"Can You Trust Foreign-Made Generic Medicines?"

[richie]

Actavis Generic is now owned by Teva –Actavis is the old Watson which became Allergan then became Actavis –all these companies enjoyed excellent reputations for quality –They manufacture in the Us which means that supply should be steady –A very important factor I consider is the leeway in generic strength –A generic can have a 20 % variation in the amount of active ingredient -minocycline hydrochloride –that means a company can produce minocyclene that is 80% active ingredient and next production can be 120% active ingredient –thats a 40% swing !!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully the production of Actavis or Teva is more consistent than say Indian production !!! –I dont have worry about allergies so I never look into inert ingredients —however I am certain a call to them would supply the answer >

[PhilC]

Spiffy1 wrote:

Do you know the inert ingredients of Actavis?

MAGNESIUM STEARATE (UNII: 70097M6I30)
STARCH, CORN (UNII: O8232NY3SJ)
D&C RED NO. 28 (UNII: 767IP0Y5NH)
D&C YELLOW NO. 10 (UNII: 35SW5USQ3G)
GELATIN (UNII: 2G86QN327L)
SILICON DIOXIDE (UNII: ETJ7Z6XBU4)
SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (UNII: 368GB5141J)
TITANIUM DIOXIDE (UNII: 15FIX9V2JP)
FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE (UNII: XM0M87F357)

They’re made in India. Some people have done OK on Actavis (formerly Watson) minocycline, but there are also people who have not done well while on it. It definitely would not be my first choice. In fact, for me (personally), I wouldn’t take it, period. I know that this generic would most likely not “agree” with me because of the corn starch and the red dye.

Here’s someone’s recent (July 2016) experience with Actavis (Watson) mino:

“I was without Minocin all of June and early July so I took the Watson I had and declined. Then I received Torrent generic in lieu of Minocin from new insurer. It worked and I immediately started to improve after starting it early July. I am not back to remission but I’m worlds better. I now have Minocin again as my doctor demanded this for me and it was approved. I continue to improve everyday.”

Source: Generic Minocycline vs. Brand Minocin vs. Doxycycline

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[lynnie_sydney]

Spiffy and RJR – for your information also re Minomycin brand:

Inactive ingredients:
 Lactose
 Sodium starch glycollate
 Povidone
 Sorbitol
 Cellulose – microcrystalline  Stearic Acid
 Magnesium Stearate
 Opadry orange ys-1r-2402

Manufacturer
Aspen Pharma Pty Ltd 34-36 Chandos Street St Leonards NSW 2065 Australia

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[whaleharbor]

For me…I was on the Teva and went into remission. When Teva no longer produced I was on Watson/Actavis…no change…still in remission. No herx…no nothing…just as if I was taking the same thing. Then I was told Actavis was not available so I was given Ranbaxy and quickly declined….for the first time in years…a major relapse. Now I’m back on Actavis (funny how when the doctor says it must be Actavis now they can suddenly get it again) and I’m getting better again quickly. So…for me Actavis is the way to go.

Minocycline 100mg every other day with food...lots of food: Zydus brand. Celecoxib 200mg twice per day: Greenstone brand.

[RJR1066]

I tried Chemist Warehouse-below is their reply.

Dear Bonnie,

Thank you for your email.

Please be advised, we can only accept valid Australian prescriptions written by an Australian Doctor.

Kind regards,
Brooke.

Customer Service Officer

44 Raglan Street Preston

Melbourne VIC 3072 Australia

T: 03 9462 9111

F: 03 9462 9133

So, me talking again…..is there any way to work around this restriction? I would really like to keep getting the Minomycin.

RBFV Message:
Email link above has been removed to ensure the company doesn’t receive spam emails. Thank you for your understanding

[PhilC]

Hi Bonnie,

Were you taking Minomycin capsules or tablets?

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[lynnie_sydney]

So, me talking again…..is there any way to work around this restriction? I would really like to keep getting the Minomycin.

