kapidex...same as prevacid?

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Ive been taking prevacid for years..recently I was upped to twice a day and since then it has not been working as well... have had twice as many attacks.
Today my dr and I discussed changing ppi's and he pushed kapidex (makers of prevacid) on me....he insisted I try it...he said it only comes in 60mg, but thats not true, it also comes in 30. Anyways, Kapidex is prevacid with a dual relayed release...so why would he want me basically take a drug that is currently failing me? Am I being paranoid that dr's push the newest drugs...I find it interesting that Prevacid goes over the counter as "prevacid 24 hour" in Noveraber..
I dont want to keep paying 60 a month for my copay and not to mention the fights with my insurance to get a drug!!!
why do dr's push the new drugs? I asked him about Aciphex as their patent expires in 2009 and he said its a good drug, but didnt give me it..
I forgot to mention that he said that Kapidex is a mix of prevacid and another medication...that is is much better, and is different, and may work great even though prevacid has stopped. He also said if it doesnt work we will go on a full out medicine trial to find the best for me.
Any thoughts?
Mountain reader..I sent you a message about this
 
Thank you Jogo for your excellent informative answer. This is the kind of stuff I have been trying to find out for months but no doctor/pharmacist/drug company will tell me. Now I finally know the real scoop on Kapidex. Thanks to you!!

I have a question, maybe you can answer this.

I have been on prescription 30mg Prevacid for several years and it has been working fine. However it is very expensive and I have problems affording it.

So when Novartis recently came out with the OTC 15mg Prevacid for about 1/10th the cost of prescription 30mg Prevacid I wanted to know if I could take two 15mg OTC pills and expect the same results as one 30mg prescription pill.

I have tried asking Novartis (the OTC maker/marketer), Takeda (the prescription maker), and also my doctor, and no one will give me a straight (or any) answer. So I tried it. And for unknown reasons (to me) the OTC does not give me the same relief.

Does anyone know why?? What is the difference in the formulation/molecules of these two supposedly "the same" pills (except in dosage)??

My pharmacist said it should be the same but trying it my body does not respond in the same way to the less expensive OTC, sad to say. I'd really like to know why. After reading your reply it makes me wonder if perhaps the 15mg version is not quite the same 50/50 mix of isomers, and that perhaps it contains more of the less effective "l-" isomer????
 
my pharmacist told me it is the exact same drug, she showed me a 15 mg prevacid pill and compared it to the OTC brand, they were absolutely identical. They said the OTC brand is made by the same as the brand, 100% same drug, same casing, same everything. The generic lansoprazole is made by a different company, but they say it works the same. I havent tried it yet, but I refilled my prescription and the insrance gave me the generic. Hopefully its fine.
 
I came across this info when reading about Kapidex..then I called my pharmacist who said the same thing.... But I would follow what your dr told you. I also cant find the website that discusses the differences between prevacid and kapidex, but it talked about it as well.

* links to commercial website removed by rabroad-mod, moderator *
 
Kapidex is the exact same active ingredient as Prevacid. What makes it different is the delivery system. Kapidex is the first dual-delay release PPI. It has 2 kinRAB of enteric-coated granuals that release at about 2 hours and again at 4-5 hours after taking it. It also doesn't need to be taken within that 30 minute period before eating as the others do.

I haven't heard of there being another medication in there. My doc and Pharmacist both just told me about the lansoprazole.

It is my theory that they mostly made this so they could continue to make money off of the medication with the Prevacid going OTC.

They have a good coupon on their website if anyone is taking it. Up to $55 per month instant rebate until next year.
 
Thats my concern..why would they give me a expensive version of the same med thats going generic, and its losing its effectiveness. My dr said to "try it". Can someone explain what benefit he gets by pushing a new med? I thought it was illegal for the drug companies to even give out pens anymore! Sorry, I am naive here, I just dont know what the drs get in exchange for pushing a med. Anyways, I guess it cant hurt to try it, I have 20 free samples. Hey, maybe the delivery system may help? We'll see!
 
