Lamotrigine potency

[KarenB]

Have been on Lamictal for 2 years at the same dosage. I have no problems to report.
However, I just started the generic Lamotrigine at the same dosage three day ago and had definite spaciness on my drive to work this a.m. including a dangerous turn into the wrong way of a road that I travel everyday. These are the same symtoms experienced when in gradually starting Lamictal I reached too high a dosage.
Lamotrigine was taken at the same time, at the same dosage after breakfast, exactly the same routine as with Lamictal.
If there is a difference in potency or effect when starting Lamotrigine, this must be reported.
Patients experiencing these same effects may be placing themselves at an increased risk when driving or operating machinery.
-Karen

[Joanna]

Thank you for sharing. I refilled my Rx this weekend and was given the generic, but I refused and asked to stay with Lamictal. I'm not ready to switch until I know some more about any effects such as this.

[LCC]

I do the mail order (not because I'd rather) and I don't know that I like this generic stuff. I keep my pills in a clear container because I like to be able to see if I'm getting low and I dumped the new ones in before I saw that they were a different shape AND generic. I've been noticing a little over the past couple of weeks that I'm feeling a little twitchy. That isn't the right word but maybe if you take it for epilepsy you'll know the feeling I mean----that sort of spacey/ twitchy thing? I'm seeing my doctor this coming week and am certainly going to speak to him about this.

[PAM ARKANSAS]

I know i have been having more activity with the generic. I will give it more time. I have only been taking it for 3 days.

[kym CA]

Today I went to pick up my prescription of Lamictal(200mg) which I've been using for 2 years for SSRI-resistant depression. I was told my insurance rejected my prescription and put a mandatory generic on file. I'm very upset ad scared as I do not want to ever go back to the way I felt before I found this med. I can't believe an insurance co. can make a blanket decision which impacts a person's life over 36$ which is the difference between the cost of the generic vs. brand name. I said I would pay the difference. I have 2 insurance carriers, this makes no sense. Of course it's Friday after 5 so I can't do whole lot until Mon. I'm really scared after reading the reactions people have had to the generic. I feel very sorry for people who are using this med for seizures as any change can be potentially life-threatening. Is there anyone who has felt as well as previous with this change to generic? I'm so mad.

[Grant MO]

My wife has had seizures since she was little and over the last year she has switched from a Dilantin&Tegretal combo over 7 pills a day to Lamictal 2 pills a day with great results. Since this generic came out and like a lot of other people we were forced into a generic by our insurance company as we could not afford the name brand. The first week on this drug was not pretty, every day or almost every day I had to take off work to go bring her home from work as she felt she was going to have a seizure. With her medications we have learned to be patient as her body takes a while to adjust, and after about a week and a half it did. She has been on the Lamotrigine for 1.5 months now and feels as she did on the lamictal. These are the same feeling she had when changing from the dil/teg to lamictal.

[raccoonwoman7]

Okay, I promised myself I would give this generic of Lamictal more than just a few days to see if the side effects were just temporary. Well, hate to say it but this drug is AWFUL. It went from the rash(which went away), to extreme tiredness, to insomnia and now it is left me feeling disconnected from reality. I've had so many side effects that I don't even know if it is helping with the bipolar, that's become secondary. I have Medicare so it will be an uphill battle to get back on the Lamictal but I will keep screaming louder until they're tired of hearing from me!

[Beebers]

I just started this generic medication today. My Psych doc told me that if there is ANY skin rash or open lesions on the eyes, mouth or other open areas, to stop taking it immediately. She said that those symptoms mean that you are allergic and can be life threatening.

I'm a bit haired out by what I've read so far. I have felt far removed today and borderline dizzy. We shall see what the next few days bring. If anything sketchy happens, I'm stopping it!

[proximo]

I was on lamictal for about 7 months with good results. My mood was more on a more even keel instead of highs and lows with unipolar depression. I was switched to generic lamictal--I felt as if I was not taking anything at all. A close friend noticed the change immediately. One day I had a very bad headache. Has anyone reported this to the FDA? Lamictal is now very expensive on my insurance, but I feel it necessary.

[Maggie]

I have been taking Lamictal for years, for me it is safe and effective. However, the last refill changed all the good, as I was given generic Lamotrigine. I called the pharmacy and was told this is what my insurance wanted me to take. The 1st night I couldn't sleep and got a migraine. The 2nd night while having snatches of sleep I had lightening flashes going off in my head and my eyes were jumping so much they hurt in the morning. The 3rd night I had the migraine, the lightening flashes,and eye problem. This migraine lasted all day. There won't be a 4th night, I will fight to get Lamictal back. Lamotrigine isn't the same as Lamictal and needs to have additional safety warnings.

[Kenzie]

I will agree with the fact that they need more safety warnings. I have been on it for 4 days the lamotrigine, and have had eye twitches, headaches/migraines, extreme sore throat, nausea, fever. I am trying to find a drug that works for Bipolar and have been bounced from unsuccessful med till this one that the doc said was one of the best around and after 4 days. my low mood has increased to angry outbursts, uncontrollable crying. This med seems to be the worst i have had so far. At least the others gave me a slight headache that went away after a few hours of taking the meds and a little bit of a dry mouth. This med should not be given out especially if there is a non generic brand that doesn't have as many side effects. Do doctors not realize that we are tired of being guinea pigs and that they are just screwing with our lives more than our illlness.

