I have been getting valacyclovir hcl 500mg which is a generic of valtrex, its a blue tablet with a v.5 on one side and the actavis imprint on the other. It has worked just fine, I just picked up my refill and it's a white tablet with m122. I've never taken this brand before nor have I seen it. I work as a pharmacy tech but stay loyal to my community pharmacy. I assume my community pharmacy got this brand for a cheaper cost but will it be just as effective as the actavis brand? I take 1 tablet daily to prevent cold sores and I'm about to take a trip and I don't want any surprises.
Valtrex - is the generic just as effective as the name brand?
Question posted by thank goodnesa on 24 April 2013
Last updated on 30 April 2013
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3 Answers
joressch
29 April 2013
My doctor put "brand name" and the mail order pharmacy contacted the doctor to ask if they wanted the generic instead to save me (a lot of) money. Unfortunately, that time the assistant did not check with me before approving the generic and that was how I got on the ineffective generic the first time (the M122, I think, which was a colossal failure--multiple outbreaks in less than 2 months). The doctor switched me back to the brand name and magically I had perfect repression again. When the insurance company switched mail order providers, I tried the generic again and was given Teva brand. Teva generic brand seems equally effective as the brand name--perfect repression on Teva. My previous post talked about my experience. Perhaps your doctor approved the generic as a cost savings to you without your active consent.
thank goodnesa
30 April 2013
My medication isn't mail order. Once you leave the pharmacy with your medication they aren't supposed to take it back and exchange it even if it is avaliable. I know that he didn't write it as a DAW because it is cheaper to have generic, however the m122 is what was dispensed to me just a few days ago when I began this post. I went on my trip, and on the way home because I hate traffic=stress to me=cold sore! Thankfully I haven't had bad cold sores like I had in the past due to the drug that I prefer. Now I know this generic is a failure.
thank goodnesa
30 April 2013
My medication isn't mail order. Once you leave the pharmacy with your medication they aren't supposed to take it back and exchange it even if it is avaliable. I know that he didn't write it as a DAW because it is cheaper to have generic, however the m122 is what was dispensed to me just a few days ago when I began this post. I went on my trip, and on the way home because I hate traffic=stress to me=cold sore! Thankfully I haven't had bad cold sores like I had in the past due to the drug that I prefer. Now I know this generic is a failure.
sungoddess39
28 April 2013
you should of asked or call pharmacy & ask them why they filled the generic brand. When a rx is filled by Dr, there's a box on bottom left side states something along the line that the rx should be filled using gernatic brand, so it may be the Dr wrote the rx that way, or the pharmacy tech filled it cause of the cheaper cost for you. If you'd prefer blue tablets let me pharmacy know for future refills to make note on your profile your prefence.
I have only taken blue tablets, they work wonders for me. Some times rx that are genaric have more fillers in them,which I find work less effective & at times more side effects.
I was curious to know does your Dr know you take it daily? What does your Dr prescribe it for? Do you take it every month?? I've read that long term use of this isn't recommended as it's works best 48 hrs.
thank goodnesa
30 April 2013
Yes, I am a Pharmacy Tech when the Dr. writes it as it is prescribed it is a DAW, dispense as written. I know that he did not write it as a DAW allowing the pharmacy to dispense a generic drug. The generic drug is to save money.
When I looked on my pharmacy's 2 main suppliers this drug did not come up.
*Note-there are many different suppliers, not all pharmacies use the same one.
The only thing I can think of is that my community pharmacy has gotten this drug at cost much cheaper than the activis brand that I am used to taking. Many pharmacies will do this if there aren't many people taking that drug, or on their order they have to keep a budget of how much they are allowed to spend on what they replinish the pharmacy with so they will opt for a cheaper cost. Or their supplier does not have the activis brand in stock, so they have to order what is an equivalent. I know the pharmacy can't get the drug you usually take sounds confusing.
However the supplier, supplies more than just that pharmacy, if the supplier is out then the change in the drug. Next month it could go back to the activis brand that I'm used to.
Yes my Dr knows I take 500mg daily that is how he wrote the script. I take it every month. I take it for cold sores. I would get them often and more than one would come up in the corners of my mouth. When one healed another would come up an on going battle. Especially when I'm under stress.
If my community pharmacy cannot or won't try to keep the brand I prefer. Then I will transfer my script to where I work so I know I can put it on the order, or I will ask my Dr to write a DAW. Just because I work at a phamacy doesn't mean I have to do business with them, I try to stay loyal to my community.
Inactive
25 April 2013
If I were you, and had the money to get Valtrex, I would buy it.
I have teken generic medications and from my experience brand names work a lot better than generics (for me), for example Fluoxetine which is the generic for Prozac, I mean there is no comparison, prozac is a lot more expensive, but one is investing that money in oneself to get better.
At the end of the day it comes down to money, so if you can afford it I suggest you buy Valtrex, with all due respect to people who take generics.
Take care,
thank goodnesa
30 April 2013
I agree. After jumping through hoops so to speak of why the changes, which I pretty much narrowed down in a different reply but same thread. Its easier to ask for a DAW the name brand, and go on. Then the pharmacy is forced to buy the name brand no matter the cost to them, because what insurance doesn't cover I'd pay. thank you!
Inactive
30 April 2013
Sounds good and you are welcome.
Related topics
valtrex, hairy cell leukemia, valacyclovir, cold sores, generic
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