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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Rick on November 7, 2003, at 1:33:11
I've been taking clonazepam for 4 1/2 years. I used to always insist on branded Klonopin, but was once mailed a generic made by Teva because my doctor forgot to specify "do not substitute" and I failed to notice. Turns out it was fine, and I later read that Teva is in a sense a clonazepam "specialist," given that it is their top-selling product.
Well, perhaps due to some clonazepam-induced mental fuzziness (or fuzziness that comes naturally...) I switched my latest refill from CVS to Osco without thinking. Jeez, the whole reason I've used CVS exclusively for clonazepam the last few years is because they're the only major chain in my area that uses Teva for its generic clonazepam.
So what I ended up with from Osco is Watson.
Has anyone switched from either branded Klonopin or Teva to Watson and found it equally potent? My guess is that it would probably be equivalent. But it doesn't make me comfortable to recall that the only generic I ever *suspected* of being possibly inferior was a Watson product. In addition, I Googled up a three-year-old Usenet post from someone taking clonazepam for severe Social Phobia (same as I) who found that Watson seemed "markedly" less potent than the Teva product. OK, that's N=1, so I'd appreciate any experiences anyone can ahare.
Thanks!
Rick
Posted by zeugma on November 7, 2003, at 17:38:43
In reply to OOPS! Anyone switched to WATSON clonazepam??, posted by Rick on November 7, 2003, at 1:33:11
Have you tried it yet? I just started on clonazepam today, bearing the Watson name. That's the main supplier to the pharmacy I go to, and I have had no problems with Watson buspirone or nortriptyline. I took 0.25 mg this morning, and another 0.25 mg this afternoon. Noticed nothing... but that's a very low dose and i don't know how long it takes to kick in. Since you have something to compare it with your opinion would mean more at this point.
I also dread getting 'subpotent' meds.... it seems Nardil and amphetamines are especially problematic in this regard.
Posted by Rick on November 7, 2003, at 20:41:29
In reply to Re: OOPS! Anyone switched to WATSON clonazepam?? » Rick, posted by zeugma on November 7, 2003, at 17:38:43
> Have you tried it yet? I just started on clonazepam today, bearing the Watson name. That's the main supplier to the pharmacy I go to, and I have had no problems with Watson buspirone or nortriptyline. I took 0.25 mg this morning, and another 0.25 mg this afternoon. Noticed nothing... but that's a very low dose and i don't know how long it takes to kick in. Since you have something to compare it with your opinion would mean more at this point.
>
> I also dread getting 'subpotent' meds.... it seems Nardil and amphetamines are especially problematic in this regard.Thanks for the reply. Since I hadn't yet picked up the prescription (Osco told me over the phone that it was filled with Watson), I later called them back and asked if they could change it to branded Klonopin. They said "sure." I haven't picked it up yet, but unless the lady I was speaking to was misinformed or my insurance gave them some kind of argument, then I won't be getting Watson after all.
But your experiences with some of Watson's other generics provides more evidence that the Watson version is probably fine. Besides, today I remembered that the generic med (not clonazepam) that I once suspected of being sub-potent was made by Mutual, not Watson. (How I got "Watson" from Mutual I'll never know...)
When you say the clonazepam hasn't kicked in yet, I'm not sure whether you mean you haven't felt anything physically, or if you're referring to mental benefits, or both. If it's the former, the lack of a physical reaction doesn't necessarily mean it isn't working. Most people have slight-to-moderate sedation for the first week or two, but then .25 bid is a fairly low dose. As with all meds, the reactions and dosage requirements vary a lot by individual. (Some people do quite well on only 0.5 mg/day of clonazepam. I take 1 mg -- all first thing in the morning -- down from the 2-3 mg/day I was taking the first year.)
Benzos should have some sort of impact within a week (often the first day), so if you don't feel anything within a week, maybe you need more.
And in the apparently unlikely event that what you have is subpotent, you should just be able to take more...the difficulty would come when you switch to a different manufacturer and then have to fine-tune the dosages.
Rick
This is the end of the thread.
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