Watson Vs. Mylan Generic Lorazepam Side Effects. (Page 3) (Top voted first)

Been on Sandoz mfr. lorazepam for 10 years; no problems; no need to increase dose. Sandoz stopped mfr. Now, can only get these generic's & Actavis. Having lots of troubles getting results; either nothing or zonked. Anyone else w/any experience which mfr. is closer to Sandoz (since FDA approves up to 2% differences in generics). Thank you.

REPLY

REPORT

I just stopped taking Watson after years because my prescription was sent to another drug store. I took Mylan for two days. Did not care for it like I do the Watson brand. My mouth was so dry and I had to double my meds. For me, I love Watson, it really helps my anxiety.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Arnold are you serious, I've been on Ativan that long as well and I was hoping to withdraw in like a month too. however what are you talking about you can get out of your recliner are you saying after I'm off this pill I will be paralyzed?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Sorry you feel anyone who finds that Watson brand works for them is an employee of Watson. I took actavis for 15 years with no problem. When they sold the lorazapam to those low lives at Sandoz I had no choice but to find someone else. I tried 3 or 4 different brands, all were worthless. Watson gave me some relief, not as much as I wanted but it did help some what, and, I don't work for Watson.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

My pharmacy switched to Qualitest generic lorazepam. I really mean this… It is like taking a sugar pill. I reported them to the FDA online

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

You can buy Ativan but EVEN with a 75% discount it comes to gasp .. $25/tablet (1 mg). It's totally outrageous, thousands of dollars... disgusting.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

buspar is not a benzo and may put you into withdrawals, they do give it for people in withdrawal from drug abuse to help with side effects yes i have tried it and it did ease the anxiety some, but it does not work like a benzo it depressed my breathing so stopped it, i just got my script for excellium/leading pharma lorazepam in hopes that just maybe they upped the main ingredient since they have switched to leading pharma ! try to find a pharmacy that will order it for you , the brand name ativan is about 2,500 for 1 month supply if these pharmaceuticals would just make the lorazepam the way they used to none of us would be having all these problems going to one manufacturer to another to find something that will work , i think it actually puts us in withdrawals someone is getting a kick back and filling their pockets while we are suffering for it (to many binders and fillers not enough main ingredients ) does anyone agree with this. i wish everyone the best.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I have been on Watson brand for over 6 years without an issue. I've never asked to increase my dosage and have never had an issue with my body becoming accustomed to the dosage. About two years ago, my panic attacks got worse and I couldn't figure out why. I asked the Walgreens Pharmacist and he explained that the manufacturer had switched to ACTAVIS. So he then gave me MYLAN the following month. I saw some improvement but I wasn't where I was at months ago. I still has anxiety and now heart burn.

I recently asked my Dr to prescribe the brand name, which she did. For a month I was doing amazing on ATIVAN. To the point where I would skip a dosage because I forgot. That never happened in the past. SO I go to the pharmacy this month and was told that the Dr called in and cancelled the brand name and switched it back to generic (MYLAN). I called my Dr and her nurse stated, "Walgreens does not carry brand name and your Dr wants you on Generic lorazepam from now on". Hold up... whaaaaat?! She didn't even have the decency to call me and tell me that she was doing that. It just makes no sense. I kindly explained to the nurse that I have tried MYLAN and I refuse to take Actavis (it's crap). Her suggestion? Call every pharmacy to find Watson brand.

Uh, yeah. No thanks. It's hard enough getting a controlled substance filled. I am not shopping around. I want to use MY pharmacy and should be allowed to use the name brand. My money, my health! I am so frustrated.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

Actavis bought out Watson I'm having alot of problems with my pill too

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Yeah, Actavis bought out Watson and changed the Watson formula to theirs. I was a huge Watson fan and now take Mylan. It's now as good, but better than Actavis. I get it at CVS since it is the only brand they supply. Give it a try. It does do the job.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I agree, Mylan does the job. Like the other better but at least it works. I get mine at Walmart as CVS only carries Activas.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Has anyone had trouble getting the Mylan brand lorazepam? My pharmacy tells me the last two months they’ve had a nationwide backorder?? Been on this for years for severe anxiety. Qualitest worked for a long time, but they stopped making altogether.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Dee (# 321)

