Teva Announces Launch of Generic Zoloft

I took only zoloft generic for 2 days.My blood pressure dropped.I almost fainted.I dont know what would have happened if I was home alone.Any suggestions for racing thoughts and an occasional anxiety episode? Right now I take xanax whenever I'm feeling anxious.I need something that I can take to prevent the attacks from happening.

I was so stoaked when a generic zoloft came out. After college, when my insurance was gone, scraping together the $90 every month was a major budgeting issue. I've taken generic zoloft since it came out (I think the brand was Greenstone, but I've thrown that bottle away) and hadn't had any problems. Then, about two weeks ago, I picked up my pills and they were a different shape, but I figured "whatever, it's still sertraline." This stuff is made by TEVA.Not only am I having the typical withdrawl symptoms (dizziness, rage, depression, insomnia, lethargy) but the depression is way worse than I ever was (except when I had a negative reaction to Lexapro). I felt totally crazy calling around to other pharmacies asking who makes their generic zoloft.
Also, the actual population of people taking sertraline is so much larger than that of the studies to validate generics (or any medication) could possibly be. What looked like a statistical aberration in the data might mean real problems for a tiny percentage of us out here on the ground.
In any case, all those uptight pharmacists out there should chill out and just be thankful they're not an anomaly with a sensitive system. Really. If we were all brand-crazy, we wouldn't have even tried the generic.

When I first used zoloft it was great the first two weeks but then it lost it's effect .. has anyone had that experience before? I felt great but now I am edgy .. should I cut my dose in half? Please advise.

I was on name-brand Zoloft for 15 years before I decided to switch to the generic drug because of cost. My insurance company basically would not pay for name brand Zoloft, but instead would pay almost all of the generic drug. So, I figured what the heck -- switch to generic. My doctor also didn't think it would be a problem as many of his patients switched with no problems. Well, I had major problems! I made the switch July '07 and slowly started to display some strange behavior. I became much more irritable, anxious, depressed and finally I started to have psychotic episodes. I never had such things happen in all my 15 years on name brand Zoloft. It got so bad that I had to go back on name brand Zoloft and had to add another antidepressant "Abilify" to my daily regimen. Abililfy is for major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia! I can't believe the damage the generic drug did to me - nor can my doctor who thought it was safe. I am OK now that I am on 2 name brand antidepressants which is costing me a fortune! After reading all of the entries in this blog, I am angered to no end at the damage the generic drug industry is causing innocent people. It is a crime. If anyone knows of any legal action that is being taken or can be taken, please respond to my entry here.

i switched to the generic brand of zoloft just because they gave it to me and then went to my psychiatrist and he could tell after we had talked that something was wrong. He guessed that i had been taking a generic form of zoloft and immediately wrote me another prescription saying i HAD to have the name brand. He also told me he hears this complication A LOT with this drug.

Well, the pain and misery continues!! How we can ever get the word out the generic versions are not good, even harmful, I just don't know!! I've written on here many times to at least go to the FDA's site and post an adverse reaction but I don't think they are listening. I will repeat again that I had good results with the real Zoloft for panic and anxiety for years. Then they switched me (I didn't realize it)until I started with the bad reaction. Even though I've been back on the real Zoloft for some time now, I don't think its working very well for me anymore. I've yet to add anything else because I don't like taking medicine but I'm so discouraged that they had to mess up my life like this. Good luck to you all. Deb

Good Luck All !!!

Panic Attacks are a bitch. So why when I took generic zoloft it made it worse.
What's up with that!

Wow I am so glad I am not alone on this. I recently took the generic zoloft about 4 weeks ago after giving birth at first I felt ok. But little by little I was getting worse I was more anxious more depressed was going crazy I was aggitated irritated more then I have ever felt in my life. The first time I took zoloft I felt good the actual zoloft it worked really good. But this time they gave me the generic and I did not know it was generic and I had a terrible time with it I only lasted 3 weeks its been two weeks since I have been off and I stull feel dizzy irritated too much shit. It feels good to know I am not alone on this I know the generic now is no good hopefully I can get back on the real zoloft soon. Thanks Yvette

Wow! I am so glad I found this post. I was taking Zoloft and then went with a generic from Walmart, no difference. I felt the same as I did with the Zoloft. Then I was sent a generic through my mail order and I feel horrible. I have panic attacks, racing heart that wakes me at night, stomach upset...it is terrible. I am calling my doctor in the morning and telling him what is going on. I did fine with one generic but not with the new one. I thought I was going off the deep end until I found these posts. Bless you all!

