Community Forum Archive

The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

Generic to Generic Complications

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 16:18
Recently after 1yr and 3 months of being seizure free my husabnd had a grandmal seizure while in the car. About two days after the seizure we came to the conclusion that it was due to him switching from Lamotrigine made by Zydus to Lamotrigine made by Unichem. The switch wad made on 8/1/2019. Within ten days of the switch he woke up angry one day, and just not acting himself. Later that day he calmed himself but then went to crying over the guilt and how upset he was over acting the way he did. After that he slept alot and while he was concerned we didnt think of it being due to the switch. On 8/21/2019, my husband felt lightheaded and throbbing in his head while at work. He sat down he calmed himself, and felt better. An hour or so later he left for lunch but never made it home. Instead he had a seizure while on the road. Our car was totaled because of this. However, we are both grateful he came out of it ok, and no one else was injured or hurt because of this. After researching I found that some posted on Unichem they didnt feel it was as strong as the other brand they were previously on. Has anyone else had this experience? Does anyone know if we can get the pharmeutical company to take responsiblity for what happened? In addition his neurologist today stated that the pharmacies dont have to honor a prescription for a particular type of Generic medication, and that she would rather him be on Lamictal. I have learned from research the difference can be up to 20 percent higher or lower when it comes this. I asked her if there was any side effects I should be mindful of, but she said no. Therefore, has anyone had any experiences when switching from Generic to Brand name?

Comments

Yes!  My husband can only use

Submitted by Sweetkamie20 on Fri, 2019-11-22 - 21:09
Yes!  My husband can only use certain generics!  Go Go Meds manufactures Lamotrigine-it has been a lifesaver for us.

My neurologist warned me of

Submitted by Maggie H on Thu, 2020-01-09 - 17:17
My neurologist warned me of this 20ish yrs ago, and has always kept me on brand name Tegretol, while generics of other meds are ok.  I just learned that only 80% of a generic medication has to be the drug prescribed.  The rest of it can be anything.  My insurance company refused to pay for the name brand Tegretol, so I ended up having to get it from Canada. 

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.