Switch from Levetiram to Keppra

[keaze]

Wow in my title I meant Levetiracetam >.> Sorry

Hello fellow sufferers.

I haven't posted here in a few years.

'Tis with the utmost optimism (uh huh) that I make this post asking if anyone has ever experienced switching from generic to brand Keppra.

I am Canadian, thus do not know very well the prices of Keppra in your regions, so am not sure if i will make some jealous or not (if so, I apologize). I have learned (ONE YEAR LATE!!!) that Keppra is now exactly the same price as Levetiracetam. So as of tomorrow I am switching to brand. I currently take 100/100 Lamotrigine (lamictal) and 1000/1000 levetiracetam (keppra). Tomorrow morning, I will be taking my first dose of REAL, non bullcrap 80% efficiency margin medication.

Thing is, I am very chemically sensitive. I have in the past (recent past) had trouble with my pharmacy. Those bastards keep switching generic suppliers and (oh no no sir, it's the exact same thing). Oh but lordy lord, hell to the no it isn't. Every time they switched me I had HORRIBLE nights of seizure after seizure after seizure (my official diagnosis is night seizures, i will spare you the exact name, but i also get day seizures sometimes). I eventually made a complaint to the Order of Pharmacists or whatever it's called in english, and they obligated them to always have on hand the ACT generic brand of levetiracetam, which is working ok.

So for now I kinda have stability, but i hear repeatedly how there is a huge difference between brand KEPPRA and generic. So yes tomorrow I am switching to brand.

My question is, since the generic only needs 80% margin, that means maybe i actually take 1600mg per day, not 2000. So when I will switch to Keppra, what should i expect? Major brain fog? Uber rage? Stevens Johnson? Or a miracle cure? As a reference, I have never really had any MAJOR side effect from Keppra (i mean im used to being somewhat zombi-ish, but I have not had rashes or rage or depression or suicidal thoughts or delirium). I say that because I know some people can potentially see this post and want to inquire what side effects people get from keppra. It's been a good drug to me. And lamotrigine isn't effective enough by itself, even at the 325/325 i was taking, before going on lamotrigine/keppra combo. Tegretol made me a goddamn lifeless friendless zombie in the past though. Stay away from that, is my opinion.

I'm freakin the fk out.

My fantasm would be that the Keppra works so well that i could totally eliminate the lamotrigine.

I also got a consultation for medical marijuana, which i would like to take the one that has the highest concentration of CBD, which epilepsy sufferers have a low concentration in their brain (or something like it). So I was thinking with brand keppra and high CBD marijuana, I could eliminate the lamotrigine.... maybe.


Anyways. Does anyone have experience on switching from generic to Brand Keppra? I'm especially interested in short term effects. But long term too changes too, of course.

I apologize if my post is all over the place, I'm just a little hysterical and all over the place right now o.o

Thanks

Matt- (who has been eyeing his unopened bottle of Keppra with simultaneous feelings of giggly joy and utmost precursory horror all weekend)

 

[valeriedl]

I live in the US and usually the insurance companies will only give you the generic form of meds because it is less expensive. I know here if you have your dr state on the prescription that the med must be the name brand then they have to give you the name brand, if it doesn't then that you will usually get the generic.

I think I've always taken the generic brands of meds right from the start so I really can't give you any info on switching from one to the other. If you do start having any problems with it then I'd let your dr know right away and tell him that you want to go back to taking Levetiracetam, the generic form of Keppra, because you weren't having problems with it.

 

[travel bug]

Well, when I made the switch the other way I was also worried. My pharmacist recommended making one of my two daily doses the generic and the other the actual Keppra for a couple of weeks so my body could adjust more gradually. Of course you have to make the switch while you still have enough of your old pills.
But as it turns out I'm not especially sensitive to the differences. So if you know you are, be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist before trying something like this. It may not work if you're taking another med also.

Good luck!

 

[keaze]

Update: Took Keppra two hours ago. Was feeling foggy during the first hour. Now it's a little better. I have a slight background headache that I hope will not start getting intense. Feeling a little tingly in my gut.

Apart from that, things are looking good.

 

[resaebiunne]

I've been on generic Keppra and generic Lamictal until my last doctor visit. For a 30 day supply of Keppra, that would cost insurance about $1100 or so. Brand name Lamictal would cost insurance about $1400. These prices come from GoodRX. I'm also on Saphris with costs insurance another $800/month. There is no generic for Saphris. (Saphris is an antipsychotic medication with I take for schizoaffective disorer).

The nurse practitioner gave me a choice of generic or brand name when I had my last visit. He told me that generic drugs have less tolerance during manufacturing and are made with different fillers depending on the brand. For a 750mg dose of Keppra, your body will only absorb so much of the medication. The fillers can lower than amount absorbed, so a 750mg generic tablet might actually have 900mg in it to make up for the lower absorption rate.

All that said, I'm not really noticing any new side effects. I used to have quite a lot of seizures (maybe 2-12 depending on the day) but since they have decreased in number. This probably doesn't come from switching to brand name from generic though. In my case, my lamictal dose is being increased to try and control my seizures. I think for that reason it makes it harder to compare brand name versus generic.

I would say if your insurance allows you to take brand name medication then it is worth the extra cost. Seizure control is a delicate balance of medications so I feel much safer taking the brand name, especially if it means you can take a lower dose.

 

[Cint]

He told me that generic drugs have less tolerance during manufacturing and are made with different fillers depending on the brand. For a 750mg dose of Keppra, your body will only absorb so much of the medication. The fillers can lower than amount absorbed, so a 750mg generic tablet might actually have 900mg in it to make up for the lower absorption rate.

This is exactly the reason I take brand name meds. I have refractory E and since the lobectomy did NOT work for me, I need the name brand drug(s).

All that said, I'm not really noticing any new side effects. I used to have quite a lot of seizures (maybe 2-12 depending on the day) but since they have decreased in number. This probably doesn't come from switching to brand name from generic though. In my case, my lamictal dose is being increased to try and control my seizures. I think for that reason it makes it harder to compare brand name versus generic.

With all 12 drugs I've tried, they all have been "name brand". Lamictal was one, but it didn't do a thing for my seizures. The side effects of that drug were nothing compared to name brand Keppra. But then, the side effects of Felbatol nearly killed me.

I would say if your insurance allows you to take brand name medication then it is worth the extra cost. Seizure control is a delicate balance of medications so I feel much safer taking the brand name, especially if it means you can take a lower dose.

:agree: My insurance allows it, therefore I will go down that path.