Lexapro Brand Versus Generic Escitalopram (Page 9) (Top voted first)

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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Having similar reaction to generic Lexapro from Costco that was manufactured by Aurobindo Pharma...Curious as to the manufacturer of your supply....look on the bottle usually on bottom left, thanks....

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I'm the same way! The generic does not work!! On the generic and feeling very low! Name brand 100.00 a month..BS

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Hi, where are you living? I'm paying $450/month in the U.S. (NJ & GA).

Susan

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Please let us know how everything goes. We've all been there and can definitely empathize. Good luck!

Susan

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Sorry to hear it. I have been back on brand name Lexapro for almost 2 months now and back to feeling good again, but it is costing me much more....Too bad as the generic was fine for a number of years up until about 2 years ago when I had to switch generic brands for the first time...probably won't do it again after feeling so poorly with anxiety and heart palpitations...Hang in and make a change, it will get better....

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

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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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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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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: 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 (# 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: 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: 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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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: 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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Hi I am having the same experience. I switched to generic after 7 great years on lexapro. Things have hit bottom and I went back to lexapro brand 2 days ago. I'm just wondering how long it took to feel better after switching back and what was your reaction.

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Mark....please share with me the pharmacy where you fill your prescription. I am scared as hell in not getting a LEGIT prescription filled. My Vivelle-dot estrogen patch which I have been on 25 yrs will no longer be filled by Medicare. Of course they dont want to pay the $200 a month as many medical appeals my dr or I have made they are not human at Medicare. Without this rx my health will be severely jeopardized. Please help me. I have been so stressed fighting with the government who could care less what my doctor says. It took me 3 yrs to find this rx vs others that made me so ill I landed in ER. I wrote the President Obama..what was I thinking. This is why all US citizens should get their prescriptions filled in Canada. BUT WHO IS LEGIT? And why dont we have access to this info except by people who use them safely. Thank you

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It may be beneficial and not baneful to look upon the r_age'ncy of drawn drugs as being but a last resort, viz, perhaps a nice place to visit occa$ionally...but one doesn't necessarily therefore, per any ostensive necessity, want[read as: need] to live there!

Who really knows what things -- such as "filler$" -- are put in myriad drugs for a lucrative return? People in China were fortifying baby'$ formula with "el cheapo" melamine causing many fatalities/injuries. What price life?

If the reporting or non-reporting of adverse effects in patients is of any concern, as it should be, then check out exactly what transpired for 40 years with the U.S. Public Health Service's involvement in "The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment"[Macon County, Alabama], cited as "arguably the most infamous biomedical research study in U.S. history". Unsuspecting wives were infected with syphilis and their babies were born with congenital syphilis. It only stopped when it was reported to the press by whistleblower Peter Buxton. Those in charge of the experiment wanted it to continue until such time that all of the subjects had died and been autopsied. How very convenient for them!

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