In drugs - I think since it's a chemical "formula" you are getting the same product.
There are a lot of generic foods out there that I like and some I wouldn't allow animals to eat. Unfortunately, you have to taste them to decide - so only buy a small amount at first.
BUT - I will buy a generic breakfast cereal if it's one of the "flavors" my kids ask for.
In theory, the generic version should be the same as the name brand, especially with drugs.
In reality, though, that is not always the case.
I do not take anti-depression drugs but I know people who do.
They all tell me that the effects of the generic versions are not the same as the name brand.
I'm not a pharmacist. I don't know why that should be. I just know that, that is what they relate to me.
That's especially significant because these drugs are not like aspirin wherein you take some and experience the effects shortly after. You might have to take a particular drug for a month or two before it becomes evident if it is going to work for your situation.
That's a lot of time to invest in something that may or may not work.
i just remembered my girlfriend at work had to get her doctor to give special permission to the insurance company because a generic drug would not work for her
now i'm getting (?) confused again
ps. i don't think i'd not the difference regarding generic caviar :)
I shop at Aldi's...that says it all. Aldi's is a generic grocery chain, where you bag your own groceries and the inside of the store looks like a warehouse with everthing stacked on pallets. Generic?...You bet! Every chance I get...Heinze ketchup $1.89...Kyder ketchup $.79 (same stuff)!!!
I usually shop at individually owned businesses and mom and pop places...I avoid large corporate chains and I refuse to walk into a WalMarts...
When buying name brands, you end up paying more because of the overhead (advertising), that is associated with becoming a "name brand"...more often than not, the generic brand is the same thing...a lot of people get "taken in" by the psychological aspects of "name brand" shopping...
The secret is to define "what's good" yourself...don't be a slave to public opinion or what Wall Street tells you...ketchup is ketchup.
Was just gonna say what Bear did. I take Soma for my Fibro and there are two generic brands that most pharmacies use. One brand (Watson) work great for me, the other which I forget the name of, doesn't work at all. When I was given the other generic I took my normal dose and it felt like I'd taken nothing at all they were so bad. The burning pain in my shoulders would not go away the entire month I was taking them. It was explained to me what caused the difference was the inert ingredients used to hold the pill together, since the medicine itself is the same, only the bonding / inert stuff the companies use can vary. I got the Watson brand again and all was back to normal and I had no pain at all the following month.
The pharmacy I use now carries both brands, so they wrote on my file that I need the Watson brand of Soma, so they are sure they give me the correct kind. I've had the same thing, but not as noticable with other meds over the years too. When added to my paradoxical reaction, it makes for fun times. LOL.
If you ever find a drug you take suddenly doesn't work the same, ask someone at the pharmacy if they have changed who they are buying them from and if the inert / bonding ingredients are different. If they won't be going back to the kind that helped you, then I'd suggest asking them what it's makers company was named and find a pharmacy who does use that brand and change over to them. I've had to do that a few times in the past in different places I lived.
When it comes to aspirin, ibuprophen, non-aspirin, etc., we always use the generics as they work as well for us as the name brand.
Most generic pharmaceuticals works as effectively. Only had trouble with a few of the pain meds, but they have improved over the years, so we always try the generic first.
Some foods I go generic with, others I stick with name brand. It's trial and error, and I use the generics I like, but go with name brand on some veggies.
I've noticed with cereal and a few other food items that the generic brands often DON"T measure up.
I got the generic Oatmeal awhile back (saved a whole 20 cents I bet) and the stuff was junk. It was milled into almost a flour and cooked up very similar to wallpaper paste. I've had similar experiences with popcorn, canned peaches, and peanut butter.
Sorry to say, but - at least some of the time - the generics AREN"T as good. And, like somebody already mentioned, the generics are often produced by the same companies as make the "Real" stuff, only they "custom label" the generic product. And, at least some of the time, it seems that maybe they're getting rid of their lower quality raw material when they make the off-brand product.
I've noticed that "Trader Joe's" sells LOTS of poor-quality stuff, off grade, culls in their produce and the like. I've never understood why some people like that place so much. There's hardly a thing they stock that I like...
Generic everything as far as food...drugs whenever possible. SHOES on the other hand ...I never scrimp on because my feet hurt. Clothes and stuff, I find that many of the better name brands last longer and stay nicer looking, standing up to wear and tear better.
The kids and I have tried experiments with soups and stuff in side by sides with walmart brands....yes campbells did taste slightly better...but not enough so that we were willing to pay the difference again...same with chicken nuggets...bread...etc.
It was fun to try though.
True story...when I worked at frito lay...the oatmeal cookie line would run half the night being packaged in Grandmas old fashioned cookie wrappers and then switch to quakers healthy snack bars or some such thing. Same ingredients same batch ...no difference. I would see the same cookie in their different wrappers side by side in the stores. I think that there are a lot of companies that do that.
