WHY generic meds???

[zyxelenator]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: MrRPM
I take better care of my jeep then my body

would McDonalds be equal to jiffy lube?



Nope. McDonalds food is the equivalent of pouring Mcdonalds grease into your sump.

True, but for some reason I feel like eating McDonalds if I travel long distance. Not a fan of it, but Steak'n'Shake is not everywhere(only fast food or similar I like).
Thanks God I don't need any medicine except vitamins and Alive sometimes. My Father started new medicine--$16000 monthly supply. Crazy! Glad his insurance covers it.

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Originally Posted By: abycat
Hey thanks johnnydc. I really think the secret to a long life is choosing what you do to it or dont do. So i guess everyone should treat themselves as good as they treat their cars. On this forum at least. I agree the whiskey and cigars are part of the meditation aspect of the healthy lifestyle. Thats the soul part. In moderation of course.

...everything in moderation, including moderation

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Bamboooo
I drink the finest whiskey, and smoke the finest cigars. Does that count?

 

[cmf]

About 50% of the generic medicine is made by the same company that makes the name brand medication. So in some scenarios you literally are getting the same exact thing.

I don't see a problem with generic medication and I opt for them for personal use as well. I also feel that insurance companies should only cover generic medication. We are in a time where people are living too long into retirement for it to be healthy for the economy; and anything that eases that burden is something we should take advantage of.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: cmf
About 50% of the generic medicine is made by the same company that makes the name brand medication. So in some scenarios you literally are getting the same exact thing.

I don't see a problem with generic medication and I opt for them for personal use as well. I also feel that insurance companies should only cover generic medication. We are in a time where people are living too long into retirement for it to be healthy for the economy; and anything that eases that burden is something we should take advantage of.


That's a pretty harsh statement. people should die to make the economy better. Money isn't everything.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
Originally Posted By: cmf
About 50% of the generic medicine is made by the same company that makes the name brand medication. So in some scenarios you literally are getting the same exact thing.

I don't see a problem with generic medication and I opt for them for personal use as well. I also feel that insurance companies should only cover generic medication. We are in a time where people are living too long into retirement for it to be healthy for the economy; and anything that eases that burden is something we should take advantage of.


That's a pretty harsh statement. people should die to make the economy better. Money isn't everything.


plus 1 my mouth fell open when i read that..

 

[Barkleymut]

So we should saddle our kids with insane amounts of debt just to make a frail 92 year old grandma live another 3 months? This will lead to higher stress for our kids which will cut their lives by more than 3 months....just sayin

 

[PandaBear]

I have a few friends who work in the generic manufacturer's lab and one pharmacy technicians. What they tell me is that generics are also regulated and must be tested to have identical result and not just the same active ingredient.

Things like, the pain killer must be designed so that if overdosed by N times and with 5 servings of alcohol they will still be identical vs the original name brand formula (although you may be dead).

There are more variation to the "extended release" or "gel cap" formula of the same brand than the same formula generic vs name brand.

 

[JHZR2]

It is a good point.

In some ways, it is easier to discern "equivalence" in foods and other generic products than in oils.

Meds are a little different, and why there is some regulations on them.

Dont think id want to be a guinea pig for generic meds.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Some of us are indeed more concerned with our health than our vehicles. At 67 I don't need to worry about taking any prescriptions because I eat right, stay very active and have a solid working knowledge of how to stay healthy.

Originally Posted By: cmf
We are in a time where people are living too long into retirement for it to be healthy for the economy; and anything that eases that burden is something we should take advantage of.


That's one of the most bizarre statements I've ever heard. At what point would you say I've outlived my usefulness to the economy, since technically I retired several years ago, and I expect to live many more years? Keep in mind that I'm likely less of a burden on the health care system that you, I still work part time in my original career field, and I'm also part owner of a fairly successful business that I bought into as a retirement venture.

At what point in your world have I been "living too long into retirement"?

 

[65cuda]

From what I have read and from what the doctors have told me generics aren't always exactly the same as the brand name stuff. They tell me that sometimes you can switch to a place that handles a manf. of the same generic drug and it will make a difference. I agree that generics should be the primary choice, BUT in the cases where the generic doesn't work and it is shown that it doesn't then the insurance company should pay for the brand name.

As far as the living too long I believe that there is something to that and yes I am on the verge of retirement so I have a stake in this. Studies have shown that the vast majority of medical expense is usually spent in the last years of a person's life. Now after seeing relatives spend their last years not knowing anybody from Adam, being a overgrown baby in essence and having procedures done that are at times of no value to quality of life let alone extent of life there is something to me of at what point do we keep going for another month or two with sometimes being only technically alive?

