Is Hyomax-SR the same thing as generic Levbid? My pharmasist says Its no longer available in generic

It is possible that generic levbid is being discontinued as several other patients on the internet report a similar problem. I suggest that you contact pharmacies in your area to make sure. 

Hyomax is equivalent to Levbid. There's another generic called hyoscyamine 0.375 that is equivalent to Levbid as well - perhaps you can get a better price there.

Theres also Spacol - T-S and Symax S-R. For more information, check out the drug info page for Hycosamine.

My wife just was given this as a substitute for hyoscyamine becasue it is no longer available.  We were also told that Hyomax SR will no longer be avialable.  Now they did not charge us more for this than the generic.  It looks like they are killing the generics to make you go back to the name brand or there is a problem with this type of drug.  Sorry I cannot help you anymore.

I had the same thing happen to me last week, but was given refill with no explanation other than the bottle with the Hyomax name and a new prescription #.  When I questioned the pharmacist, he told me the same thing that was told to your wife and showed me the Hyomax bottle with same name of ingredient as was shown on generic Levbid.  Price was a little more than previous refills.  Biggest issue to me is....is this really the same medication?

Like you, I have also had a problem with this medication.  So I checked out the companies who distribute it.  Both were located in Dallas.  However, I tried calling one of them and was told that the phone was no longer in service.  I contacted the other one by email again on July 1, 2008.  I had emailed them about a month or so before then.  I have been on Symax-SR for a number of years and it has been the only thing that has helped control my condition, so I was desperate to find some Symax-SR or a generic.  It had become unavailable  sometime in March I believe, as my April RX was filled with the generic.  To make a long story shorter, here are the emails and the replys. (SOME EMAILS WERE SENT DIRECTLY FROM THEIR SITE, SO DON'T HAVE THOSE)

FROM COMPANY AFTER EMAILING THEM FOR SOMEONE TO PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE MY INQUIRY.

Becky,

I am so sorry no one returned your messages.  Symax SR is not being discontinued and can still be ordered by your pharmacy.

Amy Brown

Capellon Pharmaceuticals

Executive Administrative Assistant, and Sales

817.595.5820 ext 276

817.595.5935 fax

MINE BACK TO HER:

 Amy,

Thank you so much for finally answering my question.  I was beginning to think you were going out of business or something.

However, contrary to what you claim, Wal-Mart in Covington and Target in Slidell have both claimed they can't get it.  Actually, Wal-Mart told me that their wholesaler is no longer carrying it and gave me the generic instead.  The next time I went in, they told me that even the generic would no longer be manufactured.  Target told me today that even though Symax is in their system, every RX for hyoscyamine they have received lately is on back order.  Now, there is clearly something wrong with this picture.  Perhaps this should be brought to someone's attention.  I will keep trying to call different pharmacy's such as Walgreen's and CVS to see if maybe they can obtain it for me.  In the meantime, if you KNOW of a pharmacy in my area where I can get Symax SR, please let me know.  Thank you.

HER ANSWER TO THIS ONE:

Due to one of our competitors going out of business the demand for our products with hyoscyamine has risen and therefore backorders did occur. We received Symax sr two days ago so contact your pharmacies and notify them that the wholesalers should infact be expecting it soon.

I will also have my boss call you.

Amy Brown

Capellon Pharmaceuticals

Executive Administrative Assistant, and Sales

817.595.5820 ext 276

817.595.5935 fax

So, if all works out all right, the generic and brand names should be again available within a few weeks or months.  From what I understand, Hyomax-SR is considered a Brand name, such as Levbid, Symax-SR, etc.  Therefore, yes, back to brand name prices until the generic gets back into distribution.  Hope this helps some of you understand what has happened.  Good luck and just check with your Doctor about the Hyomax, it is essentially the same, but it's good to ask anyway.  (By the way, the boss never called me.)

to add to my previous comments, I saw my doctor last week and he said contrary to a generic  being substituted for a perscribed drug...generic for Levbid, Hyomax is a perscriptin drug substited for a geneiric which is no longer available for Levbid, but Hyomax is ok to take.