We buy lots of generic stuff. One thing I miss about living in MI is Meijers. Their stores are huge and have a better overall selection than Walmart. I used to take their multi symptom cold pill for hay fever and it worked pretty good.
Here in STL we shop at Shop'n'save and we buy a lot of their generic stuff. Ditto Aldi's. We actually experiment on our kids; they will eat Aldi's fries (lot cheaper than Ore Ida) and other Aldi's products so we aren't afraid to try them.
Excathedra: I'm curious. What are the big chain grocery stores in Chicago? I noticed that Meijer's are all over Detroit and Cincinnatti but none in Chicago. I figure the grocery industry in Chicago is run by people who know people...if ya get my drift... and I just wonder what chain stores are there. It can't just be Walmart, can it?
I buy generic half and half for my coffee and milk if it is cheaper than the brand name.
Most things, though, I buy the brand name groceries. I also check the labels and find that lots of generics have more sodium and bad things than brand names, though not always, especially tomato sauce, etc.
This time of year, family supplies us with fresh veggies from the garden. That is absolutely the best!!!
Anyway, excathedra, my advise is to read the labels and compare ingredients.
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coolchef
ex
generic brands are lots of times are made by the known brands
just pacakaged differently.
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excathedra
i was hoping so, cool
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doojable
In drugs - I think since it's a chemical "formula" you are getting the same product.
There are a lot of generic foods out there that I like and some I wouldn't allow animals to eat. Unfortunately, you have to taste them to decide - so only buy a small amount at first.
BUT - I will buy a generic breakfast cereal if it's one of the "flavors" my kids ask for.
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excathedra
for instance, dooj ?
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waysider
Never buy generic caviar!
OK--- I'm just goofin'
In theory, the generic version should be the same as the name brand, especially with drugs.
In reality, though, that is not always the case.
I do not take anti-depression drugs but I know people who do.
They all tell me that the effects of the generic versions are not the same as the name brand.
I'm not a pharmacist. I don't know why that should be. I just know that, that is what they relate to me.
That's especially significant because these drugs are not like aspirin wherein you take some and experience the effects shortly after. You might have to take a particular drug for a month or two before it becomes evident if it is going to work for your situation.
That's a lot of time to invest in something that may or may not work.
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excathedra
thank you waysider (you're so great)
i just remembered my girlfriend at work had to get her doctor to give special permission to the insurance company because a generic drug would not work for her
now i'm getting (?) confused again
ps. i don't think i'd not the difference regarding generic caviar :)
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doojable
I don't like generic canned tomatoes. It seems to me that everytime I buy a can there are all sorts of bad spots on the 'maters.
But - I live in a very different area of the country from you, Excie, so it may be that that is a good product in your area.
I forget the rest since I stopped buying them... ;)
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GrouchoMarxJr
I shop at Aldi's...that says it all. Aldi's is a generic grocery chain, where you bag your own groceries and the inside of the store looks like a warehouse with everthing stacked on pallets. Generic?...You bet! Every chance I get...Heinze ketchup $1.89...Kyder ketchup $.79 (same stuff)!!!
I usually shop at individually owned businesses and mom and pop places...I avoid large corporate chains and I refuse to walk into a WalMarts...
When buying name brands, you end up paying more because of the overhead (advertising), that is associated with becoming a "name brand"...more often than not, the generic brand is the same thing...a lot of people get "taken in" by the psychological aspects of "name brand" shopping...
The secret is to define "what's good" yourself...don't be a slave to public opinion or what Wall Street tells you...ketchup is ketchup.
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excathedra
more and more difficult to find those groucho
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dmiller
I don't know about things like generic cereal ----
(Would that be General Mills posing as Generic Mills??) ;)
However -- all 4 of *my guys* are on generic meds for what *ails* them.
If they get the name brand -- Medicaid won't pay for it.
If they get the generic equivalent -- they're covered (with a very small co-pay).
Same ingredients in both sets of meds,
otherwise the doctor wouldn't allow the use of generics.
Yup. And SOUP IS SOUP, and NUTS ARE NUTS!!
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doojable
You obviously have never tasted MY Minestrone!
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Danny
I or we tried a non brand birth
control device.
Do I need to tell you the outcome.
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doojable
At least you didn't try "Rhythm" brand. ;)
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polar bear
Waysider-The reason generic brands work differently with the name brands in drugs is because the bonding agents used.
The ingredients may be the same but the bonding agents may be different and that affects the way they are obsorbed.
Some people may not be affected by these bonding agents so it's a mater of trail and error.
As for general foods. I'd take the generic brands. You aren't paying for the name.
