Is This A Fluoxetine Pill? (Page 2) (Top voted first)

A109 20 mg dark blue oval capsule

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I got a new prescription from walmart of fluoxetine.40 mg. Blue capsules with a manufacturer name of NOR..? I was taking 40mg of a teva manuf. Broke out in what looked like sunburn.

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Is everyone sending info to the FDA? I put the link in below.

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I was switched to northstar by walmart in June and I feel horrible. After reading these posts I called Walmart and they are going to order my old version. They had no explanation as to why they switched, other than their warehouse didn't ship the old brand. Another way for Walmart to save money? Now I have to wait for the shipment. If you get blue pills instead of your original - don't waste your time taking them. Insist on the old version. I wished I would have.

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I've never tried the Northstar Fluoxentine 40mg so I really don't know how it compares. Just keep on taking whatever is working for you. And yes, you're correct that the active ingredients of each generic manufacturer must be identical to the brand name equivalent. However, the scary bit is that the dosing doesn't have to be exactly the same in order to be approved by the FDA. I work in healthcare/pharmaceuticals (I was a pharmacy tech for a couple years), and in order for a generic manufacturer to be able to go on the market, it has to be somewhere in the range of 80 to 120% of the strength of the brand-name product. So for a '40mg' capsule, it could really be anywhere from 32 to 48mgs. And there's no list anywhere that tells you how many mgs are actually in each manufacturer. My psychiatrist doesn't even have access to that information which I think is ridiculous. That's why I was asking people if they knew how the Sandoz mfg compared to others, from their experiences. I ended up going with Teva from what I had read and so far, so good. I hope everything works out for you once you switch back.

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Celeste- the FDA does know about this- they're the ones who allow these manufacturers to produce and sell their generic versions that aren't equivalent to the brand-name dosage. It's true for all generic medications, regardless of what they're for. I wish they'd realize how much this can affect a person's treatment and do something about it. Let me know if you need any help in finding a particular manufacturer. I work for a health insurance company so I know what all of the major chains currently have in stock. I hope you have a smooth transition back to your original mfg

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Both my doctor and pharmacist are taking this seriously and have confirmed that it can be the INactive ingredients that are different and can cause problems. I know from now on my doc will write "do not fill with Northstar" on the script.

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I have been taking fluoxetine for MANY years and my Walmart pharmacy recently switched to Northstar. I noticed a difference after a couple of weeks with my depression symptoms returning. Walmart said they can't get Teva anymore but Rite Aid apparently can so I am switching to them.

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I called the WalMart later that day after I posted on here - they had gotten the TEVA in and filled the script with them within an hour for me. I am in Maryland; hope my Walmart can continue to get this brand because I really like the people at that pharmacy!

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I hope you can get the TEVA. It is unbelievable to me that the FDA is apparently aware of this but has done nothing about it. I do not have evidence, but it has been mentioned in this thread that they are aware. I turned into a "basket case" when I had to take the Northstar brand, and I had to pay for it, since it was not covered by my medical assistance program. No wonder it wasn't covered! How this can be allowed to continue I have no idea...if I had been working, I surely would have lost my job due to my emotional instability or need to take too much leave.

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Also, tell your doctor and ask him/her to write "do not fill with Northstar" on the script. Then your pharmacy will let you know if they can or not and you can try to find it elsewhere just by calling around...or your insurance company may be able to locate it for you...they won't want to pay for something that is not working.

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Celeste, I don't have insurance so I'm out of pocket for generics - hence why I don't get brand name!

I have a great pharmacist though who has recorded on my file along with my medication allergies that I should never be given the Northstar. I always check when I pick up too to make sure it's not those evil dark blue capsules!

If anyone knows of a chain pharmacy that still has Sandoz I'd love to know.

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Apparently I'm not done lol.

If you do not have insurance, check with your local Walgreens to see if they can special order the Sandoz manufacturer for you. The reason I'm suggesting Walgreens is because they have a Prescription Savings Club which cost $20 for an individual per year and then you can pay $10 per month for your fluoxetine RX or $20 for a 3-month supply (or that was the pricing as of when I last checked, probably four months ago). Something to consider...

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Jane, you are AMAZING. I thought I had called every pharmacy in town and apparently neglected Riteaid. I just called and they special ordered it for me and it will be in tomorrow! You may very well have just saved my life. I owe you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I just have to call in tomorrow to make sure it came in.

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My Walgreens said they could not special order it for me for whatever reason, but Rite Aid said they would and it would be $10 a month max because I take twice daily.

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I get mine at Rite-Aid. I had to ask for it and they had to get it - but they did.
Pliva bought Teva. I haven't noticed a change at all. But I have been weaning off this stuff since this all happened. Might take me another year to get off the last 5 mg /day but I'm not going to be left open to this nightmare ever again.

