I've been on Adderall xr 15mg for over a year. It helps some but i could be better. my doc just put me on 20 mg xr reCently, and it is not working as well as the lesser dose! ? How can that be? And how can i tell my doctor without sounding like a nut? Has anyone had experience wIth name brand verses generic? I don't want to suggest this without hearing from Others because doctors are always convinced that there is no difference for some reason.
Is name brand Adderall xr better than generic?
Question posted by kaw06 on 22 Aug 2015
Last updated on 6 May 2022 by WildcatVet
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.
17 Answers
WildcatVet
6 May 2022
They contain the same amount of the drug but the fillers, binders, and coloring agents may be different in different generics and in the brand name.
It's thought that the differences in these inert ingredients may affect absorption of the drug in some cases.
You may find that some generics have the same formulation as the brand name. Ask your pharmacist for help.
SheBeRainbow
6 May 2022
I also blast through generic Adderall salts that don't even taste very salty. The generics def are less effective in a lot of curcumstances. I'm thinking the extraction methods differ and that's why the potency and quality of product differ . Say something like that or copy and paste my dear. I'll do the same!
hereonearth71
10 Sep 2020
I had been taking 30mg of brand name Adderall for about 6 months because my insurance would only pay for the brand name. My experience with Adderall was not good. I would get brutal headaches almost daily, would have muscle tics and spasms, would sweat profusely, became irritable and depressed and would just generally be an anxious hot mess with hardly any focus and attention benefits.
Then suddenly, my insurance allowed generic Adderall and I must say, I really prefer the generic. Hardly any side effects and super focus abilities and no tolerance yet.
I also take 40 mg of fluoxetine daily.
poppy13
19 Aug 2020
I can say that I had a very negative experience with generic Adderall, both IR and XR. So YES, the brand name is much much better. It feels clean, and is effective. The amphetamine salts generics caused me side effects over 2 years, such as painful head aches, body aches, and icky poisoned feeling. I ended up looking into labels and recalls and talking to pharmacists about it to try to find out why. It seems that whatever ingredients they are cut with could be the reason. Yes, they made me productive but also irritable, sleepless, and obsessive. Awful. I quit them. So I have been non medicated since because of ADD related job losses. Recently was gifted some real Adderall. Amazing difference. No pain. No sickly hungover feeling. Just ability to do tasks and get from idea to action to completion. I will try to get prescribed name brand ONLY next time. Maybe if enough of us complain they will listen instead of assuming we are speed freaks ???
ctykes1010
9 Aug 2019
Hello. I am currently taking Adderall (brand) 25 mg XR. I was taking the generic previously and would get heart palpitations about an hour after taking the generic, and then I felt as though I could focus for 3 hours and after that, I would have heart palpitations intermittently, and I found the medication not to be much effective. Once I switched to the brand, I actually questioned myself if I took it because I did not get any heart palpitations around that hour and a half mark, so I wasn't sure if it even kicked in, but then I realized I was more alert, and I began to start feeling the effects of the medication. I took it at 9pm, and I was able to focus from about an hour after taking it till about 7 pm. It was such an improvement from the generic. I still have the dry mouth associated with the medication, and headaches after it wears off, but it is nice not having the palpitations.
I feel the adderall brand is much smoother, and more importantly lasts closer to the "8" hours it is supposed to last, and I am much more productive. With the generic, I would get at most 4 hours and then I would feel very sluggish, tired, and then for maybe 10 minutes randomly, I would feel alert again and then it would die down and then an hour later I would feel alert... It would come and go in waves. It was very frustrating. The brand is more expensive, but for me it is worth it because the medication actually works and I can function.
I definitely can feel the difference between the generic and the brand with the adderall 25 xr. I am also hypersensitive to medications, so that could be why. My doctor was the one who suggested I try the brand, because he thought it was possible the fillers in the generic could interfered with the way the medication was being released. I would recommend trying the brand, so that you can feel the full potential of the drug. I can't even compare the two... It is like taking a different medication.
I can't imagine you sounding like a nut asking for the brand as opposed to the generic. It shouldn;t make a difference to the doctor. All they have to do is write brand only or brand necessary, and depending on your insurance they might be requested to do a pre-authorization form.
