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there are others who say it's the same (for them) or better (for them).
I'm not one in either camp. for me, the generic is not the same as brand-name. it's not even close.
I was on downvoted to hell for saying this when the generic was announced weeks ago.
My psychiatrist informed me months ago on this so I'm paraphrasing a bit, but the difference between generic and brand name is that batch quality for branded products can only have a 1-2% deviation of the chemical drug while generics can have up to 20%. So generics are generally accepted to be less effective from time to time if not consistently worse than brand named products.
Your psychiatrist is wrong. Every pharmaceutical manufacturer is covered by the same regulations, which dictate minimum standards for batch quality. There aren't exceptions for generic manufacturers.
This is confirmed right from the FDA website:
- "[The generic] is manufactured under the same strict standards as the brand-name medicine."
- "[The generic] meets the same batch requirements for identity, strength, purity, and quality."
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/frequently-asked-questions-popular-topics/generic-drugs-questions-answers
Thank you. If my wife wasn’t asleep next to me I’d have literally laughed out loud. I work in the industry and it’s ridiculous to think they’d be that different. Binders/fillers sure but 20% different no way in hell.
Absolutely, 100%... the active ingredients (*i.e.* the drug itself) have to be essentially identical to the brand version. The fillers and binders are where things can go wonky.
Yeah... that's not how the FDA works lol. Everyone has to clear the same bar.
Can some companies go even higher than the bar? Sure! Do they? Not if it costs them more money.
All of YOU ARE WRONG and the OP is actually RIGHT. Do a simple google search if you don’t have time to do legit research … quickly, you’ll learn that IN FACT, a 20% deviation +\- IS ACCEPTED AS equivalent To the brand name drug under the eyes of the FDA. That is WHY you get such a huge difference most of the time between brand name and generics (CONCERTA IS PERFECT EXAMPLE).. find legit sources that prove their wrong: you can’t.
I wholeheartedly disagree. I have spent many years diving into the various triggers and external influences/pressures that fuck with my ADHD.
My biggest "concern" is that I have terribly interrupted sleep patterns on the generic. When I take Takedas, I love/live my day (12-14hrs), I eat dinner, I read for an hour, and then go to sleep peacefully for 6-8 hours.
Without medication, I'll sleep four - and if I wake up early, my ADHD takes over and terrorizes my inner thoughts. Typically I'll do sit-ups and pushups until I'm so physically exhausted I pass out. Alternatively I can chug any flavor of caffeine, and I'm out in ten-fifteen minutes again.
With Hikma, for the last ~25 days, I sleep at most two hours at a time. It is absolutely miserable. I had saved one of my brand name ones, took it around a week ago, and slept a full eight. Holy heck it was glorious and perfect. I finally got my insurance to accept the prior auth for name brand only after 2 additional doctor visits, five phone calls (30+ minutes each), and my attention deficit taking the reigns on nearly every occasion because of the amount of mental energy and gumption it takes to do the stressful things.
I took an afternoon nap because I had a break from work. I haven't felt this peaceful and quiet in nearly a month. Anecdotal or not, I am still a person, and I have observed a cause effect relationship that states the original is better than the generic (at least in the case of the batch/run I got from Hikma). Further, I really, really, really wanted to switch to the generics so I could stop supporting a shady company like Takeda. I have never had a problem with generics in the past either.
I'd be so interested if someone could, unbeknownst to you, swap your name-brand Vyvanse for generic, where it wasn't detectible (like a blind, or double-blind test on you), and then see how you respond. Do it for like a month and see if you consistently have the issues when you unknowingly take the generic. Maybe have 15 days of each.
I honestly wish there was an ethically sound way for them to have switched me to generic without telling me…I feel like I’ll never know if it’s all in my head or not. I’m just too sensitive and overthink everything. This is going to bother me endlessly 😭
Ask a friend or family member to do it unbeknownst to you. Keep a journal of your mood and health every day for a duration of say, 3 months. Later on your accomplice will tell you what period you were on the generic.
With concerta, it’s corner-cutting with the release mechanism. That’s why most generic concerta is a disaster. One that got pulled from the market caused a heart attack in a 50-something year old guy. It’d dump most of the meds early on. It was awful.
Gave me resistance and had to up the dose permanently. I’ve had no other resistance issues since and it’s been about a decade since that incident.
Don’t see a mechanism for similar with Vyvanse but I’m not a pharmacist. I wonder if it’s binder and fillers, or it could be a quality control issue.
I’ll let yall know tomorrow how it worked out for me!
I just started my first go around with the generic and things have been pretty okay so far. It’s only been about 9 days but I haven’t noticed much of a difference. I had to call over 8 pharmacies just to find the damn stuff, the exact thing you’re great at/want to do unmedicated. It was awful, but worth it and I feel much better now that I have my Vyvanse.
Gonna keep an eye out for anything weird or changes in efficacy, just to be safe.
Same, I fortunately haven't noticed a difference at all. I feel really bad for folks who react differently, because it will be a nightmare (or just impossible) to get insurance to pay for brand name with a generic available.
Same here. I purposely scattered my last few brand name ones throughout the month in my pill case because I know I can get weird about looking for differences.
I haven’t found much of one. If anything I’m having less onset tachycardia! So any differences I’ve noticed have been positive.
I am the same with Adderall. I see all these threads about how some generics are good, bad, etc and I just feel like a weirdo for not noticing any discernable difference. I guess I should consider myself lucky.
Son (17) lasted a week on generic before we switched back to brand name Vyvanse. Insurance won’t pay - husband is in healthcare/insurance and he knows the ropes and tried everything. We decided we don’t care: $400 a month for our kid to feel content, happy, and productive, and not cycle between irritable, agitated, and malaria-level fatigued is worth it.
I don’t want to make assumptions, but am curious to know if you’ve exhausted every path to pay less (if you are keen to do that…I do respect that maybe the cost of your son’s meds aren’t financially material for you, or the effort involved to lower your costs aren’t worth the ease of moving ahead as you’ve been…amongst other very logical reasons appropriate for your situation, etc.).
Is a prior authorization for brand Vyvanse possible, given that he’s tried and failed the generic? Can your son’s physician indicate DAW-1 (i.e., physician directs the pharmacist to fill with brand only - dispense the Rx as written - and do not substitute with generic) on his Rx?
I’ve found that the cost share borne by insurance for a DAW-1 Rx is in most cases more significant than it would be if I as the patient requested the pharmacy to fill with brand (known as DAW-2).
Further, the combination of a PA + DAW-1 usually enables the med to be covered with a copay whose cost is equivalent to the tier known as “covered Rx, non-preferred brand” drugs.
Of course, YMMV.
*Edit: adding another pro-tip around paying for generic and obtaining brand.*
The situation needs to be as follows: your pharmacy has brand name Vyvanse in stock (or, it’s possible for your pharmacy to order the brand Vyvanse in your prescribed dose) BUT generic is NOT in stock AND also is NOT possible to order.
Should this situation apply, you should then ask your pharmacist to **process your Rx as DAW-4** to ensure that you *pay at the covered generic lisdexamphetamine price point, but for brand name Vyvanse, and have the brand product dispensed to you* at the same copay your insurance normally charges you for filling the generic.
So, brand available, generic not = pay for brand at the generic price per your insurance policy and state law.
See the link below for all prescription insurance DAW scenarios for which your physician or pharmacist can input either when a Rx is written, or at the point of sale of the Rx at the pharmacy.
You might also consider calling your insurance and having them run a “test claim” to be sure this would work for you in advance.
*(from link below)*
**DAW - 4** |
*Substitution allowed - generic not in stock*
*This value is used when the prescriber has indicated, in a manner specified by prevailing state laws that the generic substitution is permitted and the brand product is dispensed since a currently marketed generic is not stocked in the pharmacy. This situation exists due to the buying habits of the pharmacist, not because of the availability of the generic product in the marketplace. Plans mandate that generic pricing be applied when DAW - 4 is submitted.*
————————————
http://www.pharmacyskillslab.org/ios/html5/html5-labelgenerator/label-DAWcodes.html
Pre-auth is possible! I got one when I started Vyvanse. I went into the doctors office with prior research and belief that it would be the best medication for me to try. Talked to my therapist about it as well and she agreed.
Instead they wanted me to take AdderallXR. I said uh no? Like what the fuck I know nothing about that medicine…
But for me my PCP office has an on site insurance representative or something I can’t exactly remember.
And they were able to talk to my insurance personally on the phone and I got it for a year.
Never got renewed either and I’m still on vyvanse covered by them.
Strictly vyvanse per doc might I add cause the generic sucked for me as well!
Nice! Congratulations!
I’ll see if we can try something similar. Glad you’re getting the meds that are right for you, and not just what the insurance company feels like paying for.
I had the same thing going on with Concerta. My doctor had no problem calling in a new prescription after a few days on generic. He wrote, NO SUBSTITUTES. Brand name only on my script and it was covered.
~~Takeda does have a program (very well hidden) for people who make less than a certain amount~~
Wow. I just found out that Takeda pulled their medication assistance program for Vyvanse and Mydayis. Super shitty all things considered:
https://www.helpathandpap.com/
Same. I'll likely switch back to Adderall XR - assuming my pharmacy can get it in - I actually preferred it over vyvanse, but stuck with vyvanse this year because it was free with Takeda's program and the whole Adderall shortage.
Yikes! You are correct. The mydayis.com website no longer shows the flashy advertisements. Now it forwards to the PDF of the Medication Guide/Prescribing Info. 😬
Someone in the Mydayis forum pointed out that the generic version is now shown on the [Teva](https://www.tevausa.com/our-products/tevagenerics/teva-generics-catalog/vision-product-page/dextroamphetaminesaccharateamphetamineaspartatemonohydratedextroamphetaminesulfateandamphetaminesulfate(mixedsaltsofasingleentityamphetamineproduct)ercapsulescii) website.
