Posted by Racer on August 1, 2008, at 22:48:45
In reply to Generic Fluoxetine: Experiences? Good? Bad?, posted by Chris O on August 1, 2008, at 16:51:17
Laws governing generics in the US require generics to be "bio-equivalent" to the name brand, but allow for a variance of up to 10%. That means that a pill marked 20 mg fluoxetine could contain anywhere from 18 mg to 22 mg. That's not a huge variance, of course, but it could make a difference if you go from one manufacturer's generic to another.
And fillers and binders can make a difference. I had an allergic reaction to generic fluoxetine once, even though I'd taken both brand name Prozac and various other generic fluoxetines with no problem.
In general, I've done just fine on generics -- except for that one time, of course. If I were going to speculate, I'd lean towards inadequate dose or inadequate time for an explanation, rather than a problem with the generic because it was a generic. Another possibility is deterioration -- if the medication has been improperly stored or has passed its expiration date, it is possible it has lost some of its mojo. You can't know what conditions it has endured on its way to your medicine cabinet.
I'd ask the pharmacist about a different manufacturer's generic, or try another pharmacy to see if another generic flavor might be better for you. (Unless, of course, you have the means to go for the name brand and prefer to go that route.)
Good luck!
poster:Racer
thread:843524
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080727/msgs/843603.html