Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

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Hi, everybody. I just joined this site yesterday. I saw a forum where a few people were discussing transitioning to generic lamotrigine (just released) from Lamictol. But now I can't seem to find the forum. I'm considering the generic switch and am wondering if anyone's done it yet, gotten advice on it, etc. Please help! (Or let me know where to find yesterday's forum! It's not coming up in the search.)

Comments

Re: Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

Submitted by harley on Fri, 2008-10-24 - 16:45

I just wanted to say that I was forced to switch to the generic brand of Lamictal because of insurance coverage. I take Lamictal for bipolar and never have had a seizure before until switching to the generic. The first day I took the generic brand I was nauseated, had stomach cramps, bad headache, light headed and was unable to concentrate. The next day I couldn't drive because I was unable to judge distance and everything was blurry and seemed to be moving very slowly. I was sluggish and couldn't walk straight. This may sound funny but it's not; I bumped into the corner of the doorway four times in one day because I couldn't judge where the opening was. I called the pharmacist and told her how I felt. She reassured me that it was not the medication doing this and told me to keep taking it but if it kept up then to bring it in and she would change it back to the brand Lamictal. On the third day, I was at dinner with my boyfriend and out of nowhere I got light headed and was really hot and started sweating really bad. I knew I was about to faint but somehow managed to get a cold rag on my neck and drink some water. On the ride home I blacked out and don't remember getting in the car, the ride home or getting out. When I got home and laid in the bed my neck started to jerk and made my head bob up and down in a fast motion. I was unable to make it stop. My body then got so heavy that I was unable to lift any part of my body, not even my arm. I thought I was going paralyzed. Then my tongue got very heavy and numb and felt like it was swelling. I couldn't talk. My boyfriend said I kept trying to say something but kept stuttering and repeating words that made no sense. I remember thinking I was dying. I had no control over my body not even my thoughts. I'm not sure what exactly happened to me that night but I'm sure I had a seizure. I called the pharmacist and she let me bring the meds back and changed the prescription back to the brand but she never reported my symptoms or asked any questions. She seemed irritated with me for complaining and having problems with it. The day after starting the brand name back I felt better, although I felt tired and a little cloudy headed still. I know for a fact it was the generic brand making me sick as a dog! I don't know about anyone else but this generic drug is bad and needs to be tested more before being distributed. Someone is going to end up getting killed or injured when taking this drug. I wrote the FDA to let them know, even though they probably don't care. The drug companies only care about the money and not the effects the drug could have on a person. So please be aware of the potential side effects and don't be afraid to speak up to your doctor AND pharmacist because they sometimes don't know the effects themselves. They listen to the drug reps description and details of the drug and take their word for it and just write the scripts.

I just wanted to say that I was forced to switch to the generic brand of Lamictal because of insurance coverage. I take Lamictal for bipolar and never have had a seizure before until switching to the generic. The first day I took the generic brand I was nauseated, had stomach cramps, bad headache, light headed and was unable to concentrate. The next day I couldn't drive because I was unable to judge distance and everything was blurry and seemed to be moving very slowly. I was sluggish and couldn't walk straight. This may sound funny but it's not; I bumped into the corner of the doorway four times in one day because I couldn't judge where the opening was. I called the pharmacist and told her how I felt. She reassured me that it was not the medication doing this and told me to keep taking it but if it kept up then to bring it in and she would change it back to the brand Lamictal. On the third day, I was at dinner with my boyfriend and out of nowhere I got light headed and was really hot and started sweating really bad. I knew I was about to faint but somehow managed to get a cold rag on my neck and drink some water. On the ride home I blacked out and don't remember getting in the car, the ride home or getting out. When I got home and laid in the bed my neck started to jerk and made my head  bob up and down in a fast motion. I was unable to make it stop. My body then got so heavy that I was unable to lift any part of my body, not even my arm. I thought I was going paralyzed. Then my tongue got very heavy and numb and felt like it was swelling. I couldn't talk. My boyfriend said I kept trying to say something but kept stuttering and repeating words that made no sense. I remember thinking I was dying. I had no control over my body not even my thoughts. I'm not sure what exactly happened to me that night but I'm sure I had a seizure. I called the pharmacist and she let me bring the meds back and changed the prescription back to the brand but she never reported my symptoms or asked any questions. She seemed irritated with me for complaining and having problems with it. The day after starting the brand name back I felt better, although I felt tired and a little cloudy headed still. I know for a fact it was the generic brand making me sick as a dog! I don't know about anyone else but this generic drug is bad and needs to be tested more before being distributed. Someone is going to end up getting killed or injured when taking this drug. I wrote the FDA to let them know, even though they probably don't care. The drug companies only care about the money and not the effects the drug could have on a person. So please be aware of the potential side effects and don't be afraid to speak up to your doctor AND pharmacist because they sometimes don't know the effects themselves. They listen to the drug reps description and details of the drug and take their word for it and just write the scripts.  