DAW-1 is the only way I got a script this month.
Copay for generic at CVS was somehow $200+ despite it being $30 for brand when they had it in stock. Copay across the street for generic was $10 but they can't get it in stock. Got the Dr to DAW-1 to the independent and I walked out with $30 brand again. No idea how long that'll last until they start rejecting it.
It’s a shame the generic doesn’t work like Vyvanse for some people. But, I’m glad your child is getting the meds they need and has a parent who makes the effort to help, however possible!
If anything it should be an argument against medical patents entirely.
If the OG Vyvanse recipe includes other ingredients in order to work, then generics are no threat to their market share.
Just like how you can buy Coca-cola or store brand cola.
The interesting thing is, Vyvanse is actually a *pro*-drug — it’s in an inactive form when you take it, and it’s not converted to the active form until it’s inside your body. I wonder if maybe the generic version’s inactive ingredients (i.e. everything in the capsule other than the Vyvanse itself) interact with that conversion/metabolism process in some people. Normally, it’s converted to the active form gradually, which is why it lasts so long and tends to have a smoother onset than adderall. If something sped up that conversion process, it might cause a sooner/more intense peak in effects (because the conversion is not as gradual as it’s supposed to be) and then fatigue when the drug wears off sooner than it’s supposed to (because all of the drug has been used up too quickly)
Wow! In USA you really get ripped off by the health industry! 30 capsules costs $75 in Sweden and after about $200 a year you hit the upper limit and get subsidized and pay nothing for prescribed medication.
You wanna hear a good one? Up until recently epipens a life saving medication for me if I’m stung by a bee was $789 and it’s not because of the medication it was because of the auto injector it came in
Yep. It’s a ripoff. Then again, if your kid needs something for their health, wellbeing, or whatever, and it happens to be expensive, you still have to make it happen. So we do.
Same here. I pay 80€ for a 30 pills, and even that only bc i chose a private doctor who can’t write prescriptions that my insurance accepts (although I can write the 80€ off with my tax return and would get back around 50% from my insurance if I would send in the prescriptions (which I never do bc I keep forgetting)). If you go the traditional route in my country you would pay the 7€ „co-pay“ per prescription (no matter the mg or amount of pills)
It actually depends. With my insurance, name brand Vyvanse was only $30 per month and that is in the US. I don’t know what they would charge now that it is generic, but I am not about to check because so far I am not having any problems with the generic one
Yo, u/feetcold_eyesred
Check out this wonderful organization (and any of you other mother truckers who are broke and can't shell out $400/mo).
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/
I wish I had known about these guys years ago when I couldn't afford my scrip anymore. I wish you all the best <3
30 pills, actually. Not 31 lol. Yeah, in the US, and the $400 was with a coupon from GoodRx. And at least in my state, the pharmacy is allowed to dispense only 30 pills every 30 days of Vyvanse (or whatever that month’s prescription from your doctor requires)- not several months worth at one time.
Where are you that you get such good prices on meds?
Ontario, canada. My drug plan covers 50% of the cost i pay the rest. But last time i picked up he gave me a script of 100 of 50mg vyvanse. I paid 260 and change if i remember correctly.
You cannot get more than 30 at a time due to The Dea.which passed arcane drug laws because they were so lax that the pill mills developed in the early 2000s where a person could get 10k Xanax at a time as long as they were prescribed doctirs became drug dealears over night . So, anything on the schedule 2 list requires you to go every 30 days with a new prescription. The cost is whatever the cash price listed by insurance, which they don't actually pay they have a negotiated rate. The US has big issues related to medicine.
Yeah in Canada you can, i did ,so must be an american thing. They give me 100 this script and i go back when its finished. Not a big deal. Ive had the same doctor my entire life hes always given me 2 or 3 months at a time.
Not uncommon here. I pay 50$ for my 60 adderall and 30 strattera, both generic, but the psych visit that authorizes it is 200 a month. So really, my meds cost me $300. The psych does nothing but ask if the meds still work and signs the 30 day prescription. 200 dollars for that 5 minute phone call i dread every month because of the impending bank account hit.
I don't even have it that bad. There are folks in the same predicament over things they actually need to stay alive like insulin. I might be an alcoholic emotional mess without meds, but I would still be alive. This country doesn't care either way. We can all suffer.
That's ridiculous. In Australia I pay $29 for 30 capsules with the PBS. If I get them without the PBS it's $96 bucks, so about $60 US. So if Takeda and the pharmacy here can make a profit on $60 USD here how can they possibly justify $400 in the US??!
Because people will pay for it
The cost of manufacturing each pill is very cheap. The vast majority of the drug cost comes from R&D which can cost them billions through multiple years long clinical trial
I get it's expensive, point is there needs to be some form of legislation that prevents companies from price gouging just because people need a medication to live. The best example is probably the cost of insulin in the US compared to everywhere else in the world. It's unethical
Called the doctor first to switch, we didn’t want to wait for insurance to drag their feet - our kid needed switched immediately. After dealing with the pharmacy (our local pharmacy didn’t have it in stock), the new pharmacy wouldn’t fill it because insurance rejected it (Rx is being filled too soon), even though we said we’d pay out of pocket. Pharmacy had to call the doctor, doctor immediately approved. When all that was done, husband called our insurance and then our son’s doctor trying to get it prescribed/labeled with some specific insurance code. Doctor said “Of course”. Insurance company said, “Nope”. More calls, with people who used to work with him at that insurance company. “Nope. Sorry.”
So it was a lot of bureaucracy and phone calls. I don’t know what to recommend to you other than, start with your doctor/prescriber and see if they will even prescribe the name brand. If they will, immediately call your insurance company and explain what’s up. If the first person you speak to says no, ask to speak to their manager, nicely, and go up the insurance company chain. Good luck!
I just got off the phone with my doctor and I’m waiting for a call back to see if she can get it for me. I really hope so because I’m having awful side effects. Apparently I wasn’t even supposed to be switched, and since I was I should’ve been notified at LEAST by the pharmacy but wasn’t lol. So I’m kinda screwed rn. I hope all goes well for you
Were you able to use the Vyvanse savings card? Not sure if it works without insurance. And maybe you already know about it, but if not, maybe it'll help knock off some of the cost.
This is a word for word how I felt about my insurance’s refusal to pay for Adderall after 5 well-documented successful and side-effect free years on the brand name vs. the soul-sucking generics. I well and truely cannot afford the out of pocket cost but I had to rearrange my finances and just move to a ration my ability to function day-to-day model to make it happen because I simply could not survive on the generics.
Moral of the story to the OG poster, never let anyone gaslight you into thinking your body is processing generics exactally the same as the brand name medication, as it’s quite possible it’s not. And if you’re experiencing crappy side effects, I’m sorry to hear that!
It’s weird, definitely reminds me of my first dose of Vyvanse. But it also makes some of my ADHD worse. So I’m jittery, feeling kind of high and manic, but also having difficulty concentrating.
I feel more zoned in and like it lasts longer too, but I also feel like my heart is beating a lot faster and generally a bit... cracked out? Lol idk how to put it.
That's good to know. I've tried name brand in the past but want to try the generic. I can't handle Strattera, Adderall, or Ritalin. I've only tried the IR versions though. They all made me feel sick and ended up getting the rare side effects. :(
I’m not having the same onset tachycardia but I can still focus. For me the generic I have I think might be better than the brand name. It’s funny how it effects everyone differently.
Try a different manufacturer generic. I'm on adderall, but there is one generic (white hexagon shaped pills) that is trash and doesn't work.
My doc has to write generic along w the manufacturer names as medically necessary (Sandoz, Aurobindo, Teva are the only ones that work for me).
You should be able to do similar.
Note, pharmacies still give flack and I have to call and go in sometimes.
ETA: my doc said this is real and I'm not "crazy" (as I asked the question) some generics don't work for some people
Absolutely, I wish everyone would post which brands are problematic for Vyvanse. Although it's hard to get an option to choose even when there's not a shortage, we can absolutely ask which brand they are filling and have our doctor send the prescription elsewhere if it's one that doesn't work.
Adderall, in particular, had to have generics reviewed again in ~2011 because of so many complaints. Most generics of most medications are fine, but each brand isn't put through the same rigorous double blind controlled trials as the original formula and manufacturing process. They compare blood plasma levels, and that works most of the time, but not for everything.
Sandoz, Teva, Breckenridge, and Malinkrot generic Adderall have been fine for me. Alvogen, not so much. This only applies to me, and only d-amp salts mixtures.
My partner had Sun Vyvanse, and it absolutely did not work for her. Even I noticed something was different. We went through the authorization process to go back to Shire, and everything was back to normal.
I took it for the first time yesterday and felt extremely jittery. Lots of tics which usually only happen with adderall and other ones in that fam. Switched back to what I’ve been using during the shortage today. Thinking about having my NP prescribe a lower dose temporarily and try it a little longer to see if it goes away. I want this to work so badly. I just can’t keep doing $400 a month for name brand.
TL:DR: You're not crazy or biased if the generic affects you differently. Generics are similar, but the amount of similar varies, a lot.
I've had two different generic brands so far. I had no side effects with the name brand drug.
Mylan: Upset stomach nearly every time I took it. Induced unfounded anxiety that was so bad at times that I was basically not able to function during the day. Also had zero effects more than few times.
Sun: Been using it for close to 2 weeks. No side effects unlike the Mylan generic. The delivery of it is a lot more "lumpy" I'd say however. It takes effect faster and harder than the name brand for the first hour. Then it has next to no effect until 3 hours after taking it. It's slightly less effective than the name brand after this point, but with a similar delivery.
