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
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
75 Answers Page 3
LadynWaiting2
26 Oct 2018
Hello all.
I have been taking alprazolam 1 mg 3 times a day for the past 15 years. I never noticed a difference in manufacturers until about a year and a half ago when I switched pharmacies. I had been at sams taking the Davis brand. (DAV on the bottle) I haven’t heard you mention that one in the blog, but it has been keeping me together for a while now. When I switched to Walgreens (my kids scripts are there, 24/7, and with a drive thru... how could I go wrong?) and when I got my script of 1 mg alprazolam it was round and green. I figured it would be fine.
Fast forward two weeks...
I’m watching the clock for when I can take my next dose... I’m spending more time in bed thinking in circles... I have no appetite... I think I’m dying, but don’t know why... Doctor! I need a doctor!
I go in to my HMO GP doc and am as honest as I can be. The doctor is ice cold. I ask her if the change in manufacturer could attribute to the problem. She says no. She runs tests. I get a call back. The nurse tells me I have RA (
Dan da xan man
23 Sep 2018
IMO I feel greenstone is the best I use to use sandoz only but I feel they changed it up a bit,I was getting to sleepy ,don’t get me wrong I would take sandoz if greenstone wasn’t available but greenstone just work for me personally ,I just stay away from the green ones or an the yellow they don’t do it for me but keep me from having seizures, also don’t mind the round 2mg ones (the bp633 scored ones.sorry for lag
cinles
23 Sep 2018
I think the reason Sandoz makes you sleepy is that they are purer & you're taking too much. Greenstone has definitely changed. It is not as pure as it used to be. I wish I could find a pharmacy in my area who are using Sandoz & I am going to try to go back to Xanax with my next refill.
cinles
21 Sep 2018
I'm not quite sure what the point was of that last response.
Things have changed a lot in health care in the US since the original post. I just recently discovered how different the generics are and I am appalled the FDA is approving these Xanax generics from overseas companies. Also, I had read somewhere that Greenstone which is still a part of Pfizer had changed. It has changed a lot. I was on Sandoz which I think is closest to Xanax. Then I was given a generic from Aurobindo Mfg which I think has very little Alprazolam in it. I'm now on Greenstone and it is not like the Greenstone I have taken in the past. I haven't talked to my insurance company, but I'm going to try to go back on Xanax. That should solve my problem. I'm sorry for those of you who can't do that because of cost. I only take 1/2mg.
Jsnow0831
21 Sep 2018
I am seeing these comments and I really can't believe this. Ridiculous. There are people who really need this medication, who have horrible anxiety, who have panic attacks and other real problems, and this is what I people who really need their medication are having a hard time getting it. You sit around spending your time discussing your favorite generics like they are candy. I was a pharmacy technician for years, pharmacists tend to hate this type of stuff. And a lot of your ideas about how it works are dead wrong. There was actually a list on here with your favorites listed.. that looks so wrong.. and it said what pharmacies give what.. not how it works. A local pharmacy may generally get the same brand but their warehouse sends them the cheapest one and it can change at any time. Xanax is a controlled substance and I highly doubt that most of you need it. Doctors are cutting back for a reason. I really can't blame them..
just come here and read some of this and I would reevaluate every patient I had. It's just really sad that some doctors over-prescribe to people who don't need it, or the people who really do get the doctors who are extra careful because of all of the scammers. Then you come on here and whine because your name brand is too expensive and you want generic recommendations, which I have no idea about, pharmacists said it was all mental, I've had people swear it isn't.. definitely some mental factor.. but you definitely spend more of your lives thinking about medications than you should.
Hobie123
22 Sep 2018
Well, you spent a lot of time putting your comment on here that wasn’t really valuable. Everyone has their own individual reason to be on these meds. We’re all on here trying to help and inform each other. I personally have been on these meds since the 80’s. Did I need to be, who’s to say. I put my life in the hands of so called “professionals”. Believe me I wish we were discussing as you put it “candy”! Some (and just some) Dr’s maybe trying to cut back on these drugs others are adding one on top of the other. Maybe you need to be re-educated. Just my opinion.
laumic
22 Sep 2018
"Pharmacists said it was all mental, I've had people swear it isn't. Definitely some mental factor... " Are you serious? Anxiety and panic disorder IS a mental illness!