My doctor suggested this to me because he said he had seen it in other patients and my experience with the medication was consistent with what other patients had reported to him. If your doctor won't listen and thinks you are a nut, that is on him and is his problem. Don't give up, be an advocate for your own health until you find a doctor who will listen! Took me several years to find a good doctor.
Shoppersdelight
21 March 2019
Short answer is yes, brand is better. Brand and genetics are the same in the same way as all cheeseburgers are the same or in the way that Walmart’s Great Value (generic) Ranch dressing is the same as Hidden Valley’s (Brand) Ranch dressing. There are some “Great Value” products I personally can’t tell the difference from brand (like ketchup), but other products I can tell the difference (like Ranch dressing). A McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, Krystal’s, and Five Guys cheeseburger with just one hamburger patty on a plain white bun with ketchup, mustard and pickles, all made exactly the same, will taste totally different to most people.
shimmer3112
6 May 2018
There are some serious manufacturing problems with Adderall generics right now and have been for at least a year now... from what I am reading it seems to be with both generic Adderall IR tables and generic Adderall XR. I take Sandoz generic Adderall IR and they are worthless... like a sleeping pill. You will be asleep on the couch within the hour. I know of two people who couldn't even get the medication to test positive in their urine drug screen. I contacted the company and they've done nothing about this! I'm going to make a complaint with the FDA. This is ridiculous!
Rooster72
4 April 2018
I know this is an old thread but I thought I would share something that I recently read about Adderall XR:
THIS IS NOT MY STATEMENT
“Go back to the immediate release versions. If given in the morning and at noon, the drugs are out of the persons system by 5 PM. Then the brain has a chance to relax and reset itself. With Adderall XR™ , the medication lasts and lasts. If the dose is high enough, it is still present at night and the person cannot sleep. The brain never gets a chance to relax and reset itself. Instead the brain seems to be fighting the Adderall XR™ continually. The constituents of the medication, dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, are foreign chemicals in the brain. The brain seems to oppose them in some way, although I cannot say how for sure. Eventually the body wins and the Adderall XR™ stops working or the dose has to be increased. Other drugs may be added.
People say that their “used” to the medicine, and they are correct. Unfortunately, nobody talks about this. The drug just keeps increasing.”
This was from a child psychiatrist. But it works the same with adults. I have tried some XR meds. Not Adderall XR. And they do not work for me. I’d rather just take Adderall IR 2 to 3 times a day.
Hope that helps.
SayIDoux
22 Dec 2017
Yes! My insurance switched to only brand name. I called them to get off. It took 30 minutes, but it’s worth it. I’ve been on generic 30xr for 2 years. Adderall XR made me jittery for a couple of hours, irritable—I was short with everyone, and it wore off by 3 in the afternoon. The only plus side was since it wore off earlier, I was sleeping a bit more. But when that Adderall wore off, it was awful. I was so sluggish and had no motivation to even cook dinner. I don’t like it at all.
Summer89
23 June 2018
What mg and how long had u tried it for?
From your statement, if surmise that you feeling jittery proves the brand name adderall works better. You just needed to allow your body to adjust.
I've felt a HUGE difference from going to generic to brand in that generic in no way works as well.
Tamey0923
3 Oct 2017
This just happened to me I just told them that I am having addverse effects and the generic is better for me and they switched it.
My experience
Brand: was on for 4 months 20g per day switched back to generic.
-Very organized, like cleaning under the bathroom sink, refrigerator, organizing close.
-Very little energy cant work out
-Sluggish
-Always hungry
-Heart doesn't race
-Even keel
-Tired overall
Generic: 3 years
-A little anxiety
-Moderately organized but focused
-High energy
-Can work out
-Not hungry
- Heart races rarely
-Very thirsty for water or fruit
Savmohito
7 Aug 2017
In my experience there's a huge difference from brand name to generic Adderall xr. Name brand is far superior to the generics the only generic xr I haven tried is being produce by sandoz they make a really good IR they recently just got authorized to produce xr generics.
formerpharma
8 May 2017
Generic medicine does not go through the same testing as brand name does. It only has to be 70% as effective as the brand name. Some batches of a generic may be more effective than the batch prior, etc. A very sad truth to pharmaceuticals is that pharmacies make more profit when they sell consumers generics vs. brand name so they will, more often than not, push the generics. Doctors will write generics because they assume they are cheapest and that they will be covered. Truth is, docs are spread thin. They know next to nothing about health insurance.
