generic estrace

[sybil sage]

Is there a generic version of estrace? If so, when did it become available?

[Vicki from Texas]

Yes, there is a generic Estrace, but when I took it, it wasn't nearly as good.??? I thought generics were supposed to be equal, but this one sure was not. Proceed with caution.

[Diane from PA]

I've been taking Estrace for years. I tried the generic once and it wasn't as good. Because of my prescription plan I have to buy 90 day supply through a mail order pharmacy. I just received my pills and they're oval shaped instead of round. The bottle says Estrace but...I found a picture of the generic Estradiol on the internet and BINGO! That's what they sent. My prescription states no generic. I think if men had to take estrogen for menapause they wouldn't mess with the prescriptons. Heck, there would be a cure!

[Donna from San Diego]

I'm so glad to hear others feel the same way I do about the new Estrace oval shaped pills. I feel awful on the new oval shapes. I get my perscription from CVS. I went to tell them that I felt like my head was going to explode and was having headaches, I also felt that old depressed felling again. They gave me what they had left of their round pills but cannot get any more because the company sold they rights to make this drug (so they said). I have 14 more pills before I hit hell. What are we going to do? Let's keep posted. I tell you what I learn.

[CharlotteAnn]

OMG - I thought I was the only one who felt totally different with the new oval shaped Estrace .. I've been having PMS like symptons ever since I started taking them. Do you think using one of the patches would make a difference?

[donna san diego]

I don't know anything about the estrogen patch, because I have been taking Estrace 1mg for a long time, with such good success. Instead of my regualar pharamcy, I had Target order some Estrace 1mg for me, when I picked it up yesterday I found only the oval pill. I was so disappointed..they said that was the only Estrace they could get. I'm so confused. I am going to call the company that makes them and get the truth. If you get any information, please post. Thanks

[Merrie-Anne]

Thank Goodness I started to research these new pills, my head & neck feel like they are going to explode at times, the told me the packaging was going to change, I thought they meant the containers, how stupid was that....
I have been told the compounds that make up the pill have been changed. Aren't they making enough money already for these pills.
After doing some research I found out that for myself they worked better by cutting them into, then taking one under your tonque in the am & pm, they worked better for me, by not swallowing them I bi passed vital organs, and my cholestrol levels stayed at a better number and the bloating did not happen.
Now I noticed there is a change in how I feel. Damn them, weren't they getting enough money for the ones they use to make?
Has anyone called the manufacture about what they either put in them or what they took out of them?
Thank you M

[Merrie-Anne]

CharlotteAnn wrote:

OMG - I thought I was the only one who felt totally different with the new oval shaped Estrace .. I've been having PMS like symptons ever since I started taking them. Do you think using one of the patches would make a difference?

Charlotte Ann, I got the patches when I first started to have to use a medication, that was a nightmare, I gained all kinds of weight, my cholesterol went off the charts.... talked to my doctor about it did alot of research and found out that they were the cause of my weight gain & my high levels of Cholesterol. With in two weeks of getting off them my levels dropped by 50 points a week, and dropped two sizes! so when I found estrace with his help(not generic) they have helped me for years, now this! I even got a rash from the patch, so watch yourself.
M

[CharlotteAnn]

Thanks for all the info. I had the most terrible time when I took the newly shaped Estrace. My hair even started to come out. And I did so well on the old formula. I agree, why change a good thing? I've switched to the generic estrace "estradiol" and feel rotten. I may steer clear of the patch. I just don't understand why they had to change the old formula. My doctor wanted me to switch to some estrogen that is like a new version of premarin (without the horse urine ... I can't remember the name) but I just don't know.

[Stefanie]

I did contact Warner Chilcott, the distributer of Estrace, and was told that Bristol Myers no longer wanted to manufacture Estrace so that it is now being made by a company named Beers - or something. The person I spoke with said that all the active ingredients are the same, but that there mightt be some innert ingredients that are different and she reassured me that those should not make any difference. I too do not feel as well as I did on the old Estrace for many years. Don't know what to do now.

[Linda]

I did very well on the old Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. And I can not tolerate the oval shaped ones manufactured by Barr Lab. They make me break out with a itchy rash all over. On Barr's web page, they write that they specialize in generic products, which includes their variation of
ESTRACE.
Like many of you, I ran all around buying up hundreds of the left over old Estrace. However, they are now running out.

