Generic vs. Name

[Andara Bledin]

For shampoo I like Tresemme, Garnier Fructis, or Herbal Essences. Everything else just leaves my hair oily and greasy.

I tried some generic shampoo recently and had to go back to the Herbal Essences. The generic stuff just didn't manage to get my hair clean, and left it limp and draggly.

^-.-^

[boringscreenname]

There are a few things I prefer name brand to generic.

For shampoo I like Tresemme, Garnier Fructis, or Herbal Essences. Everything else just leaves my hair oily and greasy.

For bar soap I only buy Dial, because it's cheap comes in a variety of scents and smells nice. I can usually get an 8 or 10 pack for $3-$4.

For trash bags I only buy Glad Force Flex with the Febreze Odor shield. I like that they are strong and don't rip easily. I like the Febreze scent, because it somewhat neutralizes odors, and with two kids in diapers our trash gets stinky fast.

As far as generic stuff goes I like Target's Up and Up brand. Most of the products my kids use is that brand. So far we've used their diapers, wipes, diaper rash ointment, and baby wash. I love the baby wash because it comes in a bigger bottle and is cheaper than J&J's. Most of our groceries are Wal-Mart's Great Value brand and we like them just fine.

[radiocerk]

That and what the OTC company wants to pay to get approved. I'm sure the FDA requires an additional application for the separate strengths. The FDA's already forcing some drugs that were grandfathered in as safe ages back to go through the authorization process now.

[Shalom]

That's what I was thinking!

If someone can buy a bottle of 20 200mg caplets, why would 10 400mg caplets require a prescription?

Because the label says not to do that, so obviously nobody will...

Seriously, often the only difference between a legend drug (i.e. RX-only) and OTC drug is the labeling. Antivert (Rx) and Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula (OTC) come to mind; both have 25 mg of meclizine in them.

[blas87]

I don't need it very often, but I will say that the generic versions of Midol or Pamprin are not that great. I prefer the real thing.

[insertNameHere]

Boozy's in Canadalandialand. 400 mg ibuprofen is available over here, or it was many moons back. I don't see why there would be a restriction on the 400 size, though, as the 200 size is freely available and it's as easy to swallow two as it is to swallow one.

Of course, the real answer is to have a better-educated and aware public, but there's too many stupid people.

Rapscallion

Keep in mind, in America when my mom was growing up they could buy low beer at 18 which was like 3.2 percent, but not beer that was 6.4 or whatever the numbers were. the Moral of the story was, you could get the weak shit, drink a lot of it, get the same effect as a few of the regular.

As far as generics go, I buy store brand pain killers they work find, sometimes if I'm really sick I spring for dayquil (actually now whatever has psudopedrine in it because that shit works for congestion, new formulas don't last for shit).

for computer parts I would say Rosewill is the generic cheap brand that I will never use, while it sounds like some of their products are amazing if you get a working one, the quality control sounds absolute shit. Other makers seem to invest in quality control or making RMAs easy to protect their names. All my computers get kingston hyperX ram.... bought it once on sale, been buying it ever since because I never had a problem with it. Seagate my go to brand for hard drives. I would never try a generic on a hard drive.

Generic toliet paper is a joke. but I agree wal-mart has some good generics for food. Kroger brand cereal tastes like card board.

I guess it comes down to taking the time to find the generics that are in fact the major brand in a different box so you know the quality or at least reputation, because sure while they pay for image, if something sucks people likely gonna talk about it

[blas87]

Oh, I wish there was room to list everything, and I mean everything.

I'll try to keep this brief, and some of this is still trial and error.

I do my best to only use salon products as far as shampoo and conditioners, because they are the only products that have protein in them and don't contain wax and other harsh additives that the cheaper brands have that contribute to hair breaking off.

If I can't afford it, I use the L'oreal Sulfate free and color protect.

I've found that most Great Value (Wal-Mart's store brand) products aren't that bad, but there are just some areas you don't cheap out.

Before I go there, I will say.....Aldis version of Ramen Noodles is the most disgusting thing I have ever eaten. In my life. Ramen is cheap enough as it is. This is what happens when you go beyond cheap. You get ass noodles from Aldis.

Now, back on track.

Great Value juices aren't bad, mouthwashes aren't bad, toilet paper isn't even too terrible.

Their mac and cheese is disgusting. Their ketchup is revolting. Their spaghetti sauce should be illegal. Their cereals......it really depends on which kind you're talking about.

Their pizzas aren't horrible.

As an avid pasta/hotdish maker, I will say that their boxed noodles are just fine, I just prefer to get the more nutritional kinds with more fiber.

[dendawg]

Back to dish-washing soap... Add me to the people who use name-brand stuff. I've tried the cheap shit, and it didn't seem to work as well. It seemed that if I didn't use Dawn, it took longer (not to mention, more of the stuff) to get the grease off of my pots and pans. I also noticed, that the stuff works well on greasy engine parts too. I figured, if it can easily dissolve the grease on old MGB parts, then it will work fine in the kitchen

Not just that, but wild life rescue workers actually use Dawn when cleaning the oil-spill victims. That, plus the fact the Dawn company additionally donates to wild life rescue and first-hand experience of how effective it is at grease cutting, is all the reason I need to never buy any other brand.

