Trazodone - Help please

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Hello!
For anyone who takes Trazodone for sleep and finds it effective, could you please tell me what generic manfacturer makes the one you are taking? I took this drug for sleep for years and it worked, but the last time I tried it I got a generic (Pliva) that had the total opposite effect on me and freaked me out and I didn't pursue looking for a different generic. Any input?

Thanks!

 

[Mij]

I take Desyrel which is the brand name, 25mg for sleep. I don't know where you live but trazadone is the only generic name I know of.

 

[SOC]

Hello!
For anyone who takes Trazodone for sleep and finds it effective, could you please tell me what generic manfacturer makes the one you are taking? I took this drug for sleep for years and it worked, but the last time I tried it I got a generic (Pliva) that had the total opposite effect on me and freaked me out and I didn't pursue looking for a different generic. Any input?

Thanks!

Thanks for bringing this up. It encouraged me to look at my Trazodone bottle. I had noticed that the Trazodone hadn't been working as well lately and was going to talk to my doc about it this week. What do you know -- my latest script, filled at a different from usual pharmacy, is the generic Pliva. Makes me wonder if Pliva is a poor generic since Moon is having a problem with it, too.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you what the other pharmacy was giving me since I threw out the bottles. I'm definitely asking for a script for non-Pliva Trazodone this week.

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Hi SOC,

Well, what do you know...certainly helps to share information doesn't it. I first found out about others have trouble with PLIVA on another website, people were saying it seems to act like a totally different drug than the other generics they tried. Did you by any chance get your prescription filled at Walgreens? I know they tend to carry the same generics and don't "change them around" like other pharmacies. IMO, generic drugs can differ GREATLY, at least for me. Wonder what pharmacy I can try to get non-pliva trazodone?

Hi MIJ- Desyrel I believe was discontinued in the US a few years ago. I think... If I could get the name brand, I'm try that first. But I'd probably cost a pretty penny. I was having problems with a particular manufacturer of trazodone, Pliva.

 

[SOC]

Hah! It turns out I just got a new bottle from the old pharmacy. It says Manfacturer: Apotex. I'm switching back to that immediately and ditching the Pliva. My weird new symptoms are similar to those you would expect from getting too low a dose, although it could be any number of other things causing problems.

The Apotex (APO T50) has been working great for me for years, if that's any help to you, Moon.

Thanks again for bringing this up. It's been a big problem for me, but it never occurred to me to check the brand of my trazodone.

PS the PLIVA one is manufactured by TEVA

 

[SOC]

Hi SOC,

Well, what do you know...certainly helps to share information doesn't it. I first found out about others have trouble with PLIVA on another website, people were saying it seems to act like a totally different drug than the other generics they tried. Did you by any chance get your prescription filled at Walgreens? I know they tend to carry the same generics and don't "change them around" like other pharmacies. IMO, generic drugs can differ GREATLY, at least for me. Wonder what pharmacy I can try to get non-pliva trazodone?

Hi MIJ- Desyrel I believe was discontinued in the US a few years ago. I think... If I could get the name brand, I'm try that first. But I'd probably cost a pretty penny. I was having problems with a particular manufacturer of trazodone, Pliva.

I got the PLIVA trazodone at my local CVS Pharmacy when my mail-order pharmacy (MEDCO) had some sort of glitch. Not doing that again, for certain.

Further clarification: PLIVA is a Croation manufacturer which is a part of the TEVA group.

I gotta wonder if people who tried trazodone and had trouble with it were getting the PLIVA brand.

 

[SOC]

FWIW, APOTEX is a Canadian company. Their trazodone has worked extremely well for me for a number of years.

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Thanks, SOC! I was googling Apotex. I looks like they were out of their trazodone last year and I found several website with lots of people complaining about how terrible Pliva trazodone is and it wasn't working for them when they couldn't get Apotex. Mylan got a lot complaints also......I've used Mylan for other meds and I can't say I'm too impressed with them either...

Did you get the Apotex from Medco? Or another local pharmacy? I have a feeling all the Walgreens and CVS's around my area will only have Pliva. I have no idea what Walmart might carry. I dislike using my mail order pharmacy for this exact reason, I never have any idea what generic they are going to send.

It really stinks that patients have to play amateur detectives to find out if they got stuck with a lemon of a generic!

 

[Mij]

Hi MIJ- Desyrel I believe was discontinued in the US a few years ago. I think... If I could get the name brand, I'm try that first. But I'd probably cost a pretty penny. I was having problems with a particular manufacturer of trazodone, Pliva.[/QUOTE]

I see you are in the US, ok. I've tried the generic form trazodone and it didn't work as well as the brand name Desyrel. My doctor told me his other patients had the same experience.

I think our drugs here in Canada are less expensive than the US so I can understand you wanting a generic. I hope you find something that works well for you, we all need sleep!

 

[SOC]

Thanks, SOC! I was googling Apotex. I looks like they were out of their trazodone last year and I found several website with lots of people complaining about how terrible Pliva trazodone is and it wasn't working for them when they couldn't get Apotex. Mylan got a lot complaints also......I've used Mylan for other meds and I can't say I'm too impressed with them either...

