I have been on 1mg alprazolam for years and it has been the only thing that will help my anxiety and panic disorder. My pharmacist has always had the alprazolam made by Greenstone and then without any warning he switched to a different brand (Actavis) and when I got home and took my next 1mg of alprazolam made by Actavis it didn't work after talking this new brand my pharmacist switch to (Actavis) i started to feel like i was having withdrawals. can somebody tell me if they're having the same problem that I'm having with this brand? Can somebody tell me why this brand does not perform like the greenstone brand? I know it's not just me because I I had 3 of the Greenstone brand left over in a bottle from a month prior and I took them and immediately could tell I took my medication but now I am back on the brand that does not work (Actavis) I'm having problems with my anxiety and panic attacks. Is there anyway I can contact Actavis and tell them the problem that I am having?
Has anyone else been having a problem with 1mg alprazolam made by Actavis?
Question posted by ActiavisDontWork on 30 March 2019
Last updated on 23 April 2024
39 Answers
I've been taking alprazolam since around 2018 and I noticed this in 2020 or 2021. Actavis alprazolam pills are extraordinarily weak. This is the first time I actually googled this; it's good to know that other people have noticed this too. I take 0.25mg pills and they also have this issue. I just received Actavis 0.25mg by accident for the first time in a while and I immediately called the pharmacy to swap it out with Sandoz. I see other people like Greenstone. I don't know if I've ever taken Greenstone. I can strongly attest to Sandoz. Something needs to be done about Actavis alprazolam, it should not be sold.
Yes I agree and I also found on the back of a factory sealed bottle of yellow 2mg actavis that alprazolam was spelled correctly on the front but on the back it was spelled alprazolam.how could quality control miss that?
I thought I was losing my mind, thank you so much for this question! I do realize that it was asked in 2019, BUT... Here's my problem. I had always requested Actavis manufacturer, because they worked really well for me. However my last refill was labeled "Actavis/Teva", not just "Actavis". These pills don't feel like they work AT ALL now, like I'm taking a placebo! I take a ½ mg 4 times a day for PTSD, panic disorder w/agoraphobia, etc... Has me wondering if they changed the formula for some reason? I'm almost done with this script, so I'm going to look for a different pharmacy. They need to stop messing with these medications, and realize that by doing this, they're messing with our brain chemistry when they do this! Has anyone else had this problem???
It's not necessarily the pharmacy's fault, they usually just fill what they're able to get. In my opinion it's an issue at the federal level. Actavis needs to be investigated.
I discovered this problem yesterday. I picked up my Xanax prescription yesterday. I saw it was made by Actavis/Teva and thought nothing of it. I took one and realized this was not right. Had anxiety through the roof. Shaking all over, no sleep last night. It was my terrible anxiety. I called the pharmacy this morning. I have a note on my account that says I can only take certain brands. The pharmacy agreed to take this script back and exchange it for what I can take.
I take the 0.25 alprazolam. My pharmacy gave me the Activis brand. It did the opposite. My panic attack got worse and worse. I became suicidal and has to be held down. The pharmacy gave me the normal Green kind the next day. I don't think any alprazolam is in the Activis brand. I have filed a complaint with the FDA.
Xanax is a medication I've been prescribed since I was 17yrs old. I am now 30yrs old. Taken many brands in that amount of time. Was doing the best on Greenstone 1mg. I was paying out of pocket $17 monthly at my mom&pop pharmacy just to get Greenstone. The DEA told the pharmacy "no special orders" & "if can go through on insurance, have to use insurance". Actavis works but causes me hostility/anger. For treating schizophrenia & panic disorder. I don't understand why I can't just get the brand that works best for me. Medicaid sure isn't going to pay for brand name. I could try another pharmacy I suppose but this is the result I get with Actavis. Even Sandoz worked good. Maybe one day it'll come back is all I know.
I was given the Actavis brand for the last two months. My doctor specifically told the pharmacy to give me another brand. My wife picked them up. The pharmacy would not take the pills back or offer an alternative. The pharmacy is H-E-B. They also switched brand name on lisinopril. The shape and color also changed. I’ve been using them for >10 years. Im switching to another pharmacy pronto.
I'm having the exact same problem, went from GreenStone to Actavis and started having withdrawals and constantly on the verge of panic attacks. I started to take some Lyrica, and it got rid of the withdrawals and panic/anxiety completely, which means I have been taking a pill that seems to provide no benefits and patient withdrawals. Likewise, I have gotten a lot of generic benzos over the years as well as Lyrica etc., and I've only had one problem in 08, and it was bad alprazolam. That's not including AuroBindo who's products should never be taken. The Actavis alprazolam is purchased and repackaged by TEVA, it's the only TEVA branded drug that has not worked for me. These Actavis/Teva alprazolam I highly doubt have any alprazolam in them period. I would complain to the FDA, however they don't care unless it contains poison.