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I switched form a 20 mg fluoxetine to 40 mg, which I began taking on 7-27-2013. I noticed a little morning indigestion; however, didn't think much about it... until yesterday (7-31-2013) when I had a severe bout of heartburn. I tried to think what might be causing the indigestion... took antacids and after several hours the pain was gone. THis morning 8-1-2013 I took another Northstar Rx 40 mg fluoxetine and after about 30 minutes the pain was horrible and I began to vomit. THis pill is blue and marked 40A/107. I called Northstar to report this reaction at 1-800-206-7821. I have NEVER had this type of experience with any medication, generic or brand name, ever!

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Just to give everyone an update and perhaps some insight and hope! Since my initial post I have gotten veeerrry sloooowly down to .25 mg 2x/day.
HOW? I started cutting off 1/4 of a tablet/pill and did that for 1X/day and take a full pill for the other dose, for about 6 weeks. Then both doses got the 1/4 cut off. I did that for about 6 weeks and then cut another 1/4 off one dose and the other dose was the "full 3/4" for another . . . and I kept going.
I been on this crap for over 20 years and the only thing it has done for me is make me take more because I went crazy without it. It hasn't solved an brain-chemistry issues it hasn't cured me of anything. The depression and other feelings came back a little bit with each step but I lived through it and it was not cumulative. I got "normal" feeling OK at each dose before I went down further- I did it slowly and I cleaned up my diet - that helped a HUGE amount.
I am now down to spitting 10mg pills so that I take 1/4 of a pill 2X/day. .25 mg vs 40 or more that I took in the past.
All the doctors I went to to help me get off the stuff told me to do it much much faster than what I did and that's what they are taught by the manufacturers. It does not work that way. If you go off it that fast there is a high possibility that you will go through withdrawal and get back on the meds.
Pharmaceutical companies do not have cures. They have CUSTOMERS.
I'm getting off the Klonopin too.

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I am glad to know that I am not the only one who has had a similar experience with Walgreens switching from Aurobindo to Sandoz. We upped my prescription from 40 to 60 mg to manage additional anxiety I was starting to feel and things went in the opposite direction, with the depression returning on top of the anxiety. I'm thinking now the entire problem all along was the switch in makers of fluoxetine. I have been reading a number of negative comments about the Aurobindo label and positive ones with Sandoz, but hearing your experience has encouraged me to go back to Aurobindo. Fortunately, my prescription benefit is managed by Optim Rx and I can have my prescriptions filled by mail with Aurobindo. I'm also going to make it a point to let Walgreens know they will be losing my business on account of this switch!

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If you're in the Midwest region, Meijer just started filling w/ TEVA. Good health to you!!

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I have taken both Northstar Fluoxetine and their generic Zoloft. They are both awful! I have also tried Aurobindo which is equally ineffective and problematic, or it simply doesn't work. I have taken other indian generics, including generic Effexor xr, Celexa, and Lexapro, and found them to be pure garbage. Who knows what they put in the capsules over in India.

I will NEVER take these two generics again, along with most other indian generics for that matter. Although I have had problems with Teva generics in the past, I suppose I would prefer Teva any other Indian generic. Since their generic Wellbutrin was taken off the market a few years back, I think Teva has gotten better with their anti-depressants. Not the case with most Indian generics. I have nothing against Indian generic products in general, but it is no coincidence how thousands and thousands of patients have similar complaints about their products.

Like others have posted, I believe Sandoz is one of the best out there. I have also heard positive things about Mallincrodkt Fluoxetine, but have yet to try it. I do not know if they still manufacture Fluoxetine or not. I tried ordering Mylan but they currently are unavailable for Fluoxetine. I will ask my pharmacy to try and order Mallincrokdt next time around, but I am sticking with Sandoz for the time being. Do not allow the pharmacy to dictate what you take if it doesn't work or gives you bad side effects due to the product being an inferior indian or chinese generic!!

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White capsule with light green bands partially around both ends tiny print of ---- GG ---- . 575 ## its prozac dude ## T...

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I need to know what the pill Fluoxetine looks like 10 mg and 20 mg? Please send a picture. ## What does the pill fluoxet...

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What does that pill look like? Can you describe the capsule that's manufactured by Sandoz? ## Hello, Nancy! How are ...

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Hellow there I stated the green fluoxetine tablets in the past three weeks for anxiety but I feel like everything is wor...

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is prestiq a fluoxetine? ## Pristiq contains the active ingredient Desvenlafaxine, this is an SSNRI antidepressant, so n...

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Where can I find this generic fluoxetine? Where I live, every Pharmacy around has quit carrying this drug for depression...

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I have been on fluoxetine for eight months. I am on 40 mg/day. I've always been prone to sinus infections, but my si...

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I have taken Prozac generic fluoxetine for two years. I rec'd new prescription from Northside. Since I started takin...

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I just took six is that all right ## Hi Todd, The dosing information for Fluoxetine is as follows: Initial dose: 20 mg o...

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Can this medication cause severe heartburn. I've taken it for about a week, with no problems. And now i just took on...

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