Guest Alyie Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 My most recent bottle of Lamotrigine (Lamictal) that I picked up from my pharmacy is made by DR REDDYS. The pills are round and white (200mg). As opposed to the triangular blue TEVA pills. I have gained 4 pounds since this change in pill type. My weight has been virtually static for years, and I have a small frame to begin with. Is there any way to find out if there are chemical differences between the two brands of pills, and what that may mean? Anyone have any pertinent info on DR REDDYS, or what could be going on? I am searching online about this but hope someone here may know more. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirMarshall Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 Lamictal is probably one of the most weight neutral meds we have, IMO. I think it unlikely, but YMMV. a.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debiz Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I'm in the process of titrating up my Lamictal now. This is the second time I've been on it and I must admit I do not know who the manufacturer was before. I just checked my bottle now and it's TEVA. I've always been on the generic form so I can't speak about Brand vs. generic. What I DO know, is that I've gained 10 lbs. since starting this round of Lamictal. I did not have this problem the first time around. I've had a major life change recently, so perhaps the weight is a result of that. I've been very depressed lately so I guess it could be that too. I've always been obsessive about my weight so this is making my depression even GREATER. I can't wait to get back to my pdoc to discuss this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debiz Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I can tell you right now my weight gain is because of a HUGE increase in my appetite. I eat all day long even though I know it's wrong. It's like I'm DRIVEN to do it and after it's done I feel like crap. This is really screwing my life up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joanne Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I just recently received my mail order for Lamotrigine (generic for Lamictal) and right away noticed that it was manufactured by a diiferent company. I had taken the name brand for some time until the generic by Teva came out. I never noticed any negative side affects. My crrent generic is Dr. Reddy's---an India based company. I noticed just after a few days, that it is not working as it should. My mood has gotten worse---like I was taking less than I should (which I have done before, so I know how it affects me). I have just started my search to see if others have noticed the same thing. I have a feeling I am not alone-----which is not a good thing. It's time for me to go back to Teva. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 i have never replyed to blogg page so im mightt note be doin this right, last week my cvs change over to dr reddy lamictal ive been seizures free for 2 years on the other lamicatal,i think we all need to stop others triing the new meds, im still in bad shape so if anyone has the same story please respond to it thanks mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 i have never replyed to blogg page so im mightt note be doin this right, last week my cvs change over to dr reddy lamictal ive been seizures free for 2 years on the other lamicatal,i think we all need to stop others triing the new meds, im still in bad shape so if anyone has the same story please respond to it thanks mike I have been taking TEVA and now I have been switched to Lamotrigine by Zydus. Help!!! If anyone has info about this med - please let me know. I am unsure about taking it but I don't have a choice I am down to my last dosage of TEVA. If you have taken the ZYDUS brand give me some feedback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dish Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 i have never replyed to blogg page so im mightt note be doin this right, last week my cvs change over to dr reddy lamictal ive been seizures free for 2 years on the other lamicatal,i think we all need to stop others triing the new meds, im still in bad shape so if anyone has the same story please respond to it thanks mike I have been taking TEVA and now I have been switched to Lamotrigine by Zydus. Help!!! If anyone has info about this med - please let me know. I am unsure about taking it but I don't have a choice I am down to my last dosage of TEVA. If you have taken the ZYDUS brand give me some feedback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rincoglionita Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Barb, my insurance company recently switched me from TEVA to Zydus lamotrigine (I get my meds through the mail, and this is what they sent me the last time), and I found that I was not tolerating it nearly as well. I was feeling increasingly anxious and was crying much more easily (but from silly stuff, like commercials and that sort of thing), so I found some old Lamictal samples until I could meet with my psychiatric nurse practitioner last week. She agreed to put me back on brand Lamictal and said that quite a few of her patients have talked about increased anxiety with generic lamotrigine. BTW, I don't know if it matters, but Lamictal and bupropion make up my anti-depressant "cocktail". Do you have specific concerns about switching to the Zydus, or are you just generally cautious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineOutside Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I have had weight gain of at least ten lbs after