When I fill my monthly generic prescription for oxycodone, I sometimes get pills made by different manufacturers. It seems like some work better than others, same dose - same drug! Does anyone else have this experience?
Oxycodone - Is there a difference in manufacturers of generic drugs?
Question posted by Anniebananie12 on 1 July 2013
Last updated on 22 November 2023
76 Answers Page 3
The answer to your question is there a difference in manufacturers medications even if it's the same medication and same strength is an over astounding yes! Doctors and even pharmacist' will tell they there is not but we the people who take these meds know best. There are many medications that I take that I notice a difference in by the manufacturers. And I am not the only one, everyone that I have asked has said the same thing. It's not your imagination and it's not precognitive or conditioning. You body reacts in a specific way, desirably or not, to different manufacturers ways of producing meds. U may like this company's way of doing one med but not their way of doing another. Some may not accept this answer because it's not proven in a controlled scentific way, but i believe it has been proven scientifically. Millions and millions of patients say the same.
I have had issue with some generics causing nausea and headaches and less effective in providing pain relief. This month I had to pay $110.00 for my prescription and received Rhodes Pharmaceuticals generic form of 20 mg Dazidox. They are very large, round white pills. I have never seen a white 20 mg generic Dazitox/Percalone (generic IR Oxycodone). They are 100% ineffective at relieving pain, they nauseate me, give me a bad headache, and make me feel fatigued and want to just go to bed.
I am guessing it has something to do with the inactive ingredients in this brand of generic because this particular generic has a lot of them since it is so large. It leaves a sweet taste on my tongue where it touched before it was swallowed which is opposite the bitter taste I have always experienced in the past when taking my prescribed pain medication.
Yes there is a small difference Between each manufacturer but they all have to have the same exact main ingredients it just depends on whether that manufactured sides to add or take away or use different colors or shapes or buy a different product type ETc. I have personally gone through this with the same exact medication or some seem like they don’t even work at all or some seem like they work less some seem like they work too much and it is up to your pharmacist unfortunately what generic you guys I mean you can ask them whether or not they will be would link to change for you but most pharmacist sis will look at you and think that you’re a drug abuser because of the fact that it is a controlled substance unfortunately due to the negative response says lately and the government. But yes I have felt as though some brands don’t work at all so hopefully I would discuss this with your Pharmacist and hopefully they’re willing to change for you.
Not true ! Pharmacy told me there can be up to 8% difference in strength because the regulations give them that much room to play with. So DONT be fooled by they are all the same ! I am so mad right now , Walmart changed my oxycodone 10 mg rho to oxycodone 10 mg amn ! And they are closed now !!! They are the ones that told me the guidelines are flexible and stay with the brand that works for me and they do this !!! I got these same pills from cvs and they weren’t no where near as strong . Walmart Farmacy said as long as they are within the range and no more then 6-8% off then they are fda approved ! People we aren’t crazy it’s the pill makers and pharmacies that are trying to pull this on us ! We need to stand up to our rights and not except this bull ! I going to pharmacy tomorrow and demanding my other pills or I want my script back and go elsewhere!
I have been on pain meds on and off for a long long time. I have gotten 30mg oxycodone, and found it was made my Qualitest. Well a few months ago, the pharmacy changed the medication to a round white pill with M on the front and 30 on back. It did not work well, i suffered way to much. Expressed to the pharmacy, no problems, next month back to the regular ones. This time when I filled, they gave me the M 30 ones again, now my suffering has just begun, Mallinckrodt is the worst for me personally.
Yes there is for some people. The basic ingredients are the same but the fillers they use are not. So people like me that have problems with manufacturers some work better than others. Our bodies break down medications differently so don’t think there is something wrong with you.
I only had one that did not work at all. It was made by Rhodes. I sent message to FDA and they sent me paperwork to fill out. I have to keep 1 pill for them to look at if they want to. It just did not seem to have any of the active ingredient in it at all. With these being so highly controlled now, there was nothing my Doctor could do so I was on crutches for a month and had intense pain. Rhodes was white and all my others have been pink. I have not noticed any difference between any of the pink ones. I will be so happy to be off of it this summer!!!