Rocky Stone
16 Oct 2018
JsKnow-nothing Your comment is offensive. As a pharmacist, you should know every human is different, everybody’s chemistry is different, Some people have higher tolerance, Some have different side effects, your blanket statement that people that take them don’t need them should make you ashamed to call yourself a professional. It’s between the patient and the doctor, your job is simply to do what the doctor instructs you to do. It is not for you to say. You have no idea, clearly, the suffering that occurs with a mental illness like severe anxiety and panic attacks. We think about the medicine because we think about the illness that is with us all day, every day, every night. You don’t think a cancer patient thinks about chemotherapy or radiation? Do you think a diabetic doesn’t constantly think about insulin? You think I want this??? You’re insane.
We come to these forums to gain knowledge we can’t get anywhere else, we have to rely on each other‘s experiences, which I can tell you are all very very different; how much of a dose we need and the very specific ways it affects/treats our various symptoms runs on a long spectrum. I have definitely noticed differences in the way the medicine helps me based on the generic type. It matters. Sure, there are abusers and drug seekers, of which I am not, however I get treated that way anytime I get a controlled substance.
We can’t call pharmacists, especially people like you, and ask them on his questions. We won’t get honest dancers. I’m sorry that you’ve Lost your compassion for any of your patients, or I should say your customers, I pity you, why are you even here? You are judge mental. Try walking a mile in my shoes. You wouldn’t make it past the hundred yard mark.
Sweet2U88
20 Oct 2018
You don't know our situation so mind your comments about all of us. We are just trying to help others who don't know what the side effects are. If you never had to use any kind of benzodiapine for seizures or other medical reasons, then please don't judge us. As a pharmacist we surely can use your help, rather then look down on us. So God Bless and Good Luck..
Patriciayouwanna
17 Nov 2018
My psychiatrist told me himself that the pharmacist will tell you any generic is the same when in fact they're not they are made out of different in active ingredients which cause the generics to absorb differently so yes generics make a difference. That scientifically proven and any good psychiatrist would much more knowledge than a pharmacy technician will tell you that scientifically they are not the same even with Tylenol if you were to get a generic brand your body would absorb it differently due to the inactive ingredients combining with the active ingredients so at the end of the day we have anxiety and we want our anxiety to be cured whenever they come on not a sugar pill.
Dan F
5 Dec 2018
Actually Jsnow0831 is pharmacy TECHNICIAN if you read his offensive post. His schooling can be done in a semester of online college and his hardest job is he has to count to 100. If any pharmacist that he worked under knew that he posted this nonsense on a public forum he would be fired from his 30k a year "job" on the spot. He has to work under a licensed pharmacists license and that pharmacist would get pretty upset over his public OPINION. This is the person who ends up ringing you up when it's time to pay. They are the gophers of the pharmacy and don't have "patients".
"I would reevaluate every patient I had." In what world would basically a stock boy have patients? "Xanax is a controlled substance and I highly doubt that most of you need it." Did a semester of community college make you a MD Jsnow0831? I would say this in public and am not trying to bully a troll who doesn't even make a living wage so I don't think I'm violating any community guidelines. If he had mentioned PBMs or something in the chain of how pharmacies actually get medications I would give his post some credibility but I think it's just somebody trolling.
msrubi55
2 Aug 2018
i’ve taken half a milligram every night to help with sleep for years. always had filled at CVS and it was Sandoz. went off of them for about six months but I had to go back on them again because I just don’t sleep well without. I still had several left from the last old scrip but just got a new prescription from my doctor. I’ve switched pharmacies since the last of the old scrip and I got the Avtavis. they did absolutely Jack! no sleep at all for the last two nights. Thankfully I still have some of the old ones left and I’ve had added a little more melatonin. I can’t wait until I can get this refilled and I’m going back to CVS or whoever has the Sandoz. the generics can differ so greatly as I found when I was on wellbutrin. Name brand was best but the insurance company stopped paying for it, one generic was immensely helpful and one of them did zero so the in active ingredients do make difference among the generics . Def try Sandoz
georgie4321
17 July 2018
Greenstone developed alprazolam in the late 1960's and was bought by Upjohn. Later, Upjohn was bought by Pfizer. Pfizer's patent ran out and now other companies could manufacture it. When a company is processing a drug, it uses what chemicals it has on the shelves; thus, the inactive ingredients might vary. Drugs are not continuously made. They are made in lots, and how often depends on supply and demand. It would not be cost effective to manufacture ALL meds ALL the time.
