What Is The Best Generic Of Lamictal? (Page 4)

I've been taking the generic for Lamictal for about five years. Recently I've been feeling different at about the beginning of the year. I use to take the white ones but now I am taking a generic by Taro. What is the best generic for this drug? I never really payed any attention until I started getting this crazy migraines. If anyone has any insights it would be much appreciated.

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Hello everyone! I’m glad to have found others with similar issues I’m having and so recently. I’m also in a twist trying to decide if I should pay for another bottle of 150mg Teva brand lamotrigine while Walmart still has it in stock before going with a new generic brand now that Teva is no longer making lamotrigine! I’ve called all my local pharmacies open tonight and they are not able to order from the manufacturer anymore. Mostly the pharmacists say the genetics will work the same, just that the binders and inactive ingredients vary. I went through SO much trial and error last year, lost my job along way, and finally am only on 100mg/day without antidepressants, etc. I’m going on vacation next month and I’m scared to take something new and be completely out of it or more anxious! I’m on lamotrigine for bipolar II, no experience with name brand Lamictal either. I’ve been given Unichem through Walgreens, which is almost brand new by comparison to other lamotrigine generic manufacturers, so I’m wondering exactly how effective/low side effect it is?? Thank you!

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Hello,
I had the same problem a few days ago. Walgreens no longer carrying TEVA Lamotrigine. I have been put on Alembic. Does anyone have any experience with this?

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I am in the same boat, I have been on Teva for 4 years for epilepsy. I called & they have a ER but it's not made by them but a company called Actavis they bought. I've been on it for 3 weeks. Could hardly get out of bed from the dizziness which would last most of the day & the headaches were horrible. I've been looking up different manufacturers & don't know what to do. I know everybody is different as how they react to different manufacturers but so many sites people say Teva works the best. Has anyone tried Unichem? Seen a couple bad comments but not as bad as most of the others.

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Re: Shannon (# 63)

I got Unichem through my Walgreens and after checking with every other pharmacy near me for leftover Teva stock I’ve decided to give Unichem a try now rather than go another 2 days without. I just took half a pill in case side effects do occur. Maybe I’m being silly, I don’t know. I wish there were an easy way to see all generics for the same name brand and compare inactive ingredients side by side. The main difference I see in these two is that Teva uses silicon dioxide and corn starch where Unichem does not. Might make a difference might not. Guess I’ll find out!

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Re: Ashlie (# 64)

Let me know how it goes on the unichem. I'm going to take some Teva with whatever brand I get. Half & half, instead of getting off of Teva right away. Hopefully would help with side effects, & no break through seizures

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Re: Ashlie (# 64)

Yes, I’d bet much value knowing how the Unichem goes for you. That’s what Walgreens is handing out here.

Thanks for sharing, everyone!! So glad we’re willing to share and be our own advocates!

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Re: Lisa (# 53)

Now it’s $41,000. It sucks.GSK LOWERED THE $amoint to qualify.

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Re: Hope (# 57)

$1,620 for 400 mg a day got 30 days for Lamictal. I’m freaked out completely.

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Thank god for you people because I'm in the same boat. The Walgreens around here have been switched to Alembic (as @Ali mentioned). I was able to find a supply of 200mg at a different Walgreens so now I have a bit of a buffer. I think I'm going to try the Alembic now and save the rest of the Teva in case my mood drops. If that happens I'll try to call and find another brand.

Ugh such a nightmare.

If you were on TEVA and find stability on a different brand PLEASE comment so that the rest of us (and surely hundreds of lurking people who don't comment) will have some insight before using our monthly insurance to buy a generic.

I'd love to hear from anyone else who has started on Alembic.

Thanks and stay safe everyone!!

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I have been doing some reading looking for generic brand suggestions - found an article by doing this google search "bioequivalence generic lamotrigine american chemical society" - there is a chart in this article (sorry, don't think I can post a link here) - it's one of the first articles that comes up - pubs.acs.org dated May 22, 2015 - the chart is small but compares brand, Teva, Cadista, Zydus, Taro, Aurobindo - it looks to me like Zydus is the worst, but very hard to determine what might be best (besides Teva, which obviously was best). We MUST start doing research about these other generics, posting on any forum or discussion board making people aware of this and asking what others have taken successfully, letting doctors know - reaching out to epilepsy and mental health patients/doctors/organizations - basically just making a lot of noise...and sharing what we learn with others here. The cost of brand Lamictal just makes it out of reach for most!

