Lamictal- Has anyone had side effects to generic copies?

[AussieChris]

Has anyone noticed additional unwanted side effects when talking the cheaper copies of Lamictal pharmacies offer?

 

[CQ:)]

Sorry Chris,
Can't really help you. I was on Lamictal from 2004 - 2006 but I only ever took the brand name.
Out of all the anti epilepsy meds I've been on the only one I've tried the generic on is Keppra & I haven't had any side effects or issues with it.

If you are having side effects have you spoken to your dr or the chemist?

 

[BlueCat]

I started on Lamictal in 2002 and did great until they tried moving me to generic in 2009 - 1 1/2 months later I had a t/c sz. They doubled my dose and I had another one a little over a year later. They doubled that dose and added Keppra, but I managed to at least get them to put me back on Lamictal. Was perfect for 3 years, had a sz a month ago, still trying to figure out what happened on that-another EEG in May-but doc is good with me staying on L brand only.

 

[AussieChris]

i have had issues before with generic ones making me feel yuk. In the last couple of months in an emergency because I forgot to take a morning dose at work I got a packet of generic 25mg ones to make up my normal 100 dose from a local pharmacy so I didn't have to go home and return to work and figured I would use them anyway.

Shortly after I took them that day and the next I noticed lots of Jaw, sinus and ear pain the type I get I get sporadically with no reason I can figure out why I get it. I thought it must be coincidental and gave the rest of the packet to my normal pharmacy to make a webster pack with for me. since I have been taking the packs made with those tablets it has been hell for me.

Its constant aching and sound causes lots of pain. I am suspicious those generic ones have something in them that Lamictal brand doesn't have thats nasty. I going to bin those generic ones and get the proper ones this week. What I found was happening I dint know also was my local pharmacy was substituting the el cheapo ones in my webster packs they made without me knowing when Lamictal was on the prescription from my doc.

It seems generics are not chemically always like the originals.

http://www.epilepsy.org.au/sites/default/files/PDFS/E360/Mar_2010/360_MARCH10-PG10-11.pdf

 

[TimeW]

Hey Chris I usually take whatever the pharmacist has in stock and I haven't noticed any difference. Having said that the amount of fits I have every week can vary widely, but I've never considered the brand of lamotrigine having anything to do with it. I'll pay more attention over the next few months.

I've never had jaw, sinus or ear pain at all when taking any of the brands. That must be quite painful for you.

 

[AussieChris]

Hey Chris I usually take whatever the pharmacist has in stock and I haven't noticed any difference. Having said that the amount of fits I have every week can vary widely, but I've never considered the brand of lamotrigine having anything to do with it. I'll pay more attention over the next few months.

I've never had jaw, sinus or ear pain at all when taking any of the brands. That must be quite painful for you.

read the pdf link I posted as it explains how the chemical formula of the copies is not quite the same. Apparently seizures is possibly a risk when changing as different side effects and seizure risk is a factor in the change. I never knew this myself till I researched it for this thread today.


Generic preparations of several antiepileptic drugs are available to patients in Australia.
Retrospective studies and case reports indicate that there is a small risk of loss of seizure
control or toxicity if interchange of generic and innovator antiepileptic drug occurs.
Patients with epilepsy should first obtain the advice of their treating doctor before having
the preparation of antiepileptic drug interchanged.”

 

[AussieChris]

Wow what a difference getting rid of generics has made. It's instant pain relief! Well I took my last suspect culprit generic one a couple of days ago and got a tray of genuine Lamictal yesterday to find the first reaction free day I have had in months.

The correct question to have asked was not does Lamictal cause suspected side effect, it is does (brand) generic drug cause suspected side effect as they are chemically a different drug.

It's taken me years to work this out as what has been happening is I thought I was getting something akin an to an ear infection as it came with swollen lymph nodes and other glands reoccur fairly regular and I would wait for it to clear up which often took a couple of weeks if I was lucky.

PThis last one has been about 2 months and I had been seeing an ENT doc with no successful result. I can see now how probably the ones I get a reaction to have been substituted occasionally instead of genuine 25 mg ones in my Webster pack I get them to make and I was assuming I had gotten over it when they were used up and replaced by one that was non irritating and the cycle would repeat.

I really thought it was all the same stuff just like paracetamol tablets are but it's not so beware!

My neurologist who is a very brainy guy was convinced L wouldn't cause it so I have been assuming it was other causes.