So what you're going through is real, I just took 2MG of Actavis alprazolam and it did nothing. My doctor's office is requesting a name brand authorization. The generics of alprazolam are all bad, aside from Greenstone and from what I hear to a lesser extent Sandoz would be second. For problems like this, I use a specialty pharmacy that can usually get any brand provided it available. My pharmacist said companies have been changing and not relying on imports, just producing their own, so a lot less generics are now available. If you can't get name brand, I would try for Sandoz because Greenstone might not be available for awhile.
There are eight major parts to the FDA's review of a firm's application to sell a generic drug:
There must be an FDA-approved brand-name drug that is the reference for the proposed generic. The generic must have the same active ingredient or ingredients and the same labeled strength as this reference product. It must have the same dosage form-tablets, patches and liquids are examples of dosage forms. It must be administered the same way, for example, swallowed as a pill or given as an injection.
The manufacturer must show the generic drug is "bioequivalent" to the brand-name drug (See "What Is Bioequivalence?" below).
The generic drug's labeling must be essentially the same as that of the approved drug.
The firm must fully document the generic drug's chemistry, manufacturing steps, and quality control measures. Each step of the process must be detailed for FDA review.
The firm must assure the FDA that the raw materials and the finished product meet USP specifications, if these have been set. The USP, or U.S. Pharmacopoeia, is the non-profit, scientific body chartered by Congress to set standards for drug purity in this country.
The firm must show that its generic drug maintains stability as labeled before it can be sold. Once on the market, the firm must continue to monitor the drug's stability. The firm must show that the container and its closure system won't interact with the drug. Firms making sterile drugs must submit sterility assurance data showing microbiologic integrity of these products.
The firm must provide a full description of the facilities it uses to manufacture, process, test, package, label and control the drug. It must certify that it complies with federal regulations about current good manufacturing practices and undergo FDA inspection of the manufacturing facility to assure compliance.
Before FDA approves a generic drug, it usually conducts an inspection at the proposed manufacturing site to make sure the firm is capable of meeting its application commitments and to ensure the firm can manufacture the product consistently.
Pharmacies will order the least expensive product on any given day to keep your costs down. The problem is that different generic manufacturers may use different fillers and for some people this may interfere with absorption and how the drug is metabolized.
You can ask your pharmacy to special order a specific product for you but you may a little more for it. Most pharmacies will honor your request.
Another option is to ask your doctor to specify your manufacturer on the script.
Wildcat
Yep! You definitely are not crazy! I have been prescribed 0.5 mg of alprazolam ( 3times daily as needed) for the last four years. I always was given Actavis/Teva orange circles pill form. They worked well and truly helped me manage my high anxiety episodes.
It was not until two months ago that they all of a sudden they quit working for me completely. I would take one and feel no relief at all . matter of fact, on numerous occasions, I would be concerned because I couldn’t remember if I had taken it or not because I felt no relief when having panic attacks. On a few different occasions, I would take two at the same time, hoping that that would help but also worried that my tolerance must be high and I was very concerned about it and it made me feel bad about myself.
I then went to my doctor and explained that out of the blue they were not helping, and I asked him if he would prescribe me 1 mg of the same brand just to see if that would help.
I can tell you for certainty that it did nothing for me, and now I was continually taking 1 mg versus my point fives and again it felt absolutely nothing these Actavis/Teva are total garbage. If you are prescribe them, I would strongly suggest you have your doctor put a note on the prescription to not give you this awful brand, I have several family members and friends who ran into the same problem. I now have to ask my doctor to be specific in asking for Breckenridge or pretty much any other brand, because this has been an absolute nightmare to try to find a different pharmacy that carries something other than. Activis/Teva. Do not get this mfg! Terrible!!
I've been on xanax ( Alprazolam ) 1mg for 10 years to treat my PTSD and anxiety. I have taken every drug from the brand name of xanax ( which is the best, but just 90 xanax brand name costs $ 690.00 and I can't afford that monthly ) I have taken every generic alprazolam on the market, I can tell you that all generic drugs only have to have 70% of the brand name ingredients within that generic and all generics are made differently and cut with other ingredients, therefore making the drug cheaper and less effective. the reason so many including myself prefer the alprazolam made and manufactured by Greenstone pharmaceutical is that Greenstone is a direct cousin to Pfizer and upjohn pharmaceuticals therefore making the Greenstone brand the closest to the actual brand name xanax. when you shop at large chain pharmacies like CVS, Walgreen's, etc...
the only thing they care about is buying the cheapest drug for the consumer, and yes, when your body is used to a certain manufactured drug and you change your medicine up, your body will feel that and you will feel different. the only option is to find a pharmacy that has Greenstone in stock !!!
