The brand one slow releases very evenly while the generic just slams me with the calm, focused joy followed by a significant emotional low for hours.

Completely unsurprised if an Adderall generic had just as significant impacts.

https://www.goodrx.com/concerta/certain-generics-are-no-long...

Prolonged-release of an orally drug taken in pill form is a "special feature", it's the difference between regular Adderall and Adderall XR.

There are patented techniques involved to make it work like that, generica manufacturers probably don't have access to those/leave it out to save manufacturing costs.

You can try taking the generica in smaller dosages, to compensate for their lack of prolonged-release, as the symptoms you describe sound like you are overdosing by taking too much in too short of a time.

Concerta doesn't need such manual dosage management, as it also has prolonged-release just like Adderall XR.

Semi-regularly, as I work in palliative healthcare.

I'm just not sure why that would be relevant to "medical advice" like "If you experience too intense sympthoms, try lowering the dose" and explaining the differences between instant and prolonged-release drugs?

Some might consider that common sense, which shouldn't need to be pointed out.

But life is hectic and complicated, leading to a lot of overthinking, sometimes we just need a reminder of the simpler and straight forward solutions.

Let’s set our expectations higher. The admonishing rhetorical questions are a waste of time to post and quite boring to read. You seem to be aware of the risks of strangers dispensing advice on the internet, despite stated qualifications (which may be imaginary or real). Assume most of humanity is aware of this as well.

Be great if the FDA would ensure that a generic is actually the same damn thing.

Certainly not in the same way.

Does that also imply that a 30mg Adderall could come out as either a 24mg or a 36mg? In reality that is likely easier for the manufacturer to detect than the individual weights of the active ingredients in a random mixture, but still.

1. Normal (the first one - don't remember the manufacturer - was extremely hard to break in half)

2. Actavis - strong, but slow to hit

3. KVK - strong and hits fast

4. Mallinkrodt - weak

For years Mallinkrodt was the only brand my drug store would get. Now they switched back to KVK and it's like night and day. I only have to do half as much.