Rhodes Vs Mylan Buprenorphine

I was just switched from the Mylan brand of Buprenorphine to the Rhodes brand. I haven’t taken any of the Rhodes brand yet. I have taken Mylan bupe for several years and totally love it. The only other bupe I have tried is the hi-tech and it made me extremely depressed and I couldn’t function at all, just felt so much anxiety and wanted to crawl in a hole! Who here has taken Rhodes and/or Mylan?? Any experience, please share! I have a couple days left of my Mylan and then I’m on to try the Rhodes. (This is only happening because Mylan brand got thrown on long term backorder and Mylan says they still have no update on when it will be back)

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Hello MommaMurph,

Sorry to hear that the backlog of your Mylan brand is causing you so much trouble. I'm sorry to have to tell you this but nobody will be able to accurately tell you how you will react to the Rhodes brand since every person is going to react differently. What I can do for you some information that may help you make a better judgement for yourself on whether or not you want to try the new brand.

Most people believe that one drug is more potent or better than another but this simply isn't true, in fact the FDA requires by law that every generic must be able to prove that they are able to consistently manufacture the drug so that they are within a very tiny window of difference when comparing how much of the active ingredient gets into your bloodstream.

With this in mind, the factors that do determine how the drug affects you comes down the inactive ingredients, the ingredients that are unrelated to the intentional use of the drug. I will list below the three brands of buprenorphine that you have mentioned so that you can compare their inactive ingredients. I will make all the ingredients that do no match the Mylan brand bold so that it is easier for you to see the differences. All information has been sourced from the National Institute of Health and is based on 2mg dosages.

Mylan

- Anhydrous Citric Acid
- Anhydrous Lactose
- Silicon Dioxide
- Starch, Corn
- Crospovidone, Unspecified
- Lactose Monohydrate
- Magnesium Stearate
- Mannitol
- Microcrystalline Cellulose
- Sodium Citrate, Unspecified Form

Rhodes

- Lactose Monohydrate
- Povidone K30
- Anhydrous Citric Acid
- Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate
- Starch, Corn
- Mannitol
- Crospovidone, Unspecified
- Magnesium Stearate

Hi-Tech

- Starch, Corn
- Sodium Stearyl Fumarate
- Lactose Monohydrate
- Mannitol
- Anhydrous Citric Acid
- Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate
- Povidone K30

As you can see from above the brands only share a few of the same types of inactive ingredients. Something worth mentioning is that Rhodes and Hi-Tech both have Trisodium citrate Dihydrate and Providone K30 while the Mylan brand does not. Considering the fact that there are only 3 differences between the Hi-Tech brand and the Mylan brand and 2 of them are shared with the Rhodes brand it is likely that you are going to have a more similar reaction to the Hi-Tech than the Mylan brand.

Of course I am simply providing you with information and it is completely possible that you will react well to this new brand, only you and your primary care doctor would be able to make the decision to try the new brand.

Best of luck and I hope this information helps.

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Re: Kevin (# 1)

You were right. I tried the Rhodes and became extremely lethargic and depressed. What would your advice be on me trying the Roxane/Westward brand? I asked my pharmacist to order it for me and it should be in today but I am scared. I have three kids, a full time job, and full time college starting next month. I'm considering moving to another medication all together. I'm totally thrown for a loop with all of this and I know there are many more out there going through the same issue with the back order. What are your thoughts?

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Re: Christina (# 2)

Sorry you are going through this, I went through a tough time with my medication last month so I can totally relate! I know different brands can effect people differently but I will say I switched to the Roxanne brand last week and I finally feel like myself again. I was on hi tech for a couple years and suddenly they started giving me horrible anxiety and wearing off an hour after taking it, it interfered with my life significantly! When I switched I only needed half the dose with Roxanne and it lasts all day. The first day or two I felt A little fuzzy but I think It was just my body getting used to it. I hope It will be a good experience for you too and you can get back to feeling normal!

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Re: Addie (# 3)

Thank you Addie! I feel very optimistic after reading this. I'll be trying them this afternoon so I'm praying as hard as I can. Thanks for the feedback!

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Re: Addie (# 3)

Just an update here. I took the Roxane/Westard today and I feel great so far. I am totally relieved. Thank both of you for the support!

