Brand v/s Generic

I have been on Requip xl since being diagnosed in 09. The last 6 months I have been taking requip xl 4mg tablets to equal 12 to !6 mg a day. My neuro put me on sinamet and at first was in a fog but have cut back and better now. When ordering my new Rx I found what I had been taking was the generic for requip. For the last 3 months I have been miserable--feeling horrible, bad attitude, movement really bad. I have always been on the real Requip and felt so much better. Was wondering if their is a connection. Does the generic not have the same amount of medicine as the real requip?

[driller]

Yes, not as strong.

ERIC

[Hikoi]

Many people experience differences between different manufacturers of the same medication. I havent had problems but im know people who have.

Info from the FDA site:

Generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand name product. Generic drugs do not need to contain the same inactive ingredients as the brand name product.

The generic drug manufacturer must prove its drug is the same as (bioequivalent) the brand name drug. For example, after the patient takes the generic drug, the amount of drug in the bloodstream is measured. If the levels of the drug in the bloodstream are the same as the levels found when the brand name product is used, the generic drug will work the same.

[srarndt]

True, but with some prescriptions even changing manufacturers makes a difference. I would recommend talking to your Doc, discussing it with a good pharmacist, as well as researching it online. I had this issue personally after having my thyroid removed with different manufacurers of thyroid meds.

[NanCyclist]

I had exactly the same experience as grappers. I was switched at the beginning of Nov. and almost immediately had the same horrible reactions. I finally sorted out the cause, contacted my doctor and have been back on ReQuip XL (the real stuff) since Nov. 19. I'm getting better but it still seems to have taken a toll. BTW, the RQ is now twice the cost that it was. I'm more than a little annoyed.

[bunngalo]

I think my mom had the same type of experience with cinamet or one of her other parkinson's meds where the generic was not as effective, but for some reason she could no longer buy the brand version. Here is a link to an article about how generic can be ineffective versus branded in this case wellbutrin....

forbes.com/sites/davidmaris...

[wordworks2001]

I've always taken generics if they were available and have never had a problem.

[honeycombe3]

My GP practice has always favoured generic drugs. The drug part is exactly the same but the comments about other ingredients/constituents ring true with me. Even the coating agent on some tablets can cause me to have adverse reaction. We're back to 'what suits 1....etc, etc.