Blacktar
28 March 2018
I've been on Xanax 2.0m for ten years and one thing I know for sure all brands that have no lines in the back of the pills I call them flat back have a real weak effect do to. The filler they use but if it got lines in the back you'll have no problems try you'll see took me two years to find out!!!
laumic
22 Sep 2018
lines on the back? is that not to break the pill in half?
RemSupreme
27 Feb 2018
That is weird because when you fill a script where I live about 70% of the time you will get Greenstone. If you put a 2mg brand name Xanax next to a Greenstone they are identical in shape, length, etc. the only difference is the marking on the pill.
Inactive
19 June 2017
I have been on Xanax & Valium since I was 17 yrs. Old! I've tried MANY different generics! The Best, generic Alprazolam to me is made by Greenstone, they are the light blue, oval shaped, imprinted with, G 3721.
drewbullett
6 Oct 2019
If you’re talking small MGs like .25 .5 1mg Xanax. I can guarantee one of
The top brands is Actavis. The greenstone is overrated I’ve tried every brand of generics trust me try Actavis they come in orange circles for .5 blue circles for 1mg and yellow bars for 2mg.
I took a .5 Actavis and the next day 1mg greenstone and I never felt a difference and I’ve compared them over 100 times if you can’t even notice any difference and it’s twice the dosage somethings up. Try Actavis you’ll thank me later(; and any brand that makes Xanax in a football shape are never as potent as the Actavis Circles trust me or try for yourself!
drewbullett
6 Oct 2019
If you’re talking small MGs like .25 .5 1mg Xanax. I can guarantee one of
The top brands is Actavis. The greenstone is overrated I’ve tried every brand of generics trust me try Actavis they come in orange circles for .5 blue circles for 1mg and yellow bars for 2mg.
I took a .5 Actavis and the next day 1mg greenstone and I never felt a difference and I’ve compared them over 100 times if you can’t even notice any difference and it’s twice the dosage somethings up. Try Actavis you’ll thank me later(; and any brand that makes Xanax in a football shape are never as potent as the Actavis Circles trust me or try for yourself!
ol123
7 May 2017
The authorized generic for Xanax is manufactured by Greenstone Pharmaceuticals. The authorized generic is EXACTLY the same as the brand name as far as active and inactive ingredients. The poll imprint will most likely be different.
cinles
26 Oct 2018
I've taken generics for a long time & frankly I never looked at the mfg because I saw no difference. Greenstone is one I have taken in the past & saw no difference, but I'm taking Greenstone now & there is a HUGE difference from Sandoz, which I was taking. After reading many posts on here & other forums, I feel like I've learned 2 things. 1. Generics can be vastly different & the mfg of a generic can be different and 2. the fillers in the generics affect people in different ways. It's become a complex generic world.
zaborav
11 April 2017
You MUST be American, as Roche have NEVER made alprazolam anywhere I know of!
For generic alprazolam, there are no alternatives to Egis FRONTIN 1mg and Galenika KSALOL 1mg, from Hungary/Romania, also dispensed in Slovakia, and Serbia respectively. The countries mentioned have ALWAYS made the best benzodiazepines in the world, exception ALPLAX (Argentia) alprazolam 1 and 2mg; Romanian State Pharma Company TERAPIA ('Therapy') make diazepam which has been tested to average 12.8mg per '10mg' pill and is the choice of most, costing only Lei 4.16 per box <30> which is about $0.70...
Alternative benzos I find useful, with little cross-tolerance, are MEDAZEPAM 10mg (Ansilan, Rudotel & Nobrium); PRAZEPAM 20 & 40mg (Lysanxia, Centrac), CLOTIAZEPAM by Pfizer 10mg (Clozan); FLUTAZOLAM (Coreminal 4mg - more sedating than diazepam) - Japan only; and the truly superb and cheap BROMAZEPAM 12mg and 6mg - forget the useless weak 3mg! (Roche LEXOTAN but better Roche-licenced LEXILIUM (6mg only - shame - by Alkaloid of Skopje, Macedonia.
I could go onto hypnotics as well as anxiolytics - FLUNITRAZEPAM 1 & 2mg, best 2mg are cheap as chips, Dutch CENTRAFARM. 1mg EG are good but Roche ROHYPNOL remains best 1mg. TEMAZEPAM 20mg, but ONLY oral solution or original liquid-filled gelcaps -'Jellies'. NEVER use tabltted temazepam because of serious bioavailability issues with the binders, absent in liquid based formulations.