By running a price comparison: if generics are cheaper, pharmacies offer you that even though they know its likely to not be as effective. I always ask for brand name and this last time the brand was $70 LESS than the generic. This is solely because there is a perception by most of Americans that generics are going to be cheaper so they started jacking up the price on generics knowing that most people's insurance covers generics and most people assume it's the most cost effective option.
The bottom line is that as a consumer you always have to remember, even in the healthcare industry, it's a business. Doctors tell us what they are told. Which is that generics are the same. As a consumer I can tell you that they aren't. I've tried three or four different generics of the same medication and they all were completely differently and have different side effects. Whether you're talking to your doctor or pharmacist or your health insurance company. They all have a bottom line. It's sick but it's our reality.
Stellasdisposition
30 April 2017
I (and several of my friends) have noticed a very big difference in the effectiveness of the Teva generic vs other Adderall generics. I take 20 mg tablets and have found the Teva peach oval tablets to be the most effective pills. The round tablets are the least effective. I feel extremely frustrated and unproductive when I take them. This isn't an issue with the doctor as much as what the pharmacy has in stock. I hate doing it, but I often ask the pharmacy what they have in stock before I fill my prescription in case I need to use another pharmacy that month.
Richard_James_Rules
28 Jan 2022
Teva is the manufacturer of Adderall, for a while they made their own generics and still might, I’m way late but wanted to let you guys know so you can go for these generics if you find them!
n4gtabl
9 March 2017
Hi... i know this is way late, but i've just become a member here. i was looking for others who have had issues with generic adderall. I will tell you, i have been asking for brand only because i did not see ANY changes with the generic after a year off from having my baby and nursing. not sure if you saw the same or perhaps you also were looking immediately after the switch by the generic company, but i believe they are getting their ingredients from different places and i've been fine with the brand, but not with the generic.
Lisabisa83
18 Nov 2018
This is kinda late. But it’s really bothering me. I have been on adderall ir for 10 years. I definitely have seen a change a major one. It seems usually less effective and that it increases my heart rate more and blood pressure. I’m at the point I will pay for brand adderall if I have to. Because if it does what it did for me in the beginning. It’s well worth the money. I think Barr/Teva even changed recently. Because they used to be the closest to what I took before. Something has definitely changed. I always get foggy brained and sometimes it kicks in 3 hours later. And sometimes I swear it kicks in right when it hits my stomach. I’m so tired of the inconsistency. Because drs just think u are a seeker if u try to explain this generic brand adderall doesn’t work. Anyways, it’s been incredibly hard for me lately to focus or even complete my work day. Whatever the manufacturers are doing, they need to quit
chuck1957
23 Aug 2015
Hi again kaw06 lots of misunderstanding about generic drugs,The only real difference is they do not have to have the same inactive ingredents in them some people this dose make a difference to some people but more on the rare side both brand and generic are allowed the same difference of 3.5% difference please note they also draw blood from patients at the same time and find the same amount of medication in there system as brand name drugs..Here this is right from the FDA SITE I COPYED FOR YOU FEEL FREE TO GOOGLE IT YOU CAN GET GOOD INFO THERE.. FACT: FDA does not allow a 45 percent difference in the effectiveness of the generic drug product.
FDA recently evaluated 2,070 human studies conducted between 1996 and 2007. These studies compared the absorption of brand name and generic drugs into a person’s body. These studies were submitted to FDA to support approval of generics. The average difference in absorption into the body between the generic and the brand name was 3.5 percent[2]. Some generics were absorbed slightly more, some slightly less. This amount of difference would be expected and acceptable, whether for one batch of brand name drug tested against another HAVE A GOOD SUNDAY..
BrentDG
23 Aug 2015
Great info about the small difference in absorption! Especially how it could be similar if testing different batches from the same manufacturer.
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adderall, adderall xr, dosage, generic, brand
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