Prozac - Generic vs. Brand

06-18-2006, 10:11 PM

I'm currently on 40 mgs of Prozac (brand). I may soon be forced by my insurance company to switch to the generic. I'm terrified of this switch because I am extremely sensitive to side effects. For example, I was once on a birth control pill where all the manufacturer did was change the 'colors' of the pills, nothing else about it was different, same dose and ingredients and it was still the name brand. However, I began having new side effects after they changed the colors. Anyway, I was just wondering what others' experiences with the generic, fluoxetine, have been. It would be great to hear from people who have taken both the brand and generic. To those folks, did you notice a difference in the two?

06-19-2006, 09:29 AM

Anyone????

06-19-2006, 10:47 AM

My husband had taken Prozac for years and it seemed to help him. He didn't take it for depression.......mainly for moodiness (he was irritable and grouchy). Our insurance mail-order pharmacy sent the generic prozac when it first came out and although my husband said he didn't notice a difference, I certainly did. He started being grouchy and irritable again and although he always took his prescribed amount of pills, I questioned him if he had forgotten to take his pills. He said he had taken them as always but they sent a generic. I called our insurance and they assured us that generics had to be within a certain percentage (95%) (not sure of actual percentage) of strength of the ingredients as in regular Prozac so there shouldn't be any difference. His doctor wrote him another prescription and on the prescription, wrote "Do Not Substitute" and "Dispense as Written" and they sent name brand Prozac. I think in his case, the generic wasn't as strong as regular Prozac although the FDA says differently.

I would give the generic a try and if you find that the generic isn't helping as much as regular Prozac, contact your doctor and ask that he write a letter to your insurance company requesting that they send name-brand Prozac. Most insurances will accommodate if notified by the doctor. You shouldn't have any different side effects from the generic Prozac but I do think that some batches may not be as strong as regular Prozac in spite of what the pharmaceutical companies say. I take a lot of generics and they work fine plus they save me a lot of money!

~Oldbones

06-19-2006, 12:28 PM

They both numb me the same.Nasty med.imo

06-19-2006, 12:44 PM

My ex husband was on Prozac, and when we got the generic kind it did not work at all. We spoke to the doctor and change dback to regular brand name. The doctor said the only difference there should be is in the "fillers". But said that if it was not working, we should switch back. Be careful.
Strawberry

06-20-2006, 10:04 AM

Thanks so much, guys. I appreciate it.

I gotta call my doctor this week and see if I can't get this crap straightened out. Wish me luck.

06-20-2006, 11:19 AM

I have been on both generic and brand Prozac...they worked equally as well. Yes there is a numb feeling but I experienced no weight gain so that is a plus but it is one of the older antiderpressants and not prescribed as much...I am on Lexapro now and don't experience any difference than before except for extreme tiredness....I will give it a month try then see. Don't give up...J

06-21-2006, 09:44 PM

Thanks, Jules. I'm just so sensitive to side effects, the thought of switching makes me panicky. I'm calling the doctor tomorrow, I'll keep everyone posted.

06-22-2006, 08:13 PM

140 views but yet only 7 replies. I'm confused.

06-22-2006, 08:31 PM

I have been on both the "real" and the fake, the only difference was the price.

take care
trg247

Prozac - Generic vs. Brand

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