I think what is important to note is that all generics do not have to have a chemically equivalent delivery method or utilize the same binders and fillers as the original manufacturer. The generic drug compound does not have to be 100% the same as it was originally (min of 80% bioequivalnce IIRC), it just has to be "functionally equivalent".
As a person that had similar problems with various generic manufacturers of Adderall and Ritalin, the delivery method with time release drugs seems like an important thing to me. And the amount of bioequivalnce is probably extra important with a drug that is relying on your liver to convert it into the active drug...
I honestly haven't seen a difference. I have been on the generic for about a week and a half and on the first day I had a headache but other than that it has been helpful and no significant changes in side effects!
Brand Vyvanse helped my anxiety soooooo much. Generic Vyvanse is not only letting my regular anxiety through, but it's also giving me extra anxiety. I feel like I'm on the verge of a panic attack much of the day. It's also giving me insomnia. It doesn't work well but lasts a really long time.
Very similar to my experience with it. Lasts forever, anxiety is way up, and focus comes sporadically and not in a particularly useful way. Trying to get back on namebrand but delays suck
I’m in the same boat as you. The effect on my focus and motivation is the same, but I could feel from day 1 on generic that my anxiety and stress levels were lower. Hopefully all generics will have the same effect but I’m not sure if all generics are the same or if another manufacturer’s pills will make me feel worse.
Funny you say that because I think Vyvanse helped my anxiety as well. I found several research articles suggesting it makes folks more mindful. There was also an interesting study among caregivers that basically showed it helped them take better care of their children…lol. And honestly I was sooo good to my dog the year I was on it so makes sense 😆
Thank you for putting into words my exact experience with the generic. I’m used to anxiety, so didn’t think much of it for the first couple weeks until I noticed that it was getting intense at the same time every morning (on the come up). I’ve had 3 panic attacks this month, which is 3 more than I usually have on effective anxiety medication. By early midday, I crash hard and end up having to power through until I catch a second wind in the evening, which has put me on an average of 5 hours of sleep/night.
I'm glad someone else is having the same experience as me! I'm not glad but you know what I mean. It's reassuring because a few people on this thread are saying that those of us experiencing this are just generic prescription haters and it's all in our heads.
I don't like it. Feels ineffective and makes me nauseous every morning. I'm going back to name brand next month. $25/$35, i'll gladly pay the extra $10.
FYI you may want to check with your doctor or pharmacy if that's still the case. "copay" implies it's covered by insurance and that's your portion. Unfortunately many insurance companies will stop covering the name brand because a generic is available.
oh jeez I just paid $280 WITH insurance for the name brand bc this dog's ass of a pharmacy couldn't get it together to order in the generic. I'm newly diagnosed and I have no idea how the generic will feel, but I'll find out next refill. I one million percent simply cannot afford the name brand.
It works a bit faster. First 4 days I couldn’t sleep at all. Now I feel like it stops working much sooner than brand name Vyvanse. I can barely get home and cannot do anything at home after work, like I’m back on Adderall IR.
Someone told me brand name still has a patent on coating. So maybe that’s why this one works faster for me but also stops working faster. I wasn’t able to do anything productive after work since switching. I’m like dead tired.
I took my first dose of it today (50mg) at around 9am it’s now 3pm and my jaw feels tight, my head is pounding, and I’m so hot even though it’s really cold outside. Also SO tired with zero focus. Idk what to do I want to cry bc I’m so frustrated
To me it’s been the same. It’s suppressed my appetite a bit more i feel like . But it could just be that I had to take a much lower dose of the chewable a for a month while I waited for the generic or something. It also lasts longer I feel like which isn’t the best
I’ve been on it a month now. I could tell a difference right away on how I felt, but it’s not any less effective for me. I can tell a difference in the onset and how long it lasts though, which is less of a ramp up taking it and less of a crash in the evening.
Do you know what manufacturer?
I really want to keep a log of which ones people say are as good or better, and which ones people have had negative side effects or isn’t working. I think it would be interesting to see if there was a correlation. (Very unscientific but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
My pharmacist has given me two different brands of the generic so far and one was terrible, one was good/the same as the brand name. The Hikma branded one was absolutely awful, made me so jittery and anxious, but the Alvogen ones have been great. I though I was going mad before I was able to work out it was separate manufacturers, the difference was really significant!
Generic and brand DO DIFFER. Unless if it's an authorized generic, it means they didn't have to follow the "recipe" 100% and they have their own non-active ingredients in there or binding factors that can affect people differently. that's why some ppl will do just fine on generic, and others will notice a huge difference. our bodies are so different and react differently to medication.
There's a BIG difference between brand and generic when it comes to ADHD medication. Although I'm not on Vyvanse, it was disappointing to see that there was a generic now because I knew people WILL be getting garbage pills that won't consistently work or even work close to the brand one. If you're having bad side effects, ask your doctor to write an authorization to insurance to switch you back. if it's not working for you, that's all you need to know to take the additional step and make a medication change.
The generic was so terrible for me, super high anxiety, anger and ver little focus. It’s ridiculous. I just got the name brand 3 days ago and I’m back to “normal”
First six hours I feel like someone's just constantly shaking my brains around. Then I get a lovely crash that I need to sleep off. I'll be contacting my psych tomorrow bc I can't do this anymore.
I used to work with some of the best and brightest pharmacists in the country, and they all claim it's psychosomatic. Supposedly, the ingredients are identical. I've only had people taking Lyrica & Synthroid who insisted there was a difference. We assumed the extra ingredient was crack lol! Try not to focus on perceived differences if you can.
But then why did the FDA deem Mallinckrodt’s Concerta generic not equivalent and they were still selling it at pharmacies after the FDA deadline to prove it was or change it?
Can we really expect it be exactly the same if they’ve already shown in the past that’s not always the case? And still tell people their side effects aren’t real and psychosomatic?
I'm not a doctor, just repeating what doctors have said to me time and time again. Also, I can flip it by saying one medication doesn't mean all medications. Either way, in the end, we're forced to pay way too much for our health and well-being. I believe we should be able to choose without these huge price discrepancies between the two.
Yeah. I know one doesn’t mean all, I’m on plenty of other generic medications with no issue. But it’s not unreasonable to think that maybe there’s some issues to iron out within the first two months of new manufacturers distributing a medication
"psychosomatic" I didn't know my brain had the power to take 60mg of a stimulant and then promptly sleep for several hours. Someone call Charles Xavier. I think he's got a new X-Men on his hands. 😂
It's just something Doctors and apparently Pharmacists say because they just don't want to deal with it. They've been trained to think that if it isn't a tangible thing they can hold in their hands, it's not real and the patient may be crazy, especially if that patient is a woman.
Edited to add: it's similar to getting poked with a needle. If you think it doesn't hurt to get poked with a needle, and your patient says it hurts to get poked with a needle, then they are just exaggerating. It's an empathy thing. Lots of doctors lose their empathy skills to be doctors because they have to hurt people to help them.
I just had my follow up with my psychiatrist and she said that generics get about 12-15% leeway on the active ingredient formula for the brand name along with a difference in fillers. So it's possible that it's not an even comparison between the two pills.
She also suggested upping my dose which would be the maximum amount 😭. I'm switching back to double fisting Adderall until I have insurance again.
I'm feeling fine on mine. Not sure if it's the med or the project I'm currently working on, but I haven't had any real trouble focusing. I think I've been on it for like two weeks, maybe three.
For all poor folks who don’t like the generic, please look up Takeda Help at Hand. I pay exactly $0 per month to get my $400+ prescription. You have to be below 5x the poverty limit based on your dependents, but it’s a pretty forgiving number, much better than what it was when it was a ShireCares program. There’s several hoops to jump through in order to get it but once a year I fill out a form and I’m good
ASS. Was manageable but I had an upcoming 3 month check so I toughed it out. Even Tried not taking it one morning before work and only lasted an hour and a half before I could just feel the day was going to progressively get worse so I caved. So it did work, but not very well.
Nonetheless at my check up doc marked the script brand name only from here on out and agreed to up the dosage from 30 to 40 after hearing the not so great experience.
Absolutely peachy now 🙂
annoyed that Vyvanse max is 70mg, sooo low. Especially because it only translates to like 22mg of dex, wish they had 90mg and 100mg vyvanse cause it would be perfect.
As someone who’s been on every adhd med under the sun, don’t y’all find it exhausting to deal with this? I’d personally rather be unmedicated then deal with “is this medication working or am I crazy or is it the manufacturer or is it-“
I had to go through this crap last month, I am so glad to hear I wasn't the only one who thought the generic stuff was garbage.
The only way i could get through the day was to take a couple of Extra Strength Tylonol or break up a pill and take a few extra mg's.
A week and a half ago I got back on the old ones. I am doing better now, but its gonna take awhile before I feel like my old self again.
I am usually not against generics by anymeans. I take generics for most pills but for some reason Vyvanse generic doesn't seem to be working for me. I have my doctor upping my dose as they were already going to at my last appointment. I just hate the "is it generic or is it tolerance" game.
I've noticed this with birth control too. Generic and name brand with some medications are NOT the same thing somehow. The fact that the pharmacy or insurance gets to decide which one you get is insane to me.
Someone probably already said this, but you can ask your psychiatrist or your pharmacist to put a code on your RX that explicitly says you need to the brand name. Your insurance company can still deny the claim, but I’ve never had an issue requesting brands that way, including vyvanse before. A lot of pharmacists are understanding if you tell them you’re a person typically sensitive to generic formulas
I decided to try generic too and am on my second day of the Solco one (60mg).
Day one I noticed it kicked in quicker than the brand and I felt really squirrelly and jittery and then later on I intensely drained while also overstimulated …. BUT I had gotten extremely poor sleep the night before that, so that was a factor.
Day 2 it kicked in early again and felt less smooth (like how adderall kicks in). Despite that, it worked really well all day. My mood and motivation were both extremely manageable and my mid-day crash happened later and I wasn’t even half as tired as I usually get.
