Aurobindo Vs. Sandoz (valsartan/hctz) (Page 2)
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I have been taking the Sandoz version of valsartan/hctz (80/12.5) for YEARS with no problems. Recently, my pharmacy switched to the Aurobindo version. I feel like it's doing nothing (or little). I thought that the bioequivalency for generics was mandated by law. Did I get counterfeit drugs at Rite-Aid? Nevertheless, the pharmacy was skeptical but accommodating. They faxed over the request to my incredible GP whose office responded within the hour. I can now pick up my Sandoz version again. Anybody else have a similar experience?

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I had been taking Valsartan 80 mg, MFG by Sandoz with no problems, blood pressure under control. All of a sudden I go to get a refill and I get another brand, causing an upset stomach. I go back to the pharmacy, they give me another manufacturer's version, which turned out to be no good. I asked about Valsartan 80 mg and they said we no longer carry it. I have tried many drugs stores and the answer is we no longer carry, or can't get it.

What is going on? I cannot get a straight answer.

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I was originally on Sandoz brand Valsartan from Riteaid. For some reason I could no longer get Sandoz brand. Now I'm on Mylan brand for last 1-2 years and every time which is twice day I have very bad stomach and back pain for 2-3 hours after taking it. I just feel horrible all over. I dont think it is controling my blood pressure either. There is a definitely difference in these brands. I had called Sandoz company to try to get their brand to no avail. Has anyone been able to find Sandoz Valsartan at any pharmacy? Please advise. Thanks for any info.

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Just found this forum with the same question. I started with Novartis Diovan HCT and tried the Sandoz and Qualitest brand generics successfully. Mylan is bad for me along with Aurobindo. I was told today by Kaiser pharmacy that Sandoz and Qualitest no longer produce valsartan hctz. Does anyone have a good experience with another manufacturer?

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I see doctor tomorrow and will discus this drug with her. When I looked up Aurobindo online I was disturbed to read how many times they were cited (repeatedly). Not always taken care of. Why aren't we able to have a choice.

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I have also been taking this generic brand. I looked them up online and am not happy with report given on this company. I will also talk to my doctor about giving me prescription for another company.

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Thank you for posting! I thought my problem was all me and I was absolutely sure that everyone else would be chastising me "oh, what a complainer, yadda yadda." I was so afraid of the ridicule that I wasn't going back to my doctor again. I was taking Valsartan with water pill 320-25mg a long time. The retail where I was had lied to me after the computer breach, so I switched to another retail. They gave me Aurobindo Valsartan. It caused extreme faintness. I'd take the pill at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and then by 4 o'clock I'd feel this pressure in the back of my neck, rising up and pushing into my brain. Once I was behind the wheel of a car. I pulled over to the side to let the episode pass. I got home and waited for the 'swinging' to stop. Fortunately, I had a near doctor appointment. She switched me to twice a day--- Losartan with water pill 50 mg for the morning and plain Losartan 50 before bed. These pills started me back up again with hot flashes. I got depressed. I'd sweat like everything all the time. Hot cold hot cold. I didn't know the SAME 'swinging' was happening to me because I'd take the one right before sleeping.

The Losartan in the morning was North Star distributer manufactured at Aurobindo. And the Losartan at night was solely Aurobindo (distributer/manuf). It was the nighttime Losartan that was causing the swinging, the faintness! One night I sat up after taking my pill and two hours later....the pressures started! The pressures weren't strong because I was only taking 50 mg. I realized that the same thing was happening to me that had happened with the Aurobindo Valsartan, so I stopped taking it all together. So now I'm taking just the morning pill and my blood pressure is about 150 over 96. There is no swinging. I called North Star and asked why the difference. North Star (American out of TN) told me that their company specifies certain stuff and the Indian (Country of India) Aurobindo complies with their request. I called the new New Jersey Aurobindo office and spoke with an Indian. She took my information, but never sent anything like she promised to send. She was prepping for a legal case, I think. They didn't have a toll free number so I paid a big price so that they could get prepped.

I still didn't learn the difference between the morning pill and the night pill. I called the pharmacy at the hospital who told me that all the ingredients are listed on the internet (private internet) for the pharmacists. He could print off what was in the North Star and also the other Aurobindo pill and send them to my doctor who could compare. I haven't gotten the results of this comparison back. I heard that the FDA just approved Aurobindo to push pills in the American market without going through a distributer like North Star. This happened Jan 2015. So I'm figuring this: Aurobindo KNOWS what the specifications are of their competitor. They are producing a bad product because it is cheaper to make it poorly. Pretty soon us blood pressure needing people will ONLY be able to buy THEIR product which is totally bad! I put in an FDA complaint, however I do not think anything will be done about this. Obama had lunch with the Indian prez...it is thick like pea soup. I really think that all the people here need to file their issues with the FDA. At least there was an effort. the FDA....well, they probably won't listen because everyone knows the gov is so for their own selves and everyone else...they can jump off a bridge.

It is totally important that if you are having troubles with Aurobindo to make it plan and clear that YOU ARE SENSITIVE to this manufactured product. Because, your regular doctor can't treat you if you should go to the hospital. You will get a new doctor assigned to you. This is the new trend. No doctors have hospital admitting privileges anymore. ONLY certain doctors called 'hospitalists' can admit you. You MUST always go through the ER to obtain your hospitalist. These doctors don't know you from Adam. If your history records do not show that you cannot take Aurobindo....then you will be given Aurobindo because it is cheap.
And most probably because the ER hospitalist doctor is pro Indian.

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yes and the aurobindo upset my stomach
All pharmacies that I have tried say they cannot get the Sandoz

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Rite-Aid is going to allow me to exchange my Aurobindo for the Qualitest ones that seemed to work fine for me. If _that_ doesn't work, I'm going to request the brand name and pay the extra $5.

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Sure has! I have taken Diovan for over 20 years. Rite Aid switched to Mylan Valsartan and within two weeks my BP was through the roof. Had to go back to Diovan and it has taken another two weeks to get back down. Sandoz is Novartis generic company. Sandoz is closing their Suffern NY plant that make the generic Diovan so all distributors are having issues getting the Sandoz brand....it's terrible because you have to go with name brand and insurance companies refuse to cover....

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Hi there. The pill works and lowers my BP, but I am having side effects that I suspect are from the different fillers or binders since the active medication needs to be bioequivalent. I have no issues with Sandoz or Qualitest.

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I too was refilled with the aurobindo valsartan and the stuff is junk and the cvs I got it from would not replace or refund it. what if I would have had a stroke or heart attack because of this cheap so called equivalent? Took the sandoz with no problems for a year and after getting switched to the aurobindo my blood pressure went up like I wasn't even taking any medication. Shame on the FDA for approving and shame on cvs for selling this India made junk!!!

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Hello, Kenny! How are you?

Did you just feel like it wasn't working, or did you actually check your heart rate and blood pressure to find out?

Generics do have to be bioequivalent. But without actually checking, after taking it for a few days, there's not way to be certain whether or not it was doing its job.

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