Thanks for your comment!!

Right you are, and this does get real interesting btw. I didn't mention any of that since it gets a bit involved and I wanted to keep my post short....I'll rarable on a bit now though!

My pharmacist showed me how the prescription 30mg pill made by Takeda is EXACTLY the same as a new "generic" 30mg prescription pill made by "Abbott" - which he can get at half the cost. The colors and writing on the pills is even identical, showing it is made by Takeda, not Abbot!!! He didn't show me the 15mg version but what you say makes perfect sense. I don't doubt that the 15mg prescription pill, and a 15mg "generic" pill, also are really the exact same thing.

As I understand it, it is some kind of licensing/money type deal between those companies so that Takeda can keep making some $$ on selling generic pills (in competition with their OWN IDENTICAL NONGENERIC PILLS) without allowiing competition from anyone else to cut in on their current market (for at least a few more months until they lose some type of exclusivity rights). Ignoring the whole OTC thing for minute of course.

A different pharma company called Teva has had USA approval to market their own generic Prevaicd in the USA for over a year now but were sued by Takeda to prevent them releasing it here. Takeda won their case based on a particular patent that they had which just expired in Noveraber '09. So therefore that means that Teva should be able to sell their own generic in the USA and compete with them now - right? WRONG! The pharmacist told me that the marketing deal Takeda did with Abbott prevents other companies from selling their own generic here, at least for several more months. How all that works I have no idea. But that when whatever law/ruling/whatever the hell it is expires (in a few months?) then Teva (and anyone else that has a generic which they have FDA approval for) can also sell their own generic - and then the prices will (hopefully) really go down for the prescription versions.

But all of that still has me asking my original question about the OTC - in what ways (if any) does it differ from the prescription 30mg version? Because I've tried twice now in a month to switch to the OTC and both times within 12-24 hours I have had almost unbearable heartburn, as if I haven't been taking any Prevacid at all. So for me, I am sticking with the prescription version (I will be buying some of the generic flavor - exactly the same as the nongeneric of course - this week).

For all I know the OTC 15mg may even be identical to the prescription nongeneric/generic; and that makes me wonder if the 15mg formulation just is diff from the 30mg formulation in some way period (the isomer business mentioned above).

All in all it gives me a headache trying to figure this out, and I can't get a real answer from anybody what is what - especially the drug companies themselves (they just parrot back total marketing b.s.) when I've tried asking them.


And on a different note that even leaRAB me to wonder further - I know from past experience that PPIs can take a couple days (or more) to start working for most people to notice a positive effect (with me several days to a week). Also I know that PPIs seem to have weird efficacy behavior in that for no known reason they may stop working - with me I was on Aciphex for like 2 years and it worked great but then it stopped working totally, at which point I tried Protonix for a week (noticed no relief) then Prevacid (and got relief in like 2-3 days, thank God, and have been on it ever since). So it is possible - in theory - if I were to just tough out this awful heartburn I am getting on the OTC Prevacid for a week or so, that magically my body might adjust in some way & it might start working for me. I have no idea....but I can't stand the burning....so I'm going back to what I know works (30mg prescription version)....
 
Kapidex is dexlansoprazole and Prevacid is lansoprazole. I doubt there will be any difference in effect other than having to dose it less often.
 
More info. Not exactly sure what this means but found it interesting.

I was nearby a different pharmacy last night, not the one I usually use, not the one where the pharmacist showed me the "generic" Prevacid 30mg pills as being identical to the nongeneric ones, and I decided to do some price comparison shopping and ask them how much they are selling the "generic" Prevacid for. I also asked them to verify what the pills were - who they "appeared" to be made by. And I got a shock..

This other pharmacy was charging about $20 more than the price I was quoted about 3 weeks ago at the other pharmacy. I guess that is not too much of a shock, but in the past both of these pharmacies are usually about the same costwise, and both of these always beat the costs of the big "supermarket" pharmacies like CVS and Riteaid. Although I've noticed that even places like Riteaid will charge different proces for the same drugs simply depending on where the store is located (ritzier neigrabroadorhooRAB get the higher prices).

