When I fill my monthly generic prescription for oxycodone, I sometimes get pills made by different manufacturers. It seems like some work better than others, same dose - same drug! Does anyone else have this experience?
Oxycodone - Is there a difference in manufacturers of generic drugs?
Question posted by Anniebananie12 on 1 July 2013
Last updated on 30 April 2025
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.
79 Answers Page 2
Marilyntome
4 July 2021
Yes I feel when pharmacy switches. I don't get as much relief with most... but the cost for Brand name ... I sure can't afford...
zzmikeg
18 June 2021
NOT ALL PERCOCET IS CREATED EQUAL! WHY GENERICS ARE INFERIOR
All Percocet is made with the same ACTIVE ingredients; BUT NOT ALL PERCOCET is made using the same FORMULA.
FORMULA is the KEY. Here is why:
The FORMULA consists of all the INGREDIENTS used to make each pill, AND NOT ALL MANUFACTURERS USE THE SAME FORMULA.
To maximize profits, pharmacies buy the cheapest drugs they can find. In order to make the cheapest drugs, manufacturers simply leave out certain ingredients.
Anytime a manufacturer leaves out ingredients, THE DRUG WILL NOT WORK as it was originally designed to work.
By law, generic drugs sold to the public only have to contain the ACTIVE ingredient. They do not have to contain the original formula that the original drug maker spent years and billions of dollars on to ensure that the drug worked properly.
The missing ingredients are what often act as a DELIVERY SYSTEM. Delivery systems are developed to insure that the drug gets absorbed into the blood stream in a very specific way. It may ensure the drug gets absorbed quickly, or it may prevent the drug from being digested too soon, as some drugs only work when they are absorbed further down in the digestive tract.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Tell your provider that you want the BRAND NAME drug, not the generic. Often, the brand name is the same price, as it is for Percocet. Ask your provider to write for ENDOCET or PERCOCET, and to put NS, or “No Substitutions” on the Rx. Just be prepared for when the pharmacist tells you, “We don’t have those,” or “We will have to order those,” or “We can’t get those.” Find a pharmacy that can or does.
Patients should be treated honestly, not just as a source for turning poor quality drugs into cash.
Jimmy888
24 Nov 2021
The prices of brand name has gotten to high , never in stock here in Louisiana, also the pharmacy can only Oder x amount and that’s it for the month, I call 14 different drug store in one day ! Luckily to get them any at all
Mitakuye
29 April 2021
Absolutely there is a difference. Some are oblong white some are round yellow. My pharmacy switched manufacturer after 12 years and now all of a sudden this month I have developed severe feet edema and that's NEVER happened in all the years I've been on it until it came from different manufacturer.
Makesense
5 April 2021
I had this experience. After the NY State Attorney General enacted a law to tax opioid medication, my pharmacist had trouble ordering the usual oxycodone tablet. (Prior to this, I never had a problem with pain control, therefore never checked manufacturer). The tablets were small round light blue 30mg oxycodone immediate release. The only manufacturer the pharmacy was able to order from who would ship to NY was Rhodes Pharmaceutical. Their tablets were bigger round white tablets. I had no relief from the pain with Rhodes tablets. When I looked into Rhodes, I discovered that they are owned by the Purdue pharma company who marketed their OxyContin to teenagers for sports injuries! Oxycodone should be used by chronic pain sufferers and end stage pain issues. As I said I never had a problem with the efficacy of the medication so I contacted the FDA. The form they have for complaints about medication products can now be filled out online.
I did so and fast forward a year or so, the pharmacy was dispensing the small blue round tabs again. I noticed that the pain was lessened and the difference was like night and day with both the white and blue pills. Yes, when I saw that Rhodes manufactured the blue round pills after I filed the complaint with the FDA, I was shocked. I don’t know what to think. Did my complaint and many others lead to an investigation and improvements? I don’t know. But if you are having issues with something like medication, the FDA is the agency to contact.
Jimmy888
22 Sep 2021
Thanks I glad I not alone? I filled over 5 times still they don’t care !