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dmiller
NOR your *Pizza*. ;)
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BikerBabe
Was just gonna say what Bear did. I take Soma for my Fibro and there are two generic brands that most pharmacies use. One brand (Watson) work great for me, the other which I forget the name of, doesn't work at all. When I was given the other generic I took my normal dose and it felt like I'd taken nothing at all they were so bad. The burning pain in my shoulders would not go away the entire month I was taking them. It was explained to me what caused the difference was the inert ingredients used to hold the pill together, since the medicine itself is the same, only the bonding / inert stuff the companies use can vary. I got the Watson brand again and all was back to normal and I had no pain at all the following month.
The pharmacy I use now carries both brands, so they wrote on my file that I need the Watson brand of Soma, so they are sure they give me the correct kind. I've had the same thing, but not as noticable with other meds over the years too. When added to my paradoxical reaction, it makes for fun times. LOL.
If you ever find a drug you take suddenly doesn't work the same, ask someone at the pharmacy if they have changed who they are buying them from and if the inert / bonding ingredients are different. If they won't be going back to the kind that helped you, then I'd suggest asking them what it's makers company was named and find a pharmacy who does use that brand and change over to them. I've had to do that a few times in the past in different places I lived.
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Suda
When it comes to aspirin, ibuprophen, non-aspirin, etc., we always use the generics as they work as well for us as the name brand.
Most generic pharmaceuticals works as effectively. Only had trouble with a few of the pain meds, but they have improved over the years, so we always try the generic first.
Some foods I go generic with, others I stick with name brand. It's trial and error, and I use the generics I like, but go with name brand on some veggies.
Suda
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bowtwi
I never buy generic toilet paper. Paper towels, tissues, yes, but not toilet paper.
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George Aar
I've noticed with cereal and a few other food items that the generic brands often DON"T measure up.
I got the generic Oatmeal awhile back (saved a whole 20 cents I bet) and the stuff was junk. It was milled into almost a flour and cooked up very similar to wallpaper paste. I've had similar experiences with popcorn, canned peaches, and peanut butter.
Sorry to say, but - at least some of the time - the generics AREN"T as good. And, like somebody already mentioned, the generics are often produced by the same companies as make the "Real" stuff, only they "custom label" the generic product. And, at least some of the time, it seems that maybe they're getting rid of their lower quality raw material when they make the off-brand product.
I've noticed that "Trader Joe's" sells LOTS of poor-quality stuff, off grade, culls in their produce and the like. I've never understood why some people like that place so much. There's hardly a thing they stock that I like...
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rascal
Generic everything as far as food...drugs whenever possible. SHOES on the other hand ...I never scrimp on because my feet hurt. Clothes and stuff, I find that many of the better name brands last longer and stay nicer looking, standing up to wear and tear better.
The kids and I have tried experiments with soups and stuff in side by sides with walmart brands....yes campbells did taste slightly better...but not enough so that we were willing to pay the difference again...same with chicken nuggets...bread...etc.
It was fun to try though.
True story...when I worked at frito lay...the oatmeal cookie line would run half the night being packaged in Grandmas old fashioned cookie wrappers and then switch to quakers healthy snack bars or some such thing. Same ingredients same batch ...no difference. I would see the same cookie in their different wrappers side by side in the stores. I think that there are a lot of companies that do that.
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Danny
When i worked at Exxon they packaged
5 brands of oil out of the same tank.
Some strange ones.
one funny one,Texico oil was packaged by Exxon.
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johniam
We buy lots of generic stuff. One thing I miss about living in MI is Meijers. Their stores are huge and have a better overall selection than Walmart. I used to take their multi symptom cold pill for hay fever and it worked pretty good.
Here in STL we shop at Shop'n'save and we buy a lot of their generic stuff. Ditto Aldi's. We actually experiment on our kids; they will eat Aldi's fries (lot cheaper than Ore Ida) and other Aldi's products so we aren't afraid to try them.
Excathedra: I'm curious. What are the big chain grocery stores in Chicago? I noticed that Meijer's are all over Detroit and Cincinnatti but none in Chicago. I figure the grocery industry in Chicago is run by people who know people...if ya get my drift... and I just wonder what chain stores are there. It can't just be Walmart, can it?
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Kit Sober
I think of the company that paid for the research and development to make the stuff.
Going for cheap contributes to America going out of business.
Also I go to small neighborhood hardware stores to help them stay in business.
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act2
I buy generic half and half for my coffee and milk if it is cheaper than the brand name.
Most things, though, I buy the brand name groceries. I also check the labels and find that lots of generics have more sodium and bad things than brand names, though not always, especially tomato sauce, etc.
This time of year, family supplies us with fresh veggies from the garden. That is absolutely the best!!!
Anyway, excathedra, my advise is to read the labels and compare ingredients.
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