What shocked/suprised me was that this pharmacy did NOT have the generic that the other pharmacy had, the one made by "Abbott" and identical in markings to "real" Prevacid, instead they had the generic made by Teva!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought Teva's couldn't be sold here for a couple more months (according to the other pharmacist). Also he told me that once Teva's prevacid (or should I say Lansoprazole) came out that their price would be even CHEAPER, driving prices down more - not more expensive. So now I'm worried what I am going to find at the first pharmacy, and I have to buy more now too (only have 2 days of pills left).

I wonder if the Abbott/Takeda generic (which recall is actually not generic - it appears to be the same thing, at least by the pill marking) is even being sold anymore? Nothing would surprise me.

I am not too eager to try the Teva generic, since earlier last year I tried the generic lansoprazole sold in the UK called "Lanzol" made by Indian company Cipla, and that drug did not work for me (plus gave me cramps/runs).

I am still very suspicious about the formulations in all these different versions, as to what the differences really are, but now think it is not just in the inert ingredients or "formulations", but also wondering about the whole stereoisomer ratio not being 1:1 between d-lansoprazole and l-lansoprazole as mentioned by Jogo above, perhaps that not being the case amongst different versions, and that maybe that is why for example OTC Prevacid didn't work for me, nor did "Lanzol".

Doing more research I have found that W i k i p e d i a has a lot of good information about this stuff, including how generics and marketing etc works. Generics in general in the USA only have to be 80% "identical" to their original counterparts, and even with that, it is open to question as to what "identical" even really means.

After reading all this stuff I have a headache.......
 
Exactly, that is why it is ideal for those of us who were on 2 PrevaciRAB a day. Greg

"Kapidex is dexlansoprazole and Prevacid is lansoprazole. I doubt there will be any difference in effect other than having to dose it less often."
 
Yea, i think i would want something other then Prevacid and its derivatives, it is like the Prilosec vs. Nexium situation. But he gave you free samples to try, sounRAB like a cheap experiment. If they work, then you may be up for a more expensive drug bill each month, if not, try prilosec OTC. Good luck with the Kapidex. PS. Have you tried gaviscon tablets with the pain? You can even try a prilosec in the morning and a Pepcid Complete at night or 2 prilosecs instead of 2 prevaciRAB.

PS> the doctor gets nothing for choosing a med for a patient. i would trust him and expect he is deciding what is best for you. If you dont trust him, find a new Doc.
 
Good luck with the Teva generic. I am definitely interested how you do on that. Our bodies are very mysterious how they respond to these things though. I for instance got no relief on Nexium (it was the first PPI I tried, and it gave me an intolerable constant headache, abdominal pains, and a weird purple rash on my thigh). My brother-in-law does fine on it though.

For some reason the Prevacid OTC (taking 2 pills) just doesn't work for me. I've tried it twice now and withiin a day my heartburn is raging like I'm not taking anything. And also a strange thing, within 6-12 hours of taking it my belly swells up like I am 2 months pregnant (and I am not even a woman!). This happened to me both times I tried it (back in Noveraber when it first came out, and again last week when my prescription supply ran out so I decided to try the OTC again).

And the Indian made Cipla "prevacid"? Also did not work for me, and gave me really bad side effects - cramps, the runs, and didn't work worth a darn.

Also a correction to what I said above - the generic that is truly the exact same thing as Takeda's nongeneric down to the writing on the pills is not sold by Abbott, it is sold by Sandoz. I refilled my prescription at my local pharmacy with that yesterday - cost $90 (about $10 less than Teva's generic sold at a different pharmacy).


OOPS - I mispoke above. My brother-in-law HATES Nexium. Strangely it does not work for him, but Prilosec does. And Nexium is to Prilosec, as what Kapidex is to Prevacid - Nexium and Kapidex are just the one isomer of the respecitve drug rather than a 50-50 mix of two isomers.
 