Jjiam
26 Sep 2021
OMG no, I have been getting KVK pharmacy for as long as i can remember. It does the trick enough to live, but this time, i was shocked, opened my bottle it was huge white pills. Looked and it was Rhodes Pharmacy, and YES i am having problems, why can they continue to make pills that don't work very well? Its out quality of life they are messing with, not fault of ours if they got in trouble, so make a better product, this month is going to be hell.
Jimmy888
26 Sep 2021
Fill a complaint with med watch ! Rhodes brand is very bad I live in Louisiana and the pharmacy can’t even get 10/325 from anywhere!
Jimmy888
26 Sep 2021
Fill a complaint with med watch ! Rhodes brand is very bad I live in Louisiana and the pharmacy can’t even get 10/325 from anywhere!
Jjiam
26 Sep 2021
What is med watch, never had to do this before, but this is ridiculous.
pumpkinness
16 Jan 2021
Yes!! Huge difference! When you notice they are NOT as effective, call your pharmacy. You want to get some information from them.
1. Pharmaceutical company that made them;
2. Lot number off the bottoe:; AND
3. Expiration date.
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm?action=reporting.home
File with them & pass it ON! There's a few companies that screw around & they'll have keys say china make the drugs. China will lie about how much is in there.more profit
I've found that with oxycodone for years.
Jimmy888
22 Sep 2021
Done
aconnolly
5 April 2022
done
Kirby223
30 Sep 2020
The Auro Oxycodone 10mg U17 are terrible and they were recently recalled, or a certain batch and NDC number were. I am actually having mine tested by a lab that specializes in doing so, they made me extremely ill and I aim to find out why. Feel free to contact me.
carrie2791
30 Sep 2020
I realize I am answering a really old question , I apologize. But the U17, is not effective at all for me, as oxycodone. Not sure why. It even gives me heart palpitations. Please advise, if you can and let me know your thoughts if you have had others not be as effective. Thanks so much, Carrie.
Kirby223
30 Sep 2020
See my response to your question.
neckpain10
22 Jan 2020
Say what you will but from experience there is a difference from generic oxycodone its not as effective and does no work as long , about half as long non generic .
Inactive
19 Jan 2020
Hi Anniebananie12, here in Canada it's the same we have only 2 generic versions of the oxycodone but me i ask only PMS the other generic is not the same. I buy my OxyIR 10mg from the real company and they work better than the 80mg and 20mg but now i change for fentanyl Patchs i hope it will be better.
Alain45
wendy friedland
7 May 2019
Yes there is a difference in generic medications.
Jiffylube
28 March 2019
I have had this same terrible experience. I used to get my meds at Walmart and I switched pharmacies. It was oxycodone 7.5 and the pills were round. My old ones were much larger and oblong. The round ones had to just be 5 mg. because they didn’t last very long and did very little for the pain but the bottle said 7.5 but there’s no way that could be true. I kept telling my husband that something’s wrong. At the time I had no idea people were having these problems so I know it wasn’t because I had that in my head already. The bad thing is you’re stuck with them for a month and have to take a half of another pill to just get outta pain which is gonna cause you to run short. So that means there’s gonna be some days you’re gonna be pulling your hair out having to cut back till your next refill. If these drug companies that do this to people had to suffer through just one month like I have they’d never do this again to anybody.
Bevhous
27 March 2019
Yes, in fact, I was recently taking Oxycodone 30s by Activas and all was great, then the same pharmacy filled the same medication but used the mfr Epic and its made me very sick and nauseous and does nothing for my pain. I was told i am prob allergic to the fillers in the Epic pills. Needless to say, no more roxy 30 brand Epic for me!!
Lee27
22 March 2019
I see so many definitive "he said, she said, has to be" Wrong. Never mind what I say. It would simply be another "I heard". Go to the source which is FDA.gov. There are biologic similars, biologic same, therapeutic equals. FDA approved & un-approved generics. In essence, you may not even be receiving what you think you are. All of these have gotten dumped into a very broad term, "generics". It is not only the fillers, though fillers can cause a med to work or not work and this is why there is a huge discrepancy in what patients say. I recently received a generic that did NOTHING. You need to input the NDC #'s on your prescription label. You will be in for quite a surprise. I first read a disclaimer from the FDA that a prescription having an NDC# in no way implies that a prescription is FDA approved. I swear there was nothing in this pill & could not believe fillers would render it useless.
