[JOHNNY LATS]

My doc prescribed me 2MG Xanax to relieve anxiety. The first month I got the non-generic brand name Pfizer Xanax which worked like a charm. I took them as needed and that was it. Obviously generic's are far more cheaper than the brand name, so this month I tried the generic Xanax (2MG Alprazolam) and they do not compare to the brand nam ones at all. All they do is put me to sleep within 30 minutes and do nothing for stress. Is this normal that there is such a noticeable difference? My doctor told me there was a significant difference between brand name and generic's when it come to "benzo's". Can anyone say they agree or have experienced what I have?
When these runn out, you can bet I'll pay the $40.00 and get the brand name (as opposed to $12.00 for generic).

[JustSomeGuy]

I was on Xanax several times before. And, I experienced the same exact thing as you. I was on 4 mg/day, and at one point, I was on 8 mg/day (too much!). But I will say this about brand name and generic. I noticed that not only did the generic work not anywhere as well as the brand name, it was slower to take effect. And that is not a good thing when anxiety or panic attacks strike you. I noticed that the real Xanax used to relieve symptoms in roughly 10 minutes, or less (never timed it, just guessing from experience), whereas the generic took substantially longer to take effect. I'm off that drug for some time now, and happy about it too. I had a few bad experiences that turned me off to it. Like once, when I was on 8 mg/day, I had a real a**hole doctor who was prescribing it to me. Well, after being on that sort of a dose for like three months, me and him have a big disagreement during one of my office visits. Well, after I left the office, he called the pharmacy and cut my dose from 8 mg/day, to -get this - 1/2 mg/day. Thats right! No tapering, just all of a sudden dropped me by 7.5 mg with no warning. Needless to say that withing like 12-18 hours, I suffered a seizure - I totally lost all muscle control and just dropped to the ground and started shaking uncontrollably for what seemed like forever. And it was the dead of winter with no one around to help me. Things eventually worked out for me (not him and me though, just me) and now I am off those pills. But they were effective. I just had some bad experiences mainly due to irresponsible psychiatrists who were prescribing them like candy to me.

[Dave87666]

Just some guy--Sorry to hear that! I would sue that Dr. because what he did is VERY wrong(malpractice),and he SHOULD have known about benzo w/d...I am NOT into law suits at all,but with this one I'd want to do something about it..Im sure that drop in dose is what caused your seizure...He should have not only warned you that he was going to ween you,but also ACTUALLY ween you! What a dumbass..

[JustSomeGuy]

SOme number of years ago, I was on Xanax. My dosage ranged from 4mg/day to 8mg/day. I had both the name brand and generic (not sure which generic), but I do remember there being a difference. One of the biggest differences I noticed was how fast the name brand took effect. And when you are in the middle of panic attack, the last thing you want to do is wait for some cheap substitute to begin to work., as minutes seem like hours at those times. Name brand literally took effect in minutes (5-10 minutes, maybe, somewhere in there), And they didn't put me to sleep. They did what they were supposed to do, which I cannot say the generic did for me.
I am beginning to be a believer that this stuff that doctors and pharmacists tell you about generics being exactly the same thing is a crock of BS (If interested, see my post on Adderall vd Barr generic). I do not know what the chemical composition or whatever it is that makes them different, but in my experience over the years with a number of different frugs, the name brand has always worked better in some way or another when compared to the generic. I simply don't buy into this "they're the same thing" line anymore. At least in my case - and it may be different for others - the name brand is generally superior to generic for just about any drug I have been on, and had both the name and generic to compare.

[rhollusstar]

Yes, indeed there can be a difference between generic and brand benzodiazepines. Just as well, there is oftentimes a difference between generics. I have had generic lorazepams which did not phase my panic attacks, and other brands did just fine, for example. I have noticed that the generics I have tried in Xanax did differ from the brand name samples I used. Some of the generics were close enough to the brand to keep buying. Bottom line: stick with the brand that works for you best.

[DanMcc]

A friend of mine (whom I happen to trust) is taking a third generation anti-psychotic. Since it is a fairly new drug, the patent hasn't expired so there are no generics on the american market. Thus, he had to get it from a Canadian pharmacy. To make sure they are the same thing, he tracked the brand name pill, and the generic to the factory they were made in India. They were made in the same factory from the same chemicals.

Also, I would be skeptical of anything posted on an open forum (do not trust me about what i posted ^^, check it out for yourself). Pharmaceutical companies are just as able to post on these sites as anyone else.