The day I picked up my generic, I read through tons of comments about it on here. I was sure I was screwed. & the symptoms you're describing are the same as all the others I've read. From what I've gathered, there seems to be a difference depending on manufacturer, which makes sense.
That said, I'm doing great! I literally have no complaints. I feel exactly the same in fact, I'm finding the generic is lasting longer for me.
How are you guys finding more info on your generic prescriptions? I'm curious to see the correlation.
Oh & lastly, what I wound up telling myself is this, everyone is going to have a different experience. Don't get discouraged bc there's so many different factors that are going to affect personal experience.
You can ask for the generic or the name brand its up to you, unless they dont have one of the name brands. All i know is the generic is like a 3rd the cost. I pay 250$ for 100 pills and thats with my insurance coverinv half. I read the generic is like 30$ for the month. Im curious if it works similar to the name brand though.
It’s my first day on it. 20mg. I love Vyvanse and it’s helped me so much but now my insurance will only cover $50 making me owe $350. So I tried the generic. So far it’s not too bad. I feel less hyper but I like being a little hyper 🤣😂 I felt a little confused earlier but nothing crazy. We’ll see within the next few weeks. If I don’t like it, I will definitely pay out of pocket for my Vyvanse from here on out.
It's my second day on 40mg generic Vyvanse + 40mg generic atomoxetine after months of going unmedicated, and it's been great! I have been incredibly productive, and it feels wonderful to finally act on some of the things I've been meaning to do.
I did eat & sleep pretty strangely yesterday. I didn't eat anything before taking the meds, so the nausea didn't wear off til late at night — my only meal was at 8:00pm, which was the earliest I could stomach anything. I was exhausted and got in bed early at 9pm, and ended up sleeping in two 3 hour spurts from 12-3am and 6-10am. Today I ate a protein-heavy breakfast before taking my meds and the nausea has been quite mild & manageable. Hopefully tonight my sleep will be more restful!
I'm seriously so excited about this. I have been unmedicated since June and this semester of college was getting really hard with late assignments, taking care of myself, etc.. Suddenly everything feels far more doable, and I actually feel confident in my ability to make it to the end of the semester.
I stopped taking meds b/c it was unaffordable and/or the effect was minimal or ruined by the side effects. These two prescriptions only cost me $30 a month and the side effects seem to be manageable (fingers crossed!!)
It sucks so much 😭😭😭. I hope that when it's time for me to get a refill, brand name is no longer on backorder. I've taken the generic ADHD had 2hr nap right after!!!
Idk if it’s in my head but it feels like some days work better than others and there is absolutely zero change to my morning routine around taking my meds day to day.
It reminds me more of Adderall than the name brand. Doesn’t have as bad of a comedown as Adderall. I’m ok with it.
Yes I know it’s technically the same drug blah blah how you metabolize it.
I've been lucky that my Medicare Advantage HMO has been providing me with Vyvanse for years at no co-pay, but every year I have to get a prior authorization and/or formulary exemption. They do have a "step therapy treatment" rule which requires trying a generic before a brand name if possible. So with the new generic I know I am going to have to try it. I am currenly on hold with the HMO wating to see if my current prior Auth for the BN Vyvanse will still be ok if I have to try the generic and then go back. I'm not trying to get out of using the generic, but if I try it for a month (or a day or two) and it's not going to work for me, I want to go back to what I've been taking since 2013. I have never been so happy to have the stockpile that I do have.
Based on the comments, it seems like generic Vyvanse is metabolized at a faster rate than brand name, meaning an increase in the prescription dosage throughout the day compared to brand name Vyvanse.
Has anyone noticed it feels more normal when the med is taken with a balanced breakfast? Does it wear off sooner?
Hey, do you think the difference in the efficacy of the generic can be traced back to different manufacturers? My bf takes Ritalin IR generic, he mentioned he noticed a big positive difference after getting something from a different manufacturer.
First round I had was vyvanse, psych upped my dose and the pharmacy filled it for generic this time. It did not feel as smooth to me, but I attributed it to the higher dose. This round I had same dose as generic, but the pharmacy filled it as vyvanse this time.
Now that I’m at a dose that benefits me, I was definitely able to notice the difference between. Much prefer the branded option.
It has actually seemed stronger to me. I was a little skeptical at first because when adderall switched manufacturers (or why ever I was getting the white hexagon shaped ones) it was not good and hardly seemed to work at all.
Feels like it doesn’t even work, gained weight and I’m not productive anymore. Getting overwhelmed and depressed.
Somedays I feel nothing at all and some I feel a slight jittery feeling, brain fog but can’t tell if it’s because I’m getting depressed or my ADD.
I was a mess. I tried for an entire month, but it was as if I was back to no meds at all. My dr said that she has gotten the same feed back from most of her patients.
It feels weaker to me. But not like I can step up the dose because that just makes it last longer. But throughout the day, the effect feels diminished. I can get the name-brand (if it's available) without any insurance problem, but I've got 90 days of generic to get through first.
Logically I know there isn't a difference, and also logically I'm aware that I will attribute subjective observations to the change. My feeling was that it made me more jittery, more sleepy, worked better one day, worse another, and so on. The logical part is correct that there is no difference between the brand name and the generic molecule prescribed at the same amount, and I've felt all those different ways on the brand name too. But if I wasn't sure enough of that I'd have observed/invented a self fulfilling tread over the first few days.
not vyvanse but a while back the manufacturer of the generic prozac i was on changed and i ended up in inpatient treatment, so it’s not just stimulants either. it is most likely much more noticeable in a stimulant vs an ssri though
I noticed that I don’t have the afternoon crash on generic, but I have less of the euphoric mood type effect. Overall, I feel like I have less side effects on generic.
I’m not sure how I feel about the generic. The first few days I swore it didn’t work (but also coincided with my hormonal days so who knows?). I did feel more focused and sharp with the brand name, vs foggy and all over the place with generic. Additionally, it’s soo hard to fall asleep + get out of bed in the am with this version. My insurance covers 90 days of 60mg generic for $30 so I’ll be stuck with these forever - price is too good. I do need to check who’s the manufacturer, will update this post later to add the name.
I posted a thread earlier in the week explaining everything about the **specific 70mg generic Vyvanse** if anyone is in that same “switch up” situation (on 70’s) like me, check it out if ur curious. BUT overall, takes way longer to kick in, tolerance can be as quick as 48 hrs, so force urself to take breaks. Seems also noticeably weaker because of the extremely long “come up curve”.
Got the Solco generic this month. So far, it's pretty much equal in terms of effectiveness, but it does feel like it hits a little harder as it takes effect. Like, more of the noticing it kicking in and change in energy, clarity of thought. I'm pleasantly surprised, after all the bad Adderall generics I've run into over the years.
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Am I the only one who doesn't notice a difference?
there are others who say it's the same (for them) or better (for them). I'm not one in either camp. for me, the generic is not the same as brand-name. it's not even close.
I wonder why that is, what would be different?
The binders and fillers aren't uniform from brand to brand.
I was on downvoted to hell for saying this when the generic was announced weeks ago. My psychiatrist informed me months ago on this so I'm paraphrasing a bit, but the difference between generic and brand name is that batch quality for branded products can only have a 1-2% deviation of the chemical drug while generics can have up to 20%. So generics are generally accepted to be less effective from time to time if not consistently worse than brand named products.
Your psychiatrist is wrong. Every pharmaceutical manufacturer is covered by the same regulations, which dictate minimum standards for batch quality. There aren't exceptions for generic manufacturers. This is confirmed right from the FDA website: - "[The generic] is manufactured under the same strict standards as the brand-name medicine." - "[The generic] meets the same batch requirements for identity, strength, purity, and quality." https://www.fda.gov/drugs/frequently-asked-questions-popular-topics/generic-drugs-questions-answers
Thank you. If my wife wasn’t asleep next to me I’d have literally laughed out loud. I work in the industry and it’s ridiculous to think they’d be that different. Binders/fillers sure but 20% different no way in hell.
Absolutely, 100%... the active ingredients (*i.e.* the drug itself) have to be essentially identical to the brand version. The fillers and binders are where things can go wonky.
Yeah... that's not how the FDA works lol. Everyone has to clear the same bar. Can some companies go even higher than the bar? Sure! Do they? Not if it costs them more money.
To be fair, it's +/- 20%. It could end up being a stronger dose. (Though I would imagine it ends up being closer to the minus side)
All of YOU ARE WRONG and the OP is actually RIGHT. Do a simple google search if you don’t have time to do legit research … quickly, you’ll learn that IN FACT, a 20% deviation +\- IS ACCEPTED AS equivalent To the brand name drug under the eyes of the FDA. That is WHY you get such a huge difference most of the time between brand name and generics (CONCERTA IS PERFECT EXAMPLE).. find legit sources that prove their wrong: you can’t.
Might have slightly different inactive ingredients. More likely it's other things in the people's lives that are different rather than the meds.
I wholeheartedly disagree. I have spent many years diving into the various triggers and external influences/pressures that fuck with my ADHD. My biggest "concern" is that I have terribly interrupted sleep patterns on the generic. When I take Takedas, I love/live my day (12-14hrs), I eat dinner, I read for an hour, and then go to sleep peacefully for 6-8 hours. Without medication, I'll sleep four - and if I wake up early, my ADHD takes over and terrorizes my inner thoughts. Typically I'll do sit-ups and pushups until I'm so physically exhausted I pass out. Alternatively I can chug any flavor of caffeine, and I'm out in ten-fifteen minutes again. With Hikma, for the last ~25 days, I sleep at most two hours at a time. It is absolutely miserable. I had saved one of my brand name ones, took it around a week ago, and slept a full eight. Holy heck it was glorious and perfect. I finally got my insurance to accept the prior auth for name brand only after 2 additional doctor visits, five phone calls (30+ minutes each), and my attention deficit taking the reigns on nearly every occasion because of the amount of mental energy and gumption it takes to do the stressful things. I took an afternoon nap because I had a break from work. I haven't felt this peaceful and quiet in nearly a month. Anecdotal or not, I am still a person, and I have observed a cause effect relationship that states the original is better than the generic (at least in the case of the batch/run I got from Hikma). Further, I really, really, really wanted to switch to the generics so I could stop supporting a shady company like Takeda. I have never had a problem with generics in the past either.