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Re: MommaMurph (# 5)

That’s awesome! So glad it’s working for you. I was so relieved when I started too, it’s scary when you have all these responsibilities and you suddenly stop feeling like yourself! I hope It continues to work great for you!

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Re: MommaMurph (# 5)

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I'm glad to hear that the medication is working out so far, very lucky considering the differences in the medication. Feel free to come back and update us in a few weeks and let us know long term how it's working out. Always good to have that sort of feedback to reference when helping others.

Have a wonderful day!

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Re: Addie (# 3)

Check out Rhodes vs 54 411 which is westward now himka pharma. Rhodes is by far double efficiency than mylan and westward / Roxanne / now himka. Rhodes is the best and I've tried all 8 ones made. Check out the posts mentioned above and follow the money. Rhodes is made by purdue, a quality company, and mylan just sucks at everything they make. They are the cheapest at wholesale price. Stay away from actavis, teva, and mylan. Rhodes is double the potency of the Roxanne, now himka. Rhodes is the best out of all 8.

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Re: MommaMurph (# 5)

just some feedback it was Roxanne owned then westward owned now himka owned. I have tried all 7 generics and brand name. I agree inactive ingredients can play a major role in how the medicene works. but I must say this is the first I have heard anyone not like the Rhodes made by Purdue pharma. I personally have some 54 411s and some Rhodes and the 54 411s definitely are two times less effective for me. the Rhodes made by Purdue is by far best generic even comparable to brand. check out my thread for some more lost more feedback. it is Rhodes vs 54 411 thread. glad to hear what u have is working I can't imagine himka being better than Purdue by any means. keep us updated and check out my feed love to hear your thoughts there. Rhodes / Purdue for me over any brand including the 54 411. maybe when Roxanne owned them and they were shinny and clear pressed but westward and himka have ruined that. look at the picture of the pool from 2014 and compare it to a 54 411 now. they have lost their grit and shine and are chalky and to me cheap. the pharmacy orders in the cheapest generic to save money. "follow the money" . Rhodes imo is best by far

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Re: Addie (# 3)

sorry guys Roxanne no longer makes bup it's formulation has been given to westward now himka. old og Roxanne where the best yes but if you are getting westward or himka not so good. I wish Roxanne stayed around they made quality everything.

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Re: Christina (# 2)

Rhodes is made by Purdue which is much better than westward, now himka owned 54 411. Roxanne sold their formulas and they are not doing a good job at keeping Roxanne's quality. Sadly no more Roxanne, but yes we still have the 54 411s, himka-owned. I don't get it, Rhodes are at least 2x more efficient than the new himkas.

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Re: Goozer (# 8)

I think everyone just reacts to ingredients differently. For me the 54 411 (whoever makes them now) was so strong I almost fainted the first couple days and had to go down to half the dose I was on before. Once I adjusted my dose they work well for me now and I only need to take it once a day. Of course I was on Hi-Tech/Akorrn before that and everyone says those are weak so maybe that’s why. I really liked the hi-tech for a long time but the last couple fills I got they started putting me in withdrawal and making me dizzy so I had to switch. I’ve never tried any of the other brands besides those two. I hate that these manufacturers are always changing meds and selling to other companies, etc.

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Re: Goozer (# 9)

Mylan has been incredible for me. It's what I had been on for years until the backorder that hit my city just this month. I went to the Rhodes brand and it totally agitated my anxiety and I could not function at work or with my kids. Then I got moved to the Roxane/Westward/Hikma which is labeled as "Westward" on the bottle, and those have been the absolute closest to Mylan that I have tried. I have tried Hi-Tech, Rhodes, Mylan, Westward/Hikma. Mylan is by far what works best for me but the Westward brand is a close second. I'm just excited to have found a brand that works so well for me. After going through the Hi-Tech nightmare and then then Rhodes nightmare, I was getting discouraged and concerned that I would not be able to go on with my life until the Mylan brand came back. LOW AND BEHOLD! Roxane/Westward/Hikma (whatever you want to call it) has been my saving grace. Totally love it but do notice that I have to take one extra pill a day than what I was having to take with the Mylan, but that's no big deal because I always have alot of extras at the end of the month.

