Hi All
I have been on Arimidex for 3 years and my prescription was changed to the generic brand. I have been on it for 2 weeks and the hot flushes are much worse than on Arimidex. It did coincide with the warm weather but my GP said if it persisted he would put me back on Arimidex, no problem. I think it all depends on your GP, but I would rather stick with what I am used to.
Polly
Mm I have still got some Arimidex and am due to pick up a new prescription at the beg. of April I am so hoping to get Arimidex as I have another health issue and am having a minor op tomorrow so feel I don’t want to cope with more s/e and this as well. Never blinking ends does it?
J xx
I’ve just looked in the great sack of crap OH picked up from the GPs for me and there is a big pink box of Anastrozole and the sticky label on it is my usual one with ARIMIDEX crossed out in biro!
I’ve had a very pleasant and naughty holiday from arimidex for a fortnight and I don’t know whether to finish the arimidex I’ve got left or try these over packaged things!
Grrr!
I live in West Sussex and am having the same experience with Arimidex.
I went into my local pharmacy to-day to collect my “Arimidex” tablets and the prescription stated “anastrozole” on it - which it has stated for the last twenty six months - and I was handed a box with “anastrozole” on it - when I queried this was told that the prescription now had to have “arimidex” on it to be prescribed these tablets. Generic brand now available much cheaper!!! I refused the prescription and went into my Doctor’s surgery and explained this to the receptionist - she has now referred this to the Doctor who will be contacting me on Monday. I am most unhappy about all this - I have very few S/E with the arimidex tablets and can cope with these.
The pharmacist was most empathic that I would have to take the
generic brand. Another problem that we do not need to face.
Will keep you posted as to my success. The only problem is my
Doctor (who has a good understanding of the problems I have)
is on maternity leave .
Have a good week-end everyone.
P
My doctor rang me on Friday and said that they are just the same, but I am really uncomfortable with this, she insisted that they have the same ingrediants in them, but I just wonder how Arimadix can cost £70 a month and these £1, that doesnt make me feel any better at all! Dont know what to do now?
Shirley
Ps.My pescription has always said Arimidex, and now it says anastrozole
Shirley
Ohh I should have gone to collect my meds to-day but having had a small surgery at hosp I could not face gettting my meds. I have a weeks worth of Arimidex anyway why am I so frightened of this? J Would love to know if the s/e are any different? J
I’m a person who buys generic or own brand over-the-counter meds whenever possible, and I have never noticed the difference. My prescribed allergy medicines sometimes have different names on the labels or come in different bottles, but I have never noticed a difference in effectiveness.
I’ll be starting arimidex/anastrozole in about 6 weeks, but am not worried about a generic. It’s the same thing without the branding and advertising.
Cheryl
I got Anastrazole 2 weeks ago instead of the Arimidex and have noticed no difference at all,in fact the side effects are slightly improved at the moment,
Celia.x
Hi. I started off on arimidex but have now been changed to the generic anastrazole. The ingredients are exactly the same. The only difference could be in the coating to the tablets to make them palatable. I have noticed no difference at all. My side effects are identical. The cost is irrelevant. Drug companies spend a huge amount on research and development of a product and the patent they have on a product allows them to charge a high amount for the first five years of a drug on the market as they have the sole rights to sell it. This allows them to recoup some of that r and d money. After that time other companies call make and sell the drug. These companies like Teva only have ingredient costs so they can produce the drug for very little money. This happens with all drugs on the market. I am actually pleased that the nhs can save some money on what must have been a very large bill for arimidex.
Pam very well put thanks J xx
Update re prescription
Have been advised by my Doctor that the ingredients are the same
and there should be no difference between the two tablets.
If there are any different adverse side effects to go back and they will reassess the prescription. But for now I must take the generic
version!!!
P
Just collected my repeat prescription and in view of this thread was interested to see what it said and what I would get. It said anastrazole on the script as before but instead of the usual little box with Arimidex, I too got the ‘new’ Teva box. What a waste of packaging though on the strips !! Have had major side effects from Arimidex so will be interested to see if these will be any different when I start them next week. If SEs better, I’ll probably think it’s not working!!! If SEs worse, I’ll get onc to contact GPs and insist on Arimidex.
