My child tried Methylin for the afternoon and seemed had very little effect. Tried 5mg, 7.5 and 10 with same results.
On the other hand 7.5 mg of methylphenidate is working well.
They both are generics for Ritalin, supposedly same formula, made by different manufactureres.
I wonder if anyone had any experience or insights on this.

Not sure about Methylin, so I probably can't be of help, but where I am, in Canada, methylphenidate and brand name "Ritalin" come off the same manufacturing line, so there isn't a difference. Some people report difference, but logically it would seem to be perception only.
If you are talking about the same named drug from two different manufacturers, then yes, there could very well be a difference in formulation, more than likely in the filler elements of the pills, which may cause a difference in how the drug is absorbed by the digestive system.

sorry but Ive been taking ritalin for 14yrs...I definitely can tell the difference between generic and brand name..

brand name dose last longer, and I can use 20mg less than generic

Im no expert, just another adhdr sharing my experience:):)

Yeah, methylphenidate IS Ritalin, the brand. Methylin and others are the generics. And when I was on it I paid out of pocket for the brand name, it was so much better, required less of a dosage, less harsh.

Of course I hated Ritalin anyway but it was better than the methylin for me!

sorry but Ive been taking ritalin for 14yrs...I definitely can tell the difference between generic and brand name..

brand name dose last longer, and I can use 20mg less than generic

Im no expert, just another adhdr sharing my experience:):)

HUGE +1 to the above. I agree w/all of it. I've been taking brand for 18 years. A few years ago I briefly switched to generic due to insurance changes. Absolutely I can tell a difference and those around me noticed a change as well. My spouse questioned whether I was taking my rx at all when on the generic (without knowing I had switched). I take 20mg 4x/day and it's brand all the way for me since that experience!

I also noticed a huge difference between the two.

I too don't understand why seemingly identical compounds can behave differently. In one of my ADHD books, I think it was driven to distraction, it says that Ritalin does seem more effective that generics.

I am so glad I read that, as I might have discarded methylphenidate as an option for my treatment.

It does worry me that other people will have tried a generic, not got any benefit and written it off - and still be having problems.

So yeh, anyway! - If there is a difference between generics and ritalin then it's totally feasible that two generics could act differently. No idea why though. Maybe better manufacturing standards, more refined compounds?

Hope it continues to work :)

I know it sounds silly because generics are supposed to be chemically identical to brand-names, but I honestly find that methylphenidate works better for me. I tried the brand-name once and it had a more noticeable stimulant effect than the same dosage of generic-- an unwelcome side effect, in my case.

Glad I'm not the only one to find a difference!

name brand ritalin is superior to generics.

I am a newbie and keep finding topics near and dear that have frustrated me due to lack of any one to discuss them with. This is a big one, and here's a random thanks!

First, Amuzed, I sympathize with your situation, especially if your child is single-digits young. It must be difficult to accurately assess the effect of generic vs. brand meds on children who aren't yet articulate enough to detail their experiences.

Second, before I go subjective, I'll mention that over the years, I've known four people with ADD/ADHD who were satisfied with generic ritalin. However, in all but one case, they started with a generic and never had a basis for comparison with the brand.

I've been taking ritalin for 11 yrears. For the first 6 years, I was on brand and it was ever-so-helpful helpful, as long as I took one-day vacations every two weeks or so. Because my insurance suddenly upped the co-pay from $20 to $75 for the brand and the generic only has a co-pay of $10 -- I tried generics on 4 different occasions. My (former) psychiatrist insisted to me that the formulas are tested and known to be identical.......so any perception of difference must all be in my head.

Simply put, the generic form did not work. My experience was similar to that of paDDyjay and ComparedToWho in that:

1) I needed a total of 100 mg. per day on the generic to feel slightly more focused (25/25/25/25) vs. 70 mg. (20/20/20/10) on the brand to feel considerably more focused and

2) On random days, the generic did not improve my focus ability at all. Because it caused my stomach to feel butterflies/racy (vs. the brand which is smooth and has no g.i. side effects), on "ineffective" days the generic was more harmful than helpful.

I'll add here that I am absent bias against generic products. I care not whether a product is generic or brand -- I am frugal and the idea of saving $ trumps all. Also, I am self aware, realistic, and educated; thus my (former) psychiatrist's insistence that it was "all in my head" was quite insulting.

Because this thread concerns ritalin, I won't bring up my response to wellbutrin. But if anyone wants feedback as to generic vs. brand wellbutrin -- I have much to say.

To sum it up, Amuzed, my experience is that brand ritalin is way more effective. If generic was my only choice, I'd likely pass it up. As aptly stated by Destracted UK -- that is a sad thought. Brand name ritalin has been a godsend and enabled me to achieve more than I ever thought possible. I wish the same for every person who struggles with ADD/ADHD.

Good luck.

I'm having the exact same problem. I've been on the same (pretty low) combo for a while now and it has been working great, no problems. 3-4 days ago, I filled my script at a different pharmacy (closer to work and needed my 10mg to work late). They gave me Methylin, and I thought, hmm, took it and things went fine. Until less than an hour and a half later and I was no longer having any effect. And now the past two days I've been experiencing nausea after I take it.

This month is going to suck. Does anyone have any experience with advocating for yourself with the pharmacists about this? Are they going to look at me like a drug seeking moron (Watson Vicodin, anyone? I work in substance abuse, so some paranoia...) This cost the same as my usual brand...

I just posted about this elswhere, but its great to see I'm not the only one who's noticed this. I've been taking watson labs generic methylphenidate for years, occassionally I'd get a different generic with MD on it from another pharmacy, then they all started switching to methylin. The tablets are noticeably smaller, and are very hard to break evenly(I take 1 1/2 tablets), are much weaker and much shorter lasting. I can't afford Ritalin, so I have to go out of my way to find pharmacies that still carry a decent generic.

My doctor has offered to write "watson labs generic" on my prescriptions and told me that they would have to order it, but I have my doubts as to whether a big chain pharmacy can order from other than its regular supplier. Does anyone have experience with this?