What Is The Best Generic Of Lamictal? (Page 7) (Top voted first)

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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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: 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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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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Did someone say Teva is making extended release Lamotrigine 300 mg?
I am going to stop taking anything and go back to being bipolar if I can’t find 200 mg. tablets that work. The side effects are worse than the disorder. This is crazy. Medicare won’t pay anything toward the brand and due to liver disease I have tried lithium and Wellbutrin and gotten so sick.
Help!

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Lisa (# 79) --

Oh dear! Don't freak out yet! Teva confirmed to me that they are still making XR lamotrigine, so don't stop taking meds yet!

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Ashlie (# 72) --

If you completely stopped lamotrigine for a couple of days, I would agree that your body could still be in turmoil from completely missing it for a couple of days. Give yourself some time to settle in on the new med (Unichem?) and re-stabilize and see how you do - good luck!

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Re: Connie (# 52)

Thank you so much for the info. How do you find European Pharmacies? What Canadian Pharmacy can you recommend for getting Lamictal? As I wrote every drug store wants $1,160.00/ month.

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Re: Lisa (# 81)

Yes they have 300mg. I took it for 3 weeks & felt horrible. I still have some Teva, get that back in my system & then get the unichem, take them together & wean off the teva. Here's Tevas website with all the different strengths...

Teva's generic of Lamictal® XR™ Extended-Release Tablets: Lamotrigine Extended-Release Tablets, USP

tevagenerics.com/product/lamotrigine-extended-release-tablets-usp

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Re: Hope (# 88)

Wow... good info Hope! That isn't super encouraging to me. ;-( I wonder if their ingredient list will reflect they've used a mixture of ingredients other than the one they've used for their regular one... I was hoping it would be the same. Hmm..

Definitely - I have tried and not had success with Zydus, Taro, and Northstar - though I don't see the latter on your list, so maybe those are out of production? These were years ago. I've insisted on Teva in the last few years.

In a group I'm a part of, a woman said that Cadista is working very nicely for her daughter, but her daughter is using it for seizures. Doesn't mean it won't work for me, but I don't use it for that reason, so it's not as relevant data for me.

Hence, why I'm very curious how Ashlie and anyone else experiences Unichem, since that's what Walgreens seems to be deeming as the new lamotrigine to carry around the country.

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Re: Ashlie (# 78)

How does the texture of the Unichem tablet compare to Teva? Is is somewhat soft and easy to break like Teva, or is it a hard coating?
I'm wondering if some of the problems with other generics have to do with how easily they dissolve.

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