OMG, for years I've been saying the same. The response I got at one time from a pharmacist, is, that the "vehicle" the manufactures uses to put the drug in, varies with each manufacture.
"vehicle" is the term she used. Meaning the surrounding of the oxycodone in the pill. For me "WATSON" oxycodone works better than any other manufacture. I use to get it from "CVS"
Before it was "WALGREENS" then, they both changed manufacture.
When I requested "WATSON" they both said it can't be done.
It's whatever manufacture they have a contract with at the time. THAT SUCKS!
I chew the 10-325 Oxycodone. Dr will give me the 20 Oxycontin, But I can't swallow from birth.
THAT REALLY SUCKS HUH!!!
WATSON was bought out by Activis Pharmaceutical Comp[any about 2 years ago. So they don't have WATSON anymore, I saw WATSON for a little while after Watson was bought up by Activis. But now I don't see Watson on anymore Oxycodone. Although I did see and use Watson hydrocodone when I was switched over fro Oxycodone to Hydrocodone for 3 months last year. But then I was switched back to Oxycodone. When I was switched back, Walgreens no longer used Activis but they use Camber Pharma now. I tired Camber and they worked well as Activis did for me, so I have stayed with that brand.
I have noticed the same thing. I used to get my generic oxycodone 30 mg at WalMart and they were good quality and worked well. I then had to change my pain management doctor because my doctor of many years became very ill. Anyhow, I went to the local small town pharmacy that was located right next to the doctor office. Let me tell you, I actually felt like I was going through withdraw because the quality of the generic brand that they carried were horrible. I did notice that the pill was much different and was very small. I told my doctor about it at my next monthly appointment and he advised me that it could in fact be the quality of the generic. I went back to WalMart and received the usual generic and all was good. Now, WalMart wants to be a pain in the ass about filling my script and tells me that they are out of inventory. I asked them to call another local WalMart and I was told to drive there.
They were quite rude and treated me like a junkie! I then filled my script at a hometown pharmacy that I used for years prior to using WalMart. I once again received a different generic which was junk, I was in pain all month and pretty much did nothing for the month.
I just got Rhodes 10mg oxycodone. It is doing nothing for me and I am now on crutches. I called the FDA to report it and have to wait over the weekend for my Dr. To be in office. I have been taking icy for 2 years and this is the first problem. The pharmacist told me I could not order brand name but they do have a different brand in stock today. It's not in my head. It's on the knee that I am unable to walk on with Rhodes.
Sorry, late to the game I know. But I am trying to research some information myself and ran across some of these questions. I found them helpful and I'm not gonna lie, I was a little relieved to see I'm not the only one that has problems with taking pain medication! And to answer your question, yes. I have taken different brands of the same medication and had one work better than the other. Absolutely! This among so many other problems! And trust me, like I said, late to the game! Cuz unfortunately it just gets worse! Especially when u have a jerk for a doctor! And when everybody and their dog abuse pain meds, and the people who need it, get to suffer and pay the price! Not fair in my book! Until you have chronic pain, bad back, whatever, you don't know and can't judge that person's pain.
Not by looking at them and asking a few random questions, maybe feel a couple spots on their back, and saying "does this feel the same?" Or "squeeze my fingers as hard as you can". Wow, pretty insightful! Pretty sure anybody could do it. And probably care more! At least as far as my doctor is concerned. I know that!
