Lexapro Brand Versus Generic Escitalopram
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I have taken 30mg of Lexapro for past 4 years. After the deaths of my son and his wife in a plane crash the depression and anxiety were more than I could bear. This past May I was changed to the generic escitalopram. God Forbid!!!! What a nightmare. Within three weeks I was suicidal, I was going through SSRI withdrawals which are vicious. I am now paying over $225.00 per month for Brand Lexapro as my insurance will NOT cover it even with prior auth or any other reason. My Medicare Advantage plan leaves a lot to be desired even though I pay a $152.00 per month premium. Has anyone else had problems with the generic Lexapro? My pharmacist said I am not the first.

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Re: lela (# 147)

Lela, what generic brand are you referring to? I have had NO issues with my generic lexapro, but today was given a new generic - Accord Healthcare- and I am concerned about chamges

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I had been Lexapro (10mg) for many years. Last summer, I was informed by Medicare & supplemental insurance that they would no longer cover it. I elected to try the generic. Big mistake! I feel it has caused a lot of physical issues for me. (Chills, constipation, pelvic pain, stomach & intestinal gas, gastritis, GERD, etc.) Even though, I switched back to brand name a couple of weeks ago (Doctor intervened, & helped me get it covered at a lower price.), I still feel terrible. I have had a lot of medical tests done, but everything has come back normal. Plus, anxiety is very high from feeling so badly. Trying to wean myself off of it altogether. Doing it very very slowly.

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I did exactly. O one believed me. It was as if I was cold turkey. I talked with my husband who is a pharmacist who changed to generic when I did. No articles stated such results. One morning we got two clear glasses, put lexapro in one and generic in the other. Results were startling. Lexapro dissolves immediately and escalipram took 30 minutes to dissolve. Anybody who has absorption in the gut will not benefit from generic.

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Yes. I am having a terrible reaction to the generic Lexapro. Would rather deal with symptoms for which I am taking this drug. Previous generic didnt cause the side effect. Different manufacturer.

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Re: mamatam (# 173)

Had the same reaction with palpitations and anxiety to my generic Lexapro made by Aurobindo Pharma (see posts from 7/4/17, 7/20/17, 8/25/17 below). Which pharma company made your generic? Had to pay up and switch to brand name $$$. I know it turns your life upside down. Try Mylan as someone in these posts had suggested or if you can afford it get the brand name. Hang in there, you will figure it out...

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My doctor started me on 10mg of Lexapro now 4 days ago. Right after taking the first one in the morning I had some very uncomfortable feeling in my chest, best I can describe it is like having a hot flash inside?? Of course then that makes me even more anxious!!! I called the office and they said I need to just stay on it. Has anyone else experienced this?

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Re: Lindy (# 171)

That is so great that you were able to get them to finally back down. I put in a very good fight as well but unfortunately, my husband's union who carries our insurance negotiated away our rights to brand medications if there is a generic. There are people who need brand cancer meds who can not get them. It's infuriating. :(

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YES..Absolutely ! I serveved 5 1/2 yrs. in the military. Upon return to the states in 1981 I was diagnosed by the VA with severe PTSD. A few years after was a literal nightmare for me. I tried several depression/ anxiety medications feeling worse than than before starting them. After appro: 6 months of this and that I took on Brand Lexapro 10mg. 1 tab daily. I found it very mellow , no side effects etc. At the time there was no True generic available . My wife was a pharmacist and dug deep to confirm this as fact ! Escitralapm Is Not the same compound formula ! And even today the INS. Companies..D.E.A. want you and will fight that there is no difference ! I am here to tell you after approx: 2 to 2 1/2 yrs. My insurance demanded I take the Escitralapm or pay and extreme Co-pay for brand Lexapro. I fought tooth and nail as my INS. stated brand will be given should there be no generic available. With the help of a few including my Dr. I have been taking brand Lexapro for over 10 yrs. ! Fight Them and Dont give in ! Lexapro is the Only ! Have to fight every year but I refuse to give in to and INS. Company who knows damn well I am right ! Go for it...Escitralapm made me a psychotic nervous out of the body monster ! Hope it works for you..It does for me..

