Apotex Vs Pliva Trazodone

My pharmacy just switched manufacturers of my prescription trazodone 50mg. It used to be made by apotex now it is pliva and I am finding that the new pills are having little to no effect and I am starting to suffer discontinuation syndrome. I talked to my pharmacist and doctor and neither one could tell me what was causing this. I was just wondering if there is anyone out there who could shed some light on the subject.

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REPORT

Yes, I can.

Under Federal Law, by way of the Hatch Watchman Act of 1984, generics are allowed to differ from their name brand counterparts by as much as plus or minus 20% in the active ingredient.

Many people are not aware of this, including doctors, but the FDA considers this to be a very minor difference that does not affect the therapeutic dosing of medications.

So, the medication you were getting from Apotex may have had the proper amount of the active ingredient Trazodone or perhaps a little more.

Now, the one you are getting from Pliva might have a variation so you are not getting as much as you were, before.

There are some people who are unaffected by such differences, but some people are very sensitive to it.

The only thing you can really do is ask your pharmacy if they can get the one made by Apotex back in for you, or try other pharmacies and see if they have it.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Trazodone/­

Do you have any questions?

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No that about covers it. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond.

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Thanks for this info. I'm having the exact same issues after pharmacy switched me to Pliva. I'm very sensitive to meds, so your explanation makes a lot of sense.

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Happened to me to --- went from sleeping 7-8 hours most nights to sleeping 5 hours. Taking an extra 50mg didn't help at all. It's very frustrating.

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Interesting...I just got pliva after taking apotex for a couple of years. I am finding that I'm sleeping better with the pliva but it doesn't control my hot flashes like the apotex.

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I have been using Trazodone 50 mg APO for many years with great success. Pharmacy just switched me to Pliva and it is a disaster. Was sleeping 8 hours a night now waking up at 4:00 AM Can anyone help??

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I just called Apotex and the customer service rep told me that they are having some problems with the FDA but once they are resolved, trazodone will be back on the market. She estimated it would be a few months.

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One other thing...I have been experiencing hair loss since I started taking the Pliva brand...don't think it's a coincidence. I was fine with the Apotex. Anyone else experience this?

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I am not able to take Pliva but can take Apotex. Here is the problem right now. All dry pills from Apotex are on hold by the FDA for about 2 months. That means the main ones available are Pliva which is owned by Barr who is now owned by Teva. I was able to find some 300mg Apotex which I am cutting up to get what I need.

Call around. Walmart had Mylan. There is also Qualitest and some others.

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As a psychiatrist, I have found trazodone to be an extremely useful medication. I'm not sure what the product made by Pliva is, but I've seen many, many patients do poorly on it; it seems to act more like an antihistamine--i.e., it does make people drowsy--but it does not seem to restore a high-quality sleep. The best trazodone, in my opinion, is sold by Qualitest; Apotex is okay, but in our opinion not as good. We always specify to the pharmacy, Trazodone NOT made by Pliva.
Here's my question: once a generic company is certified to make a generic product, do they ever have to be recertified? Or can that company just coast along for decades, turning out God-knows-what, and everyone assumes it must be okay because the FDA, once upon a time, checked it out and declared it okay?

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I was taking Trazodone 50mg by Mylan. Recently switched from Walmart to Walgreens. Walgreens uses Pliva. I did not expect any differences, but after only a few pills I can't sleep well and i feel a bit more anxious - this started right away. It didn't dawn on me that it could be the pills. Also, i am experiencing side effects again that I experienced when I first started taking the Mylan pill. I should be over side effects for Trazodone, so maybe the side effects are from the inactive ingrediants? I don't know. I got a new prescription & will be switching back to the Mylan as soon as I can get to the pharmacy today.

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I am having the same problem with the trazodone made by Pliva, which my Pharmacy switch to because they could not get Apotex. This is the second time this has happen, previously it was about a year ago but they were able to resume filling the Rx with Apotex in about two months. They were able to get Mylan but it still does not work like Apotex. Really having a hard time with this, its like I am having withdrawals (anxiety, irritability and disassociation). Does anyone have any suggestions or know if Apotex is still making trazodone?

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I have been in touch with Apotex since last spring and they keep telling me to check back in three months regarding whether or not it will come back on the US market. I guess there's a possibility it won't. They told me to check back again in February.

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My pharmacy just switched to Pliva and I started the Trazodone 3 nights ago. Can't go to sleep without taking 50% more than I'm used to AND getting severe headaches in the middle of the night. Anyone else experienced these headaches with the Pliva?

