Is Brand Ambien Better than Generic?
Many people don’t have a real choice because their health insurance dictates which they can buy, but with cheap medication available online, it might be a good idea for you to explore the difference between generic and brand medications. Pharmaceutical companies argue that the drugs are essentially the same because they are made with the same active ingredients. However, the inactive ingredients also have an impact on efficacy in some cases.
What’s the difference?
When a drug is first developed, it costs a lot of money for the pharmaceutical company who creates it. Not only do they have to do a whole lot of research, testing, and trials, but they also have to advertise the drug in order to create an interest in it. This all costs a great deal of money, so, to protect their investment, the company gets a patent that lasts for a few years. That means that they get to sell the drug for a few years before other companies can make their own versions of the drug. This original drug is called the brand and the copies that come out after the patent expires are called generic.
Of course one company does not simply give away it’s formula, so the drugs are all a bit different. The difference between drugs varies, but sometimes it can make a big difference.
For instance, the generic form of Lamictal, while good at treating depression and mania, has not worked for many at preventing seizures like the brand does.
Many people complain that the brand and generic drugs are regulated differently by the FDA. The truth is, both drugs are equally safe for you. What people are really complaining about is how different the drugs are allowed to be. US law allows the generic to be have either 20% more or less bioequivalence to the brand name drug. That means that the drug has to be released into the bloodstream in roughly the same amount and at roughly the same speed as the brand name drug.
The inactive ingredients in drugs are things like coloring, flavoring, filler to make the drug large enough to handle, and coating. However, some “inactive” ingredients are a bit more active than others. Inactive ingredients also include binders, stabilizers, and other things that affect how the body absorbs the active ingredient. This may account for reports of dramatically different effects between some brand name drugs and some generics.
Ambien versus Zolpidem
Both Ambien and Ambien CR have proven effective at getting patients to fall asleep and stay asleep. Zolpidem, however, has not proven to be very effective at maintaing that sleep. Patients wake up during the night more often on Zolpidem. Many who have switched from Ambien to the generic Zolpidem have found it much less effective. Some patients have reported having nightmares, depression, paranoia, and blind spots in their vision while on Zolpidem.
Because it is a lot cheap to order Ambien online now, if you are thinking about switching to save a few bucks it might not be a good idea. Many have not noticed any difference of course, but some have. If Zolpidem is working for you, there is no need to switch to Ambien. On the other hand, if you continue to wake up throughout the night, it might be worth the money to try Ambien CR.