[Linda Berkeley CA]

Below are the ingredients of the old Bristol-Myer Squibb ESTRACE and the new Barr Lab.
Bristol-Myer ingredients:
Name (Active Moiety)
Estradiol (estradiol)
Acacia
D&C Red No. 27 (aluminum lake)
dibasic calcium phosphate
FD&C Blue No.l (aluminum lake)
lactose
magnesium stearate
colloidal silicon dioxide
starch (corn)
talc
__________
Will sent Barr Lab. Estrace ingredients in next posting.

[Linda Berkeley CA]

The new ESTRACE that Warner Chilcott, Inc. came out with, is now
Manufactured by: BARR LABORATORIES, INC.
Pomona, NY 10970
Marketed by: Warner Chilcott (US), Inc.
Below is what is in the new Barr Lab. Estrace:
Ingredients: Colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, dibasic calcium phosphate, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, and sodium starch glycolate. In addition, the 1 mg also contains FD&C blue no. 1 aluminum lake and D&C red no. 27 aluminum lake. The 2 mg also contains FD&C blue no. 1 aluminum lake and FD&C yellow no. 5 (tartrazine) aluminum lake.
Manufactured by: BARR LABORATORIES, INC.
Pomona, NY 10970
Marketed by: Warner Chilcott (US), Inc.
Rockaway, NJ 07866
Revised DECEMBER 2005 (v.1)
Barr # 11001010
WC# 0720G020

[Linda Berkeley CA]

Sorry, I left out the active ingredients from the Barr Lab. ESTRACE.
Here it is:

DESCRIPTION:
ESTRACE (estradiol tablets, USP) for oral administration contains 0.5, 1 or 2 mg of micronized estradiol per tablet. Estradiol (17β-estradiol) is a white, crystalline solid, chemically described as estra-1,3,5,(10)-triene-3, 17β-diol. The structural formula is:
C18H24O2 Molecular Weight: 272.37
Inactive Ingredients: Colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, dibasic calcium phosphate, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, and sodium starch glycolate. In addition, the 1 mg also contains FD&C blue no. 1 aluminum lake and D&C red no. 27 aluminum lake. The 2 mg also contains FD&C blue no. 1 aluminum lake and FD&C yellow no. 5 (tartrazine) aluminum lake.

[Ann]

For you ladies who cannot tolerate the new ESTRACE produced by Barr Lab, why don't you try the 1 mg lavender round pills by Shire (see picture of container on www.HealthPricer.com ). The are the same little lavender round pills formerly made by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. which I have taken since before 1994.

[Kay]

Thank you all for making me not feel crazy. I have been taking the oval estrace for the last two months and have not tolerated it well. I questioned the pharmacy and all they told me was that it was estrace. I too have asked to not be given the generic but it is what it feels like I'm taking. Guess I have to find something else.

[Margie]

Looks like I'm joining the crowd. The reason I could take the original ESTRACE so well was because it use to be plant based (a natural source of estrogen). I see they have removed Acacia (from the Acacia tree I presume)and in it's place added the Sodium Starch glycolate which is a 'salt' usually from wheat glutin. Many of us -- cannot tolerate Glutin and that is why this new ESTRACE makes us bloated, gives us headaches, and causes digestive problems, and makes us feel lousy.
Guess I'll talk to my doctor. Barr makes a generic brand too and it's basically the same as this new ESTRACE. So, I see it as BARR is "cashing in" on the old ESTRACE name - even though it no longer works like it use to It's basically like the generic brand now).
However, I understand there is another generic manufacturer of that estrogen we need, other than BARR) It starts with the letter 'M'. My pharmacist briefly touched on that manufacturer saying it doesn't have that Sodium Starch Glycolate in it, and I should try that. So, that is why I'm going to ask my doctor about it.
Too bad ESTRACE is no longer ESTRACE.

[bertie]

i had to go up to 2 mg estrace and my nipples are so very sore and stay hard. very uncomfortable

[Susie St Louis Mo]

Barr's estradiol has given me unremitting knee pain, but since I have been taking some left-over Watson generic estradiol (same strength) the knee pain has disappeared. It makes me wonder if some generics are more bioavailable than others because of their formulation and thus work better. Has anyone ever contacted Barr because there seem to be so many problems associated with their generic estradiol??

[Karen in Florida]

Lord, I am so glad to read this. I've been out of my mind trying to figure out why I started periods again and feeling absolutely ILL taking the new, oval-shaped Estrace after many years of feeling great and energetic on the round one! I just bought a bunch of herbal stuff to try to make myself better. I'm going to try to find the old round lavender pill the poster refers to.