The only thing now is that I have a solid months worth of Rhodes and I have to flush it. Makes me feel bad because I tried to give it back to the pharmacist so they could give it to someone who was on the medication that couldn't afford it... but to no avail. Regardless, super happy that I found the Westward, totally saved my butt!

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Hi everyone I had my mom n pop pharmacy order the new Rhodes brand 8mg. I just picked up my 2nd order. I'm truly amazed with this new buprenorphine. They are so smooth and I noticed they don't have that after metal taste in my mouth. We finally have a new generic compared to the original brand name subutex like I experience back in 2007. It took many phone calls and not much leg work. I just stopped inside my little pharmacy and gave them the info on them..the pharmacy actually called me to thank me about the info .humm I can't believe the pharmacy didn't even know they existed. Now I usually stick with hikma 54 411s but Rhodes are the brand for me..if you go to Google BTODREMS will bring you the information on buprenorphine. Most of them say they have 8.64 mg bup equalvent to 8mg. Now I never tried Mylan but it has 8.624mg equivalent to 8mgs bup. Only two of the generics have 8mg..period. its strange 12 years on bup I never bumped into Mylan brand..so if you're looking for the best buprenorphine check out Rhodes

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Well that's very strange to me. I've noticed in other blogs ppl having trouble getting Mylan brand. I just called them in july and they told us YES its available. You just need to get your pharmacy to order it. The lady took my address and 4 days later came the huge phamplet she said she was sending me. Now in my 12 years of buprenorphine treatment this Mylan generic I have never bumped my in my area. I usually get hikma. Now this is my 2nd month of using Rhodes and they have just fantastic so shiny and made very well. Leaves no after taste like the others kinda like a metal leftover taste. I also go to Google BTODREMS and noticed Mylan supposedly has the most bup. 8.624 equivalent to 8mgs. All the others except 2 has 8.64 mg equivalent to 8mgs bup..so I truly believe some are stronger than others. But Rhodes are definitely #1, no other bup except hikma has ever come so close to the original brand subutex back in 2002 when they first came out good luck. In sure you are going to love Rhodes. But why don't you just call the Mylan company and ask why if they said they are available now how come you can't get them. They told us they are definitely available. I called trying to help out a friend that just about con only uses Mylan.

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I really enjoy the Rhodes generic and also have the Roxanne westward himka 54 411's and they are actually 2x weaker for me than the Rhodes and that's just for me. I am curious however to how the teva brand generics are. I have never thought mylan to be a good quality company but some people enjoy them. For me they never work really. That's just for me, but any feedback on the tevas if anyone has it would be great. They are the b 799 white ovals and look closest to brand name subutex than any other of the seven generics. Hope to get some feedback on teva. Thanks.

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Re: Charlene (# 15)

I have called Milan every week for the last two months an the 2mg bupe is on long term backorder. I now take the Westward brand, which I totally love but am hoping Mylan bupe comes back over the next couple months.

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Re: MommaMurph (# 17)

Seriously, I never heard someone say that. Just because hikma 54 411s are so much better. Well I guess I looked at another thread, one girl stated she could only take Mylan because of her asthma. Mylan has less buprenorphine in it than the others... she was looking for Mylan too. Like I said I called them to see what's going on for her..after speaking to the lady she kept saying oh dear we have it and readily available. You have to just push the pharmacy to order it. 4 days later the huge pamphlet came just like she said it would..what I noticed through my long history of using bup..most pharmacies have been very nice over the phone. I maybe got a way of asking appropriately. Then I just drive to a little mop n pop small pharmacy who needs more business. I asked them about it and if they say they cannot get it I show them the 10 or 13 number for the drug and push them, say I just called. The lady told me pharmacists just have a way of pushing you around but you should be able to fine one that can order it. Sonya I'm confused as to why she would spend a good 20 minutes with me over the phone and then send me a pamphlet so I could bring it to the pharmacies to help order...now I have never tried this brand Mylan before but aren't they the ones that all ppl complain about burning? They are supposed to be cheaply made with lower bup in them to..if I even see them I will let you know.

