009 at 12:58 pm

I am trying to do research, investigating the side effects of the generic adderall xr vs. the side effects of the name brand adderall xr. My husband was doing really great with his ADD being controlled and he was able to focus at work. 0 side effects, until a few weeks ago I noticed that he was behaving differently. Much more moody and lack of sex drive. I realized that his medication was not the same, it was the generic for adderall and I wonder if his current side effects are due to the change of medication? Anyone having any issues with their sex drive on this GENERIC Crap?

Reply
  sharposts wrote @ November 25, 2009 at 8:26 pm

There is another generic company (Eon labs owned by Sandoz owned by Novartis who manufacture brand ritalin) who make adderall generic.

I switched to it and its awesome. It is the best adderall available now after both the brand adderall and the generic barr changed to ineffective formiula

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56460&page=3

“(1) Eon labs is Owned now by Sandoz
Sandoz is a generic company owned by Novartis (makers of brand Ritalin).

(2) Eon labs still make adderall generic
they now use the same formula as sandoz for their generic

(3) sandoz generic = eon lab generic is reported to be very smooth and equal to the brand when made by shire if not better because they do clinical trials and studies on their generics

You will get good adderall formula or at least better than teva new formula for generic price”

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