Exemestane (Aromasin) different brands ok?

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1

Hi

I have recently been switched from tamoxifen to exemestane. I have been taking exemestane for 3 weeks with no side effects yet. The hosp gave me a yellow box with Accord on it. Now ive picked up my prescription for the next 2 months and my chemist has given me a white box with Pharmacia on it. I know that with tamoxifen people have more side effects with different brands. Does anyone know if the same applies to exemestane? Is one brand better than the other? Has anyone switched brands and found different side effects?

Thanks in advance.

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hi, i am on exemastane too, there are no generic brands of this medication, it is just known as aromasin or exemastane.

hope this helps
x

3

Hi Lolly

they brought out a generic examestane this Aug and my pharmacist looked in to getting it for me as a bit cheaper than aromasin.

We went through the extra ingrediants and there is a slight difference in the bulking agents.
Between us we decided I would stay on the current brand because I’m pretty sensitive and I know what I’ve been taking is ok so far.

Basically they are very similar. I think there aree 2 generic brands out in America, one is made by the same company as Aoomasin and is the same the other has different bulking agents…

Have no idea if this helps you but I expect it will be like Tamoxi, some brands will suit some people, others will suit others!

Good luck

Katie x

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Hi
I don’t know about exemestane but there are a few long threads on here about different brands of Femara and Arimidex and there are a lot of us who have had, in some cases quite bad, side effects when a generic brand is used - or even a different generic brand to the one used before. Although the active ingredient is the same in all cases of brand it is the bulking out ingredients that seem to cause the problem. I seem to remember that one brand of letrozole (Femara) has tartrazine in it - a well known allergen for many people.
I guess it’s a case of seeing how you feel on a different brand and asking to change if you notice significant changes to your side effects.
Nicky

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hi, thanks for the warning, i didnt realise that they had now brought a generic version.

x

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Just picked up my next lot and it is generic - Teva brand. I haven’t yet checked the ingredients.

I haven’t been having much trouble with Aromasin so I’m crossing my fingers for the same with the generic.

Eliza xx

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how do u know if its generic or not?

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The original brand was distributed by Pharmacia. You can tell which is which because only the originally patented brand is called by its trade name of Aromasin and it will say Aromasin on the pack. If it only says exemestane then it is a generic.

Eliza xx

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Thanks for that. My first box i am on says exemestane, and so far so good. My next box however says aromasin so hopefully will be ok.