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Re: Kitty (# 169)

I'm not sure where you live but my out-of-pocket expenses, with a discount card, are now up to $479/month. It is unsustainable. I am going to have to try and switch. Have decided to try Zoloft again since I was on it years ago and did okay. It is so unfair. Unless you've been in this situation, you just can't understand. These meds, for me, make the difference between wanting live or not.

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Re: ultraman (# 162)

I had to switch to generic Lexapro 3 years ago because my insurance didn't cover it. I struggled for 2 years, thinking I was just going crazy. I was exhausted, sad, and trying anything to cope with the depression. Then I realized all this started when I switched to the generic drug. I switched back to the name brand, but the 320.00 a month is a strain on the budget. It's worth it, though. I'm happy, interested in life again and a lot more active.

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Re: Laura (# 167)

I have definitely had the bad dreams with other medications but never with Lexapro. Everyone's chemistry is different though. I hope it works out. My advice is go slow with any changes and keep notes so you can give your doc the best info. Good luck! Keep us posted :).

Susan

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Re: Susan (# 166)

Good idea. Thanks, I used to a few years ago. But when I faced something difficult I had panic attacks in the early part of the day and the Dr switched it to morning. I also was having terrible dreams which have stopped since taking it in the morning.
Perhaps I should try again. The Dr. is talking about switching the medication. I have never done that before so hope it is not problematic.

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Re: Laura (# 165)

Have you tried taking it at night? It can make you tired but taking it at night will hopefully alleviate the problem.

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Re: Nanabee47 (# 164)

Can anyone tell me if the generic or brand Lexapro is making them extremely tired?
My dosage was raised about 6 months ago and I thought I would get used to it.
I can't seem to keep my head up at work! I could nap all day.
The Dr is now talking about switching meds. Has anyone had to do this? If so, what did you switch to. Is it difficult to switch brands with side effects?

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I changed to generic 5 years ago. I could not take it. My husband is a pharmacist I got extremely depressed on generic. We put them in water and the problem is that the generic does not dissolve and was passing through my system without breaking down. After talking w insurance they now approve my trade name drug. I have been taking lexapro 10 years. It saved my life

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That is exactly how I began to feel after starting on the Aurobindo manufactured generic of Lexapro. A general feeling of malaise and why-the-hell-bother. But when I requested that my Rx be filled by a generic made by Mylan or Teva, I started to feel better. Please try a different manufacturer, if generic is all you can afford. What do you have to lose? It may be a chance to feel better, and that is worth a try.

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Hi Lin,
Yes, I am having EXACTLY the same reactions and issues. The generic Lexapro does nothing for me (too much variation in the manufacturers' processes and varying amounts of active ingredient I think). The name brand works great, but it's $290 for 30 pills!!! Outrageous! My insurance only covers the worthless generic.
I'm certainly not suicidal, but I made the mistake of not refilling my prescription when the generic ran out several weeks ago, and I've crashed cold-turkey. It's like a gray pall settles over me and I just cannot muster the energy do anything but the bare minimum. I can go to work, I can do my job (barely), but there is no passion and no vigor. It's a feeling of increasing dispair and hopelessness, that nothing really matters. Life becomes joyless and you begin to question what the point is to doing anything.
This is completely 180 degrees from how I feel when I'm on the brand name Lexapro. I joke that it's my "happy pill", but really it just allows me to function normally. When I'm on it, problems are just decisions to be made, life regains purpose, and I can laugh again. The gray fog lifts, and I get back to kicking ass and taking names.

Does anyone else experience this???

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Thanks so much for doing that. Maybe someday they will listen to us :(

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I reported my generic lLxapro experience from Aurobindo with the FDA. Here's the link if anyone wants to inform them as well with an issue... https:/­/­www.fda.gov/­Safety/­MedWatch/­

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If I ever go back to generic Lexapro maybe I will give Mylan a shot...saw my neuro and he mentioned the sister drug to Lexapro (escitalopram) is Celexa (citalopram) just in case we had to try something else...thought this might be useful info for someone that can't afford brand Lexapro and suffering with generic Lexapro...hope it helps......

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