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Re: Raechel (# 66)

I am going to get the generic from Walgreens, I believe it’s the one that starts with the U. I will check back in and let you know how it goes!

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Re: Shannon (# 65)

I read every research article I could get and the brain latches on to what ever form of lamotrigine. It sees it as a withdrawal even if it's the same medication when you suddenly change. I tried the half and half with cipra version and had more seizures than I had ever had in 2 days. What I have done instead is withdraw very slowly from it. Minus 12.5 mg every 5 days. No seizures so far but it's the long haul. I was on 250. I'm down to 37.50. I am also using CBD oil to control the nausea at each decrease.

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I'm try Alembic (have no choice) - I will update. Seems ok so far.

Walgreens around me (Southern Cal) has gone w/ this brand (Alembic).

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Day 2 on Unichem so far nothing to report so that’s good?? I’m more irritable and a little tired than normal but honestly that’s probably more from being off Lamotrigine for a couple days before trying the new brand. Something I was most concerned about was if I’d be allergic to anything in this Unichem Lamotrigine but so far no rash or headaches. I’ll take my regular dose of 100mg tonight, see if everything is hunky dory tomorrow. For reference if needed I am also in NorCal (SF east Bay Area) and my Walgreens has Unichem, Rite Aid has Alembic I think? Walmart also has Cipla and Zydo-something. Crazy how many brands each pharmacy gets!

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Ashlie (# 72) --

Thanks for keeping us updated Ashlie. I’ll be curious how you’re doing after a week or two of being on your regular dose of Unichem - assuming all goes well enough for you to maintain that.

I know what it’s like to be off the meds for a few days. Makes sense you’d feel irritable or tired.

I’m here in Chicago and Unichem is what’s available at Walgreens here throughout the entire area.

I’m considering trying Teva extended release if my Walgreens will order it for me, as an alternative.

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Larri (# 70) --

You are going off the Teva completely before starting another manufacturer?

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Shannon (# 74) --

After reading about this medicine I feel I will run into the same problem again. What if the pharmacy quits carrying the new generic my brain has latched on to then I'm in the same boat. Constantly looking for that manufacturer. I am totally coming off the medication. I did learn about the neurotransmitters and use mini meditations to calm the glutamates down and so far I have had success. But what would also be successful is adding a touch more of the new than you are taking away of the old then your brain wouldn't freak. Generics are not equal. The manufacturer by law can go 80-120% of active ingredient.

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Took regular dose of Lamotrigine by Unichem last night. Still experiencing irritability (though again it may be tied to something else like insufficient sleep), which reminds me of being on Wellbutrin and I absolutely hated it. The first week or two were great though: I lost weight, I “felt happier”, it definitely got me out of the rut I was in for a while, but after that it went so downhill. I got mad at everything and everyone and was never “happy”. I have a little bit of that currently and I don’t know why or how if I’m on the “same” Lamotrigine as I have been. Trying not to be worried that all hope is lost having to switch meds again and go through that trial and error. Gotta wait it out a whole week to see the effects pan out! Thanks for the support, y’all.:)

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Raechel (# 73) --

Is that ER form not being discontinued by Teva? How do you take it, multiple times throughout the day instead of one regular pill once a day? I wonder if it would work for bipolar too. I understand Lamotrigine is mainly for epilepsy.

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Ashlie (# 76) --

Hi Ashlie! I actually take lamotrigine/Lamictal for BiPolar. I believe with XR (extended release) you take it once a day, as opposed to multiple times a day (as I currently do - I take it once in the morning and once in the evening) - according to my neurologist and psychiatrist. It titrates the active ingredients throughout the days, I guess. I am not a medical professional or scientist, so I can't say I know all the details of this... I'm only sharing what's been shared with me.

Teva is not discontinuing the XR. If I had to take a stab, it's because that is a more profitable drug for them because the XR is more pricey - though, again, I don't know anything about it, so that's all conjecture.

So, since Teva is the only generic that's come close to getting it right, for me, I'm going to try to stick with them and see if the extended release will work as well or close to as well for me, before I go to other generic brands - though, if I can't get a pharmacy around here to order Teva for me, I may be stuck with the other generic brands of the regular release, which is why I am so grateful for any and all info that people are willing to share here about their experiences.

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