switching from Teva to Dr. Reddy's. I'm going to talk about it with my Pdoc. today. Sunshine Outside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jollyapple Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I'd been using the Genpharm brand from Canada for a couple of years and was pretty stabilized and happy. Got health insurance, started getting generic Lamictal here in the states. One month on Teva, one month on Dr. Reddy's. Gained 20 lbs, which was strange since I've been exercising more. I'm already obese so 20 lbs was pretty upsetting. Moods fluctuated like hell. Having memory problems, way worse than normal, don't know if that's related to the change in brand. Health insurance decided they were only gonna pay for $500 worth of meds per year, so I'm back to getting my meds in Canada and feeling much better. Here's hoping the weight will drop off! I will never use another brand unless the Genpharm is discontinued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mark Sunderman Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 My most recent bottle of Lamotrigine (Lamictal) that I picked up from my pharmacy is made by DR REDDYS. The pills are round and white (200mg). As opposed to the triangular blue TEVA pills. I have gained 4 pounds since this change in pill type. My weight has been virtually static for years, and I have a small frame to begin with. Is there any way to find out if there are chemical differences between the two brands of pills, and what that may mean? Anyone have any pertinent info on DR REDDYS, or what could be going on? I am searching online about this but hope someone here may know more. Thanks. Yes I also gained weight when I change to the new round white (200mg) to.I was to wonding what was up with these new pills to.Thanks for telling me that I am not the only one that it happend to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBQuick Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Aetna won't let me have brand name Lamictal so I'm using the generic (pinkish pill with "TARO" imprinted on non-scored side). I'm t-ing up (@50mg now) but haven't noted any weight gain (my weight loss however has stopped, that that has to do with it, I don't know it's just an observation--I'm charting daily per my pdoc's request any time we do med changeups). Aetna makes me pay $50 per 30 units of 100mg Lamictal brand name (and I have to do a blizzard of appeals with my doc filing affidavits etc. I spent up to 60 hours every month fighting with Aetna and my local medical group for medical care, 60% of that time is spent on me and my daughter's MI issues). The generic Lamotrigine is $15 for 30 units of the 100mg tabs. Anyone know who makes this particular generic or how I find out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirMarshall Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 (edited) The manufacturer name may be listed on the bottle label, or the dispensing reciept. In any case, the pharmacist can tell you either from looking at the tabs or from his records. If he can't tell you something is wrong. The pharmaceutical system is supposed to have 100% traceablity from patient back to source chemicals or biologicals. That's how they do quality control and recalls. a.m. p.s. A number of members have reported that increasing their generic dosage after switching returned stability. IMO its not that they had a bad reaction to the generic, but more likely the generic wasnt' as strong or the formulation just wasn't as effective at the same labelled dosage. This is common with other non psych drugs. Diabetics and people with thyroid disorders are cautioned to be aware of the possible need for dosage adjustments after switching brands. Edited June 18, 2009 by AirMarshall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBQuick Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 (edited) Thanks, AM. The receipt says TEVA. I'm charting so if anything does show up I should be able to figure out what's what. I looked at my exercise graph too... and noted the stoppage of the weight loss isn't uncommon for me. I tend to plateau along the path down... happened twice in the last two months, plus this current plateau I've had problems with my L5-S1 disc screwing me over a couple of days last week and over the weekend... I'm one of those people that if I don't do 1-2 hours of strenuous physical activity daily I gain weight, even if I eat like a mouse and do all the "right stuff". So probably not related to the generic. No rash either although I'm itchy but the pollen's up and I have allergies to that crap (every non-native grass and tree imaginable) anyway. So far so good. Edited June 18, 2009 by JackBQuick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest - Oh, No! Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 I just discovered the switch from Teva to Dr. Reddy's today and I thought Dr. Reddy's sounded like a carnival snake oil sales outfit. I called my mail order dispensing company, who said I should call my local pharmacist, who could only say that Dr. Reddy's is a legitimate company. (I miss my pretty blue pills.) I have finally been losing weight after many years of gain. I'm down just over 30 lbs. and I'm feeling great. Also, Lamictal saved my life after years of agonizing depression and pointless med changes. Now I get this stupid carnival drug and I'm frightened, so I Googled and found this blog. I am so upset about this, and worried about changes in my psych condition, and weight gain on top of that. Good Grief!!! I hope no changes happen to me. If they do, I don't know how I'll cope. I certainly can't afford the brand name stuff. I