Stalevo generic

[JoClay]

Has anyone tried the generic for Stalevo, and if so, have you noticed any difference in how it works?

[rose of his heart]

Originally Posted by JoClay

Has anyone tried the generic for Stalevo, and if so, have you noticed any difference in how it works?

Just switched to the generic 2 days ago and have not experienced any dramatic change. I am a little fatigued but I attribute this to the fact that my sons are both sick with terrible colds and mild fevers and, I, therefore, am likely fighting off whatever they've got. I'll let you know how the generic goes. I was surprised when I picked up the Rx…didn't even know there was a generic. Gotta love that $2 copay!

[JoClay]

Originally Posted by rose of his heart

Just switched to the generic 2 days ago and have not experienced any dramatic change. I am a little fatigued but I attribute this to the fact that my sons are both sick with terrible colds and mild fevers and, I, therefore, am likely fighting off whatever they've got. I'll let you know how the generic goes. I was surprised when I picked up the Rx…didn't even know there was a generic. Gotta love that $2 copay!

My copay went from $40 to $10, which I really like, but it still costs my insurance$443 for the generic as opposed to $473 for Stalevo (I thought generic was supposed to be so much cheaper). Let me know if the fatigue continues. My pwp has been on the generic for a month, and he seems to run out of energy (plus tired legs) about an hour earlier than he did before the generic.

[stevem53]

200 mg Stalevo went generic recently

I will take my first dose tomorrow

Don't know what to expect..I guess I will find out real soon

[monitor1]

I understand it is not a generic in the classic sense but simply rebranding. I dont have the reference links right now but can get to it later. Per my pharmacist it is no different. That may have changed but just FYI

[stevem53]

Originally Posted by stevem53

200 mg Stalevo went generic recently

I will take my first dose tomorrow

Don't know what to expect..I guess I will find out real soon

It has been one month since I was switched over to 200 mg Generic Stalevo, and the past 2 weeks has been a nightmare, and I found out why which I will get to in a moment

My "normal" average day with brand name Staleveo began with a dose at 7:00 am, a second dose at 9:30 am, and the 3rd and final dose of the day at noon time 12:00 pm..I am on untill 6:00-7:00 in the evening..For the past 3 or 4 years since my neuro switched me over to Stalevo, it has worked great, I function well, and it has been predictable..I have about 15 minutes of dyskenisia in the morning when the drug is kicking in, and about 15 mins to a half hour of dyskenisia in the evening when it wears off

Since I have been on the generic I have about 2 minutes of dyskenisia in the morning, and 2 hours into my first dose I start getting dyskinetic, and it has been lasting about 2 hours between the first and second dose, and yesterday I had nasty dyskenisia from 3:00 in the afternoon, untill 7:00 in the evening..Sunday, I felt so lousy that I decided to sleep it off, after the severe muscle cramps stopped, so that I could lay down in enough comfort, to fall asleep..I slept from 4:00 in the afternoon untill 9:30 that night, and had to push myself to get up, cuz felt like going back to sleep..They say the generic is the same as the brand name and it is not..This is more of the same crap that alot of us folks have experienced with the generic Sinemet from TEVA..They claim it is the same strength as the brand name and that is bull-****, it is garbage

So here's the deal..I did some research last night, and I googled the company that manufactured the and distributes their version of generic Stalevo..The company name is Wockhardt Pharma, and the corporate office is in India This is the generic Stalevo I got from Walgreens

http://www.wockhardt.com/get-in-touc...te-office.aspx

Most of the manufacruring facilities are also in India.........

http://www.wockhardt.com/get-in-touc...ng-plants.aspx

Article.....

http://pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=68644&sid=2

The levodaopa, carbidopa and entacapone tablet is the generic name for the brand Stalevo, owned by Orion Corporation in Finland, and marketed in the US by Novartis