If you don't have to wait 30 min, then how long is recommended? I'm curious cause I'm on Kapidex and my doctor did say to have it 30 minutes before meals.
 
I have Teva generic...
Trying all these different ones, generic, otc, etc is very difficult...the placebo effect and your own knowledge can be very powerful. Why dont you try having a friend give you different forms of the prevacid without you knowing what you are taking. Blindfold, eyes closed etc. I had a friend who went through this with the nexium/prilosec, and the blind results were very interesting. Im just saying theres something to be said for knowing which your taking. Generics are controlled by the FDA and everytime I have taken them have worked fine. I will keep you posted about the generic prevacid....by Teva.
 
Kapidex and Prevacid are not exactly the same. Kapidex is Dexlansoprazole whereas Prevacid is lansoprazole. The difference is that Dexlansoprazole is d-lansoprazole and Prevacid is a 50:50 mixture of d-lansoprazole and l-lansoprazole. Apparently the optically active d-lansoprazole is the effective proton pump inhibitor and l-lansoprazole is either ineffective or much less effective as a proton pump inhibitor. Making an optically active isomer like d-lansoprazole ( Kapidex ) is usually much more difficult and more costly than making the dl mixture ( Prevacid ). The benefit of using an optically active isomer is that 30 mg of the pure d-isomer ( Kapidex ) is equivalent to 60 mg of the 50:50 dl mixture ( Prevacid ) of both isomers. Also side effects would likely be less with the lower dose of the d-isomer. I was a chemist who worked with optically active isomers, I do not work for the manufacturer of Prevacid or Kapidex (Takeda) but Takeda must have provided the FDA with data that the d-isomer was the effective isomer and not the l-isomer. Thus they were allowed to sell Kapidex.
 
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I have been on the Teva generic Lansoprazole and Its day 5, and so far so good...no problems that I have noticed! I dont know how many days it would take to feel something if it wasnt working as well....1 day, 10days???? But regardless at five Im still responding fine!
 
Hi all...I am really sick right now. I have been on Prevacid 30 mg twice daily for 10 years...doing okay, once in a while a little flair up but then back to okay. Wellllllll, I got into the wonderful DOUGHNUT HOLE in October and my prevacid would cost me $370 a month. So, I got some Kapidex 60 mg samples and took them....was doing okay for about 2 months, then, had a horrible bout with diarrhea for about 4 days. I stopped the Kapidex and took Lansozol 30 mg. twice daily which I had bought from Canada. This Lansozol is made by Takeda and is their prevacid from Italy. It is not doing the trick and, most of the time, everything I eat is stuck in my throat for hours. I am going back on Prevacid 30 mg. (if my insurance company approves it) tomorrow. How long do you think it will take to get back to normal? IF I go to the doctor, he will want to do an endoscopy and I don't want that. I am just trying to get by and get back to normal. There is a generic prevacid out there made by Sandoz but my insurance company will not recognize it. Why do they make it so hard for us? HELP!!
 
I was taking prevacid 30 mg once a day (twice as needed) and it worked great. All of a sudden, insurance quit paying for it so I was stuck without anything for 2 weeks so I went on prilosec otc. I was having heart palpitations i think were associated with that (i have had test done and my heart is fine) so i quit with that and my doc gave me Kapidex. I took for 5 or so weeks and worked ok, then it started not workign so great so my doc said to take 2 60 mg kapidex a day as needed. I started having really bad palpitations again so I quit taking the kapidex. Tried Prevacid OTC 15 mg twice a day and that didn't work that great and still having palpitations. Tried the kapidex once a day again and seems to be ok. Doc insisted i should take 2 kapidex 60 mg a day but as soon as I did, heart palpitations came back!!! thinking of trying the prevacid OTC (2) 15 mg tablets in morning and the same at night which is equivilant to what I took for a year with minimal problems. Anyone have any thoughts?
 
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