This company's only FDA generic is in an oral solution. I saw many patients on-line saying the same. I have also seen some that are happy with it. I think those that are happy with it are the same that would be happy with a placebo. Mine ended up discarded as per doctor's advice. This is the truth. Any prescription you have, look it up on the FDA.gov website, which will also list all inactive additives. I was curious why this wonderful company that proudly makes their products under the highest of standards does not list this drug in it's portfolio of their fine FDA approved medications. It's not an FDA approved generic. I don't know what good filing a complaint to the FDA would do, as they did not approve it, so the pharmacy's corporate will be receiving a formal complaint, CC to the FDA at any rate. Next time I'm told "it's all in my head", I am armed with information, not opinions.
Mitakuye
29 April 2021
I went to that page can you help me find where to enter the NDC numbers?
Lee27
18 Dec 2021
The question has been correctly answered by others as far as fillers. As far as the active ingredient being exactly the same as the name brand, it isn't necessarily done. There is a 10% leeway plus or minus permitted. These guidelines are not always observed. Manufacturers are given a slap on the wrist. Most of the US generics are manufactured in India (70%-80%) Pharmacies no longer order patient’s preferred generic oxycodone. You get whatever one of the three Pharmacy Benefits Managers get the cheapest. PBMs control 80 plus % of all Americans’ prescriptions for billions in kickbacks A/K/A rebates due to the Affordable Care Act while prescription prices to consumers have risen an average of 156%/year making prescription prices in the US far and above the most expensive in the world.
Bpceod
19 Feb 2019
Yes there is a difference. Although most medical professionals won’t admit it, when making a generic drug manufacturers only have to be within a certain percent of the name brand. In other words they have to have +/- 10 % of the active ingredient. Meaning so manufactures might be 10% weaker and some might be 10% stronger. If your like most you have never had the name brand so that means you might be getting one med that’s 20% weaker then the med you got form a different manufacture.
leee14
14 Dec 2018
I take Oxycodone 30mg for my bad back. I've been taking it for many years. I usually get the ones manufactured by Mallinckrodt (they are stamped with the "M" on the round blue pill). But this month I got them from a company called Mylan, (imprinted with "114", round, white, and larger than the Mallinckrodt). On the first day I started taking them, I got a headache and acid reflux, and they definitely do not work as well.
I'm going to contact my pharmacist. I want to ask if he can swap out the remaining pills for me, but something tells me that he can't legally do that. So I'll just have to ride out the rest of the month with these crappy pills and make sure I don't get them again next month.
Happenstobe
10 Jan 2019
Started out with the Kroger pharmacies and got the kvetch and was so convinced I was given sugar pills I sent some into the company to be tested. Of course they said they were just fine. Switched pharmacies and now I am taking the 15mg Mallinckrodt brand for the past 2 years. They have been working great up until a few months ago I noticed they are making me so tired. I swear they changed them and put some kind of sleeping medication in them. I can barley hold my head up. I’m afraid to try a new brand because they all are so different. Has anyone else noticed that the 15mg Mallinckrodt brand has changed. They used to give me a pep of energy? Now I’m nodding my head off and my pain isn’t even being controlled as well? Thanks so much
uziboy
12 Jan 2019
A bit later… I take the 7.5/325 of the OxyContin from Fry's. (Kroger) , and I've been overwhelmed with the drowsiness it causes ! I've read all about the concerns of different manufacturers and I agree. I believe I'm going to ask my Dr. if she'll just give me the brand name, Percocet, and call it a day…
Related topics
oxycodone, chronic pain, generic, prescription
Further information
- Oxycodone uses and safety info
- Oxycodone prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Oxycodone (detailed)
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