Best Generic Keppra? Kinda desperate

[AlexinGeorgia]

Does anyone know the best generic Keppra?

I'm desperate. Just switched health insurance plans during the chaos of the ACA implementation, and am operating on two days left of "loaner" pills from the pharmacy. Got my new insurance plan in place, only to find out that the new plan doesn't have the brand name Keppra (manufactured by UCB in Smyrna, GA) in its formulary.

Thus, I am having a total "FML" moment because I tried the generic by Northstar in the past and it didn't work.

I think this question has come up before, and I am rapidly googling it, but since I'm running out of time, I'm just risking offending people with posting something that's been covered already.

The pharmacy said they could order from most of the different generic labs (mentioned Sanboz and Accord).

Thus, I'm trying to find THE BEST GENERIC LAB. So if you've compared the Keppras from different labs, and have an idea as to which one worked for you and which one didn't, fire away.

I seem mostly immune to the side effects, so if it's a question of too much of the active ingredient vs. too little, I can side with too much. Although today is the first day I've heard of "Kepprage," which explains a few things. Thus, if you know labs whose tablets didn't work, that would be helpful, and if you know labs that produced tablets that still stopped seizures but had too many side effects, that would also be helpful.

Anyway, BEST generic out there? I am going to start the process to try to get back on the brand, but it looks like I'm going to have to function on a month of the generic and hope for the best.

I tried various tactics mentioned by people in other posts, like looking at different dosage levels and so forth to find one on the formulary, but it looks like none of the brand dosages are in my formulary.

If you have any ideas... let me know. If you don't know the name of your lab, but have your pill in front of you, if you describe it to me (shape/color/etc.) and tell me the stamp on it, and I can look it up.

Thank you! I'm new, but it's a time of crisis, so... super mega thank you if you've switched to a working generic and go to the trouble to identify the tablet. I've spent the last month making ten zillion calls to the insurance company so I at least have the other half of my drug cocktail (generic Depakote, which works fine) still in place.

I have done some searching on this site already, but some of the information is out of date because some of the labs/formularies/patent statuses have changed since 2007.

That's all!

Thank you!

-Alex

 

[AlexinGeorgia]

So I've spent some time Googling through at least 30 to 40 threads on this whole generic Keppra question (it's a little overwhelming) and I've seen complaints about Mylan, Watson, and Teva.

There weren't any mentions of labs with generics that DID work (people probably just didn't look up the manufacturing lab if it was working).

My tentative plan, if all else fails, is to up it from 1500 mg a day to 2000 and try to use a blood test later to confirm the levels remain similar. Assuming the generic has 80% of the brand, then I can at least be confident I'm not going to drop below the amount I'm getting now. Obviously an increased risk of side effects though, but lesser of two evils?

I also messaged some people in private messages who had reported a generic that worked for them, to see if they knew the lab.

 

[kirsten]

My doctor usually hates using generics but when I was on keppra, she actually advised me to take Redilev instead. (Dr Reddys.) Doesn't sound like a great pharma company, does it? Anyway, I didn't have seizure issues or abnormal side effects on it (only the usual Keppra side effects) and I know when she does use generics it's because of their colouring (she says that can sometimes cause problems with side effects) and binders and coatings. Sometimes, I suppose, the generics improve on those. I live in South Africa so it's possible Redilev may not be available where you live, though.

 

[AlexinGeorgia]

Thanks--I also got an upvote for the lab Lupin in a private message. So with Dr Reddys that's at least two +1 votes in the hat. I suppose since they probably don't do much in the way of studies on the generics, publicly rating them is the next best thing?

In other threads, I think I counted two complaints about Mylan, and one complaint each for Teva and Watson. So that's where the tally stands. If more people weigh in I'll keep track.

 

[kirsten]

I take a Mylan generic and have absolutely no issues with it, to confuse you further. It's not an anticonvulsant, though.

They don't study generics because laws are very strict about the active chemicals and dosages. I'm not sure there is a problem with that, other than the obvious counterfeits you may run into through online pharmacies. Remember that a couple of reviews is purely anecdotal and not evidence. People are far more likely to complain than to speak positively about something. On the other hand, doctors have plenty of experience with patients taking generics so my best advice would be to ask your doctor about which generic is best. It's probably something he'd be more than willing to suggest over the phone.

 

[marika853]

Ok Alexin,
I have LEVETIRACETAM Yellow tablet from Lupin. I have been taking this for years and has worked well for me. I live in Florida.
Good Luck!
M

 

[Nakamova]

This link lists the makers of generic keppra:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/docs/tempai.cfm
There are two pages of listings in case you want to check them out...

 

[joebob987]

How did Lupin work?

Hi Alexingeorgia,
my wife is in exactly the same situation. How did the Lupin manufactured LEVETIRACETAM work for you?
Thanks!

 

[valeriedl]

It may just depend on the person and what version of the med is going to work best for you. There are people out there who are only able to take name brands and others are ok taking generics. I've taken several different generics of several different meds, keppra being one, and I don't think I've had any problems.

Many reasons that you are given generics, and they are often changed by brand, is because your insurance want's to pay for the cheapest version of the medicine.

I really don't know much about different insurance companies because I've only been on two and they both worked in the same way.

If the dr says that I have to take the name brand then the insurance is obligated to give it to me and pay for it. If you find a good generic that works for you then you might be able to have your dr say that you must take that version of the medicine and you can get it.

Hope you find a version that works for you right off the bat. Good luck!

 

[joebob987]

Thanks

Thanks for the good advice.

Keppra has been working for my wife for about 8 years. When the first generic came out, manufactured by Mylan, she tried it and started having seizures again. Since then her doctor has indicated 'Keppra only' on prescriptions and all has been ok.

Now the insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, says we had to use the generic version. We appealed, had the doctor write a letter stating the medical urgency of staying on Keppra, etc. The appeal was denied. Basically the insurance company is saying 'if a generic is available, we will not pay for the name brand, no matter what'. I think this is going to be the norm now.

So, we are trying a generic, starting today. I did find out that the two pharmacies we use, Osco and Prime Therapeutics, will let you pick the generic manufacturer you want, so we picked Lupin.

Also the doctor can state the generic manufacturer on future prescriptions. So if Lupin works, we can continue to get the generic Keppra manufactured by them.

It is my understanding that there is nothing 'wrong' with generic Keppra. But with each of the generic versions you will likely end up with a different level of the active ingredient. The variation can range from 80 to 125% by FDA standards. So switching from one generic manufacturer to another can be as big of a problem as going from name brand to generic.

I would recommend that if people are forced to go with generic, and they find a manufacturer that works, they specify this. If you don't specify, your pharmacy will randomly pick a manufacturer and you would likely get a different manufacturer each time you fill the prescription. I had figured pharmacies would have one manufacture that they used and stick with them, i.e. as long as I get my prescription filled by Osco, I will get Lupin. This is not the case. Both pharmacies used multiple suppliers of generic Keppra at the same time and pick what you get randomly.