THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT ARE NOT THE SAME
StephiTravellyr: On the plusplus side my aunt told me that I am not an extra special wanker. Generic drugs not only aren't exactly the same as their brand name counterparts, they can be completely different as long as they are in the same CLASS as their brand-name counterparts.
StephiTravellyr: ...T_T so I am not just nuts for my drugs "suddenly" ceasing to work and wondering if I have just become worse or extra crazy even though I upped my dosage.
StephiTravellyr: Even specialer, other brand-name drugs in the same CLASS as celexa, my meds of choice, have proven through experimentation NOT TO WORK. T_T I am so, so, SO ANNOYED right now. My mother has the brand-name (my old Rx), and I took it this weekend and felt better. I do not know if it is the placebo effect or not. We'll see this week, since I brought more with me.
cuisinirk: gah.
cuisinirk: That's really a sucky situation
cuisinirk: Esp since it's not apparent;y advertised.
StephiTravellyr: the pharmacists even tell you "your insurance company won't pay for the brand-name, there's a generic available."
"is it the same?"
"yes."
when I get in to see a health care provider again, I can ask him to write a Rx that says, in bold capital letters, "NO SUBSTITUTIONS."
StephiTravellyr: this means that it is illegal to give me a generic.
cuisinirk: oh my god
cuisinirk: does the insurance really not pay for the right fdrug?
StephiTravellyr: I only found this out because my cousin, daughter of the aunt who told me this, WORKS FOR DRUG COMPANIES.
StephiTravellyr: yeeeep.
StephiTravellyr: T_T My aunt is in the same situation, and pays $90 a bottle instead of $15, because they won't fully cover the brand-name.
cuisinirk: --;
cuisinirk: that should be illegal
cuisinirk: that's fraud.
StephiTravellyr: that's yet another reason why the health care system in this country is fucked up.
StephiTravellyr: however, health CARE in other countries sucks.
StephiTravellyr: ...it's a tricky situation. T_T
StephiTravellyr: I think the loophole that makes it legal is that because generics are in the same class of drugs as the brand-names they replace, for many people they ARE the same drug. Also, not all physicians are aware of all drugs in the class, and many have their favorites. Some have their favorites because they like the nifty pens the drug companies give them, and so for some people generics are a good thing.
StephiTravellyr: However.
StephiTravellyr: it should be made plain that they are NOT the same, and in some cases may not even be SIMILAR.
StephiTravellyr: they're designed to do the same thing, but so are aspirin, tylenol, and ibuprofen. tylenol does not help heart attacks, and ibuprofen is a lovely anti-inflammatory that also retards bone repair.
StephiTravellyr: they will all get rid of your headache, backache, or cramps. but they are not the same!
StephiTravellyr: T_T
StephiTravellyr: Say it, Irk. It's time.
cuisinirk: THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT ARE NOT THE SAME.
StephiTravellyr: ...T_T so I am not just nuts for my drugs "suddenly" ceasing to work and wondering if I have just become worse or extra crazy even though I upped my dosage.
StephiTravellyr: Even specialer, other brand-name drugs in the same CLASS as celexa, my meds of choice, have proven through experimentation NOT TO WORK. T_T I am so, so, SO ANNOYED right now. My mother has the brand-name (my old Rx), and I took it this weekend and felt better. I do not know if it is the placebo effect or not. We'll see this week, since I brought more with me.
cuisinirk: gah.
cuisinirk: That's really a sucky situation
cuisinirk: Esp since it's not apparent;y advertised.
StephiTravellyr: the pharmacists even tell you "your insurance company won't pay for the brand-name, there's a generic available."
"is it the same?"
"yes."
when I get in to see a health care provider again, I can ask him to write a Rx that says, in bold capital letters, "NO SUBSTITUTIONS."
StephiTravellyr: this means that it is illegal to give me a generic.
cuisinirk: oh my god
cuisinirk: does the insurance really not pay for the right fdrug?
StephiTravellyr: I only found this out because my cousin, daughter of the aunt who told me this, WORKS FOR DRUG COMPANIES.
StephiTravellyr: yeeeep.
StephiTravellyr: T_T My aunt is in the same situation, and pays $90 a bottle instead of $15, because they won't fully cover the brand-name.
cuisinirk: --;
cuisinirk: that should be illegal
cuisinirk: that's fraud.
StephiTravellyr: that's yet another reason why the health care system in this country is fucked up.
StephiTravellyr: however, health CARE in other countries sucks.
StephiTravellyr: ...it's a tricky situation. T_T
StephiTravellyr: I think the loophole that makes it legal is that because generics are in the same class of drugs as the brand-names they replace, for many people they ARE the same drug. Also, not all physicians are aware of all drugs in the class, and many have their favorites. Some have their favorites because they like the nifty pens the drug companies give them, and so for some people generics are a good thing.
StephiTravellyr: However.
StephiTravellyr: it should be made plain that they are NOT the same, and in some cases may not even be SIMILAR.
StephiTravellyr: they're designed to do the same thing, but so are aspirin, tylenol, and ibuprofen. tylenol does not help heart attacks, and ibuprofen is a lovely anti-inflammatory that also retards bone repair.
StephiTravellyr: they will all get rid of your headache, backache, or cramps. but they are not the same!
StephiTravellyr: T_T
StephiTravellyr: Say it, Irk. It's time.
cuisinirk: THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT ARE NOT THE SAME.