I just wanted to say that I was forced to switch to the generic brand of Lamictal because of insurance coverage. I take Lamictal for bipolar and never have had a seizure before until switching to the generic. The first day I took the generic brand I was nauseated, had stomach cramps, bad headache, light headed and was unable to concentrate. The next day I couldn't drive because I was unable to judge distance and everything was blurry and seemed to be moving very slowly. I was sluggish and couldn't walk straight. This may sound funny but it's not; I bumped into the corner of the doorway four times in one day because I couldn't judge where the opening was. I called the pharmacist and told her how I felt. She reassured me that it was not the medication doing this and told me to keep taking it but if it kept up then to bring it in and she would change it back to the brand Lamictal. On the third day, I was at dinner with my boyfriend and out of nowhere I got light headed and was really hot and started sweating really bad. I knew I was about to faint but somehow managed to get a cold rag on my neck and drink some water. On the ride home I blacked out and don't remember getting in the car, the ride home or getting out. When I got home and laid in the bed my neck started to jerk and made my head bob up and down in a fast motion. I was unable to make it stop. My body then got so heavy that I was unable to lift any part of my body, not even my arm. I thought I was going paralyzed. Then my tongue got very heavy and numb and felt like it was swelling. I couldn't talk. My boyfriend said I kept trying to say something but kept stuttering and repeating words that made no sense. I remember thinking I was dying. I had no control over my body not even my thoughts. I'm not sure what exactly happened to me that night but I'm sure I had a seizure. I called the pharmacist and she let me bring the meds back and changed the prescription back to the brand but she never reported my symptoms or asked any questions. She seemed irritated with me for complaining and having problems with it. The day after starting the brand name back I felt better, although I felt tired and a little cloudy headed still. I know for a fact it was the generic brand making me sick as a dog! I don't know about anyone else but this generic drug is bad and needs to be tested more before being distributed. Someone is going to end up getting killed or injured when taking this drug. I wrote the FDA to let them know, even though they probably don't care. The drug companies only care about the money and not the effects the drug could have on a person. So please be aware of the potential side effects and don't be afraid to speak up to your doctor AND pharmacist because they sometimes don't know the effects themselves. They listen to the drug reps description and details of the drug and take their word for it and just write the scripts.

Re: Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

Submitted by Having problems too on Tue, 2008-11-04 - 13:45

I also was just changed to the generic Lamictal. I have been having headaches and very sick at my stomach. I don't have seizures, but I am biopolar. Lamictal seemed to work just fine. I have read different websites about the differences in these two drugs. I think the key to some of our problems could be the inactive ingredients in the generic. Just because they are inactive doesn't mean they can't make us sick. I am not sure what to do, but I am going to call my doctor this p.m. I think enough of us have had problems with this drug that the FDA should have to warn people. Will let you know what my doctor has to say.

Having problems too

I also was just changed to the generic Lamictal. I have been having headaches and very sick at my stomach. I don't have seizures, but I am biopolar. Lamictal seemed to work just fine. I have read different websites about the differences in these two drugs. I think the key to some of our problems could be the inactive ingredients in the generic. Just because they are inactive doesn't mean they can't make us sick. I am not sure what to do, but I am going to call my doctor this p.m. I think enough of us have had problems with this drug that the FDA should have to warn people. Will let you know what my doctor has to say.

Having problems too

Re: Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

Submitted by renewells on Wed, 2008-12-10 - 11:30

I am happy to be able to communicate with someone that can understand and knows how you really feel cheri wells I just wanted to let people out there know that I was on Lamictal, had some side effects of dizziness feeling neusous in the mornings but my seizures were getting better and I did not want to experiment with another drug at the time, because of insurance reasons I went on the generic drug, no more side effects, seizures not as often.

Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

Comments

Re: Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

Submitted by harley on Fri, 2008-10-24 - 16:45

Re: Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

Submitted by Having problems too on Tue, 2008-11-04 - 13:45

Re: Lamictal - switch to generic lamotrigine?

Submitted by renewells on Wed, 2008-12-10 - 11:30

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