Same here. The original zoloft was great. Once i was switched to the generic I began to have negative effects such as rage, irritability, bad dreams. I'm going back to the original even though it costs more. The FDA should do something about this.

Linda wrote:

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i disagree I have gone completely backward recently when switching to generic Zoloft and didn't even realize thzt was the case till my doc asked me alot of questions and we figured it out. Generics are not always the same

I agree with you Linda - the generic zoloft does not work the same. I can tell the difference within 1 week.

I have been on Zoloft for 13 years. I switched to generic due to the cost savings, but after a while I felt like I was not taking ANYTHING at all! I did switch to a new generic made by GREENSTONE, and I felt better within weeks. I believe that there is something wrong with TEVA generic.

I agree. I took regular Zoloft after my daughter was born in 2005 and it worked wonderfully. I recently started on the generic after my son was born and it has been awful! I am so irritable, much worse than ever before. What a mess!

Oh my Goodness. I recently realized that my pharmacy had switched my prescription from Zoloft to sertaline. I was taking the generic everyday and I was so irritable that my kids and family would ask me if I was taking my medicine. I went to the pharmacy and they told me that they automatically substitue to generic unless your doctor marks on the prescription that you request zoloft. This is ridiculous !! They are playing with peoples lives and do not care what consequences it has on the people who rely on the zoloft. I almost lost my job because I was so irritable. Unbelievable!! Please respond if have had similar experiences. Please help each other so this does not continue ..

Well here is what is going on now. I went to my doctor and was told I was having an ALLERGIC reaction to that particular generic. I told my doctor to take the meds and throw them out, because I want no part of them. Well he gave me some samples of some new stuff called Pristiq. I read up on that. No thank you. I am now off generic Zoloft and I never took the Pristiq (mind you this stuff costs 3.67 per pill) That right there will depress the heck out of ya. I am having the withdrawal symptoms of going off the Zoloft (generic) and they stink, but I really want my life back. I quit smoking, became a vegetarian, now I want to be chemical free. I will take the side effects but I am wondering if there is something that can take the edge off with out being a long term thing. My doctor skipped town(nah, he just went on vacation)so I need to wait and ask him if there is anything for a short term help. I sure hop we all get happy. I feel for all of us. Why don't they have an obligation to us as human beings to tell us all the poop on these drugs before letting us come to a decision on taking them or not? God bless doctors for trying to help but Jeeze inform us first will ya?
Here's hoping you all get better. God bless and take care of YOU!
Jo

I forgot to say, my doctor said that the only regulation that the FDA has to do with generic pills is make sure the one active ingredient is the same, as far as fillers go, they can put whatever they want in it. Also, it is Not tested on humans and doesn't have to be. That is criminal!
Thought you would all like to know that juicy tidbit. I think it is criminal!

The generic does not work. when I switch i felt terrible. I switch back to zoloft and now I am back to my old self. Zoloft is very expensive now that the generic came out. Something needs to be done.

Anyone familiar with the Apotex brand of sertraline hydrochloride (generic Zoloft)?

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

why couldn't they just leave well enough alone.

It all comes down to the almight buck. Sad but true.

I threw my generic away .. they were making me miserable. I feel better now that I stop taking the generic.

I have been taking generic zoloft (sertraline) for the past 6 weeks for major depression and anxiety. I have been having some symptoms that a lot of others on this board are saying that they have had with the generic. First of all, my bottle says the manufacturer of the sertraline is TEVA if that makes any difference. Anyway, I have been having a racing heart rate, anxiety (which is one of the reasons I started the sertraline) I feel agitated alot, and have been getting headaches. I just came from my pharmacy and the pharmacist told me that the generic form of zoloft was one of the ones that his customers complain about. He said that most of them are willing to pay for the name brand because there is that much difference. I had him switch me to name brand and I hope to have better results with it. I'm kind of afraid wondering if I will have some withdrawl symptoms from the sertraline while adjusting to the name brand.