I was on Alprozalam from"98"-"04",but the pharmacy stopped carrying the brand(Roache),and the new generic they had was like taking candy,did nothing for anxiety.My Pshyc explained that the filler in the various generics was the difference, and he started me on name brand in "04". I've been taking 8 mg a day for the past 7 years. I have new insurance now and they will only pay 50% per script of name brand.I can't afford the 400.00 a month to stay with name brand.So I'm trying to find out what brands are the most popular in the group.I take Xanax for extreme GAD,and it also helps with bi-polar,BPD,COD,PTSD,sleeping and eating disorders as well.Any answers would be greatly appreciated!!
What is the best generic alternative to Xanax?
Question posted by tejas129 on 13 Aug 2012
Last updated on 1 August 2023
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75 Answers
You can google the inert ingredients by brand name and a manufacturer's generic.
The answer is that the generic that works best is the generic that works best for you. Every person responds differently to all medications so what works well for one person may not work for you. Personally, I've taken many generics over many years and found no difference.
Good luck finding a good product for your needs.
Exactly. Everyone's different. The "fillers" ARE the reason for how the main ingredient(s) work and how the main ingredient is released. Most people don't notice that change but a lot of people are very sensitive (like you) to the change the filler(s) do to inhibit(s) distribution throughout your bodies system.
The main ingredients (by law) have to be exactly as the name brand... Most insurance companies will NOT cover the cost 100% if there is available generic(s). Personally, I found a generic that actually worked better that the brand! Crazy. Now my pharmacy doesn't carry that brand anymore. Sorry but that's the fallout for some people. Shop around. You will find a brand sooner or later, I hope. $400 is a large cost for most.
Best Regards.
Kevinb1953.
@kevin.
A thumb's up to you for a very informative answer!
Thanks @Wildcatvet. Love the recognition.. Just speaking from the heart. . . .
I also take Greenstone but just the regular. I am very apprehensive/anxious as ever to try new generics. In the past, I've tried Sandoz and Breckenridge. It seems like lately even the Greenstone isn't as potent as it once was but could also be my tolerance level. My pharmacy can not get Greenstone as they're on back order so I guess Teva it is. My fingers are crossed. If you happen to have the breakdown of inactive ingredients handy, could you add those or anyone else might have it? Greenstone 1mg vs Teva 1mg?
Thanks!!
So this is a very complicated topic since everyone has different preferences and since every generic is so different from one another. I’ve researched this heavily and know pharmaceuticals probably way more than one should. Each generic is different for different reasons I will get into below. Below I will list my order of best to worst. I’ve been on 2mg bars and 3mg XR for over a decade so certainly can speak on the topic.
1. Pfizer (formerly XANAX now u94/ Greenstone G3722- these are identical in every way except for imprints even down to the active and inactive ingredients. If you have Greenstone Xanax you have brand name Xanax. It is Pfizer generic company. These are well-balanced pills. They hit fairly quickly and seem to last the longest and have the most balanced legs to say.
My first choice and what I choose to fill with and order for my 2mgs and 3mg XRs.(Greenstone isn’t always in stock especially their XR versions have been on backorder for a year now so been taking the Teva/Activas XRs which have a taper-proof film in them, not a fan of Greenstone XR's. they do not have this film.
2. Teva/Activas-R039- by far an amazing generic of alprazolam and at times I prefer these to Greenstone but yes they are the complete opposite of each other. These are very hard-hitting yet do not last as long as Greenstone (brand) but I mean Xanax is made to hit hard and quick so it does its job well. Not only that Teva is the worlds largest pharma company, meaning they have the money and always follow the money..for the best equipment, the best ingredients and the quality. If you are a Klonopin user or a Valium user you know to get Teva brands or major. Because Teva is a huge and quality company so these are certainly quality pills, unlike so many other generics that have emerged in this mental health crisis such as Breckenridge. I was so excited to see in 2017 a new bar would be coming out I studied it and waited a long while to get them. Man was I not only highly disappointed but was sick for a full month stuck with the garbage of Breckenridge alprazolam which isn’t even made in the States and does nothing for me at all complete trash even worse than Mylan. I'd pick Mylan over these any day.
3. Qualitest (Par) V 2090. These are the third choice which it’s kind of a shame because at first when oar bought Qualitest and Dava they used the Dava bars green S 903 which are great pills but decided to discontinue them and dispense the Qualitest alprazolam. Like I always say there are three kinds of Xanax hard hitters, sleepers, and placebos. These are somewhere in between a sleeper and a quick-hitting. I would pick these over Aurobindo and breckenridge and Mylan but would never get them unless I had to over these. They have the check mark on them. And have taken Dava's green bars place RIP Hulks.
4. Sandoz GG 249- Sandoz is a great company, and I’ve never had a chance to try their XR alprazolam but would like to and if anyone has feedback on them lmk. These IR bars are certainly sleeper Xanax. Sandoz bars are great quality but for some reason very heavy on making you sleepy, unlike any other generic. I these used to be my favorite generic but that preference changed. Good choice probably should be number three.
