I was recently diagnosed with adult ADD. A psychiatrist prescribed focalin xr 20mg for me. She thought that this would be best since it potentially has less side effects than regular methylphenidate. She also said that she has had better success with her patients with name brand as opposed to generic stimulant medications (I am aware that their is no generic equivalent to focalin). Unfortunately, I don't have great prescription coverage with my insurance and I am worried about the very high cost of the focalin. I know that the generic vs. brand name issue is a much discussed topic (and I've read a good bit about the issues of bioavailibility, method of delivery, etc.), but I was just wondering whether I could get some specific feedback on the following questions:

1) What are people's experiences with generic vs. brand name methylphenidate? Do most of you who have tried both really notice a difference? Are there any good studies that compare the two?

2) Are there generic preparations of methylphenidate that seem to work better than others? I know that this will often depend on the individual taking the medication, but I'm just looking for general trends.

3) I understand that focalin has potentially/theoretically fewer side effects than methylphenidate, but have most people really found this to be the case in their own experience? Again, are their any good studies on this?

Thanks in advance.

The geneva ritalin was terrible if it is even still around

Can you expand on that mspen? What didn't work for you?

I had to have brand name (Ciba whatever) and that helped I hear ritalin LA and Focalin XR works good... Mallinckrodt makes my medicine (dexedrine) to be effective as a generic and they make Methylin brand methylphenidate. The Geneva makes the typical MD pills that's all I remember about that brand but I broke my teeth on those and Concerta was another bad one too. Ritalin LA is a good med but again not generic made (well Metadate CD which I havent tried)