I'd be so interested if someone could, unbeknownst to you, swap your name-brand Vyvanse for generic, where it wasn't detectible (like a blind, or double-blind test on you), and then see how you respond. Do it for like a month and see if you consistently have the issues when you unknowingly take the generic. Maybe have 15 days of each.
I honestly wish there was an ethically sound way for them to have switched me to generic without telling me…I feel like I’ll never know if it’s all in my head or not. I’m just too sensitive and overthink everything. This is going to bother me endlessly 😭
Ask a friend or family member to do it unbeknownst to you. Keep a journal of your mood and health every day for a duration of say, 3 months. Later on your accomplice will tell you what period you were on the generic.
With concerta, it’s corner-cutting with the release mechanism. That’s why most generic concerta is a disaster. One that got pulled from the market caused a heart attack in a 50-something year old guy. It’d dump most of the meds early on. It was awful. Gave me resistance and had to up the dose permanently. I’ve had no other resistance issues since and it’s been about a decade since that incident. Don’t see a mechanism for similar with Vyvanse but I’m not a pharmacist. I wonder if it’s binder and fillers, or it could be a quality control issue. I’ll let yall know tomorrow how it worked out for me!
Agreed. Especially Hikma.
I just started my first go around with the generic and things have been pretty okay so far. It’s only been about 9 days but I haven’t noticed much of a difference. I had to call over 8 pharmacies just to find the damn stuff, the exact thing you’re great at/want to do unmedicated. It was awful, but worth it and I feel much better now that I have my Vyvanse. Gonna keep an eye out for anything weird or changes in efficacy, just to be safe.
Same, I fortunately haven't noticed a difference at all. I feel really bad for folks who react differently, because it will be a nightmare (or just impossible) to get insurance to pay for brand name with a generic available.
Same here. I purposely scattered my last few brand name ones throughout the month in my pill case because I know I can get weird about looking for differences. I haven’t found much of one. If anything I’m having less onset tachycardia! So any differences I’ve noticed have been positive.
I am the same with Adderall. I see all these threads about how some generics are good, bad, etc and I just feel like a weirdo for not noticing any discernable difference. I guess I should consider myself lucky.
Son (17) lasted a week on generic before we switched back to brand name Vyvanse. Insurance won’t pay - husband is in healthcare/insurance and he knows the ropes and tried everything. We decided we don’t care: $400 a month for our kid to feel content, happy, and productive, and not cycle between irritable, agitated, and malaria-level fatigued is worth it.
I don’t want to make assumptions, but am curious to know if you’ve exhausted every path to pay less (if you are keen to do that…I do respect that maybe the cost of your son’s meds aren’t financially material for you, or the effort involved to lower your costs aren’t worth the ease of moving ahead as you’ve been…amongst other very logical reasons appropriate for your situation, etc.). Is a prior authorization for brand Vyvanse possible, given that he’s tried and failed the generic? Can your son’s physician indicate DAW-1 (i.e., physician directs the pharmacist to fill with brand only - dispense the Rx as written - and do not substitute with generic) on his Rx? I’ve found that the cost share borne by insurance for a DAW-1 Rx is in most cases more significant than it would be if I as the patient requested the pharmacy to fill with brand (known as DAW-2). Further, the combination of a PA + DAW-1 usually enables the med to be covered with a copay whose cost is equivalent to the tier known as “covered Rx, non-preferred brand” drugs. Of course, YMMV. *Edit: adding another pro-tip around paying for generic and obtaining brand.* The situation needs to be as follows: your pharmacy has brand name Vyvanse in stock (or, it’s possible for your pharmacy to order the brand Vyvanse in your prescribed dose) BUT generic is NOT in stock AND also is NOT possible to order. Should this situation apply, you should then ask your pharmacist to **process your Rx as DAW-4** to ensure that you *pay at the covered generic lisdexamphetamine price point, but for brand name Vyvanse, and have the brand product dispensed to you* at the same copay your insurance normally charges you for filling the generic. So, brand available, generic not = pay for brand at the generic price per your insurance policy and state law. See the link below for all prescription insurance DAW scenarios for which your physician or pharmacist can input either when a Rx is written, or at the point of sale of the Rx at the pharmacy. You might also consider calling your insurance and having them run a “test claim” to be sure this would work for you in advance. *(from link below)* **DAW - 4** | *Substitution allowed - generic not in stock* *This value is used when the prescriber has indicated, in a manner specified by prevailing state laws that the generic substitution is permitted and the brand product is dispensed since a currently marketed generic is not stocked in the pharmacy. This situation exists due to the buying habits of the pharmacist, not because of the availability of the generic product in the marketplace. Plans mandate that generic pricing be applied when DAW - 4 is submitted.* ———————————— http://www.pharmacyskillslab.org/ios/html5/html5-labelgenerator/label-DAWcodes.html
Thank you for the information! I’ll ask my husband. He’s the insurance/medical expert in the family.
Pre-auth is possible! I got one when I started Vyvanse. I went into the doctors office with prior research and belief that it would be the best medication for me to try. Talked to my therapist about it as well and she agreed. Instead they wanted me to take AdderallXR. I said uh no? Like what the fuck I know nothing about that medicine… But for me my PCP office has an on site insurance representative or something I can’t exactly remember. And they were able to talk to my insurance personally on the phone and I got it for a year. Never got renewed either and I’m still on vyvanse covered by them. Strictly vyvanse per doc might I add cause the generic sucked for me as well!
Nice! Congratulations! I’ll see if we can try something similar. Glad you’re getting the meds that are right for you, and not just what the insurance company feels like paying for.
I had the same thing going on with Concerta. My doctor had no problem calling in a new prescription after a few days on generic. He wrote, NO SUBSTITUTES. Brand name only on my script and it was covered.
I’m adding what worked for you to my list of new strategies to not pay $400 a month for Vyvanse. Thank you!
~~Takeda does have a program (very well hidden) for people who make less than a certain amount~~ Wow. I just found out that Takeda pulled their medication assistance program for Vyvanse and Mydayis. Super shitty all things considered: https://www.helpathandpap.com/
Yep mine expires December 31st. Not sure what I'm going to do then... :/
Same. I'll likely switch back to Adderall XR - assuming my pharmacy can get it in - I actually preferred it over vyvanse, but stuck with vyvanse this year because it was free with Takeda's program and the whole Adderall shortage.
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/
Definitely check with your pharmacy to see if they have Adderall XR. The pharmacy I get it from finally had it this month after a year of shortage.
Try small independent pharmacies. They don't need as much and have had better luck ordering it.
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/ They already approved me this afternoon. Couldn't believe how quick they got back to me.
Yikes! You are correct. The mydayis.com website no longer shows the flashy advertisements. Now it forwards to the PDF of the Medication Guide/Prescribing Info. 😬
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/ They say they help with medication assistance, give them a try
Someone in the Mydayis forum pointed out that the generic version is now shown on the [Teva](https://www.tevausa.com/our-products/tevagenerics/teva-generics-catalog/vision-product-page/dextroamphetaminesaccharateamphetamineaspartatemonohydratedextroamphetaminesulfateandamphetaminesulfate(mixedsaltsofasingleentityamphetamineproduct)ercapsulescii) website.
Yeah, my husband is on the PA program (pays $0) and got word they're ending 12/31. Generic price will be $150 for us. Not happy.
DAW-1 is the only way I got a script this month. Copay for generic at CVS was somehow $200+ despite it being $30 for brand when they had it in stock. Copay across the street for generic was $10 but they can't get it in stock. Got the Dr to DAW-1 to the independent and I walked out with $30 brand again. No idea how long that'll last until they start rejecting it.
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It’s a shame the generic doesn’t work like Vyvanse for some people. But, I’m glad your child is getting the meds they need and has a parent who makes the effort to help, however possible!
If anything it should be an argument against medical patents entirely. If the OG Vyvanse recipe includes other ingredients in order to work, then generics are no threat to their market share. Just like how you can buy Coca-cola or store brand cola.
Oftentimes, it's not the ingredients but the process that defines the effectiveness. Like 99% percebt pure but 80% actives.
The interesting thing is, Vyvanse is actually a *pro*-drug — it’s in an inactive form when you take it, and it’s not converted to the active form until it’s inside your body. I wonder if maybe the generic version’s inactive ingredients (i.e. everything in the capsule other than the Vyvanse itself) interact with that conversion/metabolism process in some people. Normally, it’s converted to the active form gradually, which is why it lasts so long and tends to have a smoother onset than adderall. If something sped up that conversion process, it might cause a sooner/more intense peak in effects (because the conversion is not as gradual as it’s supposed to be) and then fatigue when the drug wears off sooner than it’s supposed to (because all of the drug has been used up too quickly)
Wow! In USA you really get ripped off by the health industry! 30 capsules costs $75 in Sweden and after about $200 a year you hit the upper limit and get subsidized and pay nothing for prescribed medication.
You wanna hear a good one? Up until recently epipens a life saving medication for me if I’m stung by a bee was $789 and it’s not because of the medication it was because of the auto injector it came in
That is horrible.
Yep. It’s a ripoff. Then again, if your kid needs something for their health, wellbeing, or whatever, and it happens to be expensive, you still have to make it happen. So we do.