The buzz on generic Stalevo was that it was the brand name Stalevo from Novartis and being repackaged by Caraco Pharma, which is affliated with Sun Pharma through a stockholder merger agreement

http://parkinsons-disease.emedtv.com...talevo-p2.html

The above article basically says that The Norvartis Stalevo is being repackaged by Sun Pharma, so it reality it is not generic

I called Walgreens, who I get my Rx's from, and asked them if they could get me the repackaged Stalevo, and they said that they only have the generic brand from Wockhardt Pharma

And the kicker is, that I paid $184.00 co-pay for the generic junk from Walgreens
The Novartis brand name was $200.00 co-pay at walgreens

So I called Walmart and they have the generic repackaged brand name Novartis Stalevo, and they want $125.00 co-pay

I hit the doughnut hole on my Part D insurance in the beginning of July

Sun Pharma also has been headquartered in India since 1994

http://www.sunpharma.com/news/press/...operations.pdf

We have to be our own advocates, and do our own research, because it is obvious that the pharmacies/neuros are not going to do it for us

[pegleg]

I've been waiting for this generic! The brand Stalevo was very expensive, and although I have good insurance, those big co-payments get old in a hurry!

I have been taking 3 of Sinemet (carbidopa/levodopa) 25/100 with one 200 mg Comtan 3X daily - been doing this for years. I am popping some pill every 3 hours, so it's Sinemet alone after the first 3-days dosages. I will still only take Stalevo 3X a day because of toxicity possibilities.

Did you know that from brand name meds to generics, there can be a 15-20% difference in formulation? This difference can also be true from brand to brand. I guess it's like shopping at the grocery, where some of the "Value" brands (usually produced under the grocery's name) are as good or better than brand names, with significant savings. But there are some off-brands items that taste like @%$#!

If a particular brand of medication works better for you, then have your doctor to mark "brand name only."

I didnt know Stalevo had reached generic age - thanks!

Peg

[stevem53]

Originally Posted by pegleg

I've been waiting for this generic! The brand Stalevo was very expensive, and although I have good insurance, those big co-payments get old in a hurry!

I have been taking 3 of Sinemet (carbidopa/levodopa) 25/100 with one 200 mg Comtan 3X daily - been doing this for years. I am popping some pill every 3 hours, so it's Sinemet alone after the first 3-days dosages. I will still only take Stalevo 3X a day because of toxicity possibilities.

Did you know that from brand name meds to generics, there can be a 15-20% difference in formulation? This difference can also be true from brand to brand. I guess it's like shopping at the grocery, where some of the "Value" brands (usually produced under the grocery's name) are as good or better than brand names, with significant savings. But there are some off-brands items that taste like @%$#!

If a particular brand of medication works better for you, then have your doctor to mark "brand name only."

I didnt know Stalevo had reached generic age - thanks!

Peg

Yes, I was aware of the 15 - 20% difference, and in my case, after 3 doses, at the end of the day, that adds up to 45 - 60%..Hmmmm, thats alot of %%%%!!!!

All of a sudden I have this rouge urge for some extended off time

[trubrit4]

Originally Posted by stevem53

Yes, I was aware of the 15 - 20% difference, and in my case, after 3 doses, at the end of the day, that adds up to 45 - 60%..Hmmmm, thats alot of %%%%!!!!
All of a sudden I have this rouge urge for some extended off time

Hello, I did some research on Stalevo 125, it is the Sun Pharmaceuticals that is Stalevo repackaged.
I am in the donut hole on my last rx for 2012 and the charge was 293.00 with my ins. share 535.
I plan to call Sun Pharmaceutical Friday.
I would be in the donut hole again by june 2013 as the ins. coounts its share towards the 2970.
I will keep you posted. I take Stalevo 125 5times a day and Gabapentin 3 x daily and no pd symtoms.
Joyce

[goldens help]

Hi. I take care of my father. He is on Stalevo 150. As you know it is very expensive. And he will hit the dognut hole very early this year. I was wondering if anyone is currently taking the generic Stalevo from walmart(Caraco's brand). If so, is it truely just repackaged brand name Stalevo? I really would appreciate any feedback on it. Thank you soo much.