Hi all
Have seen my doctor after taking the Teva version for a month and he has put me back onto Arimidex as my side effects became very intense.
Spoke to my lymphodema nurse who’s husband is a pharmacist and says that though the ingredients can be the same it is the rate at which is released into your system that can be different - this would seem to make sense in my case. Although I am quite shocked by the diference in price and in an ideal world I would like to be able to save the nhs some money, I would not be able to take another 4 years of the side effects that I had with the Teva. I hope this has been of help to anyone else having problems.
kind regards ~Estelle
Teva are a massive international pharmaceutical company and are the primary supplier of generic drugs to the NHS. Pretty much everything an NHS GP prescribes on a regular basis is produced by them.
This is their product list - tevauk.com/generics/productlist
It is interesting to see how differently the news of Arimidex’s patent expiration has been received in different countries. In the US they are thrilled to bits that they no longer have to find such huge sums of money for their anastrazole.
Meanwhile in the UK people are deeply suspicious that they are being fobbed off with cheapo generic rubbish as part of Dave’s slash and burn of the NHS!
My friend in the US was paying 380 per 30 Arimidex pills.
She now pays 26 for generic anastrazole.
Hopefully once people understand that generic medicines are routinely produced once the original license for a product has expired (a product whose expense factors in millions of dollars of R&D costs) they will not feel anxious about this. It is all perfectly normal.
Cheaper and generic really does not mean crapper. Almost all prescribed painkillers and antibiotics are generic drugs. Taxotere is about to come off license too I believe making docetaxel much more affordable.
Generic Alendronic Acid only costs the NHS £50 per person per annum and it is a phenomenal drug.
The NHS couldn’t function at all without generic meds.
Anyone who had FEC had generic chemotherapy. I don’t suppose that half way through treatment anyone demanded a more expensive branded version!
I have been given anastrozole by Actavis instead of Arimidex,after just over two weeks I seem to have become very “low” and weepy which is so not like me, I don’t know if it is a side effect or not, I have been on Arimidex for just over four years and apart from very painful joints and hot flushes had no side effects from it,anyone else on this brand now ?
Hi all
Just to add to all whats been said - I to have had my prescription changed from ‘Arimidex’ to Anastrozole ( no brand name). I was more than uneasy with this change and on reading others concerns have contacted my doctor. He was completely understanding and even though he stated that both products are the same he had no issue with me reverting back to Arimidex if this eased my mind. He stated that my concerns could manifest themselves with false s.e’s - so I have Arimidex again.I have had 9 months on said, which is not much compared to many, but so far I have had joint pains and some hot flushes both of which I have been able to cope with. I do feel irrational in this as the argument that both are the same is so strong but believe I do feel much better now that I dont have this niggling anxciety.One thing that wasn’t explained to me though was as to why it was changed in the first place as it was a named prescription product for me.
Techo
Just picked this months pescription up, and its made by a different company than last month!! Last month was made by a company in Hungary and this months are made in the Netherlands! Im going to ask if I can go back on Arimidex too Techo! Even if it is “all in my mind” at least I will feel better!!
Shirley
Have now been taking the anastrozole version for just over two weeks
and have had extremely painful joints, legs and arms feel like lead
and get tired very quickly. I had none of these symptoms on
Arimidex although I know other people who have. The joint pains
mean even walking up stairs is very painful. Spoke to
a breast cancer nurse on Monday and she suggested taking them
for the first month and if the pain did not ease to go back to
Doctor.
P
Hi everyone
Have now been taking the anastrozole(teva) for just over three
weeks - still getting very bad pains in joint - especially
hips and knees also very weepy and indecisive!! The pains in my
hips and joints are also very bad at night - if I move my legs
the pain wakes me up - which leaves me tired and tetchy the next
day. BC nurse said should discuss this with Doctor am
due for a repeat prescription next week - so will make an
appointment to see Dr and see if he will change back to Arimidex.
Will let you know the outcome.
Enjoy the bank holiday~!!!
P