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Some of us are indeed more concerned with our health than our vehicles. At 67 I don't need to worry about taking any prescriptions because I eat right, stay very active and have a solid working knowledge of how to stay healthy.

While it is good to eat healthy and exercise. I do both. I am probably in better condition than 80 to 90 % of my fellow 65 year olds. But unfortunately I have a mitral valve prolapse (murmer), enlarged prostate, and tendency to high BP.. Therefore I take 3 drugs,Cardura, Verapamil, and buspar.

These are things that tend to develop with age no matter how healthy you are. But the end result is my BP is 115/75 or lower and I weigh 138 pounds and exercise every day. So I wouldn't be too quick to diss medications.

 

[Cujet]

Just an FYI. Thyroid meds such as "Synthroid" and the generic "levothyroxine" can create quite different results in the same patient, at the same dose.

Ask me how I know.

 

[Clevy]

By law generic meds only have to be 80% of the name brand option. Generic are cheap cause there is less in em.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
By law generic meds only have to be 80% of the name brand option. Generic are cheap cause there is less in em.


I've only had to take medications on handful of occasions, so I can speak from experience when I say that, regardless of percentage equivalence, the generics are A LOT less than 80% of the cost of name-brand drugs.

Also, eating correctly doesn't always mean you'll be healthy. I had an internal issue recently that had nothing to do with how I eat, which is pretty good overall. I was literally fine one night and crippled over in agonizing pain the following morning to the point where I drove myself (should have called an ambulance in retrospect) to the ER. I was seen at 930, an agonizingly long time after I signed in, and the next thing I remember is having my gf at the time use my hand to sign the consent form that night. After that, it was coldness, and then waking up the next morning with staples from my belly button down.

My point is that there are certain things that will happen, irrespective of dietary habits. I say live your live doing what you love, but do so in moderation...just in case you happen to live long enough to regret your poor physical condition later in life.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: cmf
We are in a time where people are living too long into retirement for it to be healthy for the economy; and anything that eases that burden is something we should take advantage of.


That's what they, the Govts and insurance providers like to wheel out to explain their lack of service, and expanding costs...and to keep pushing retirement age for younger generations out.

Once you reach retirement age, the amount of time that you spend retired hasn't changed much over the years...the number of people retiring has increased, increasing "average life expectancy from birth", but once retired, you will really be no more of a burden on the system than your forebears.

In fact it should be better with more people reaching retirement, as they've had more people paying taxes and insurance for a full productive life.

They are scamming us with manipulated "logic"

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
By law generic meds only have to be 80% of the name brand option. Generic are cheap cause there is less in em.


Down here, if the doc prescribes 5mg of pseuodoscientia, then that's what you have to get, whether it's the brand name subliminally hidden in his eye chart, or the plain package that the chemist offers you when you fill in the script...there is no veering from the chemical, and the amount.

As to generics being cheaper because of concentration, I had two family members who were pushing drugs from the same manufacturer, one for humans, and one for animals.

The drugs were made from the same ingredients, on the same machines, in the same factory, to the same standards.

One drove a company supplied BMW, provided antipasto platters to her clients, and hosted retreats in the tropics...one drove a white, company supplied Ford Falcon station wagon.

Guess which was which ?

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
Just an FYI. Thyroid meds such as "Synthroid" and the generic "levothyroxine" can create quite different results in the same patient, at the same dose.

Ask me how I know.


Very true!

Not all generics are the same as the name brands...

 

[Papa Bear]

Don't get upset Pop, us old guys will do just fine.
cmf's profile says he's a "student", a young pup.. wet behind the ears. He'll come around as he matures.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: abycat
I dont take any prescription drugs and me and the wife use natural medicine for alot of stuff. She actually has MS and does not take any presciption or over the counter drugs only natural. we also dont believe in flu shots and the last one i had i was 2 ish. I never get sick its pretty nice.I think its from eating healthy and not taking chemicals for everything or better yet anything. I do think there is alot of things that are aided in research. We even get organic food like free range chicken and no preservative foods. Its sick cause whenever we eat its not frozen or reheated its always fresh. Barely no waste either i think its a win win.

Ill throw in a GBA with ya man. Were kinda like your shadow and I have dual citizenship.


Everyone is entitled to their life style but as someone who has MS as well IMO your wife is taking a HUGE risk with her long term health by not taking proper medications for the MS.