[Francisco]

I started taking lamotrigine today...
25mg this week ,50 mg next week...
i felt fine before taking it...
and i feel fine now...
what should i expect? will i notice a difference?
im not sure i understand how this kind of medication works ive never been much a pill person...i hardly go to the doctor.
apparently i have a mood disorder.

[Mirna Aguirre]

I have my son using lamictal for many years and he never had a problem,,,this month on may 2 the madicaid dont want pay for lamictal and give lamotrigine,,, my son pass away on may 8 this hurt me to much,,my son is my sonshine i love him so mucho,,,,

[freshly prescribed]

I have had depression since I can remember. Started on the "easy" stuff 8yrs ago, went off and on a couple times to have children, back on again (Zoloft) started last year from post-partum depression. Now, still on Zoloft, I'm a freshly diagnosed major depressive w/ a bipolar side-effect, LOL. So, with that said, was prescribed yesterday to start Abilify 2mg, increase to 4mg in 3 days, and to start on Lamictal (the orange pack.) Um, after reading your stories, and especially you Mirna, OMG! I dont know what I'm going to do! Should I try all these meds? Is it a bad combo? I'll be taking 150mg Zoloft, 4mg Abilify, and the "orange pack" of Lamictal... I'm overwhelmed reading the stories on here!! This is messed up stuff!

[Audra4u]

I've been taking Lamictal since 2007 with no problems. Eight months ago I was put on the generic brand. I now have acne. I've never had acne before. I didn't have it when I was on the name brand of Lamictal. Did anyone else have this problem? I'm afraid to go off Lamictal due to its affectiveness and I did not gain weight. Its been so long to feel good and now I'm embarrassed about the acne. Any others?

[Audra4u]

Maggie wrote:

I have been taking Lamictal for years, for me it is safe and effective. However, the last refill changed all the good, as I was given generic Lamotrigine. I called the pharmacy and was told this is what my insurance wanted me to take. The 1st night I couldn't sleep and got a migraine. The 2nd night while having snatches of sleep I had lightening flashes going off in my head and my eyes were jumping so much they hurt in the morning. The 3rd night I had the migraine, the lightening flashes,and eye problem. This migraine lasted all day. There won't be a 4th night, I will fight to get Lamictal back. Lamotrigine isn't the same as Lamictal and needs to have additional safety warnings.

Did you notice any acne/rash on your face? I've been on Lamictal since 2007 with no problems. Now I'm on the generic and I have Acne and my eyes twitch bad and forth. I've never put the two together until I looked into why all of a sudden I have acne. It started when I started the generic. Please reply.

[Danigirl]

I just started taking Lamictal a few weeks ago as a migraine preventative. My neurologist specifically said to get the name brand of Lamictal, not the generic, because it doesn't work as well. You might want to mention the changes with the generic to your doctor and see if you can get the name brand again from the pharmacy.

Audra4u wrote:

<quoted text> Did you notice any acne/rash on your face? I've been on Lamictal since 2007 with no problems. Now I'm on the generic and I have Acne and my eyes twitch bad and forth. I've never put the two together until I looked into why all of a sudden I have acne. It started when I started the generic. Please reply.

[Stacey Fishers IN]

I am so in agreement with those who have posted to this forum. I went to the generic version of Lamictal. The one that I took over the last 3 days was made by Dr. Reddy's. I have been in a coma-like state. I had double-vision and really could not think. I am back on real Lamictal this morning and it's like an awakening occurred. There is no way that this version of the drug should be on the market!
If anyone knows how I can report this, let e know. I'm definitely going there!

[Danigirl]

Some info I got with my Lamictal sample reads, "You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch , or call 1-800-FDA-1088."

I've had heartburn ever since upping my dose to 100mg that was so painful it woke me up. I've had it everyday since and this isn't listed as a side effect. I'm thinking about reporting this. Has anyone else had heartburn? My eyes recently started to dart back and forth really quickly, to the right, left and back to the right. I'm wondering if this is a side effect too. Audra4u mentioned this and I'm now experiencing it. It's happened twice.

[Donna Davis]

VERY BAD. I hadn't seen my doctor for about 6 months because I was in a VA hospital while my son was being treated for a horrible injury in Iraq. While I was there my prescription drug company was bought out by CVS, who peremptorily changed both my Cytomel (T4 thyroid) and my Lamictal to generic. I thought I was depressed over my son, but he's doing so very well and I am thrilled for him.

I've gotten suicidal, in so much despair, BAD vertigo, rashes, itchy to distraction, so when I went back to my doc a couple of weeks ago, he was very concerned. I just happened to mention that the lamotrigine was sharp to swallow, huge, shaped like a diamond, then when you broke it it's a triangle with 3 sharp sides. He about went through the roof that they had changed from Lamictal. There are 3,000 doctors who have petitioned the FDA to recall this drug - world wide. One of my doc's patients went on a manic binge, slept with 40 guys in 2 days, killed herself a few weeks later. Autopsy showed no lamotrigine in her system, pregnant and HIV positive.

She was one of us who take our meds absolutely because we can't stand not to. The bottles had the right number of pills left for her prescription, so the argument that she had stopped her meds won't hold.

Did you know that generic meds are allowed to be only within 66% of dosage? That brand are strictly regulated to 100%? I didn't either.