Walk in my shoes for a day and then come talk to me! They giveth and then they taketh away. No remorse. No a little at a time. One minute he says, "you really aren't on that much medication", the next, the law decides to come in and think they get to say what one person from the next should be on for mgs per day, so now it's "the cdc says you should be at 90mgs a day and you are at 105". So he just yanks one of my fast acting oxycodone and puts me down to 4 a day, and has had me on 10 extra for break-thru pain for forever and takes those too! All at the same time! That took me from getting 150 of my fast acting oxycodone down to 112. Just like that. No warning, no a little bit at a time, no lets see how we can do this so u aren't suffering, NOTHING!! Cut and dry, just deal with it! Not his problem, the cdc says... well you are the one who put me on this amount of medication yet somehow the laws are changing and thats my fault? I can suffer? I'm sure if he was weaning me down they wouldn't shut him down and/or take his licence! And it's not like I didn't and haven't continually asked about other options. His only response is injections! There has to be other options! It's always something! Whenever he would up one med he would cut the other back. He only does what is his idea, when he wants to do it. Otherwise, don't bother! His way or the highway. Oh you're all good and fine if u play his game and don't piss him off, get on his bad side. But if and when u do, u might as well throw in the towel cuz he will do u no favors! Consider yourself lucky if u get your scripts each month and nothing more! He is looking for a way to kick u out! All it takes is saying or doing one thing he doesn't agree with. Or don't do something he tells u to. I have talked til I'm blue in the face and I might as well be talking to a brick wall for as much good it does. He hears nothing, or what he wants to hear, and then just starts blabbing on about whatever he wants! Generally nothing about what u asked, or your pain etc in general. He spends more time bs-ing about life and how to live it. Basically more about your personal life and other crap than he does doing his job! I wish he was one of those doctors that understood how different the medications can be. Unfortunately, i feel like he would be more like "it's in your head!" Cuz he puts the blame on me whenever possible. Well, hopefully this can post. I know I got off subject there, I apologize. It's just nice to be able to relate to people that understand. And obviously I've been having a rough go with my doctor. And feel hopeless, cuz there is really nowhere else to go where i live. I hope my answer helped someone. I hope to see if there is anyone else as well. Thanks for letting me share. Take care.
I've had this issue for year's, and yes there are many different types of things that can be different, I've had some that take longer to work, or not work as long, and different side affects with other's forcing me to change pharmacies, or request the generic that didn't cause me problems, as I am in chronic pain all the time, the last thing I need is more pain, or feeling ill. Right now I'm going through it again. I have been getting them from Actavis Mfg and did just fine until last month when it was changed to Aurobind Mfg. Now i have to wait till my next refill feeling nauseous, dizzy, n starting to have pain in my stomach feeling like it's affecting my pancreas, knowing that feeling from having chronic pancreatitis in the past that causes pain also into the mid back just below the shoulder blade area. My best to you, try asking your pharmacist to order which ever your body can deal with. Your friend in pain. Lori C
Have you ever tried Mallinckrodt? They seem to work the best for me and I have tried many of brand I've been in pain management for 6 years due to cancer and a motorcycle wreck and like people say the kvk seem to be the worst. The generic does matter I also heard horror stories about carco brand but I have been able to dodge them so far but I have taken kvk and I they do suck. I was recently put on xtampza for my er med and it us real hard to find. Had to have drug store special order it and it does not seem to work as good as the op it replaces and it costs a lot more. It is the abusers out there that makes it hard for the people that really needs their medicine to get it. To all people in pain out there God bless you and hang in there.
Me too! We need to share bad and good manufacturers with each other. Either the med is effective or not! simple.
Rhodes brand oxycodone 15mg is bad too!
Thanks for sharing!
I'm so sorry. I deal with chronic pain as well and truly, any additional pain or being sick really knocks the wind out of you. It does me at least. You already feel as though you are fighting an uphill battle. And in my experience most doctors, mine most definitely, don't agree or understand. Being their line of expertise you would think they might get it a little more, but not usually. I wish you the best, and hope you are feeling better soon!
Rhodes 10mg is also the worst I have ever had. It just is not working at all. I'm going to call the police department and ask them if they are able to discern what exactly is in this medication. I already called the FDA and am awaiting paperwork. Pharmacy will not allow my Dr. to order brand name.
Is there any feedback for Sun Pharmaceutical? I called CVS and he was very nice and did t treat me like I was crazy, which is awesome, but I’m not familiar with the new brand he’s saying they now have. It has a 371 on it and it’s gray. 20 mg oxycodone is what I’m prescribed for a multitude of issues. I’m scared to “try” this new brand in case it’s no better than the crooked KVK TECH brand, which has ripped me off for about 4 months now. It’s like I’m not even taking anything when I take it. How can they continue to rip us off like this? I also informed him that I’m in the process of filing a formal complaint with FDA. Hoping for feedback on this unfamiliar manufacturer.
