Brand Ritalin vs Generic Methylphenidate - Can you tell the difference?

[David]

Can you tell the difference between brand Ritalin & generic Methylphenidate?

I previously mentioned this in another thread but dediced it might be interesting to start a new topic with a poll specifically on this. I may be the only one but I thought I would find out.

Personally, I have much better results with brand Ritalin than I do with generic Methylphenidate of the same or even a slightly higher dosage. I have more side effects with the generic as well. When I am coming off the gereric dose I feel more "dirty" than I do with brand. Sometimes I will have a bit of a headache as well, and I rarely if ever do on brand.

I take 10 mg aprox. 4 times a day. Every 3 hours or so.

This may also be relevant. I have better effects from breaking 20 mg tablets in half than I do with using the standard 10 mg brand tablets. You would think they are exactly the same but I can tell the difference. After I kept asking my doctor to prescribe me the 20's instead of the 10's he asked me why. I told him that the side-effects were less for me on the 20 cut into 10.. I thought he was going to call me crazy on it but he said he had heard that before. He asked me to conduct a test by having my girlfriend give me either a 20 broken in half or a 10 mg brand pill and for me to tell her what I think I was on. (She dropped this into my mouth with my eyes closed so I couldn't see the difference) Out of 10 doses, I only called one wrong.

Just curious if anyone else could tell the difference?

David

[Gracie]

Originally Posted by David

Can you tell the difference between brand Ritalin & generic Methylphenidate?

I have better effects from breaking 20 mg tablets in half than I do with using the standard 10 mg brand tablets.

Ditto to everything you said, David. I tended to have more side effects with the Methylphenidate too. I take it that you were splitting the tabs as opposed to the capsules? I have the brand LA 20mg capsules but they say that you can open them up.

[douglasbrooker]

I was taking Ritalin brand in the late 90s and up to 2001, but was actually buying it over the counter in Tijuana Mex. because I live in San Diego. It was only available in 10 mg tabs. I was doing that because I had financial problems at the time and couldn't afford a shrink. Now I got into some UCSD program with a sliding scale that made the shrink very affordable, and I get a generic made by Malinkrodt. Another poster says that Malinkrodt makes a very good generic version of Dexedrine, and I am here to say that their version of methylphenidate is pretty much identical to brand name Ritalin. Always ask the pharmacy who makes the generic. It really is cheaper and I can't tell the difference. 60 of the 20 mg. tabs are only about $50, cheaper actually than dealing with the farmacias across the border, though the doctor's "prescription" cost a mere $10 and made it legal to bring it across the border and declare it to Customs.

[Keppig]

I was never given the option of Ridalin just the generic so I don't know.

[Kostics]

Douglas, thanks for that great tip.

I'm switching next week to Ritalin because of tolerance (aka "poop-out") I developed to d-AMPH.

I assume you were referring to METHYLIN®, Mall's brand of methyphenidate? I too was tipped off by a poster about Mallincrodt's excellent version of Dexedrine. (Saved me plenty,too.) So I'm not surprised that they make an equally good version of Ritalin, too. But it's great to get confirmation from someone who knows!

So thanks again.

Best,
Allen
Kansas City, MO

[douglasbrooker]

Yeah I'm very happy with the Mall generic. The 20 mg have a similarly more highly active "kick" compared to the 10 mg tabs, as I have read in other posts with brandname Ritalin. In other words, a 20 cut in half seems stronger and more effective than a single 10. Who knows why. I take a 20 in the morning and cut one in half and stretch them across the afternoon, tho often the second "half" isn't necessary. It depends on what I need (or think I need) to get done. I have to watch that. I'm the kind of ADDer who can sometimes cross a line and start using the meds to simply go from vegeholic to workaholic. Know what I mean?

[hypergeek]

hi. i take four 20mg tablets a day. sometimes i think theres a difference but mostly the generic "methelphenidate" does okay.

[Scatterbrains]

I was taking 1 Ritalin LA 30 mg once a day, and just
this morning started with a generic 10 mg 3x a day.
So far I don't think it's working so great, I don't feel
half as focused as I did yesterday. I will be switching
insurance because the other HMO covers brand name
Ritalin.

[Eve]

I have taken almost all brands of Ritalin. I'm not sure if this is relevent to your question, but the only kind I have not had is plain Ritalin. I've been on Concerta(didn't like), Ritalin LA(only for a month by mistake, didn't like either.), And Ritalin Se(not bad).

After I took those varieties for several months I switched to methylphenidate 20 mg twice a day(I take 10 mgs at a time). I've taken that for a while now and it has worked pretty good. Yesterday I went to a different pharmacy and they gave me Methylin. So far I like it, except the pills are really hard to break in half.

[Kostics]

Look, I just started a few days ago on Methylin, a generic brand of Ritalin. I can't tell you how it compares to the original, except in price (Ritalin's nearly twice as much).

This I can tell you. Many people will tell you that generic RXs are just as good as the brand. Well, I wouldn't count on it, friends. Not where my health, physical or mental, is concerned.

The truth is that many people who have switched from Ritalin to a generic will tell you that there can be a BIG difference, and not for the better.
That's why I'm so pleased when I can find someone (besides the FDA!) who can vouch for the quality of their generic because they've actually USED the brand (like douglas, earlier in this thread).

These generics are like store brands. The quality can vary greatly. (oddly, some people talk as all generic drugs are made by the same company (Dubious Generic Pharmaceuticals, Inc).

There are lots of companies that make generic drugs, and these companies have names (usually right after the generic drug name on your RX bottle) Curaco, Purepac, Watson, Teva, Mallincrodt and a lot of other names you never heard of. Potency and quality can vary enormously, even within companies. Generic Valium made by Zilch company might be a bargain, but their generic Dilantan might give junior a seizure---literally!

Never mind people who tell you it's all in your head, that the FDA certifies all generics. It's not quite that simple.

(URL removed)

The only way to play it safe is to at least START with the brand RX, and have your doctor sign the scrip DAW (despense as written), then LATER switch to a generic Adderall, or whatever, so you can tell if there's a difference.

k.

[sla]

I've only recently started taking a generic ritalin. I don't know who makes it but I think I'll find out after reading these posts. My doctor tells me all the generic ritalins contain the exact same quantity of medication as the name brand drug but the problem comes with the way the pill is made and how much it allows your body to absorb. She tells me that because of the coatings used with the generic ritalin you absorb roughly 30% less than with name brand Ritalin.

[douglasbrooker]

Ask for Methylin, the generic brand made by Mallinkrodt. It is identical to brand Ritalin. I have to pay for it. I don't have insurance. My prescription is 60 of the 20 mg tablets. Ritalin is $90. Methylin is $51. If you have insurance, who cares, get the brand. It is absolutely every bit the same drug. All the other generics, especially anything made by Barr Laboratories, are suspect.

[batgrl2000]

Hey,
I don't know personally but my husband takes ritalin and says he likes taking the brand name better. He says the "crappy" side affects of generic are very noticable and he thinks the brand ritalin works better.

[jnixon]

I onced complained about generic ritalin and was told to chew it instead of swollowing it,. variable absorbtion rates make an impact. realize it.

[douglasbrooker]

Dexedrine generics are similar. For the most part I have not had the problems other people complain about with generic anything. Chewing makes sense, though. Sometimes solutions are just too simple...