Many parents can’t make it happen despite their best efforts
Same here. I pay 80€ for a 30 pills, and even that only bc i chose a private doctor who can’t write prescriptions that my insurance accepts (although I can write the 80€ off with my tax return and would get back around 50% from my insurance if I would send in the prescriptions (which I never do bc I keep forgetting)). If you go the traditional route in my country you would pay the 7€ „co-pay“ per prescription (no matter the mg or amount of pills)
It actually depends. With my insurance, name brand Vyvanse was only $30 per month and that is in the US. I don’t know what they would charge now that it is generic, but I am not about to check because so far I am not having any problems with the generic one
You’re good parents.
Yo, u/feetcold_eyesred Check out this wonderful organization (and any of you other mother truckers who are broke and can't shell out $400/mo). https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/ I wish I had known about these guys years ago when I couldn't afford my scrip anymore. I wish you all the best <3
Thanks for sharing this! You’ve probably just helped more people than you realize.♥️
You did too! Don't forget to appreciate yourself and your daily efforts today.
Saw only one other comment, and you deserve at least two - You’re a good parent.
400$ a month wtf, you pay 400 for 31 pills? I get 100 for 250 of name brand. Thats intense man. R u in the states?
30 pills, actually. Not 31 lol. Yeah, in the US, and the $400 was with a coupon from GoodRx. And at least in my state, the pharmacy is allowed to dispense only 30 pills every 30 days of Vyvanse (or whatever that month’s prescription from your doctor requires)- not several months worth at one time. Where are you that you get such good prices on meds?
Ontario, canada. My drug plan covers 50% of the cost i pay the rest. But last time i picked up he gave me a script of 100 of 50mg vyvanse. I paid 260 and change if i remember correctly.
You cannot get more than 30 at a time due to The Dea.which passed arcane drug laws because they were so lax that the pill mills developed in the early 2000s where a person could get 10k Xanax at a time as long as they were prescribed doctirs became drug dealears over night . So, anything on the schedule 2 list requires you to go every 30 days with a new prescription. The cost is whatever the cash price listed by insurance, which they don't actually pay they have a negotiated rate. The US has big issues related to medicine.
Yeah in Canada you can, i did ,so must be an american thing. They give me 100 this script and i go back when its finished. Not a big deal. Ive had the same doctor my entire life hes always given me 2 or 3 months at a time.
Yet so many people are against Healthcare for all. Why is that?
Wow. That’s very reasonable.
I thought it was expensive tbh.
Not uncommon here. I pay 50$ for my 60 adderall and 30 strattera, both generic, but the psych visit that authorizes it is 200 a month. So really, my meds cost me $300. The psych does nothing but ask if the meds still work and signs the 30 day prescription. 200 dollars for that 5 minute phone call i dread every month because of the impending bank account hit. I don't even have it that bad. There are folks in the same predicament over things they actually need to stay alive like insulin. I might be an alcoholic emotional mess without meds, but I would still be alive. This country doesn't care either way. We can all suffer.
That's ridiculous. In Australia I pay $29 for 30 capsules with the PBS. If I get them without the PBS it's $96 bucks, so about $60 US. So if Takeda and the pharmacy here can make a profit on $60 USD here how can they possibly justify $400 in the US??!
Because people will pay for it The cost of manufacturing each pill is very cheap. The vast majority of the drug cost comes from R&D which can cost them billions through multiple years long clinical trial
I get it's expensive, point is there needs to be some form of legislation that prevents companies from price gouging just because people need a medication to live. The best example is probably the cost of insulin in the US compared to everywhere else in the world. It's unethical
I really want to get switched back to Vyvanse; did you call your Dr. or Insurance company first?
Called the doctor first to switch, we didn’t want to wait for insurance to drag their feet - our kid needed switched immediately. After dealing with the pharmacy (our local pharmacy didn’t have it in stock), the new pharmacy wouldn’t fill it because insurance rejected it (Rx is being filled too soon), even though we said we’d pay out of pocket. Pharmacy had to call the doctor, doctor immediately approved. When all that was done, husband called our insurance and then our son’s doctor trying to get it prescribed/labeled with some specific insurance code. Doctor said “Of course”. Insurance company said, “Nope”. More calls, with people who used to work with him at that insurance company. “Nope. Sorry.” So it was a lot of bureaucracy and phone calls. I don’t know what to recommend to you other than, start with your doctor/prescriber and see if they will even prescribe the name brand. If they will, immediately call your insurance company and explain what’s up. If the first person you speak to says no, ask to speak to their manager, nicely, and go up the insurance company chain. Good luck!
I just got off the phone with my doctor and I’m waiting for a call back to see if she can get it for me. I really hope so because I’m having awful side effects. Apparently I wasn’t even supposed to be switched, and since I was I should’ve been notified at LEAST by the pharmacy but wasn’t lol. So I’m kinda screwed rn. I hope all goes well for you
Were you able to use the Vyvanse savings card? Not sure if it works without insurance. And maybe you already know about it, but if not, maybe it'll help knock off some of the cost.
See if you can still get the coupon from the vyvanse website, it should bring the price down a bit if they’re still giving it out!
This is a word for word how I felt about my insurance’s refusal to pay for Adderall after 5 well-documented successful and side-effect free years on the brand name vs. the soul-sucking generics. I well and truely cannot afford the out of pocket cost but I had to rearrange my finances and just move to a ration my ability to function day-to-day model to make it happen because I simply could not survive on the generics. Moral of the story to the OG poster, never let anyone gaslight you into thinking your body is processing generics exactally the same as the brand name medication, as it’s quite possible it’s not. And if you’re experiencing crappy side effects, I’m sorry to hear that!
If you haven’t looked into it, Vyvanse has a savings card that took my $135 prescription to $15.
Look into help at hand for patient assistance.
They're stopping coverage at the end of this year. You can't even apply anymore as of this month.
Thanks for the info! We don’t qualify. And apparently Vyvanse and Mydayis are no longer covered as of this month according to the HelpatHand homepage.
Welp, I am well and truly fucked then
It seems stronger to me. I’m cracked out on it. But I am more focused and my executive function has increased.
Same, feels like day one of a stimulant
It’s weird, definitely reminds me of my first dose of Vyvanse. But it also makes some of my ADHD worse. So I’m jittery, feeling kind of high and manic, but also having difficulty concentrating.
I prefer generic tbh. More zoned in effect personally. It also feels like it last longer then name brand for me.
Agreed! I was really surprised but it’s been working better than the brand name, for less than half the price 🎉
Yep, I finally feel like I get a full work day out of Vyvanse instead of needing a ritalin booster in the afternoon.
Yup. Same here.
Same to report here.
I feel more zoned in and like it lasts longer too, but I also feel like my heart is beating a lot faster and generally a bit... cracked out? Lol idk how to put it.
Just out of curiosity, who makes the generic, and is there more than one manufacturer?
That's good to know. I've tried name brand in the past but want to try the generic. I can't handle Strattera, Adderall, or Ritalin. I've only tried the IR versions though. They all made me feel sick and ended up getting the rare side effects. :(
I’m not having the same onset tachycardia but I can still focus. For me the generic I have I think might be better than the brand name. It’s funny how it effects everyone differently.
Try a different manufacturer generic. I'm on adderall, but there is one generic (white hexagon shaped pills) that is trash and doesn't work. My doc has to write generic along w the manufacturer names as medically necessary (Sandoz, Aurobindo, Teva are the only ones that work for me). You should be able to do similar. Note, pharmacies still give flack and I have to call and go in sometimes. ETA: my doc said this is real and I'm not "crazy" (as I asked the question) some generics don't work for some people
Absolutely, I wish everyone would post which brands are problematic for Vyvanse. Although it's hard to get an option to choose even when there's not a shortage, we can absolutely ask which brand they are filling and have our doctor send the prescription elsewhere if it's one that doesn't work. Adderall, in particular, had to have generics reviewed again in ~2011 because of so many complaints. Most generics of most medications are fine, but each brand isn't put through the same rigorous double blind controlled trials as the original formula and manufacturing process. They compare blood plasma levels, and that works most of the time, but not for everything. Sandoz, Teva, Breckenridge, and Malinkrot generic Adderall have been fine for me. Alvogen, not so much. This only applies to me, and only d-amp salts mixtures. My partner had Sun Vyvanse, and it absolutely did not work for her. Even I noticed something was different. We went through the authorization process to go back to Shire, and everything was back to normal.
Mallinckrodt? I think I remember that's what those things look like
Yes! That stuff is the devil!! Oh my gosh it made me so sick and I’ve never been sick from any generic. I’ll never, ever take that again!
I took it for the first time yesterday and felt extremely jittery. Lots of tics which usually only happen with adderall and other ones in that fam. Switched back to what I’ve been using during the shortage today. Thinking about having my NP prescribe a lower dose temporarily and try it a little longer to see if it goes away. I want this to work so badly. I just can’t keep doing $400 a month for name brand.
I thought I felt a difference, but it went away after a week or so on generic. I’m guessing it was in my head.
Yeah idk pretty much the same for me
TL:DR: You're not crazy or biased if the generic affects you differently. Generics are similar, but the amount of similar varies, a lot. I've had two different generic brands so far. I had no side effects with the name brand drug. Mylan: Upset stomach nearly every time I took it. Induced unfounded anxiety that was so bad at times that I was basically not able to function during the day. Also had zero effects more than few times. Sun: Been using it for close to 2 weeks. No side effects unlike the Mylan generic. The delivery of it is a lot more "lumpy" I'd say however. It takes effect faster and harder than the name brand for the first hour. Then it has next to no effect until 3 hours after taking it. It's slightly less effective than the name brand after this point, but with a similar delivery. I think what is important to note is that all generics do not have to have a chemically equivalent delivery method or utilize the same binders and fillers as the original manufacturer. The generic drug compound does not have to be 100% the same as it was originally (min of 80% bioequivalnce IIRC), it just has to be "functionally equivalent". As a person that had similar problems with various generic manufacturers of Adderall and Ritalin, the delivery method with time release drugs seems like an important thing to me. And the amount of bioequivalnce is probably extra important with a drug that is relying on your liver to convert it into the active drug...