Regardless I hear this all the time. It does not matter if it is narcotics or others. However. There is a huge difference in the effectiveness and side effects. We can’t really tell people there is a difference but there is. Don’t let people kid you. It’s not in your. Mind
Hello,
I've required multiple pain medications in the highest dosages, for nearly eleven years.
I've been prescribed almost every type of pain medication available, both brand and generic... and yes, there's absolutely a difference between them, ranging from slight to a gaping chasm.
I found this site after researching generic brands of Oxycodone, manufacturered by KVK TECHNOLOGIES. I've taken both Oxycodone (which is IR) and OxyContin (the ER of Oxycodone) for five years and while I've definitely had highs and lows with different brands- it's only with my most recent prescription filled with the KVK TECH brand - where I felt zero pain relief- then slowly experiencing the all too familiar withdrawal symptoms and feeling really, really sick.
From what I've read so far, it's the combination of having the lowest amount of active oxycodone, along with seriously questionable inactive ingredients.
Whatever "fillers" they use have caused awful side effects: intense itching, headaches, nausea and clammy/sweaty skin... and then anxiety, irritability and aches - the latter could be from the drug or withdrawals.
While I understand a persons chemistry and sensitivity influences their individual reaction- KVK's composition is obviously inherently flawed.
Point being, I've never had any reaction this negative and with such little pain relief, from a pain medication, that's left me extremely outraged. That a company could knowingly produce such an inferior product, especially when it's marketed/sold for moderate to severe pain, to undercut competitors, sell for the lowest price... leaving pain patients, who are already struggling for pain relief with these new restrictive laws, to suffer ... is beyond unacceptable.
I'm filing a formal complaint with KVK TECH as well as the FDA, and AMA. I'd urge anyone who has experienced similar issues to do the same; as "en masse" is the most effective way to draw attention when dealing with large corporations.
I'm interested to see the results from an independent lab- a breakdown of their ingredients and percentages of oxycodone.
I have a feeling there's many more vicitms that haven't come forward.
I'd like to hear from anyone who's had similar reactions, and had no pain relief.
Thank you and God Bless.
I was given a generic which was oblong. I didn't get the manufacturer name. But it made me itch terribly. So now the only place that doesn't carry that around here is Walgreens There's is round & doesn't make me itch. it's the 5-325 A-349. the other problem is I am in Florida for the winter & Walgreens keeps running out of them. My pain Dr. Said everyone is complaining. So I don't know what is going on.
You are right i have been on same medication for 5 years for
pain and the drug store i used to go started selling the kvk and like you said they were not working like they are supposed to, but this is all this drug store will buy(cheap i guess), they bought like a two or three-year Supply to save money I guess ,but this brand does not work for me, I like the Mallinckrodt brand better.Had to switch drug stores.
You are exactly right regarding KVK TECH Oxycodone 30 Mg Tablets. This company is corrupt. They hire only immigrant H1-B visa workers who are uneducated & unqualified to be making/producing medications for public consumption. Quality assurance being told to "Pass" Oxycodone even though testing way under FDA specifications... They are way under-dosing the Oxycodone causing severe "Withdrawal Symptoms". They are not using anywhere near enough of the "Active ingredient" for this medication to be effective. This brand is all my pharmacy will carry and because of this each & every month I am left with severe uncontrolled pain & suffering. This is not right. Why the FDA has not stepped in yet and done an investigation is beyond me. There is so, so many complaints against this manufacturer for their Oxycodone being completley ineffective.