Did you get the Apotex from Medco? Or another local pharmacy? I have a feeling all the Walgreens and CVS's around my area will only have Pliva. I have no idea what Walmart might carry. I dislike using my mail order pharmacy for this exact reason, I never have any idea what generic they are going to send.

It really stinks that patients have to play amateur detectives to find out if they got stuck with a lemon of a generic!

Yep, I get the Apotex brand from Medco. You might check with your prescriber to see if s/he will prescribe a specific generic since the Pliva isn't working. Sometimes the pharmacy can special order the specific generic, even if they usually carry a different one. You might also try the local hospital pharmacy. They might get a different brand than the chain pharmacies.

I'm certainly getting pretty annoyed with having to do the amateur detective with generics. I'm hearing that some of the generic Valtrex is not doing its job, either.

 

[*GG*]

Interesting. Trazadone quit working for me a couple of years ago, and I found a new drug to help me sleep!

GG

 

[SOC]

A couple of days on the APOTEX trazodone and feeling better already. It's probably the effect of having better sleep for a couple of nights, although I suspect there are other problems with the PLIVA that will diminish over the next few days/weeks.

I think one of my more difficult problems with ME/CFS is that I've gotten so used to my body being screwed up that I kinda go with the flow and don't "complain" about some new symptom -- just another day of ME/CFS messing with me, ho hum. Unfortunately, that means I don't pay enough attention to changes that might mean something.

 

[TheMoonIsBlue]

There should really be a way to make it known to manufacturers that they are producing an inferior medication. With any medication. It's not fair to patients when certain generics act so totally different than most of the others. Patients are left wondering what the heck is happening and the "all generics are the same" bit is simply not true any more than the "generics are as effective as brand name medications" bit. SOME generics are. Not all.

 

[SOC]

There should really be a way to make it known to manufacturers that they are producing an inferior medication. With any medication. It's not fair to patients when certain generics act so totally different than most of the others. Patients are left wondering what the heck is happening and the "all generics are the same" bit is simply not true any more than the "generics are as effective as brand name medications" bit. SOME generics are. Not all.

Agreed. I'm going to do the best I can and report my "adverse reaction" to every doctor is see.

 

[lowell Norby]

Ive Been trying to get Apotex Trazodone also Pliva Is Very Bad, hardly can Function.I live In MN. Can anyone tell me where I can get It,Can Not get the pharmcys around here to order It..Realy Need Your HELP!!!. Thank YOU.

 

[lowell Norby]

Well this Is My secound Try ,,Looking For APOTEX TRAZADONE,, Beenn Taking PLiva For almost 3 yrs now ,And Im about to kill myself ,I know Its Available and can be shipped to the U.S. But cant get a Drug Store To order It ...Live In Minnesota can anyone tell me a pharmcy where I can get It,City and state Phone Number Please Thank You

 

[JT1024]

I just got up to look at my bottle of Trazadone and found out mine is from Apotex.

My prescription was filled at a Walmart pharmacy.

I suspect there must be a Walmart with a pharmacy somewhere near you lowell!

 

[barbc56]

Agreed. I'm going to do the best I can and report my "adverse reaction" to every doctor is see.

Your doctor can also contact the CDC, I think patients also can but not sure about that. My doctor did that with a medication that lowered my sodium and ended up in the hospital. It turned out a lot of people had the same reaction and that is now printed on the flyer that comes with the prescription

Good luck to all.

Barb C.:>)

 

[lowell Norby]

Thanks JT 1024 that Is fantastic news ,I asked them last year .but was told they did not have It,But It only come available Sept 2011 Becuse are F.D.A. said that the Apotex plants didnt meet certain Critera they had them ban Importing Meds..While Europe Australia and New Zealand.Kept getting Meds from them all along !! This went on for Two years ..Now Apotex Is suing For Millions..Becuse the U.S violated the Federal Trade Agreement.They also gave Israel where that damm Pliva comes from Special Privalages!! This Is all The US Fault ,By the way this whole story Is on the Internet..Jt1024 what state and City Has This Wallmart ..Just In case the one In Willmar Mn. Does not carry It.. I want It as Soon as possible ,Also some Pharmacists No mater what Will not Order It !! Also can you give me an Idea what Its costing you dosent realy Matter,I have Fibro And C.F.S. And that Med Should straiten My life out Considerably.Thank You So Much!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JT1024]

I was given a prescription for 50 mg but I can only take 1/8 to 1/4 tablet. I live in Massachusetts so that is where I filled my prescription (at a Walmart pharmacy). Given that I cannot take much, I have never refilled the original prescription.

After reading this thread, I did a little research and found there were shortages and some problem with the FDA where Apotex seemed to not be able to import in the US. Not sure why. I've had too much on my plate to be able to investigate fully. Things seem to be ok now. It seems there are several suppliers of generic trazadone... not all have been highly regarded. It seems many have reported problems when the manufacturer has been changed and IMHO, that is not surprising.

I also saw a post by someone (not on this forum) that stated the quality of generics is not what we would expect. The variance of active ingredients can vary up to %20. I'm not sure if that is true but that is what someone else posted in response to patients having adverse effects to generic meds from different vendors.

I have Fibro as well as ME/CFS. I have found trazadone is extremely beneficial for sustaining sleep but not for sleep initiatition.

Good luck! ~ JT