Sorry to hear that. I have no idea how you could work around this, maybe someone else would know. BTW, I think what I found is the 50mg orange coated tablets (which is the one I used to take)

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[RJR1066]

Phil-

” Minomycin from NZ which I was buying through Canada Drug”

They no longer can get it/the NZ pharmacy is no longer dispensing it.

Canada drug suggested Aknemin from Great Britain.

[whaleharbor]

I wonder if this is a way around it. I wonder if you could use an online (telemedicine) service in Australia to get the prescription….especially if you got help from your doctor and he was able to prove to the Australian doctor that it was all legit. Here’s one such telemedicine service …I’ve linked to the FAQ page. https://doctus.com.au/faq/

****************Edit: Upon further reading of the FAQ’s it appears that they only deliver in Australia. But there has to be some other telemedicine service……it’s worth investigating.

****************Edit again: Perhaps if they just write the script for the other online pharmacy to deliver…. that might work.

Minocycline 100mg every other day with food...lots of food: Zydus brand. Celecoxib 200mg twice per day: Greenstone brand.

[PhilC]

Hi Bonnie,

I recommend trying Teva-Minocycline which is made in Canada. There are at least two people on this forum who are taking Teva-Minocycline for scleroderma and doing well. You can order Teva-Minocycline from NorthWestPharmacy.com. When you order, be sure to let them know that you want Teva-Minocycline; otherwise, they might send you a different generic.

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[Kamabla]

Hi, I am new here and a bit confused about Minocycline. To avoid fillers I have been using compounded Minocycline which I have to pay out my own pocket, insurance does not cover it and the Pharmacy is having a hard time getting the antibiotics to compound. I am in Canada, can anyone tell me if there is any Minocycline that has no filler and where can I get it? Also my doctor prescribed Sulfasalazine 500mg. is this part of the AP, he told me to stop Minocycline bc of the black marks that I have on my nails but I do not like the side effects this tablet might cause. Please help. Thank you

Diagnosed with Dermatomyositis and RA in July 2016, AP since September 2016. Compounded Minocycline 100 mg. twice daily, Azithromycin 250mg daily, Pentoxifylline 400 mg 3 times a day, Serrapettase 120,000 SU 2 daily, EGCg 400mg. 3 times a day, Turmeric 500 mg twice daily, Indole-3-Carbinol 150mg 3 times daily, Omega 3, B Complex, Vit D3, InflaCalm 1 twice daily, LDN 4.5 mg. Probiotics, Enzymes, Diet AIP, Light Exercise and Physiotherapy once a week.

[Spiffy1]

Thank you for all the information. I got brave today and ordered minocyclene through my compounding pharmacist. I would appreciate any prayers as I try them late next week. Seeing that I am allergic to other antibiotics, I will be surprised if I can take it. We shall see. I have been off about 2.5 weeks. Not exactly sure. So strange I developed the allergy right when they switched generics.

Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes, etc.
RA Factor 71 in Jan 2015 down to 25 as of September 2017
DR4/DQ8 HLA...biotoxin illness
IGG food allergy to wheat, egg, and dairy...probably all grains
Vit. C&D, probiotics, milk thistle, turmeric, fish oil, methyl b 12, methyl folate, digestive enzymes, Candisol, Ubiquinol, berberine, chlorella, Moducare, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens, Paractin
MTHFR compound heterozygous
Igenex IGM positive Lyme, minoMWF

[Suzanne]

We aren’t going to have to worry about minocycline generic brands anymore because my daughter can no longer take it. Testing has ruled out everything else as the cause of intercranial pressure. Once again, she has the rare side effect. I would like to share that this coincides with not being able to get Actavis. I don’t know how long it takes for this side effect to occur, but I do know she had many good months before this happened.

Mom of teen daughter with Poly JIA since age 2. Current med: azithromycin 250 mg MWF.

[Author]

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