Its completley unacceptable that this is happening and yet this company continues to under cut every competitor out there literally selling these ineffective oxycodone tablets for literally pennies on the dollar to pharmacys nationwide. They are able to do so as they are using less active ingredient to yeild bigger batches and obviously making the active ingredient go farther. For example: Instead of putting the correct amount of active ingredient in their Oxycodone 30mg tablets and yeilding (2 Batches) that meet FDA regulations... they are cutting the amount of "Active ingredient" down to less than half then are able to yeild (6 Batches) thus getting more money as they have much more tablets to sell. They are very corrupt. The head/owner of this Company was actually BANNED by the FDA in the 90's for criminal conduct yet he is still the one running this company. When FDA agents do show up on site, he leaves. This company should have been shut down for continously making inferior medications for public consumption that very clearly do not meet FDA Guidelines yet they are allowed to continue to mass produce this garbage medication??? Leaving the unknowing consumer who gets their RX filled by their pharmacy with this corrupt manufacturers medication only to be stuck with an inferior product leaving them in pain and on top of that Withdrawal is so completely unacceptable. These medications need to be tested/regulated better by FDA for quality. There is such dire consequences for the patient when they receive an inferior medication like this that it is imperative these are regulated/tested Constantly for quality assurance yet FDA does nothing. As long as KVK TECH is being allowed to manufacture & sell "Under-Dosed" medication... they will continue to do so as it yields them a bigger profit margin. The "Fake Opioid Crisis" has caused such mass hysteria and all these laws/regulations being passed as to Mg MME mandates etc... that having to jump through extreme hoops to even get a RX then to be filled an given a product that does not even work is so unbelievable. People must come forward and file complaits on FDA Website about KVK TECH. I urge everyone who has received this inferior Oxycodone by this manufacturer to please speak up. This needs to be stopped. This corrupt manufacturer has taken over large pharmacy chains nationwide such as Kroger, Safeway, Walgreens etc... you have a very large chance of getting stuck with this brand due to the large pharmacy chains only carrying this particular brand and they have been doing so for many years with no change of manufacturers in sight. This must be stopped. If this was a Heart Medication, or Blood pressure medication etc... This sub standard quality would not be allowed but because its a pain medication its allowed to be under dosed and ineffective??? THIS IS WRONG. Please everyone who has been affected by receiving this under dosed, inneffective medication speak up so changes come... Go online file Formal complaint w/ FDA immediately. This corrupt manufacturer must be stopped.
I am currently experiencing the exact same thing! The brand I’ve been on from cvs is a joke! I thought there was something seriously wrong with me until I did this search! I’ve only been on my pain medicine about 5 months so I knew there was no way my tolerance was already so messed up. I KNEW it was the brand because I can take 15mg of a different brand and be fine for 3-4 hours but when I take 1 20 mg it’s like I didn’t even take anything! And I even tried a second one just to see and could barely even tell! We have got to stand up for ourselves and I agree, we need to do it together so maybe they’ll listen! It’s ridiculous to charge so much for a medicine that’s so weak it causes more issues than before getting the prescription! I’m calling to request my pharmacist special order my meds but I have a feeling they couldn’t care less! I’m trying to figure out how to call around to find the brand that I know for a fact does work for me. I’m so glad to find this website to validate my suspicions!
KVK-Tech Oxycodone provides me ZERO pain relief. I don't know how to endure 30 days of this HELL. I can barely walk from bed to the bathroom. I was put on this as a there patient died from too much Tylenol and agreed to trying the same thing with no Tylenol & to take Tylenol as needed. The pharmacy will not take it back, except to dispose of it '& by law, my Dr. cannot prescribe another. This garbage is not legal in other countries to qualify as a generic!
I like to say there is a difference in oxycodone. I go to the say pharmacy each month. This past November my pills are a white in color. There always blue in color. These last white ones are not doing there job. I cannot feel relief on these last ones I received. Any suggestion on what to do.
I have experienced that you are correct with several different types of drugs. Different manufacturers' products are slightly different in the way they are produced which makes the end product also slightly different.
Theoretically one 7.5/325mg if Oxycodone/APAP should be the same as one and a half pills of 5-325mg of Oxycodone/APAP but in the case I'm quoting that's not true; the one and a half dose of 5-325mg acted better in the system than the 7.5mg dose.
Related topics
oxycodone, chronic pain, generic, prescription
Further information
- Oxycodone uses and safety info
- Oxycodone prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Oxycodone (detailed)
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