tamoxifen/ using different generic vs brand?

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Percyb
Percyb Member Posts: 4
edited April 2019 in Share Your Experiences Of Life After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis

for the first three months on tamoxifen I was on the pill that comes from Japan I had some hair loss but it seemed to equal out after the three months. Then my drugstore said they could not get that one but could only get the Teva made in Israel. I am having very different side effects with it. Ie: sleeplessness, much more hair loss, anxiety severe, just an overall change. I am wondering if other people have experience this with the different brands and if using the brand and not the generic might be a better choice? Please respond if you have any information on this. This has been a lousy three months. Thank you

Pr

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  • Veeder14
    Veeder14 Member Posts: 880
    edited April 2019

    Hi Percyb,

    Do you remember the name of the manufacturer of the pills from Japan? Anyways, I tried to get the brand name Tamoxifen after getting a doctor's order for it. I found out it doesn't exist and all of the Tamoxifen is generic, although there are several different companies that make it. I can relate regarding the side effects.

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  • Salamandra
    Salamandra Member Posts: 1,444
    edited April 2019

    Hi PercyB

    Seconding Veeder. There is no brand name right now, but there are handful of companies making different generic versions of it. Sometimes the same company will make 3 or 4 versions. If you search tamoxifen brands on this forum, you'll see a lot of conversations where women report similar to you, different side effects on different brands.

    Unfortunately it doesn't seem like there's any distinct patterns. Ie, there's no one brand that more people do well on. It seems like we just have to do trial and error.

    I just switched from one of Mayne's brands to trying Mylan, because of intense fatigue. I'm not too optimistic about Mylan because I think that's what I had during radiation and I was completely fatigued then, just attributed to radiation. But my pharmacy said that if that doesn't work out I can keep trying others, so I'll give it a shot.

    You should be able to switch brands without going through your doctor, and the pharmacy shouldn't care since they're all generic and pretty cheap. I just had to tell them the side effects I was having, I guess they are required to keep a record of it somewhere.

    Tamoxifen has definitely messed with my sleep, either directly or indirectly (through the gastric effects). I've had a better experience taking it in the morning for that reason.

    Good luck!

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited April 2019

    Astra Zeneca stopped US production of it’s name brand Tamoxifen in 2006 mainly due to decreased sales as many generic brands became available.

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  • Percyb
    Percyb Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2019

    hi I so appreciate your info on this! The one I’m taking now is Teva. Cvs insists they must go with there distributor? I will find our name of other generic co.

    What is Nolvadex? D ? Is this the brand? Can it be acquired? I am now having gastric issues on this one as well. I am having more hair loss with Teva . So afraid to make changes. Do u feel this way?

    Pr

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited April 2019

    I've had mostly Mayne/Teva, but had Mylan for about 3 months before Walgreens switched back to Mayne. I can't say I noticed a difference in side effects.

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  • Percyb
    Percyb Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2019

    the tamoxifen that I was on with lesser side affects was Acctivis

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