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Re: Goozer (# 16)

You can say that again..Mylan is one that never ever crossed my path of bup treatment 2007.but I know enough they are definitely way weaker than all the rest.now teva bsck then they were very good and just about as good as the original subutex brand name . And I mean very good..I actually took them for a good couple of months without realizing it was a generic..the only thing at the time I just thought oh they are just putting them into a pharmacy container.. I never even noticed when I took them because they were the same shape and color of white so I have to probably say teva must have been better than Rhodes. But the Rhodes dont leave the metal taste in my mouth at all . Plus I like to look at them every time of dosing because the are the best made and looking generic we have now. . Not to mention the moth taste but I forget sometimes I took one. ..I take 4 daily so sometimes I do nbn 2 back to back first thing in the am and take the others whenever. Way back in the day. My imprint paperwork said take all at one in am..do two at a time back to back. Or put all m.n 4 in at one time. So that's how I did it for ever. Idk if you watch utube the suboxdoc. He also has a good variety of blogs. I've learned so much from him. He is a psych dr..who acctuly had an addiction problem. Its very international read how his addiction came about and how he lost his career. Then decided to go into psychology. I've wrote him a few times and has always gotten back with men. Sometimes it's nice to talk to someone who walked in our shoes

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Re: Christina (# 13)

Hi I know everyone is different about the generics of bup..just I have never bumped into anyone that said they liked Mylan over hikma or Rhodes in my whole treatment of buprenorphine since 2007.. the Mylan I've been told are one of the cheapest made..not to mention it has way lower amounts of buprenorphine in them. But it's cool you like them and that's what counts. Good luck with your hunt for them.

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Re: goozer (# 38)

I’ve tried them all and Rhodes is like buying Jolly Green Giant peas over cheap generic vegetables. Only on 2mg twice a day for over 15 years & still going strong for a 72 year old.

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Re: Ted B (# 55)

That should have said "AB" rated. All generics are AB rated because there are NONE that can be rated AA. That would mean they are 100% as effective as brand name. There isn't a single Buprenorphine generic that has the AA rating.

The Orange Book specifically states that an AB rated generic can be within 83% of the efficacy of brand name. All Generics are in fact NOT the same. They have to reinvent the formulation every time they get a patent.

A company has to buy the rights to the original formula to use the brand name.

The other ingredients in the pills, and the slight differences, are miniscule when compared to the entirely different formulations that you CAN'T see in those ingredients lists.

All the Generic Buprenorphines are rated AB and they don't show you the actual efficacy of each. Sadly.

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Re: Kevin (# 1)

The Orange Book specifically states that an AA rated generic can be within 83% of the efficacy of brand name. All Generics are in fact NOT the same. They have to reinvent the formulation every time they get a patent!

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Omg I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only person who has had same exact experience with the Hi tech brand of Bup. I’ve literally had to ask my Doc to write on my scripts No substitutes ??????? for the brand that I prefer which is the Hikma brand. I’ve been on this medication for son long and I’ve tried many different brands. Please lmk how those Rhodes went, Safeway Carries that brand and I’m curious.

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Re: Goozer (# 8)

I have been on Rhodes a while. Tiny hard little pill. I dropped to 2mg in 2019 from 10 years at 8. I planned on jumping. But it's noticed at this point. Anxiety. I was recently given Actavis. Hated it at first. Couldn't feel. But in two days I adjusted well and actually felt cleaner. Now just filled the next 30 back to Rhodes. Surely has a dirtier feel to them if that makes sense?

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Re: Goozer (# 8)

Does this still hold true to best generic? I tried the ones from Hikma 54/411 last month. I’m trying the Rhodes this month. Trying to find my preferred generic.

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Re: Kevin (# 1)

This reply changed my life!! SOO many pharmacists told me "all brands are identical." This is PROOF that ingredients DO vary and make a huge impact in the lives of people!

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Re: Christina (# 2)

Roxanne brand is the best

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Re: Goozer (# 8)

I was hoping to hear this. Saw Subutex name brand was discontinued, was given x60 Rhodes this time vs x45 Hikma. I had a feeling these were more effective/clean/efficient and boy are they fresh!

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Re: Goozer (# 8)

I’ve been on hikma for a while and recently feels like they ain’t doing nothing. Wondering to try Rhodes. Do you still feel the same about them?

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