Dee, if I didn't know better I think I might know you (joke). My pharmacy called me the day you posted this and said the very same thing you just did. Apparently Mylan is on backorder till the end of May she said. I called Mylan and they confirmed it. They had me try a different brand and it didn't work. Trying to see if they can order the .5mgs so I can double them up to make 1mg. Mylan said that strength is still available. So if you take Mylan like I do maybe you can call your pharmacy to see if they can order that strength. Hope that helps.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Twig7 (# 324)

Strange... if you’ve been on this as long as I have, you know when you get a brand that may be a placebo or just not made as strong. I posted a while back stating that the pharmaceutical companies are literally allowed to decrease the main ingredient by 20% and replace with fillers. The Leading brand they carry tastes like pure sugar, and my panic attacks suffered greatly, so never again. Qualitest used to be a good brand but they stopped too. A friend who lives up north just had her rx filled yesterday and she was given the 1 mg Mylan, so hoping next week when I fill again it’ll be back out. If Mylan makes the 0.5 mg, there’s no reason why they can’t make the 1 mg. Usually they can’t make because they don’t have any of the formula. I really didn’t mind the 0.5mg, as I sometimes didn’t need a full 1 mg anyway. Watson, Mylan and Qualitest were the top companies for making these, then Qualitest dropped them over a year ago. Good luck to you too. I just wonder if we use the same pharmacy, LoL.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Lainej (# 320)

It can’t be Mylan. I can’t take anything else and so I verify before I leave the store and my 0.5 has an M on one side and the numbers 321 on the back. If you really want to know, google the markings, shape, color, and it will tell you. I bet it’s Leading, and I swear it’s a placebo. Good luck.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Deedee (# 325)

Hi Deedee, ya they gave me Leading brand. But just 1mg made me loopy. Lowered my Spo2 blood level down, but raised my heart rate. They wanted to see if I could tolerated. (Negative ghost rider) - ugh!. They were able to get 2mgs from their supplier and the fun begins having to break them from 1/2 to 1/4. I asked for the 0.5mgs but my lead pharmacist said that the DEA and or her supplier doesn't like to see large amounts a of pills in patients hands. I'm assuming they think someone would sell them. Man ya know I get it but not all of us our going sell their meds. I need mine to take care of me not so dope-head. Yes I'm out here off and on. I can tell you that Actavis hands down is the worst of all generic lorazepam. And they've pretty much taken over the whole generic group "of" lorazepam. What stinks is if you don't backtrack these companies you end up thinking you're taken what you're use to and to find out Its Actavis just with the old shape and letters/numbers on the pill. I believe it's to have us consumers in a tailspin purchasing the same darn thing even if it's what we used to think it was. As in Watson, Sandoz etc. And find out Its all the same maker. That's dollar signs to them. Which then makes us look like drug seekers. I like the person Doc76 took the real brand name Ativan by Wyeth- Ayerst Laboratories. When they sold the formula to Biovail they kept the same dog shape pill and for awhile they left Wyeth on them along with the number associated with each strength. In my case it was the 1mgs. Like Doc76 I was on it for years with no drug tolerances or any increases needed.

Like him I had the same reaction to the change in formula. Bovail was strictly a generic company that was out of Canada. They kept the dog shape pill but added BPI on it instead of Wyeth. Then Valeant merged with Biovail and eventually bought them out. Valeant makes both the BPI still and a so called Brand Ativan which I called one of my local pharmacies and they told me that's how they brand them. I'm still working on trying to find out whether Valeant actually has the same formula as Wyeth did. Because the pill they're selling as the brand name is like unbelievably priced out high if you're paying cash. Pj says his doc writes him a script and his copay is only 50 bucks. For 100 1mg pills you don't want to know the cost. I'm not sure we can post that out here so I'm not going to. Not sure if Doc76 has seen his post and I think I may post to Doc76 that my local Wal-Mart carriers both the BPI in a generic form and Valeant as their brand name Ativan. I believe Doc76 is Ex-military as I am. So with that said we both have to take what either the military base pharmacy has or the Veterans Administration pharmacies. For years my VA doc just put in a consult for the brand and that's how I eventually got it. Prior to that I had to go to a outside pharmacy and pay out of my own pocket. I'm back at that again with the Mylan because they will no longer honor the board approved consult that was given to me.

