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Mental health

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Original poster

cipramil

30 replies

pigletandme · 24/08/2006 18:16

I asked my gp for the cipramil rather than the generic citalopram as i had heard thea the branded tablets can work better. However have just looked at my tablets and although it says cipramil on the box, the packaging on the tablets inside says "elopram/citalpram". so it seems i have still been given the generic tablets but in the branded box?

OP posts:

PanicPants · 24/08/2006 18:19

Whenever I picked up a prescription for citalopram, it was always different, sometimes generic sometimes not. Don't really think it makes too much difference, just depends what the chemist has in stock at the time.

WigWamBam · 24/08/2006 18:25

Elopram is another brand of Citalopram - it's not Cipramil, but it's not a purely generic one either.

Makes no difference at all, or it certainly hasn't for anyone I know who has taken it - including me. Cipramil is still citalopram, just with a different name on the box and a heftier price-tag.

Original poster

pigletandme · 24/08/2006 18:56

i know it's supposed to be the same but just find it a bit strange that the box clearly says "cipramil" but that's not exactly what is inside the box - although a sticker has been stuck on the pills saying "ciprimil". I'm just a bit worried...

OP posts:

WigWamBam · 24/08/2006 19:32

Why are you worried? They are the same thing, regardless of what their brand name is. A generic drug is simply one called by its chemical name rather than a name given to it by a particular manufacturer. The products have the same ingredients. They have to, by law.

A generic drug must be "generically equivalent" to the same drug with a brand name. It must have the same active ingredients, strength, and dosage. It must be therapeutically equivalent ? meaning that it must be the same chemically and have the same medical effect.

Pharmacies are allowed to give generic drugs, even when a brand name has been prescribed. Which is probably what's happened - the GP may have prescribed Cipramil, but the pharmacist doesn't have to provide it. If it's really important to you, it might be worth asking next time whether they have the branded version in stock - and taking the prescription to a different pharmacist if they don't. But in reality you would be getting the same drug anyway.

lilymolly · 24/08/2006 19:51

Agree with Wigwam
Think of it like this-
Hoover is brand name
Vacuum cleaner is generic, but they both do the same job. Was Medical rep who sold generics so they should not be any difference.

JennT · 24/08/2006 20:48

No if the prescription is for Cipramil, the pharmacist MUST dispense the brand and not the generic HOWEVER they can give 'parallel imports'. These are tablets made by the company in a different country where they cost less money than they do in the UK. It is cheaper for pharmacists to import these drugs than pay the price the drugs companies charge in the UK.

These parallel imports are the same as the uk brand. There is nothing wrong with them, (but they may be called something different) and nothing wrong with the generics either.

JennT · 24/08/2006 20:50

Oh pharmacists in the community can't swap a branded script to generic, but in hospitals they CAN. Don't know why.

lilymolly · 24/08/2006 21:17

I am presuming the GP prescribed generically. Think this is the norm now, but agree prob PI

Original poster

pigletandme · 25/08/2006 16:14

JennT, the prescription was for cipramil as opposed to gneric citalopram. I was given Elopram which apparently is the Italian version of ciprimil - is this ok then?

OP posts:

Original poster

pigletandme · 25/08/2006 20:42

anyone know if this is ok?

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lilymolly · 25/08/2006 21:10

Presume its ok, but chemist should have given you cipramiol, if thats what was on script, but as explained by someone else, it is prob a Paralell import, which is cheaper for the chemist.

JennT · 25/08/2006 22:02

Absolutely nothing wrong with the italian PI. If script says Cipramil, then the PI for Cipramil CAN be given, the generic citalopram can't. Don't worry.

Original poster

pigletandme · 27/08/2006 21:10

thanks everyone - feel reassured it's ok now. It really seems to be working too - although i still get anxious, it doesn't take me over so much and not being so negative in my behaviour to dh. can a pill really help this much and so quickly!?

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Ulysees · 27/08/2006 21:14

pigletandme, yes this pill can work really well. It's helped me enourmously.

How long have you been on it? I've been on mine around 6 weeks now,maybe a bit more.

Ulysees · 27/08/2006 21:15

enormously*

Original poster

pigletandme · 27/08/2006 21:22

only been taking it for 3 weeks, so it could just be coincidence that i'm feelinga bit better as i thought they can take a month or so to work ?

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Ulysees · 27/08/2006 21:24

no it worked within a week for me. Are you quite sensitive to medication?

So glad it's kicked in for you Did you have any side effects? I had some the first time I took it but not this time.

Are you taking it for depression? I had panic attacks and mild depression and feel so much better now.

Original poster

pigletandme · 27/08/2006 21:30

i'm taking it for anxiety and to try to get some control over my emotions. felt a bit sick for the for the first week and still feel very tired when i wake up

OP posts:

Ulysees · 27/08/2006 21:35

Hope you feel better soon hun. I can feel a bit drained sometimes,almost hungover so I guess this could be down to the pill as I don't drink much, now!

HelloMama · 27/08/2006 21:37

I started taking this for mild depression, but it just made me feel awful. I took it for just over 2 weeks. I just felt absolutely exhausted all the time. I could literally barely get out of bed, let alone work and look after an active toddler. Has anyone else had this experience? Once i stopped taking it, I really realy good, better than I have for months and months, so I guess it kind of worked...

ghosty · 27/08/2006 21:41

I took cipramil (had no idea there was such a thing as 'generic' drugs 6 years ago so it could have been citalpram for all I know) for PND after DS. It kicked in after about a week and what it did was knock off the 'peaks' and the 'troughs' of emotions that I had - it really helped with my anxiety and got me through the days ...
My doctor advised me to take it at night when I went to bed to avoid the side effects of feeling nauseous ... so I never felt sick on them.
HTH

HelloMama · 27/08/2006 21:43

Gosh, yes AND I felt sick all the time! I was convinced I was pregnant too! Sick and tired, oh no!

Ulysees · 27/08/2006 21:46

they say taking them with food helps. There are quite a few threads on here pigletandme. If you do a search you'll find lots of positive comments

Hellomama, glad you can cope without ads

HelloMama · 27/08/2006 21:49

well its only been a week or so since i stopped them, so I'm going to wait and see how things are. If i decide to re-start them I will try taking them at night and see how that goes. Thanks guys.

Ulysees · 27/08/2006 22:04

They may still be in your system then HM? Hope you're ok. You know we're always here to help It's good to hear how others cope with meds and side effects etc..

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