5. Aurobindo y 21 bars- I have never liked Aurobindo medications ever.. they have never worked for me and they have always seemed to never use active ingredients so for that reason I’ve stayed away from Aurobindo for anything. Once my pharmacy filled with these instead of greenstone and I had them switch immediately.. just from looking at them compared to greenstone you could see a quality difference. These are brick like and chalky and just cheap looking same with their XR version cheap looking. I believe these are being pushed out now to all the new patients with the increase in demand that don’t really have any idea about generic differences. Once they switched them for Greenstone it was like night and day the Greenstone were shiny fresh sleek not powdery or chalky or brick-shaped but a clean quality tablet. Not crumbly. I don’t believe any tablet coming out of a pharmacy should be crumbly.. well these bars are powdery and just cheap. We are seeing this generic more because Aurobindo sells their wholesale meds at the cheapest price so pharmacies are making bank in these cheap generics.
5. Breckenridge b707- stay away at all cost just like Aurobindo cheap brick like hard, not powdery, not shiny, look like they came out of some dude's garage and had a shine painted on them. The worst generic out there in my opinion, did nothing for me, not even stray off detox.
6. Farmapram blank bars- these are good and I believe some tablets have more than just 2mg in them but that’s the problem they are inconsistent and also Farmapram, Mexicos generic of Xanax so even the bottles of Prams get faked easily faked but real ones are nice hitting. But you never know with these generics of Farmapram but everyone is getting these right now as it’s their only option.
1. Greenstone/phizer g3722/ u94
2. Teva/actavis- R039
3. Sandoz- gg249 (sleeper Xanax)
4. qualitest (par) V 2090
5. Aurobindo Y 21 bars- placebo bars
6. Farmapram- blank bars
7. Breckenridge B707- avoid at all cost
8. Boca circles
RIP Dava's 90 3s. The only good Xanax generics right now are the first three greenstone, Teva (Actavis), and sometime Sandoz the rest is trash. I’d pick Mylan over the rest. Hope this helps a bit
For the sleeping and eating ask your Dr. for a prescription for Marijuana. It also helps with Anxiety. You don't have to add the COD, because if you have GAD as well as being bi-polar. The COD goes without saying.
Do you have Severe Anxiety or just a generalized anxiety disorder. I use to get 120 pills a month for years before NYS cut down the maximum amount to 90 a month. So I took the generic and also was prescribed Clonidine. A blood pressure medication. The combo of the two helps me. Anxiety and high blood pressure can be symptoms of each other. Anxiety may lead to high blood pressure, and high blood pressure may trigger feelings of anxiety. The two levels me out.
I always been on the 1 mg Xanax 4x a day. It says Xanax 1.0 on it. It's blue. And it always has helped my PTSD induced panic attacks and anxiety.
I swear by Actavis, the yellow bars, but Walgreens in TX has changed their brand to the crappy Breckenbridge ones. Sandbox is the second most effective on. Does anyone know what the best 1mg Xanax are? And if they are all the same, why not ask your doctor for 1mgs “because they are cheaper”? Asking for certain brands is considered “drug seeking behavior”. Honest to God, my doctor made ME call around to find a pharmacy that sell the brand I prefer, but most companies said I needed a script for them to tell me. Errrr…everything is electrically prescribed these days, so how the hell can I do that?
Anyone from Texas, do you know which companies carry Greenstone or Actavis???
The best generic to Xanax brand name is Greencove Pharmaceuticals. They are licensed by Pfizer to make the name brand Xanax, so their generic is almost identical or identical to the Xanax brand name. Unfortunately, some ignorant people got their hands on the pill presses and are making really bad fake Alprazolam 2mg tablets. Just remember ask for the square bottles from the pharmacists that are sealed and come 100 per bottle or 500 per container, if possible.
Greenstone was at a time known to be the best generic. However, and you will find comments commensurate with what I am stating… It seems it is not the same anymore.
I find that the Sandoz generic is the best, at least for me, as we know this is a individual differences issue.
Companies that I would avoid are: Actavis and Mylan
Remember that the Hatch-Waxman Act declared that generic companies could very the
bioequivalence plus or -20% of that of the original brand product.
Could you provide me with documentation?
Thanks!
My favorite generic brand is def green Stone then actavis i don't like the Sandoz they don't react well for me
I as well have been on xanax for many years and I to see the vast differences between them.
The best one I have found is the Sandoz brand. Give them a try. Hope this helps you.
Agree; I have been on Sandoz .25 for 2 years & it worked great - now my pharmacy here in Midwest that starts with a W uses Greenstone which are terrible! First night I was awake all night & my hands went numb. Of course; they want to say it must be something else & refused to exchange it:( A friend gave me one of her Actavis to try & it was no better so I've decided to forget taking any of them. The big farma biz is selling us all out!
Greenstone is the closest generic to the brand Xanax. Go to their website & they will tell you the closest pharmacy to get it unless you can get your pharmacy to order it.
Hi, tejas!
Unfortunately, everyone responds differently to every brand or generic of any medication. What works well for one person may not be effective for another. You may not be able to respond well to other people's preferences.
It's going to be a matter of trial and error to find the one that works best for you. If you find one you really like ask your pharmacist to special order it for you if they don't have it in stock already.
I found Greenstone is the best. Greenstone is the same company who makes brand Xanax. But most Pharmacies don't normally carry it ( of course they go for the cheapest), and when asked to has it special ordered for you, they hesitate about doing it.
Related topics
xanax, depression, anxiety, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, pharmacy, generic
Further information
- Xanax uses and safety info
- Xanax prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Xanax (detailed)
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