<p>I went to Costco a few weeks ago to buy our annual bottle of extra strength Tylenol. I couldn’t find anything but “Tylenol Sinus”, which has added decongestant. One or more generics (Costco brand) were available. Today I searched through CVS and couldn’t find a single bottle of Tylenol, regular or extra strength. I spoke to a manager and he said they haven’t gotten a shipment of Tylenol in almost a year. This is news to me! I do recall they had some problem with manufacturing, but assumed it had been corrected by now. Do most people just buy the generic versions?</p>
<p>Ditto with Excedrin products…the pharmacist told me that there had been production problems and that it was going to be a while before these products would be back on the shelves.</p>
<p>Genaric is the same thing basically without the upped price.</p>
<p>Unless you have an adverse reaction to one of the fillers (not very common), the generics effectively the same. Same active ingredients, different fillers. Though in some cases, they may in fact be entirely the same, and made in the same facility.</p>
<p>I switched to Kirkland, (Costco), acetaminophen when I could not find the Tylenol brand product. Family has been doing fine using this product for the past year.</p>
<p>I was just in the supermarket and the pharmacy this evening and checked- my supermarket still has extra strength brand name Tylenol on the shelves , but the pharmacy only had the generic.</p>
<p>You can save a TON by buying the generic, and the bigger the bottle, the lower the per-pill price. Same stuff, often made in the same factory
We always buy generic ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, low-dose aspirin, loratadine (generic Claritin), Tums, cold medicines.
Makes no sense to me to pay for the name brand - like throwing money away.</p>
<p>Yeah, we alway buy generics. Naproxen is naproxen, etc. the only exceptions we made were when the kids were little, with the liquid medicines. There was a taste difference.</p>
<p>I haven’t been able to find Excedrin Migraine (or the generic version), for a few months now. I was in a different state a few weeks ago and the places I looked were out, too. When I ask about it, no one seems to know when a new supply will arrive.</p>
<p>Yes! After H’s surgery this spring I went to find some tylenol (fun fact, oxycodone + tylenol = percocet) …and there was NONE! I get the whole “generic is the same thing” thing…it was just strange not to find ANY. And I hadn’t heard about production problems at the time, so it was just…strange.</p>
<p>McNeil had recall awhile back because of musty tablets. The children’s liquid had something also and they are making the kid liquid a standard concentration. McNeil is also labeling with a max of 6 tablets per day (3 gm vs old. 4 gm recommendation.
Please please read the labels and limit daily acetaminophen ingestion. Too much does kill, I’ve seen it. It’s true some generics are made by the same company as the brand name.The FDA is having companies decrease the acetaminophen in Rx combination products to 325 mg. No more vicodin 5/500 it is changing to the same as norco (5/325)</p>
<p>I had trouble a few years ago. That’s all my mother will use, and don’t even try to try to slip a generic by her.</p>
<p>Last year, I was scouring the shelves for the chldren’s Benadryl, as I need it for allergic reactions. For whatever reasons, the generics don’t act as fast and I need every second.</p>
<p>Cpthouse, it sounds like you need an epipen, those work immediately, gives the other a chance to kick in.</p>
<p>I take over the counter pain medicine everyday, along with my Tramadol, I rotate between naproxen/aspirin/acetaminophen/ibuprofen, but I haven’t run into any shortages.</p>
<p>Just read an article in consumer reports magazine. Excedrin should be back in? October , was recalled in January 2012. I did not even notice it until June when D’s told me. I had to wait til I traveled to find the generic aspirin free. The aspirin one was in our town.</p>
<p>Thanks for the update rockymtnhigh.</p>
<p>Glad to hear the endorsements of the generic Tylenol. I always thought quality control would be better for name brands, since they are concerned about maintaining consumer confidence in the brand as well as avoiding liability for a defective product. The problems with Tylenol production seem to go back at least 2 years, so perhaps some stores took the opportunity to push their own generic versions and stop carrying Tylenol. Guess I’ll give the Kirkland version a try…</p>
<p>I do carry an Epi-pen, and have had to use it a couple of times. I am supposed to go to an emergency room if i use the epi. But if I feel a reaction coming on, a swig of liquid Benadryl will stop it in its tracks if I catch it soon enough. Those few minutes extra that the liquid gel or the generics take to act makes the difference for me between going along my way, albeit a bit sleepy or spending the next few hours in the emergency room. </p>
<p>i have an idiopathic allergy that leads to anaphylaxis if not caught in time. It is, in part, exercise/exertion induced, particularly right after a meal. </p>
<p>But all I heard about generics being the same, and they are not. Nearly killed me finding out.</p>
<p>There are a couple of rx’s I have found I need to take brand (thyroid meds), but I can’t think of one OTC med that we don’t use in the generic form. We generally pick up either Costco’s or Wegman’s store brand’s.</p>
<p>First, brand Tylenol was recalled in 2010. We haven’t gotten it in large numbers since then. Then the FDA took over their factories. Excedrin was recalled because they found Endocet in it, and that was earlier this year.<br>
Brand Vicodin is being reformulated. The standard Vicodin will now be 5/300 capsule. Many physicians write Vicodin out of habit. If then do, you have to give them a branded product. The Norcos will still be available as a generic.</p>
<p>Endocet in Excedrin, Wow! </p>
<p>I found a pretty good article about the Tylenol shortage in the Sacramento Bee. For such an ubiquitous brand I’m just surprised that the ongoing shortage hasn’t been bigger news. I guess everyone is comfortable enough with generics that it is a non-issue. I find it a bit sad though; a brand that rebuilt its name after the terrible cyanide poisonings now goes out with a limp. </p>
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<p>Read more here: [Recalls</a> keep Tylenol, other products off store shelves - Health and Medicine - The Sacramento Bee](<a href=“http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/05/4538335/recalls-keep-tylenol-other-products.html#storylink=cpy]Recalls”>http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/05/4538335/recalls-keep-tylenol-other-products.html#storylink=cpy)</p>