AussieChris
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Has anyone had increased side effects or noticed any unwanted changes when changing from one generic brand to another or to and from the original of the type of AED they take?
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My insurance would only pay for generics because they are cheaper unless the dr said that I had to have the name brand. So I've basically only been on generics from the start.
Not entirely true. Generics are allowed to vary the amount of active ingredient to some extent. There can be variations from batch to batch within the same manufacturer, or from one manufacturer to another. For those folks who are very sensitive to small changes in their doses, this inconsistency can be problematic.Since generic drugs use the same ingredients and work the same way in the body as their branded versions do. So Generic drugs have the same risks or benefits as their brand name counterparts.
According to the American Academy of Neurology, "The Food and Drug Administration has allowed for significant differences between name-brand and generic drugs. This variation can be highly problematic for patients with epilepsy. Even minor differences in the composition of generic and name-brand anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy can result in breakthrough seizures."