Trust me that isn't easy to get. So with all that said Mylan is the only one that works for me as I've tried them all and suffered the lost of funds and side effects. I've been on the route of SSRi's and SNRi's to Buspar and other types of meds to help extreme panic / anxiety. The was a time that benzodiazepine drugs were not the evil drug they're made out to be. Disclaimers by No means am I slamming any of the companies I've spoken about here or my docs or pharmacist. As for the pharmacies that have branded Watson, Sandoz, Purepac and others all into Actavis I'm not impressed with that. I realize they need to make money. But they don't seem to have any concerns about us patients? I hope you find the right brand Deedee. As for Leading Brand it was a no go for me, but worked differently on me and it did on you. So I so feel your pain I really do. :(

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Deedee (# 325)

I forgot to say that makes no sense that your friend was able to get the 1mg in Mylan. I literally spoke to them last week and they said it's on backorder till the end of May everywhere.

The only thing that might make sense is if her pharmacies warehouse may still have some in stock? That's what mine said about the 2 mgs. (They have 2mgs) still in their warehouse b4 this shortage.

Yes I knew about the amount of active ingredient generic companies are allowed to put in their medications. A lot of the fillers are what actually cause the active ingredient not to work as well. I've been told by pharmacist the fillers can cause many of the allergic reactions we have to different generics. I can vouch to that from experience.

At any rate, I hope everyone finds the brand that works for them. It certainly is no picnic having to switch back and forth from different brands. Have a good one.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Twig7 (# 358)

Thanks Twig. Do we have a complete list of currently produced lorazepam generics?

1) Actavis- junk

2) Watson is now owned my Actavis, so these are the same and junk

3) Leading pharm/Major Pharm: haven't tried personally but many complaints about it here and elsewhere.

4) Ok, so I see Sandoz is back on the market maybe? Hard to research these things, but from what I read Sandoz stopped making lorazepam some time ago, but it looks like it's active again (sandoz.com). Sandoz was purchased by Novartis. Has anyone taken/tried to order this recently? I might try to and see what happens. Any generics available that i've missed?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

Re: Henry (# 365)

Hi Henry. Leading is total garbage and the Watson brand last month was the same crap. Let me know if you try Sandoz. I did years ago and had problems. I’d appreciate any advice.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Twig7 (# 369)

Thank you Twig7. It would be nice to know if it’s not the real Ativan! Because with out Insurance 5 mg a day is 147.00 a day. I agree with you. They complain about giving higher doses yet! They give people garbage and you have to take more to get the benefit if it’s even possible. The worst meds I took for me was leading brand, Watson, Actavis, Sandoz. Teva worked for me years ago, Mylan was the best... Thank you for your kind words.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Re: Shade me (# 391)

Shade me, To answer your question. Because some folks need clarification in detail and reassurance. So I'm not answering the same question repeatedly. I'm sorry this seems to be a dilemma for you. So you know I'm not going to bite the bait you've dangled in front of me to see if I'll snap back at you. You take care now ok.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I read that there are many side effects of Lorazepam. Anyone know of legal cases against this drug? I've heard it...

4 REPLIES

My lorazepam was just inceased to 8mg. Can the recent increase cause side effects such as severe back pain and pain unde...

3 REPLIES

Hi is this drug suitable for a hyper patient who is also on quetepean 200 a night? I’m finding it helps mellow me ...

1 REPLY

Could someone please tell me if Ativan can cause glazing look in the eyes? ## Absolutely, it is a Benzodiapine, the same...

10 REPLIES

Hello everybody. I have been taking generic Adderall (20mg XR) for about a month and had a generally good response. My d...

7 REPLIES

Hi all, I was wondering about the side effects from the generic Lexapro: Escitalopram 10 mg/daily. I used to take clonaz...

7 REPLIES

I have been taking a new generic Macrobid for about nine weeks, It is my only medication change. Nine weeks ago I stated...

12 REPLIES

I have just been given Methylin as a generic for Ritalin. I have taken other generic forms of Ritalin. All others have b...

3 REPLIES

I was taking Depakote and topamax together. My liver quit processing this combo and my ammonia level in my blood shot up...

1 REPLY

What are the side effects of the medicines Trihexyphen and Bupropion? Please post. ## Hello, Tom! How are you? The FDA l...

2 REPLIES