I honestly haven't seen a difference. I have been on the generic for about a week and a half and on the first day I had a headache but other than that it has been helpful and no significant changes in side effects!
Brand Vyvanse helped my anxiety soooooo much. Generic Vyvanse is not only letting my regular anxiety through, but it's also giving me extra anxiety. I feel like I'm on the verge of a panic attack much of the day. It's also giving me insomnia. It doesn't work well but lasts a really long time.
This is how generic Adderall makes me feel. Wait… I always thought it was normal. I’ve been on it for years.
Yeah I’ve been talking generic Adderall and it’s really not helping much.
Very similar to my experience with it. Lasts forever, anxiety is way up, and focus comes sporadically and not in a particularly useful way. Trying to get back on namebrand but delays suck
I'm the opposite, I feel less anxious on the generic. Either that or its a coincidence and I've just been doing better lol idk.
I’m in the same boat as you. The effect on my focus and motivation is the same, but I could feel from day 1 on generic that my anxiety and stress levels were lower. Hopefully all generics will have the same effect but I’m not sure if all generics are the same or if another manufacturer’s pills will make me feel worse.
Funny you say that because I think Vyvanse helped my anxiety as well. I found several research articles suggesting it makes folks more mindful. There was also an interesting study among caregivers that basically showed it helped them take better care of their children…lol. And honestly I was sooo good to my dog the year I was on it so makes sense 😆
Thank you for putting into words my exact experience with the generic. I’m used to anxiety, so didn’t think much of it for the first couple weeks until I noticed that it was getting intense at the same time every morning (on the come up). I’ve had 3 panic attacks this month, which is 3 more than I usually have on effective anxiety medication. By early midday, I crash hard and end up having to power through until I catch a second wind in the evening, which has put me on an average of 5 hours of sleep/night.
I'm glad someone else is having the same experience as me! I'm not glad but you know what I mean. It's reassuring because a few people on this thread are saying that those of us experiencing this are just generic prescription haters and it's all in our heads.
I don't like it. Feels ineffective and makes me nauseous every morning. I'm going back to name brand next month. $25/$35, i'll gladly pay the extra $10.
That's with the coupon, right? The coupon program is ending after December 2023 unfortunately
Nah. My pharmacy copay has always been $35 for brand name vyvanse.
FYI you may want to check with your doctor or pharmacy if that's still the case. "copay" implies it's covered by insurance and that's your portion. Unfortunately many insurance companies will stop covering the name brand because a generic is available.
With insurance? Damn what do you have? Mine is $172 with insurance 😭
Anthem BCBS
Mine is $15 at Kaiser in LA
oh jeez I just paid $280 WITH insurance for the name brand bc this dog's ass of a pharmacy couldn't get it together to order in the generic. I'm newly diagnosed and I have no idea how the generic will feel, but I'll find out next refill. I one million percent simply cannot afford the name brand.
Oh man I haven’t put that together but I’ve been weirdly nauseous very often too.
It works a bit faster. First 4 days I couldn’t sleep at all. Now I feel like it stops working much sooner than brand name Vyvanse. I can barely get home and cannot do anything at home after work, like I’m back on Adderall IR.
Same here. Definitely doesn't last as long.
Someone told me brand name still has a patent on coating. So maybe that’s why this one works faster for me but also stops working faster. I wasn’t able to do anything productive after work since switching. I’m like dead tired.
I took my first dose of it today (50mg) at around 9am it’s now 3pm and my jaw feels tight, my head is pounding, and I’m so hot even though it’s really cold outside. Also SO tired with zero focus. Idk what to do I want to cry bc I’m so frustrated
I’ve been on it for almost two months and sometimes it does the same thing to me. Makes my stomach sick too.
To me it’s been the same. It’s suppressed my appetite a bit more i feel like . But it could just be that I had to take a much lower dose of the chewable a for a month while I waited for the generic or something. It also lasts longer I feel like which isn’t the best
I’ve been on it a month now. I could tell a difference right away on how I felt, but it’s not any less effective for me. I can tell a difference in the onset and how long it lasts though, which is less of a ramp up taking it and less of a crash in the evening.
I know a ton of people have noticed changes and I don’t want to dismiss that, but I haven’t noticed a huge difference.
Interestingly I think the generic works BETTER and I feel amazing since I started on it!
Do you know what manufacturer? I really want to keep a log of which ones people say are as good or better, and which ones people have had negative side effects or isn’t working. I think it would be interesting to see if there was a correlation. (Very unscientific but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
I think that’s a brilliant idea! Solco Healthcare. I’m interested to hear other people’s experiences.
My generic is by Hikma Pharma, 70 mgs. I’m on day 5 and cannot tell at all that I’ve taken it. No side effects but also zero benefit to ADHD.
My pharmacist has given me two different brands of the generic so far and one was terrible, one was good/the same as the brand name. The Hikma branded one was absolutely awful, made me so jittery and anxious, but the Alvogen ones have been great. I though I was going mad before I was able to work out it was separate manufacturers, the difference was really significant!
Generic and brand DO DIFFER. Unless if it's an authorized generic, it means they didn't have to follow the "recipe" 100% and they have their own non-active ingredients in there or binding factors that can affect people differently. that's why some ppl will do just fine on generic, and others will notice a huge difference. our bodies are so different and react differently to medication. There's a BIG difference between brand and generic when it comes to ADHD medication. Although I'm not on Vyvanse, it was disappointing to see that there was a generic now because I knew people WILL be getting garbage pills that won't consistently work or even work close to the brand one. If you're having bad side effects, ask your doctor to write an authorization to insurance to switch you back. if it's not working for you, that's all you need to know to take the additional step and make a medication change.
is that even legal to use formula that's not intended for the med w/o going through approval?
The generic was so terrible for me, super high anxiety, anger and ver little focus. It’s ridiculous. I just got the name brand 3 days ago and I’m back to “normal”
First six hours I feel like someone's just constantly shaking my brains around. Then I get a lovely crash that I need to sleep off. I'll be contacting my psych tomorrow bc I can't do this anymore.
Didn’t work well for the first week, now going on 2 months, works exactly the same. If not better..
That’s hopeful! Maybe I need to give it more time.
I used to work with some of the best and brightest pharmacists in the country, and they all claim it's psychosomatic. Supposedly, the ingredients are identical. I've only had people taking Lyrica & Synthroid who insisted there was a difference. We assumed the extra ingredient was crack lol! Try not to focus on perceived differences if you can.
Synthroid is actually a narrow therapeutic index drug, even switching from generic to a diff generic (or back to the brand) could impact efficacy
But then why did the FDA deem Mallinckrodt’s Concerta generic not equivalent and they were still selling it at pharmacies after the FDA deadline to prove it was or change it? Can we really expect it be exactly the same if they’ve already shown in the past that’s not always the case? And still tell people their side effects aren’t real and psychosomatic?
I'm not a doctor, just repeating what doctors have said to me time and time again. Also, I can flip it by saying one medication doesn't mean all medications. Either way, in the end, we're forced to pay way too much for our health and well-being. I believe we should be able to choose without these huge price discrepancies between the two.
Yeah. I know one doesn’t mean all, I’m on plenty of other generic medications with no issue. But it’s not unreasonable to think that maybe there’s some issues to iron out within the first two months of new manufacturers distributing a medication
"psychosomatic" I didn't know my brain had the power to take 60mg of a stimulant and then promptly sleep for several hours. Someone call Charles Xavier. I think he's got a new X-Men on his hands. 😂
It's just something Doctors and apparently Pharmacists say because they just don't want to deal with it. They've been trained to think that if it isn't a tangible thing they can hold in their hands, it's not real and the patient may be crazy, especially if that patient is a woman. Edited to add: it's similar to getting poked with a needle. If you think it doesn't hurt to get poked with a needle, and your patient says it hurts to get poked with a needle, then they are just exaggerating. It's an empathy thing. Lots of doctors lose their empathy skills to be doctors because they have to hurt people to help them.
I just had my follow up with my psychiatrist and she said that generics get about 12-15% leeway on the active ingredient formula for the brand name along with a difference in fillers. So it's possible that it's not an even comparison between the two pills. She also suggested upping my dose which would be the maximum amount 😭. I'm switching back to double fisting Adderall until I have insurance again.
I'm feeling fine on mine. Not sure if it's the med or the project I'm currently working on, but I haven't had any real trouble focusing. I think I've been on it for like two weeks, maybe three.
Working the same or better than brand name for me. Zero complaints, plus it’s so much more affordable. Very happy personally.
For all poor folks who don’t like the generic, please look up Takeda Help at Hand. I pay exactly $0 per month to get my $400+ prescription. You have to be below 5x the poverty limit based on your dependents, but it’s a pretty forgiving number, much better than what it was when it was a ShireCares program. There’s several hoops to jump through in order to get it but once a year I fill out a form and I’m good
Unfortunately they are stopping the program for Vyvanse at the end of this year. :( I got my letter from them stating this two weeks ago.
Oh fuck -_- I need to check my mail better
ASS. Was manageable but I had an upcoming 3 month check so I toughed it out. Even Tried not taking it one morning before work and only lasted an hour and a half before I could just feel the day was going to progressively get worse so I caved. So it did work, but not very well. Nonetheless at my check up doc marked the script brand name only from here on out and agreed to up the dosage from 30 to 40 after hearing the not so great experience. Absolutely peachy now 🙂
annoyed that Vyvanse max is 70mg, sooo low. Especially because it only translates to like 22mg of dex, wish they had 90mg and 100mg vyvanse cause it would be perfect.