[linguist]

with batteries, i think it also depends on which store's brand you're using. i use a 3-led headlamp for caving, with 3 settings--nightvision (red, uses least battery power), spotlight (uses a single white led, next lowest battery usage), and flood (uses all three white leds, highest battery usage). i typically use the spot setting while i'm moving, and nightvision while resting (or i turn it off altogether) to conserve battery power. rarely do i use the flood setting. i initially used energizer, then switched to duracell. each set of batteries conked out after only about 20 hours of use. most recently i put in the generics sold by my store, and they've been going for about 45 hours so far.

[Ginger Tea]

I think as batteries get improved the previous years 'recipy' gets sold or licenced to other companies that make generic tosh.
Back in the late 90's I had a walkman and a 90 minute bus trip to fill, yet some brands wouldn't last more than 4 sides of music befor conking out.
If batteries were not improved over the years I feel that as soon as you turn your digicam on the thing would suck it dry and power down within seconds, as some generic types I've tried do just that on other devices like my cycle lights.

[McDreidel09]

There are certain things that I have to use brand name products.

Treseme or Garnier Fructis for shampoo and conditioner. Everything else dries out my scalp and makes it itchy. It's been a while since I used Rusk, but it worked for me when I did use it. I usually just get Treseme for $4 a bottle. One bottle of shampoo and one bottle of conditioner lasts me a school year and then some.

For bar soaps, I can only use Caress. With the other bar soaps, I break out or feel dried out.

For face wash, I can only use Johnson and Johnson Clean and Clear with scrubbing beads. Anything else and I become more oily than I already am and I break out in pimples.

For my milk, I prefer to use Kwik Trip's milk that comes in half gallon bags. I don't know why, but it just tastes better.

I can only get Meow Mix Hairball Control for the cats, since it is the only food they will eat, plus His Royal Fabulousness is a long haired cat and it really helps with the hairballs. For their litterbox, we only get Fresh Step, since it is the only one that His Royal Fabulousness will use. He refuses to use the litterbox if it is anything else.

Other than these things, I am willing to at least try generic brand. I was told not to have Wal-Mart brand ice cream or whipped cream though.

[HYHYBT]

Now, certain personal products I'm VERY set in my ways on. Laundry detergent, bath soap, and deodorant I *always* get the same thing, unless I'm completely out and they don't have my kind. (And the deodorant has been hard to find the last few years, since Wal-Mart doesn't stock it anymore, so I buy it well ahead when I do see any.)

But if I get the "wrong" deodorant, I smell funny to myself all day, and that's just weird. And I've found that some kinds either don't work all that well, or turn the armpits of my shirts permanently white if I use them long enough. The kind I like doesn't cost much, when it's there, so why take the chance? Soap, the same way: there are some I really dislike, and the kind I use, a bar lasts me at least a month; for the little difference there is (and the possibility that another kind may wash away faster), there's just no point in switching. Laundry? I've used the same stuff for about 15 years. Partly because one other kind I tried just didn't get the clothes clean if there was anything on them, such as the grease or ketchup you're very likely to pick up now and then in a McDonald's, and another other kind sometimes left residue patches on my black pants that (how to put this?) looked like indecent stains. Sure, they came out the next wash, but still. And I don't even remember which brand or type either of those was. I just know I don't want any more of it, or anything like it. And again, since I live by myself I'm not doing much laundry; I buy *maybe* three bottles a year. Divide the price difference (when there even is one) by four months and it's not enough to bother about.

[BlaqueKatt]

It's that or take my chances with malaria and other random diseases.

malaria is not caused by a bacteria, antibiotics will do nothing to help or prevent it. it's caused by a parasite from the plasmodium family(any one of four will cause it)

and taking antibiotics for that long, you may get the joy of meeting my good friend Colistridium difficile*-which can kill you in a matter or days.(it's a bacterial sibling to Colistridium botulism, and it produces a similar toxin)-and it's horrifically painful, you spend about 4-5 days pooping out your intestinal lining-severe stomach cramps and in the bathroom every 10 minutes or so. I've been lucky enough to avoid hospitalization, though I have required IVs and antibiotics to kill it off, then massive amounts of probiotics.

Since many antibiotics can cause C. difficile infection, all antibiotics should be used prudently. Self-administration or using antibiotics without an accurate diagnosis or a proper reason should be discouraged

*almost everyone has C. diff in their gut, the other bacteria keep it in check, antibiotics kill off the beneficial bacteria and C. diff flourishes.

[Greenday]

Forget your liver, what is that doing to create new antibiotic-resistant germs?

Although your liver is important, too.

^-.-^

It's that or take my chances with malaria and other random diseases.

When I go home, I'm going to look into the once a week version of my antibiotic.

[Andara Bledin]

Forget your liver, what is that doing to create new antibiotic-resistant germs?

Although your liver is important, too.

^-.-^