Switching From Pristiq To Generic Desvenlafaxine (Page 3)

I was switched from Pristiq to generic Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) which if I understand right, is really Effexor. Is there a possibility this could be causing my severe fatigue? Has this happened to anyone else out there?

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I am supposed to start the generic version. Are you sure about this generic company?. If so I will ask the pharmacy to get that, if not I don't even think I am going to even start this antidepressant. Thanks for your help.

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I didn't realize CVS switched me to the generic until my moods have gotten so bad my marriage is now at stake. Last week I asked for the brand as the generic is NOT working. I didn't realize I would need to be cautious about watching out for suicidal thoughts (as I needed to the first month on Pristiq years ago) and had a horrible moment of darkness over the weekend. My husband thinks I have absolutely lost my mind. Thanks CVS. I am thinking about legal action. Anyone else?

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You were lucky. I requested that brand name and my insurance company only approved one particular generic. At least that is what CVS told me. I just wonder if they told me that because they did not have greenstone. I may check with my insurance company.

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I'm right there with you on all of those points. I was just denied my appeal to have what the insurance company calls a "penalty" for staying with the brand Pristiq. It is $750 a month. I would not be surprised if thousands of Pristiq users simultaneously lost it--in a wave that corresponds with the introduction of the generic and insurance companies suddenly switching all of us over without notice or options. I don't know if any legal rights as long as they make the generic available. I feel powerless to make the depression stop.

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No. There is now a real generic form of Pristiq. Not Effexor, but generic Pristiq.

This is great news for lots of people that could not afford Pristiq. The drug cost over $200 per month for some people.

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Just a heads up on the generic thing with Pristiq. Generic Pristiq is desvenlafaxine succinate, generic Khedezla is desvenlafaxine HCL. How Khedezla was able to get around the Pristiq patent and exist is an interesting story I am sure, but they have the same active ingredient but the 'salt" that they are attached to is different. From what I learned Khadezla just had to prove that their drug worked the same in terms of release and concentrations of desvenlafaxine in the blood as Pristiq to get approved. For those on the CVS/Caremart drug plan as I am, it is important that your pharmacist order desvenlafaxine succinate rather than the HCL form because the copay (with my plan) is 5 dollars for the succinate and 100 dollars for the HCL form. I know because I had a huge fight with my local CVS because they didnt know what was going on, they did not call caremart as I told them to, so I had to do so myself on my cell and have them talk to the pharmacist as the cvs folks were insisting the hcl form was generic pristiq. Got it straightened out only for them to try the same thing with the next refill but I reminded them of what happened last time and haven't had a problem since. As to how it works compared to pristiq I am not sure, I have had more palpitations (skipped beats, PVCs) of late but that might be to steadily lowering the clonazepam I am also on (in addition to 10 mg generic lexapro and 7.5 mg mirtazepene) and/or other stressors.

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Same here. I'm not as alive so to s peak as I was.

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Not Effexor at all. Pristiq, Generic or otherwise is Effexor and Pristiq Pristiq. Someone may have confused you, if not given you misinformation outright.

In a way Effexor, Cymbalta and Pristiq are sort of in the same family of antidepressants. Effexor came out first and was the first of new meds to help with multiple of the main neurotransmitters. It is a reuptake inhibitor for Serotonin (like the preceding SSRI Meds) and Dopamine and Norepinephrine.
Pristiq is an uptake inhibitor for Serotonin and Norepinephrene. By uptake inhibitor, it means that a medication allows the neurotransmitter to remain in the gap between one neuron and the one/ones that are there to recieve the message being, needing to pass on...to be transmitted. Neuro transmitters are basically an amino acids bound with a vitamin..maybe minerals are involved too. Without the medication the neurotrasmitters, which for some reason or another one is either not making enough of them or very often, in certain areas of ones brain, they may have decreased tissue perfusion of the nutrients, and neurotransmitters included for various reasons/causes. When a recieving neuron or perhaps the right term is axons, i will look this up...when one releases neurotransmitters into the gap between it and the recieving one(s) then any that have not connected to the receiving sites (each neurotransmitter has its own type of receptors special to it), are taken back up by the original neuron/axon. This is called re-uptake.

Im here today to find out if anyone who has been taking Pristiq without any noticeable side effects or minimal ones, has recently been put on the generic version. I want to know if anyone has gotten sick.

Im having profound nausea, with some vomiting, headache and terrible vertigo. Ive also had sudden low to very low blood pressure. I have an illness that can cause some variations of the above, but never to this degree and not all at once. It has been pretty unrelenting for 3 days and night time...oh and breaking out in sweat, It has lessened some but I am unable to tolerate being vertical or up on my feet normally.

