Generic Lamictal

[Lynn Hookins]

A letter came through the post today advising my daughter that the repeat prescription she has for Lamactal will now read Lamotrigine. As she is now learning to drive we are both very anxious that any disturbance will not be benificial and possibly lead to a return of her seisures.This is just a penny pinching exercise which in the long run will cost more money when they try to correct this mistake. Ive spoken to my doctors assistant and told them I do not accept this change. if it aint broke ..dont try to fix it. My pharmisist has also said I should challenge this.

[Jennifer]

I think my doctor's office thinks I'm making this up. I've been taking Lamictal for about 3 months for bipolar disorder. Last night when I tried to get my prescription filled the pharmacy informed me that my insurance will no longer pay for name brand and that if I didn't get generic I would have to pay over $300 for my prescription. I took the medicine last night as usual and after I got to work this morning I just fell apart. I'm fine one minute and then crying hysterically the next. I don't know what I'm going to do. . .the medicine is obviously causing some sort of problem - my dr's office says I shouldn't be having any side effects but I'm going off the deepend, having tremors, rapis heart rate and crying every hour or so . . .it's extremely scary

[Caitlin]

Generic Lamictal works good for me, I'm ordering from offersplace.net/item.php... for last three months and I have noticed no side effects.

[Debbie]

Betsy wrote:

Whoa. I just picked up my Lamictal Rx and saw they gave me the generic. I called the pharmacy and went back to get it switched.The pharmacist gave me the song and dance about generics beinbg the same..blah,blah,blah. I said "just change it.'. Then I came home and googled and found this forum.I have been taking Lamictal for BP for over 10 years and NEVER want to mess with my meds. Lamictal ONLY! The BP is hard enough to deal with...Best of luck to all...

I changed doctors on the recommendation of my therapist. She thought I needed a fresh look at what was going on.
On my last visit to former dr, I told her that I was having severe depression, anxiety, confusion, loopiness, etc. She said maybe my meds had quit working. I was taking 20 mg celexa and 100 mg lamictal.
When I did see my new doctor he asked if I had switched to the generic. I checked my records and that was the beginning of my decline. He told me that many of his patients had problems with generic and suggested I go back to Lamictal. He gave me the "melt in your mouth" pills. When I went to my pharmacy to fill the Rx, she gave a disgusted look at her colleague and said, "This is just another way around generics, They are the same thing."
They are not the same. Those of us with BP know how good it can be when the meds finally get right. No more messing with mine!

[Debbie]

vanessa wrote:

Well I have been taking Lamictal for about three years and was forced to switch to generic about a week and a half ago. I am very worried. I feel so spacey and light headed, disoriented, anxious, exhausted, and have a dull headache all the time. There is nothing I can do but wean myself off because I cant afford the other. My friends would be very worried if I even said I was thinking about weaning off. I hope I adjust, because I am not okay.

Have you looked in to a faith based clinic that may be able to get them for you for less money. Damn Health Care system!!

[Linda Burns]

LAH wrote:

I'd been taking Lamictal for seizures for four years previous to trying the generic. I started taking the generic lamotrigine last week. My hair has started falling out. I wrote a letter to my neurologist about this. I enjoy the $8 co-pay compared to a $50 co-pay, so I hope this isn't a permanent symptom. I have started taking biotin, a B-vitamin, recommended by someone in another forum. I will post again later if I see a difference. I've thought about wearing hats or wigs, as I'm otherwise satisfied with my medication - so far. It could be a thyroid problem caused by lamotrigine, but this is a conclusion I've drawn with a minimal amount of research.

THE SAME HAPPENED TO ME! LOST MY HAIR AND MY VITAMIN D LEVEL WAS CRITICALLY LOW. Taking Vitamin D has helped my hair loss problem. Not cured it. Helped slow it down.