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Costco just refilled my Apo (tex) T50 with Pliva last week and I couldn't fall asleep for 4 hours every night. Had severe withdrawal syndrome so had Primary Phys call in a scrip to Walmart for Mylan 50mg. after calling MANY pharmacies in town. No APO anywhere here in san diego, only Pliva and Teva. Slept thru the night with the Mylan the last two nights. No grogginess and feeling alert thru the day. Thank God!

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Very useful info. I have been taking trazodone 75-150mg. qhs for many years. Recently got 150mg. Pliva at CVS. It is a HUGE trapezoidal-shape pill (sharp angles) which I've had trouble swallowing. I'm curious as to why some generics are much larger than others (and the brand in most cases). 'Fillers' seems to be the logical answer.
I got a flat oval tab (trazodone) from WalMart not long ago and will try that. CVS said they cannot get other generics. I am a bit catious because there has been a merger/ acquisition between Pliva, Barr, and TEVA ( not sure of when) and have no idea how that will play in.
Thanks all for your reports of side effects of this generic. I have been experiencing some mood fluctuations recently (more than my usual) and didn't even think of the traz change until I searched about the size/shape issue.
I say NO to most generics of maintenance meds. My endocrinologist INSISTS on Synthroid--no levothroid or other substitutions. I have noticed a huge diff btwn Klonopin and generic clonazepam which I take qhs for bruxism (potentially cause by SSRIs).

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Mine is Teva USA. Is that one any good? I haven't started it yet. I got off Remeron because of itching and am supposed to start Trazadone. Any info on Teva?

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Have been taking Pliva generic trazodone for 3 months. I can't swallow the pills, so I chew them (yuk) BUT some of them are very bitter and some of the taste like chalk. I'm not sleeping alot of nights - hmmm, the chalk nights. Anyone know how to report this to FDA?

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Good news everyone! I just went to the Apotex website and they are going to start shipping again to the US. They issued a press release about it on May 11. Just go to their website and you can see it.

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Has anyone been successful in getting a script filled for Apotex Trazodone? If so what pharmacy? I tried with my Rite Aid and their supplier said they couldn't get it or know if they would be able to. I was hoping against hope that this waiting game was going to end, but I guess not. Thanks for all the advise and help.

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Is anyone currently able to find 50mg Trazodone from Apotex? If so, what drug store? No luck for me so far. Have been taking it for years.

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I have taken both and it works the same for me.

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Re: JJ (# 98)

CVS and walgeen have Teva which by the way doesn't work for me. I only get 3-4 hrs of sleep. Iloved qualitest but they are not making it anymore and I'm looking for another manufacturer.

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Well im tentially about to have the opposite occur my pharmacy just switched to APO

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Re: JJ (# 98)

Hi, I'm in Asheville, NC. I've always used Walgreen's for Trazodone until they switched to Pliva (part of Teva) from Apotex on the 150 mg tablet. I found the Apotex at a small independent pharmacy here. Since then, my pharmacist at Walgreen's suggested taking 3 100 mg tablets and 1 50 mg tablet at night, instead, all made by Apotex (my dose is 350 mg.) I am back to normal. So at this point, they carry both Pliva and Apotex. Most of the other chain pharmacies I checked around here carry Teva. Hope this helps!

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Re: Marabelle (# 97)

Where are you located? I have the opposite problem—I cannot tolerate the Apotaex version though Teva works fine. My file at Walgreens is clearly marked “Teva only” but three times the pharmacy has ordered the Apotax version, and has not been able to locate a Teva source. I am in the fourth day of a combination of poisoning and withdrawal. Can you help me find a source?

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As an update to my previous post of April 17, 2018, I have now switched back to the Apotex brand of Trazodone 150 mg and my uncomfortable symptoms have stopped. It was tough to find this brand in our pharmacies here, most were using Teva or Pliva (a part of Teva, but with roots in Croatia.) One small local pharmacy still carried the Apotex.

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After taking Trazodone 150mg, manufactured by, I believe, Apotex (oval pill) for a few years, my pharmacy last refilled my prescription using the manufacturer Pliva (trapezoid pill). Since then, I've been having uncomfortable tummy issues, some dizziness, and more fatigue than usual, which I thought was some other illness. After researching other sites and here, I'm thinking my symptoms may be a result of the new manufacturer. Will talk to my pharmacist and request the original manufacturer to see if my symptoms go away.

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Yes I have the same issue: Walgreens uses Apotex or at least that what I got and they are better that the pills I get from Medco Pliva. Pliva doesn't work I'm going to see if I can change.

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Re: Marco (# 77)

I took the Apotex for several nights in a row and it did not work. But I did notice dryness of mouth. I went back to Teva and it working well.

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