Ex-Wyeth, now Pfizer NORMISON are a dreadful price online but TEVA NL are just as good at half the cost or less. Japanese RESTAS 2mg flutoprazepam and FLUBROMAZOLAM 0.25mg/0.5mg are also BANGING sleepers.
Simple answer; FRONTIN, KSALOL and TERAPIA, next best KRKA (Slovenia) APAURIN. 5mg feel more like 7.5mg and Apaurin 10mg remain the highest selling diazepam at online pharmacies and email vendors; - many do not know of Terapia.
I prefer these to many patent proprietary brands, and ALL are worth buying.
Josh Anderson
17 Feb 2017
Greenstone or Sandos labs more effective
egb222
20 Jan 2018
I have taken brand Xanax XR extended relief 2 mg for about 15 years through Upjohn Pfizer for anxiety/panic disorder that caused spiking high BP and rapid heartbeat. I've had this since 1978 when they didn't even know what anxiety/panic disorder was. Went to fill my prescription this month to find that it is back ordered and not avail. -never heard of such a thing (.5 & 1 don't have either-I can't believe they just stopped making this). Won't be avail. till April according to manufacturer Pfizer that I called, so I have to get a generic version for now. I am going with Greenstone extended relief 2 mg to start this Wed. Pfizer also told me it's the same exact ingredients as brand. I have a very sensitive system when it comes to meds, so I am quite concerned. Has this happened to anyone taking brand and has anyone tried these Greenstone alprazopam XR and do they work like brand?
Benzomania
3 Feb 2017
I been on xanax for 8 years then Pfizer took them off the market in Australia , so I find alprex is close to xanax brand but I alternate between alprex and kalma generics each time I get a script and I get 100 2mg tabs every 20 days with 2 repeats and 100 only costs $6.30 in Australia
Arties kidd
30 Dec 2016
Hi I've been taking the yellow 2 milligram bars made from Activis I get them at walgreens here in nj they carry them in most of there stores out here and I also have a friend the gets the day green sticks with 3 lines that are decent I'm not sure of the brand but everyone out here want the yellows or the greens for some reason.. I've had no problems with the yellows for the 5 years I've been on them they haven't seemed to change a bit I take 3 a day, usually one in the morning and 2 around 2pm at lunch at work just to get me through the day at work and at night I just take my ambien to sleep and I'm good,, Some days I only take 2 usually on my days off and I'm just sitting home but if I go out or need energy I take another on,,, does anyone else get that extra kick to get up and do things from the Xanax or is it just me?
untainted99
17 June 2018
I would not call it get up and go, but it does seem to alleviate some depression (yet creates a ton of it if you do too much of the pill) so I end up doing a lot of my chores or trying on new dresses I put off for a long time or catching up on some work. It makes me a friendly person in general too. I don't even like to speak to people much but if I have a few minutes where it is in me before sleep I can make some quick calls.
Anxiety Cat
6 Sep 2016
When Pharma went nuts, and usual monthly Rx for Xanax jumped fromabor 140.00 pr mo to just over $400.00 pretty much overnight, I too could no longer afford it. And I had tried many generics, non of which did anything for me...
Until I finally found Greenstone Alprolazam. I have been doing very on the Greenstone generic and I have ben on the brand name for years... There was perhaps a tiny bump of adjustment, but it was nothing and I am doing wonderfully on them...
The only problem with Greenstone is that you have to have a Pharmacy willing to order them for because many of the large Corporate Pharmacies don't stock it and many wont order because there is very little profit margin for them to do so. For example, I only pay $50.00 for my monthly Rx now which is even cheaper than the 140 that I "used" to be charged for my brand Xanax...
I was only paying $28.00 for the Greenstone at a Sam's Club Pharmacy, but the trick was, I had to be able to get ahold of the right manager, who would order them for me, otherwise, I would get off the shelf... So, I wen to a smaller franchise, who are smart enough to charge at little bit more so that they make at least $20.00 profit on the 50$ I pay... And I don't mind that one bit...
So, if you want it or would like to get it or try it... And can't get it in the Pharmacies that are part of other store chains... I recommend avoid those types of Pharmacies and say go to either and independent type or Mom and Pop... As they are probably more likely to order them for you.
Again, for me, even after having been on the brand name for years, I am doing extremely well on Greenstone... Good luck!
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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