Actavis DEFINITELY works BEST for me. I use it for SLEEP and it is awesome!!
It turns off the "mental machine", if you will.
FOR ME Santoz is VERY BAD! Makes it MORE DIFFICULT TO SLEEP.
EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT. WHAT WORKS FOR 1 MAY NOT WORK FOR ANOTHER.
WHY DOCTORS DO NOT REALIZE THAT AND TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE
WRITING THEIR SCRIPTS, JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING THE PROPER MED,
TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR PROBLEM, IS BEYOND ME.
THE MANUFACTURER AND DOCTERS SHOULD GET TOGETHER WITH PHARM'S TO
SEE TO IT THAT THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT CONTINUE.
"MANUFACTURERS" - STOP SPENDING MILLIONS ON COMMERCIALS (WHICH IS
KNOWN TO BE UNHEALTHY FOR THE PUBLIC) AND USE THOSE FUNDS TO HELP US!!!
THIS WAS POSTED ON 04-26-23, NOT March 30th 2019???
Unfortunately, it's BECAUSE every person will respond differently to any given medication and that makes it impossible for doctors, pharmacists, and manufacturers to predict how/if a drug will affect you as an individual.
For, instance, you may not do well on certain products such as various generics but I take generics for every one of my meds and have never noticed any difference between the name brand and these generics or any difference between the different generics themselves. I get different generics every few months or so and have never had a problem with any one of them.
Wildcat
hello,i saw yr letter about the different alprazolam,YES their generics do not work,my nose will run mucus out my nose bad with the Actavis brand ,now i have a nasal problems,Big Time.i was on a pill for 25 yrs called xanax,the companies changed all of them,specially the round blue ones,they have made my whole head like a constant head cold.what is going on ,this pill works for me,untill they made it drain my head,now im pretty cause im n withdraw constantly.
please write me back i have spent alot of time geting sick then i find the right ones and im fine illinoise needs the right xanax.quit changing them ,,, they do help some of is ,i need the real Xanax or at least the oval ones,round ones do not make yr nose run,we have alot of people to agree with me,if u need to hear from others !!!
I have used Activis brand alprazolam, for years, and it has worked great. However, my pharmacy has changed to a different generic. They gave me the greenstone script a year or so ago, and it did nothing. When my anxiety gets bad, I pass out, so have to have this med. They have also changed their generic brand of Bupropion. I do not understand, I thought generics were the same as name brand, and supposed to be cheap(er), definitely not so, nor are generics the same. The Activis Bupropion I have been getting went from $21. to $250. I can no longer afford the meds I desperately need.
Pharmacies carry the least expensive generic when they order to save you money. Most will special order the brand you prefer but it may cost you a little more. Or your doctor can specify which generic to dispense.
While the active ingredient is the same in generics different manufacturers may use different inactive ingredients which may cause problems with absorption of the drug. Some people report that what they're taking doesn't work as well as what they're used to or may cause side effects.
My bupropion costs about $30 but I paid substantially more for my first refills this year because I had to meet my insurance deductible for the year. Your jump in price must be a mistake somewhere!
Just for the record I take the Slate Run version of bupropion and it's worked well for years.
Wildcat
I prefer Greenstone (alprazolam) because they are consistent, seem time-released (at least for me), and the cleanest form of this particular drug, next to Xanax itself. It is made by Pfizer, and good quality. I've had Breckinridge and it's okay, much better than this brand I got early last year by the name of Aurobindo, after my pharmacy chain switched to that particular generic brand. It was horrible. I'm being kind in giving it a 'C' rating. It would immediately begin to dissolve like a baby aspirin the minute it hit your mouth. Horrible generic, cheaply made, and inconsistent with their batches. It's no fun being anxious and taking something to help... and it let's you down. I never like taking my regular dosage, and it makes it a tad bit harder. I hope Greenstone and some pharmacies will recognize their customers' needs, but I'm sure it comes down to the dollar. ps I'm new to doing this sort of thing, so forgive me for being so wordy.
I am also having a problem with the generic for alazopram by Actavis it is not just a bad batch their alazopram is trash. Every time I get these it’s awful! I am prescribed 0.5’s and whatever is in the Actavis brand doesn’t do anything! I’m upset because I just filled my script and got a terrible surprise when I opened it and saw they gave me the Actavis ones. I actually prefer Breckenridge for a generic those actually help my anxiety attacks and I can even break the 0.5’s in half. I wish I could bring the Actavis ones back (yeah I know not possible) this whole month will be a mess for me with these placebo pills.
Related topics
anxiety, panic disorder, alprazolam, pharmacist, disorder, actavis
Further information
- Alprazolam uses and safety info
- Alprazolam prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Alprazolam (detailed)
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