https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:23:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1402562 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 02:40:22 +0000 Grace 1402562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: Heehee - especially since phenylalanine is an amino acid, not cold medication! (Sorry, geeked out there. ;). )</p> <p>I find generic stuff works for me, but it usually not powdery and therefore tastes disgusting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1402553 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 02:11:10 +0000 Mrs. Chipmunk 1402553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion - Delsym is Dextromethorphan (cough suppressant) and Robitussin was originally Guafenesin (expectorant) only, but a lot of brand name companies throw their name on formulations that weren't originally their own - so there is a "Robitussin DM" that has guafenesin and dextromethorphan....just like alka seltzer originally produced only an item for stomach acid, but now "alka selzer" is also in the cough and cold aisle because they've stuck their name on another product with completely different ingredients. </p> <p>Taste will definitely vary from brand to brand - I always say generic is great for things like regular medicine like tablets, but I never buy no-name cereal or granola bars because they taste awful. I had some generic brand prescription Miralax during pregnancy for constipation that had no flavor, and then bought some generic OTC Miralax and that one DID have a tinge of unsavory flavor to it. </p> <p>I also am not a fan of generic electronic health gadgets like thermometers and blood pressure monitors - I always have returns for them because they don't work period or stop working shortly after purchase. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1400074 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 09:39:02 +0000 snowjewelz 1400074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: thank for the info :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1400029 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 09:24:50 +0000 kjpugs 1400029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's like store brand foods... sometimes it's right on, sometimes it's clearly an imitation. Trial and error! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399958 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 09:06:45 +0000 LindsayInNY 1399958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always buy generic.</p> <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: My former CPhT loves you for your response!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399838 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 07:29:16 +0000 Dandelion 1399838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: what about between brand names? I decided to try delsym instead of robitussin this morning<br /> It has the same ingredients. The dosage was larger though. It also tastes a little better lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399767 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 02:47:17 +0000 Boogs 1399767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: Wow thanks for sharing that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399715 Wed, 05 Feb 2014 00:37:53 +0000 birdofafeather 1399715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: thanks for sharing!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399628 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:23:05 +0000 autumnlove 1399628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lemondrop: Generic for almost everything...DH has to pay back his scandalous school loans. :-p </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399618 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:16:29 +0000 californiadreams 1399618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PawPrints: this </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399603 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:05:07 +0000 lemondrop 1399603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: soooo interesting, thank you! I was actually just talking with my vet tech pharm students about this, it will give us a lot to discuss at our next review session!</p> <p>@autumnlove: I was wondering what you guys would use also :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399598 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:04:03 +0000 autumnlove 1399598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep, we use generic </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399591 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 23:01:11 +0000 sunny 1399591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: thanks for sharing that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399285 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:52:46 +0000 tequiero21 1399285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always try to get generic prescription drugs. For over the counter, usually get name brand, although I'm sure it doesn't really matter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399259 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:47:41 +0000 Dandelion 1399259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: thanks for sharing all that! Maybe this congestion is just more stubborn than before! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399257 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:47:18 +0000 spaniellove 1399257@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Chipmunk: You're right, it's not that they're less effective - I said that wrong. There's just so much variation with the generic manufacturers and you have no control over what you're getting from your pharmacy. I hate that the difference between generic and brand is $7 and $125/month, which really adds up over a year! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399225 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:40:14 +0000 Mrs. Chipmunk 1399225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Generic drugs makers and brand name drug makers alike must prove that their formulation has within 10% of the active ingredient because this difference is not clinically significant and has no determinable effect until you fall out of that range. In this sense, even a brand name drug could have slightly more or less active ingredient in it from lot to lot. With certain drugs, especially those that are in micrograms vs milligrams, that 10% difference can actually be a lot, so they encourage you to stay on the same brand, whether generic or not, that you've been getting (there can be many different generic manufacturers). A good example is synthroid/levothyroxine that you would take for hypothyroidism. </p> <p>Warfarin to prevent blood clotting is another example of a drug to try and stick with the same brand, whether generic or not, and if there is a switch it is recommended to double check the blood levels to see if an adjustment should be made.</p> <p>Some patients seem to be more sensitive in switching between different generics, especially in formulations that are designed to have delayed release mechanisms - the amount of drug needs to be the same, but the actual release mechanics don't have to be. In the case of seizure meds, it's not that generics are less effective, but once you've been stabilized on a specific dose, it is a good idea to stick to that manufacturer that you've been stabilized on to minimize the risk of seizures with a switch in manufacturers, be it due to the potential 20% difference in active ingredient (100mg may be 90mg with one manufacturer and 110mg with another and still be acceptable), or, more likely, due to release mechanics.</p> <p>With over the counter drugs it is less likely to legitimately notice a difference between brand and generic, and if someone is a little apprehensive about generic to begin with, it could certainly sway how they perceive the effectiveness. I would also venture to say there is probably much less stringent regulatory measures for OTC drugs as compared to prescription drugs, but they tend to be at dosages where you wouldn't notice an appreciable difference.</p> <p>I use generic, but my only personal hesitation is that unlike prescription drugs, over the counter drugs don't have to state their country of manufacture on the packaging and many are made in China. </p> <p>Your friendly neighborhood pharmacist. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399221 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:39:07 +0000 blackbird 1399221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As long as the ingredients are the same, I go for it. But when it's stuff like "phenylalanine works as well as pseudoephedrine", I'm like no, gimme the meth making stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399197 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:31:07 +0000 Mrs. Taco 1399197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Never thought about it, I always buy off brand but I don't really take anything other than the occasional ibuprofen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399190 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:28:52 +0000 PawPrints 1399190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's the same active ingredient. Just look at the dose. If it's the same ingredient and the same dose, why would you pay more for a particular logo? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399181 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:27:28 +0000 spaniellove 1399181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's been so long since I've been able to find Excedrin Tension Headache! So I use the Target or CVS brand version and it works pretty well for me. But with things like generic seizure meds you have to be very careful...they don't work as well for me and my neuro says they can be dangerous because they're so ineffective. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399179 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:26:49 +0000 IRunForFun 1399179@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For the most part, yes. I usually compare the ingredients to make sure, though. If they do differ in some way, I'll buy the name brand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399174 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:25:28 +0000 Bao 1399174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take off brand, but wonder if name brand would work better...interesting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399160 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:21:27 +0000 chopsuey 1399160@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Generic tylenol does nothing for me.<br /> DH thinks I'm trippin, but I swear only OG Tylenol helps with my headaches :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-think-generic-otc-meds-are-just-as-good#post-1399157 Tue, 04 Feb 2014 20:20:47 +0000 Dandelion 1399157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bought "wal-tussin" dm instead of robitussin and I don't feel all that much better. I remember taking actual robitussin before and feeling some real relief from my congestion.</p> <p>DH is sure that generic migraine medicine just isn't as good as the excedrine migraine...even though its the same ingredients. </p> <p>But ibuprofen seems to be ok no matter what brand it is.</p> <p>What do you think? </p>