Different Brand of Pred

[diana1998]

My surgery dispense for me but by mistake they sent my prescription to a local chemist. I see they're a different make to my usual ones. Is it ok to take another brand or should I insist the surgery give me my usual ones?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I occasionally had a different brand over the years- cannot say they made any difference whatsoever..and probably most would say the same.

A few have commented that they thought there was a difference, but they were probably very sensitive to the fillers.

It’s up to you of course.. and there are related posts to view… but I doubt you’ll notice a difference

[diana1998 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you everyone. Sounds ok.I can but try them and keep my fingers crossed 🤞

And make sure my surgery toe the line next time as the chemist is very inconvenient for collection. And the always sour awkward women in dispensary said I'd ticked the wrong box...a complete lie. 😱

Next time I'll take a photo of prescription as proof.

[123-go]

I concur with DorsetLady. I was prescribed different brands of Prednisolone over six years but noticed no difference between any of them.

[Charlie1boy]

I was given differing brands of pred over the time I had pmr. Didn’t seem to make any difference at all.

[Koalajane]

I think with the problems chemists are having getting supplies that this will happen more often. On my repeat it says prednisolone and does not mention a brand. I have noticed some if my other tablets are coming with different brands all the time. I hope it doesn’t make any difference for you.

[diana1998 in reply to Koalajane]

Thank you.The surgery always dispense the same brand year after year.

And most convenient as right by Tesco!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to diana1998]

Depends what the wholesaler is supplying this week as the cheapest source. You have been lucky to always get the same.

[diana1998 in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I must have been.Same for years.

[Bcol]

I've had different brands a number of times and had no problems.

[tangocharlie]

Doctors can only specific a specific brand if there is a good reason, for example I am allergic to the coatings and fillers in some brands of Pred and other meds so I have to avoid certain brands and this is specified on my repeat prescriptions. If you don't have any reactions then it doesn't matter what brand you take.

I was surprised that different brands have different PL (Product licensing) codes though as I thought they were all generic. Martin Lewis (the money saving expert) is often pointing out that things like ibuprofen and paracetemol can be marketed with different brands and supposedly claiming to help specific pain like headache or back or period pain with big price differences but are EXACTLY the same product as cheaper eg supermarket own-label products if you look at the PL code. I've just looked at the boxes of some paracetemol in my cupboard. Both own brand from different supermarkets but with the same PL code, so probably made on the same production line by the same manufacturer. For pictures of what hte code looks like on the outside of a box you will see:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Produ...

[diana1998 in reply to tangocharlie]

Very interesting. I wondered why Tesco paracetamol are much cheaper than Boots.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to diana1998]

Probably because even though both can buy in bulk, Tesco’s have a bigger turnover annually on all their products.. so have the ability to shave the price off every item they purchase as well as sell.

Their slogan applies to them negotiating a good price with their suppliers - it’s not just aimed at customers…😊

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to diana1998]

Bottom line: profits! Boots products are almost always a similar price to branded ones. I refuse to patronise them. They are no longer a UK High St company - they are owned by Walgreens, an American multinational ...

[diana1998 in reply to PMRpro]

Shall stick to Tesco in future.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to diana1998]

Lidl is pretty cheap too ...

[diana1998 in reply to PMRpro]

No Lidl here yet, but just started to build one. 👍

[piglette]

I have different brands too.

[diana1998 in reply to piglette]

👍👍👍

[Timelost in reply to diana1998]

I’m taking two different brands at the moment for 5mg and 1mg. Often get different ones…..I haven’t found it makes any difference.

[diana1998]

That's good.

[Gimme]

I am given a different brand virtually every time I get a refill of my prescription. Though my prescription specifies no wheat starch now, and the pharmacy has a warning on their computer not to give me the Stride tabs because they contain wheat.

[Oh-my]

I get different brands each time. I once tried to request not to have a certain brand because I couldn’t distinguish between the 5mg and 1mg tablets in my pot (I put it together the evening before and if I accidentally lose one then which one?) but the pharmacist said they have no choice as to what comes into the pharmacy so it’s pot luck.

[AtopicGuy]

Branded medications contain exactly the same active ingredients as generic ones. In the vast majority of cases, the same non-active ingredients, too. It would be wrong of the NHS to pay for expensive brands when cheaper ones exist. Suppliers of generic medicines have to meet the same quality standards, but compete on price. Wise pharmacists shop about.