This feels very different and doesnt match with normal patterns of occurance of similar symptoms from the disease that I have, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. This is markedly different from anything i have experienced before, so I must figure out what the cause is so that I can get better again. One of only a few xhanges in my meds and activities as been starting the GENERIC Pristiq about 13 days ago. All total, Ive been sick for 6 days now to a degree that I cant move about freely without increasing misery.

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I am having the same issue. Been on the generic the past month and a half. I am now having depression n thoughts of not being here. Is this happening to anyone else w/the generic? Are there any remedies other then having to take the name brand which is no longer affordable?

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You are the consumer & customer, if they won't order then you can easily find a pharmacy that will... CVS will wine & moan about it but Target CVS & Costco have no issues and are always supportive when they see it is actually brand name repacked as generic

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None of the generic Pristiq are bioequivalent and all cause the side effects you describe. Since it is still on patent any generic except the Authorizated (Green Stone) have been reverse engineered and do not contain the exact molecule of desvenlafaxine. Effexor produces multiple daughter drugs when metabolized and this generic pristiq feels like one of the others (not desmethylvenlafaxine). The simple answer to all this is just request and insist on the approved generic by greenstone Laboratories, it is the actual brand name repackaged as generic.

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I called my CVS pharmacy and had them order from Green Stone. Back to normal!!!! Thank you to the people who suggested it!!!

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Well I was at my doctor's today and have been feeling much more anxious and just not quite as good and it dawned on us it must be that the generic is just not working as well. I've been on 50 mg and she is doubling it. Anyone been on that high dose and if so what happened. Also she said I may be able to get coupons on line for the pristiq and go back on it as it is so expensive.

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did you have any trouble with the Breckenridge generic for Pristiq? I was sent it and just started and I am pretty nervous about it now.

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I found out you can get coupons on line for the brand name Pristiq. Go to www.pristiq.com what I could now not afford I pay $15.00 ! I also have insurance but without the coupon It would be $60.00 but with coupon $15.00.

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I have been on Pristiq for about 7 years for fibromyalgia. It gave me nightmares. I overcame the nightmares to just crazy dreams. It helped for my fibromyalgia pain greatly. Then in April I go in to pick up my prescription and am told it is over $300.00. I couldn't believe it. I paid it knowing I could not go off. I always had this ticking in my head, dizziness and nausea if I didn't take my dose. I was taking 100mg. I was not told there was a generic. When I went for my next refill I asked the pharmacist. They said there was a generic. I called my insurance and they said they would check into it. With the generic I gained 20 lbs in 2 months. I am easily depressed and it does nothing for the pain I have with fibromyalgia. I have difficulty sleeping as well. I have no energy nor do I care to do the things I used to do. I went to the Dr and we tried two other drugs and they were much worse. I wanted Pristiq. It worked. So today I go and they price jumped from $300.00 to $400.00. The generic, with my insurance, is $15.00. A few weeks ago I was told it would cost me $270.00 with insurance. I was willing to pay it to get back to normal. Not now. It makes no sense.

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I thought maybe I was just losing my mind, I have been taking the generic for maybe 3 months, and at first it was ok, my life is chaotic and I also take xanax 3x a day, but holy my goodness here lately I have been overwhelmed! Want to cry, getting angry, and can't control either emotion, then it dawned on me, it's the flipping generic Pristiq, it was so good to stumble upon this page, to know I wasn't really going crazy. Thank you for ALL the GREAT info, going to get on to calling my pharmacist now and see if he will order from Greenstone, if not, bye, bye

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So maddening!! I switched because of insurance change no the cost. Then after about 3 months when I went for my 6-month check my dr said look in line for a coupon!!!! Why don't they tell us this when we are forced to switch instead of us having to go through hell and our spouses??? Hate it. Anyway I now pay $15.00 a refill unreal!!

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Re: K2SO (# 18)
Called my pharmacy (Walgreens) and am unable to switch to greenstone. Co-pay for Pristiq itself $140 through my Part D insurer. Fortunately, I can afford it. The side effects of generics go way beyond just depression and tiredness. Having stomach aches, flatulence, bowel upset, then loss of appetite. When I get hungry again, the cycle repeats. If you have Rx insurance, check with the pharmacy. It's so horribly depressing to find something that works and have to discontinue because of manufacturer's supply. Has anyone complained to the FDA?

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Re: PJ (# 1)

I also had problems with generic. For financial assistance, go to Phizer, Pristiq website. You may qualify for discount. That $1,000 charge doesn't sound right at all. Is it because of insurance or pharmacy? I'd check again.

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