just took my first pill, and I haven't noticed any Mr. Hyde just yet. Aaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh! Oh, BTW - FYI, my weight loss began with the wonderfulness of Adderall (generic--for concentration, alertness, motivation, focus), to which I added two Slim-Fasts a day and a relatively normal supper, including occasional ice cream. Oh, some late afternoon snacks from time to time, too. After four months I'm down 30+ lbs. Yay! (until today -- I hope not) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zeldarella Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 My most recent bottle of Lamotrigine (Lamictal) that I picked up from my pharmacy is made by DR REDDYS. The pills are round and white (200mg). As opposed to the triangular blue TEVA pills. I have gained 4 pounds since this change in pill type. My weight has been virtually static for years, and I have a small frame to begin with. Is there any way to find out if there are chemical differences between the two brands of pills, and what that may mean? Anyone have any pertinent info on DR REDDYS, or what could be going on? I am searching online about this but hope someone here may know more. Thanks. Yes I also gained weight when I change to the new round white (200mg) to.I was to wonding what was up with these new pills to.Thanks for telling me that I am not the only one that it happend to. Same here. I was about to donate a bunch of pants to Goodwill because they didn't fit after a sudden weight increase over the past two months! Then I saw an article in Self magazine about the varying ingredients of generics and started doing Internet searches - which brought me to this message board. CVS/Caremark switched me to the Dr. Reddy's generic a couple of months ago. I'm going to ask about going back to the Teva generic. It seemed to be less effective than the name brand, but maybe a dosage change would help with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBQuick Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 (edited) What kinds of weight gains are people having? I'm up to 100mg on the TEVA generic. I've gained 4 lbs in a week (from the 50mg/day to the 100) and that's unheard of for me when I'm in training (running 2-4km daily plus interval training--and yes, with a herniated fucked up L5-S1 disc. I hate Aetna HMO... they're dragging their feet at my expense). I'm needing perspective. Are people having 5 lb increases or 20 lb increases.... maybe mine is just flukey weird crap because my training regime is upping my appetite (although I feel like I'm ravenous all the damned time because I'm deliberately not increasing my intake--I wanna be leaner for the surgery so I can recover faster... fall club season starts in less than two months and at this rate I won't even get the surgery done until a month to go, which means I'll lose $1000 in match assignments missing the first month or two of the season. Dammit!) Edited June 29, 2009 by JackBQuick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest #2 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 What kinds of weight gains are people having? I'm up to 100mg on the TEVA generic. I've gained 4 lbs in a week (from the 50mg/day to the 100) and that's unheard of for me when I'm in training (running 2-4km daily plus interval training--and yes, with a herniated fucked up L5-S1 disc. I hate Aetna HMO... they're dragging their feet at my expense). I'm needing perspective. Are people having 5 lb increases or 20 lb increases.... maybe mine is just flukey weird crap because my training regime is upping my appetite (although I feel like I'm ravenous all the damned time because I'm deliberately not increasing my intake--I wanna be leaner for the surgery so I can recover faster... fall club season starts in less than two months and at this rate I won't even get the surgery done until a month to go, which means I'll lose $1000 in match assignments missing the first month or two of the season. Dammit!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stars Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) I'm taking 200 mg of lamictil , Teva. The pharmacist at Walgreen says they can order a generic brand Taro for me. I have a new script and and going to ask them to order it. I have not gained weight on Teva, but not losing .I am watching what I eat religious. I am getting the antidepressant effects from the drug but I am very manic. I'm, so sexaully stimulated that I am electrical . Unfortunately I have no one to share this sexual energy with. I wish the anti manic effect would kick in. I am taking klonpin to help control the agitation. It helps a little. I am still paranoid and a delusional ( but less so). I asked the doc to add toTopa or keppra ( straight manic drug)but no way he will do it. Bipolar is so wild, you either feel like you can walk on water ( reference for Bible where Jesus walked on water) or you feel as Jerod said, Whale sh*t. However Lamictil is the only drug that has actually helped me so I'm hanging in with itl. Edited July 10, 2009 by Stars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Betty Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Joanne - my pharmacy has been alternately providing me with lomotrigine from dr teddys and teva. I didn't notice until recently that when I'm on dr teddys I feel out of sorts. I am more depressed, sadder than usual and my motor skills are sketchy. I've had trouble losing weight and believe it has something to do with this drug. My pharmacist says that they (Fred Meyer) may not be able to get teva anymore because dr teddys is undercutting teva's prices. I'm going to write my senator (Ron Wyden) to see if something can be done. I feel like I'm losing it on dr reddys. He's got a ph.d in chemical engineering from National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India. I think his company is all about money and it should be investigated. It's ironic that we Americans "aren't supposed" to buy drugs outside the states (ostensibly to protect us from inferior drugs), but our drugs can be/are imported from other countries. I'd like to go back on Lamictal, but don't know if my insurance company would let me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brandi Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 I just recently received my mail order for Lamotrigine (generic for Lamictal) and right away noticed that it was manufactured by a diiferent company. I had taken the name brand for some time until the generic by Teva came out. I never noticed any negative side affects. My crrent generic is Dr. Reddy's---an India based company. I noticed just after a few days, that it is not working as it should. My mood has gotten worse---like I was taking less than I should (which I have done before, so I know how it affects me). I have just started my search to see if others have noticed the same thing. I have a feeling I am not alone-----which is not a good thing. It's time for me to go back to Teva. The same thing has happened to me. Now they have switched generic on me again same thing. Teva works best for me. Just thought Id add my two cents and let you know your not alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JJ Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 The contention that generic medications are equivalent alternatives begs the question “in what way are generic drugs equivalent to brand name? Generic medications are not required to show treatment efficacy. FDA approval only requires lab data and ‘bioequivalence” testing in 24 to 36 healthy volunteers. The contention that generic medications are equivalent alternatives is counter intuitive inherent to a 40% variability from brand name and variance of non-active components which alter pharmacokinetic parameters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I am on the Dr. Reddy's generic Lamotragine afer having been on the brand name, and while I admit I was overweight before, my pants have definitely gotten tighter with the same level of activity as before. This is interesting, maybe I can get my p-doc to switch me back to Lamictal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mohammed Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I just discovered the switch from Teva to Dr. Reddy's today and I thought Dr. Reddy's sounded like a carnival snake oil sales outfit. I called my mail order dispensing company, who said I should call my local pharmacist, who could only say that Dr. Reddy's is a legitimate company. (I miss my pretty blue pills.) I have finally been losing weight after many years of gain. I'm down just over 30 lbs. and I'm feeling great. Also, Lamictal saved my life after years of agonizing depression and pointless med changes. Now I get this stupid carnival drug and I'm frightened, so I Googled and found this blog. I am so upset about this, and worried about changes in my psych condition, and weight gain on top of that. Good Grief!!! I hope no changes happen to me. If they do, I don't know how I'll cope. I certainly can't afford the brand name stuff. I just took my first pill, and I haven't noticed any Mr. Hyde just yet. Aaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh! Oh, BTW - FYI, my weight loss began with the wonderfulness of Adderall (generic--for concentration, alertness, motivation, focus), to which I added two Slim-Fasts a day and a relatively normal supper, including occasional ice cream. Oh, some late afternoon snacks from time to time, too. After four months I'm down 30+ lbs. Yay! (until today -- I hope not) You are basically on Speed. Adderall is an amphetamine. You are loosing weight because your appetite has been suppressed by the Adderall. I hope you legitametily have ADHD, and are not just dosing Adderall for weight loss. This can kill you in the long term (Your heart blowing up). Plus, once you stop the Adderall, you will gain weight once your appetite returns to normal (pre-Adderall) levels. For any sustained weight loss, you must do strength training and moderate cardio along with eating a reduced calorie diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinthoughtandjaded Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Where are you guys located that you're getting your brands switched on you? I'm in Canada and I've been on the Teva generic lamotrigine pretty much since it came out here... good stuff... is this Dr Reddy's stuff showing up in Canada? Is it just in the States? Are the European countries seeing pharmacies switch over as well? I'm glad it was brought to my attention.... will DEFINITELY keep an eye on my prescrips so that I don't get switched!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted January 15, 2010 Share Posted January 15, 2010 Okay, I take my other post. I have in fact *lost* 15 lbs. But for some reason, my jeans are fitting differently anyway. I think I am on Teva. