What You Should Know About Generic Prescription Drugs

When it comes to medications, generic prescription drugs are usually the best choice. Whether you have prescription drug coverage or you're paying out of pocket, most people will go for generic drugs to save money. Even your Pharmacist will tell you that generics are the best choice to save money and in most cases your doctor will feel the same way. But do generic prescription drugs really work? Are they really better than their equivalent brand name? Do they really keep your symptoms under control as well as the brand names do? Is it really worth saving money if they do not work right?

According to the book, Best Choices from The People's Pharmacy, written by Joe Graedon, MS. and Teresa Graedon, PhD. You should do your research when it comes to your health and saving money by using generic prescription drugs. Generics might work just as well or better than brand name drugs for some people, but remember, everyone is different. Some people might get lucky and generics might work well for them, which will save them a substantial amount of money every month. As for other people, they might not get so lucky. Take me for an example: I have been suffering from Depression for years and I was first placed on Lexapro. It didn't work so well so I decided to do some research on different medications and was very happy when I came across a website about the Anti-Depressant, Wellbrutrin. I went to my doctor with what I had found and was placed on the name brand Wellbrutrin and it worked great for the first six months. I was a happier, more confident woman. I felt like I had found a miracle pill and I never wanted to be without it.

Then my health insurance switched me to generic and everything went down-hill from there. My mood swings were back, the depression was back and worse than ever and I couldn't understand what the problem was. So I went back to my doctor to find out what was happening to me. I desperately needed to find out why I was no longer feeling happy. He asked me if I was still taking the name brand, which I told him I wasn't, and that was the problem. He said the generic wasn't working as well as the name brand. I was angry that my health insurance would switch me just to save themselves money and allow me to suffer the way I used to. They should have thought that generics do not work for everyone. So I talked to my doctor about taking me off the Wellbrutrin and letting me try something else and he agreed. Since then I have tried a few different medications and have never felt as good as I did when I was on Wellbrutrin. I am a perfect example about generics not working for everyone and although I think it is worth it to feel better than to save money, I can't afford to buy the name brand. But if you can afford the name brand and the generics do not work as well then I highly recommend talking to your doctor and Pharmacist.

According to a fellow reader of the book, Best Choices from The People's Pharmacy, they also started out with a name brand and was also switched to the generic. This man was taking the name brand, Hytrin to treat an enlarged prostate. While using Hytrin he had no problems urinating. Then the Pharmacy switched him to the generic, Terazosin because his health insurance changed. After being switched he almost immediately had trouble with his Prostate. He found himself getting up every hour throughout the night with an urgent need to urinate. He had uncomfortable pressure on his bladder with the extreme need to relieve himself but could not. With the brand name, Hytrin he was only getting up once during the night but because of the generic he was having problems again. To quote what he says about generics, "I can easily understand why the generics are less costly. They aren't worth a tinker's darn."

Another example is of a woman who was put on Dilantin for a Seizure disorder. Because she was on the name brand, Dilantin she was fine and the seizures were under control. Then she was admitted to the hospital and her Neurologist told the doctors not to switch her to a generic substitute. Later that month she started having Grand Mal seizures and almost died. It was later found out that the reason she was having life threatening Grand Mal seizures was because they had went against her Neurologist's orders and had switched her to the generic, Phenytoin. Because of her health insurance wanting to save money this woman almost died. I understand first hand the seriousness and danger of seizures. My husband has had seizures for years and is taking Phenytoin. Thank God the Phenytoin works just as well for him as the Dilantin.

As you read this article, I want you to really think hard about the potential dangers of generic drugs. If they work fine for you then great, you're saving money. But if they don't work well for you then please let your doctor and pharmacist know. Even if you have to pay more out of pocket it is always better to be safe than to suffer.