  JFrench

To add to my previous answer, I saw my doctor last week, and he said Hyomax is ok to take as a substitute for Levbid, or generic Levbid. It ia a case where a prescription drug "spun off" from a generic drug and not the other way around.

This and many more problems to come, are the result of the FDA at work protecting us from "unapproved" drugs.

This and many many more drugs on the market used to classified as DESI or GRASE ( Determined to be Effective and Safe or Generally Regarded as Safe and Effectvie)and the FDA is now taking steps to require all these drugs to be "approved". This will require millions of dollars and lots of time because the FDA is backlogged.

Guess what this will do? It will drive us small guys out of business and the ones that survive can charge anything they want.

Yes, I work for one of the little guys. Who ever has the lowest price becomes the generic in this business (after the patent expires). Hyosyamine is an old guy the only difference in the these products are the amount of active ingredient .125mg, .25mg, .375mg and how much it takes for your discomfort to go away (without overdose).

My wife was also taking generic levbid.  Hyoscyamine was one of the 16 generics on the market.  My wife took Hyoscyamine .375 ER at a cost of $4.00 for 30 tabs.  All of the generics have now been removed from the marketplace and the name brand Levbid has since doubled in price.  No insurance companies cover Levbid.  Two new "generics" are now available; Hyomax, and Symax.  They are both priced up in the $40.00 range for 30 tabs.  BTW my wife's dosage is 120 tabs per month or about $160.00 as compared to the $16.00 paid in the past for generic Hyoscyamine.  Our Urologist has substitute generic Oxybutin 5mg 3/day at a cost of $6.00 as one of the Target $4.00 Rx program.  Go figure!  Someone is taking advantage of needy patients. 

Disgusted,

Bob

I have a solution for the problems you are having with Hyoscyamine.  There is actually branded hyoscyamine product called SYMAX DUOTAB.  It works better than symax sr or even generics, because it has an immediate release layer and a sustained release layer; so I feel better almost immediately and it last a full 12hours.  The best part of all is that it SYMAX DUOTAB cost less than Hyomax SR and generic hyoscyamine.  I hope this helped some of you.

I have the same problem. CVS just gave me a brand name Levbid, after I was taking the generic. The generic worked awesome and since I've started taking the brand name I've been getting headaches and dizziness. I'm trying to get the HyoMax SR to see if I can tolerate it, but CVS is telling me that it's a different medication and that I need a different prescription. So, now I have to make a dr.'s appmt. just to get this studpid prescription that may or may not work for me. I'm very frustrated!

I have the same problem. Im now taking Hyomax-sr0.375 MG tabs and im now paying $84 and more sometime. I'm a full time medical student and definatly can not afford anything obviously. The $4 was fine. I've tried calling this company as well and have never recieved any contact. I have to take this to keep from going to the ER and I dont know what I'm going to do at this point. Any suggestions?

My son was perscribed Levbidfor his stomach problems but recived Hyomax-SR from the Pharmacy with no explaination for the substitute.

After taking this medication for two days with no relief, he found the whole undisolved pill in his stool, we took another one, put it in hot water and over 12 hours later it is still solid as a rock.

Even if it has the same active ingedients it won't help you if it does not dissolve.

I will be reporting this to the FDA's Medwatch dept. 1-800-FDA-1088, I encourage all to do the same with any problems you have with medications, If we don't these companies will contiue to gouge us for meds that don't work. 

I was originally prescribed hyoscyamine, and for months, repeatedly heard it was on back order.  I wasn't satisfied with the response, located the manufacturer, KV Pharmaceuticals, ETHEX division.  The medication was recalled by the FDA; reason unknown.

I am now taking Hyomax-SR (extended release), charged as generic, not brand.  With insurance, the medication cost $15 per 1-month supply. 

I also find Sam's Club, Rx department to be reasonable with their fees, no different than many other companies offering the same services. 

I am in hopes this will assist you.