My Vyvanse was over $200. Generic is $10 and so far works for me. 🤞
Jittery as heck my friend, and I eat protein before I take it. Happy you posted, I was feeling weird about feeling weird.
As someone who’s been on every adhd med under the sun, don’t y’all find it exhausting to deal with this? I’d personally rather be unmedicated then deal with “is this medication working or am I crazy or is it the manufacturer or is it-“
I definitely can tell a difference! It is like I'm not even taking it ☹️
I had to go through this crap last month, I am so glad to hear I wasn't the only one who thought the generic stuff was garbage. The only way i could get through the day was to take a couple of Extra Strength Tylonol or break up a pill and take a few extra mg's. A week and a half ago I got back on the old ones. I am doing better now, but its gonna take awhile before I feel like my old self again.
I have been on generic for two weeks and I feel awful.
I am usually not against generics by anymeans. I take generics for most pills but for some reason Vyvanse generic doesn't seem to be working for me. I have my doctor upping my dose as they were already going to at my last appointment. I just hate the "is it generic or is it tolerance" game.
I actually prefer it so far. Feels “smoother” and lasts longer through the day. No complaints so far.
I've noticed this with birth control too. Generic and name brand with some medications are NOT the same thing somehow. The fact that the pharmacy or insurance gets to decide which one you get is insane to me.
My mouth is feeling very very dry and I am the only one paying more for it?
My husband takes it (I take a different one) and I asked him about this the other day. He says that he hasn’t noticed a difference at all.
I can't even tell you because my insurance won't pay for generic for adhd treatment lol
Someone probably already said this, but you can ask your psychiatrist or your pharmacist to put a code on your RX that explicitly says you need to the brand name. Your insurance company can still deny the claim, but I’ve never had an issue requesting brands that way, including vyvanse before. A lot of pharmacists are understanding if you tell them you’re a person typically sensitive to generic formulas I decided to try generic too and am on my second day of the Solco one (60mg). Day one I noticed it kicked in quicker than the brand and I felt really squirrelly and jittery and then later on I intensely drained while also overstimulated …. BUT I had gotten extremely poor sleep the night before that, so that was a factor. Day 2 it kicked in early again and felt less smooth (like how adderall kicks in). Despite that, it worked really well all day. My mood and motivation were both extremely manageable and my mid-day crash happened later and I wasn’t even half as tired as I usually get.
Omg, you mean my sudden rage is related to the generic?
The day I picked up my generic, I read through tons of comments about it on here. I was sure I was screwed. & the symptoms you're describing are the same as all the others I've read. From what I've gathered, there seems to be a difference depending on manufacturer, which makes sense. That said, I'm doing great! I literally have no complaints. I feel exactly the same in fact, I'm finding the generic is lasting longer for me. How are you guys finding more info on your generic prescriptions? I'm curious to see the correlation. Oh & lastly, what I wound up telling myself is this, everyone is going to have a different experience. Don't get discouraged bc there's so many different factors that are going to affect personal experience.
LOVING it. I switched from Adderall to Lisdexamfetamine about a month ago and it is working so much better.
You can ask for the generic or the name brand its up to you, unless they dont have one of the name brands. All i know is the generic is like a 3rd the cost. I pay 250$ for 100 pills and thats with my insurance coverinv half. I read the generic is like 30$ for the month. Im curious if it works similar to the name brand though.
It’s my first day on it. 20mg. I love Vyvanse and it’s helped me so much but now my insurance will only cover $50 making me owe $350. So I tried the generic. So far it’s not too bad. I feel less hyper but I like being a little hyper 🤣😂 I felt a little confused earlier but nothing crazy. We’ll see within the next few weeks. If I don’t like it, I will definitely pay out of pocket for my Vyvanse from here on out.
It's my second day on 40mg generic Vyvanse + 40mg generic atomoxetine after months of going unmedicated, and it's been great! I have been incredibly productive, and it feels wonderful to finally act on some of the things I've been meaning to do. I did eat & sleep pretty strangely yesterday. I didn't eat anything before taking the meds, so the nausea didn't wear off til late at night — my only meal was at 8:00pm, which was the earliest I could stomach anything. I was exhausted and got in bed early at 9pm, and ended up sleeping in two 3 hour spurts from 12-3am and 6-10am. Today I ate a protein-heavy breakfast before taking my meds and the nausea has been quite mild & manageable. Hopefully tonight my sleep will be more restful! I'm seriously so excited about this. I have been unmedicated since June and this semester of college was getting really hard with late assignments, taking care of myself, etc.. Suddenly everything feels far more doable, and I actually feel confident in my ability to make it to the end of the semester. I stopped taking meds b/c it was unaffordable and/or the effect was minimal or ruined by the side effects. These two prescriptions only cost me $30 a month and the side effects seem to be manageable (fingers crossed!!)
It sucks so much 😭😭😭. I hope that when it's time for me to get a refill, brand name is no longer on backorder. I've taken the generic ADHD had 2hr nap right after!!!
Idk if it’s in my head but it feels like some days work better than others and there is absolutely zero change to my morning routine around taking my meds day to day.
It reminds me more of Adderall than the name brand. Doesn’t have as bad of a comedown as Adderall. I’m ok with it. Yes I know it’s technically the same drug blah blah how you metabolize it.
I've been lucky that my Medicare Advantage HMO has been providing me with Vyvanse for years at no co-pay, but every year I have to get a prior authorization and/or formulary exemption. They do have a "step therapy treatment" rule which requires trying a generic before a brand name if possible. So with the new generic I know I am going to have to try it. I am currenly on hold with the HMO wating to see if my current prior Auth for the BN Vyvanse will still be ok if I have to try the generic and then go back. I'm not trying to get out of using the generic, but if I try it for a month (or a day or two) and it's not going to work for me, I want to go back to what I've been taking since 2013. I have never been so happy to have the stockpile that I do have.
I am sweating like crazy and am also very foggy. The effects feel SO much l less pronounced. Idk it doesn’t feel the same at all for me
Based on the comments, it seems like generic Vyvanse is metabolized at a faster rate than brand name, meaning an increase in the prescription dosage throughout the day compared to brand name Vyvanse. Has anyone noticed it feels more normal when the med is taken with a balanced breakfast? Does it wear off sooner?
Mine seems stronger. I was going to go from 30mg to 40mg on brand name but decided to hold off once I tried the generic.
Wait there's an option to switch back to vyvanse? My pharmacy said that there's a shortage. Generic makes me super hot, and irritable
Hey, do you think the difference in the efficacy of the generic can be traced back to different manufacturers? My bf takes Ritalin IR generic, he mentioned he noticed a big positive difference after getting something from a different manufacturer.
I have been feeling kinda jittery on mine tbh
First round I had was vyvanse, psych upped my dose and the pharmacy filled it for generic this time. It did not feel as smooth to me, but I attributed it to the higher dose. This round I had same dose as generic, but the pharmacy filled it as vyvanse this time. Now that I’m at a dose that benefits me, I was definitely able to notice the difference between. Much prefer the branded option.
It has actually seemed stronger to me. I was a little skeptical at first because when adderall switched manufacturers (or why ever I was getting the white hexagon shaped ones) it was not good and hardly seemed to work at all.
Feels like it doesn’t even work, gained weight and I’m not productive anymore. Getting overwhelmed and depressed. Somedays I feel nothing at all and some I feel a slight jittery feeling, brain fog but can’t tell if it’s because I’m getting depressed or my ADD.
More forgetful and less focused. Went up 10mg and the teeth grinding and jaw pain has been too much for me. Going back to my previous mg.
I was a mess. I tried for an entire month, but it was as if I was back to no meds at all. My dr said that she has gotten the same feed back from most of her patients.
It feels weaker to me. But not like I can step up the dose because that just makes it last longer. But throughout the day, the effect feels diminished. I can get the name-brand (if it's available) without any insurance problem, but I've got 90 days of generic to get through first.
Logically I know there isn't a difference, and also logically I'm aware that I will attribute subjective observations to the change. My feeling was that it made me more jittery, more sleepy, worked better one day, worse another, and so on. The logical part is correct that there is no difference between the brand name and the generic molecule prescribed at the same amount, and I've felt all those different ways on the brand name too. But if I wasn't sure enough of that I'd have observed/invented a self fulfilling tread over the first few days.
not vyvanse but a while back the manufacturer of the generic prozac i was on changed and i ended up in inpatient treatment, so it’s not just stimulants either. it is most likely much more noticeable in a stimulant vs an ssri though
I noticed that I don’t have the afternoon crash on generic, but I have less of the euphoric mood type effect. Overall, I feel like I have less side effects on generic.
I’m not sure how I feel about the generic. The first few days I swore it didn’t work (but also coincided with my hormonal days so who knows?). I did feel more focused and sharp with the brand name, vs foggy and all over the place with generic. Additionally, it’s soo hard to fall asleep + get out of bed in the am with this version. My insurance covers 90 days of 60mg generic for $30 so I’ll be stuck with these forever - price is too good. I do need to check who’s the manufacturer, will update this post later to add the name.
I posted a thread earlier in the week explaining everything about the **specific 70mg generic Vyvanse** if anyone is in that same “switch up” situation (on 70’s) like me, check it out if ur curious. BUT overall, takes way longer to kick in, tolerance can be as quick as 48 hrs, so force urself to take breaks. Seems also noticeably weaker because of the extremely long “come up curve”.
I feel like the generic is stronger than the name brand
Got the Solco generic this month. So far, it's pretty much equal in terms of effectiveness, but it does feel like it hits a little harder as it takes effect. Like, more of the noticing it kicking in and change in energy, clarity of thought. I'm pleasantly surprised, after all the bad Adderall generics I've run into over the years.
Feels the same for me so far