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WillD Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 never had an issue with weight loss/gain, but thought I'd put my thoughts down because I have noticed a difference between generic brands which I hadn't been paying attention to until recently. For the last four months, i've been taking a weekly depression 'test' I found on line. Basically, I was skeptical of the efficacy of drugs and it was simply an issue of mind over matter. Well, just having a standard gauge on how I feel about life has given me a baseline so that I'm not constantly questioning the drug's effectiveness. In fact, it's inspired me to take the drug's religiously at the same time and drive hours home if I forgot my prescription. In short, it is clear that Lamotrigine is very effective for reducing/eliminating my depression. That all being said, here's what I I've noticed by tracking my depression 'scores' on the test and the type of generic I was taking (my pharmacist seems to switch it every time I need to renew). I'm on 200mg/day TEVA (2 100mg pills) - works okay, saw steady improvement in my depression, but I never felt great about life on it. TARO (2 100mg pills) - Great. this was actually the generic recommended to me by my pharmacist (who said her clients had mixed reviews on TEVA). This was excellent, I saw rapid improvement in my mood and will say with some hesitation that I might even have felt happy once or twice while on it (this has only happened a few times in the last 16 years). CADISTA (1 200mg pill) - sucks. Couldn't find TARO at the two pharmacists I'd gone to and my psychiatrist didn't recommend against this one so I thought I'd try it. It's awful, over the last two weeks my depression score has gone down dramatically and I've found I feel worse about myself and perceive most everything more negatively. Interestingly, what has become clear to me through medication, is that most everything is about perception. Drugs aren't directly changing my life habits, but they're making me perceive everything more positively. In turn this inspires me to be more active, outgoing, and engaging. Very cool I think. Helps change my internal thinking from 'my life sucks' to 'I feel like my life sucks.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest worried Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Does anyone have any information about or personal experience with the generic Lamictal made by Apotex and by Mylan? I have taken the Apotex 200 mg for 3 months now, since my mail order company would not pay for the Brand Name Lamictal which I have been taking for 5 years without incident. I felt ok with the Apotex version but just recently received my second generic shipment made by Mylan. It is very disconcerting to receive something different in every shipment. The insert had an CAPITAL LETTERED disclaimer that this drug looked different that the previous tablets, but assured me that it was the same drug with the same amount of therapeutic value. Still, I am skeptical. I have been hospitalized for a generic Luvox snafu years ago. I've taken it now for a week and don't feel the same. I am in a similar bind of not being able to afford what my insurance company will not pay for. How can one find out what the exact ingredients are of the generics? The variability of the inactive ingredients in each pill are the main issue I think. The FDA would crack down hard if the amount of medicine isn't consistent or sub-level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 I am bi-polar. When I first started Lamotrigine it was by the manufacturer Teva. I experienced 2 weeks of terrible flue like side effects, horrible headaches, and nervousness. The same thing happened when they changed my dosage from 100 mg to 200 mg. Now my mail order has switched to Lamotrigine by Torrent and I have had the same horrible reactions for over 4 weeks. I can barely get around but I went to doctor and he did some blood tests to see if it was something else and found nothing. My shrink does not believe switching manufacturers would be any problem but he also told me my flue like symptoms when I started Lamotrigine could not be caused by the pills. But it clearly lists flue-like reaction as a side effect. I am in pure hell. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kathy Posted March 30, 2010 Share Posted March 30, 2010 (edited) Does anyone have any information about or personal experience with the generic Lamictal made by Apotex and by Mylan? I have taken the Apotex 200 mg for 3 months now, since my mail order company would not pay for the Brand Name Lamictal which I have been taking for 5 years without incident. I felt ok with the Apotex version but just recently received my second generic shipment made by Mylan. It is very disconcerting to receive something different in every shipment. The insert had an CAPITAL LETTERED disclaimer that this drug looked different that the previous tablets, but assured me that it was the same drug with the same amount of therapeutic value. Still, I am skeptical. I have been hospitalized for a generic Luvox snafu years ago. I've taken it now for a week and don't feel the same. I am in a similar bind of not being able to afford what my insurance company will not pay for. How can one find out what the exact ingredients are of the generics? The variability of the inactive ingredients in each pill are the main issue I think. The FDA would crack down hard if the amount of medicine isn't consistent or sub-level. Does anyone have any information about or personal experience with the generic Lamictal made by Apotex and by Mylan? I have taken the Apotex 200 mg for 3 months now, since my mail order company would not pay for the Brand Name Lamictal which I have been taking for 5 years without incident. I felt ok with the Apotex version but just recently received my second generic shipment made by Mylan. It is very disconcerting to receive something different in every shipment. The insert had an CAPITAL LETTERED disclaimer that this drug looked different that the previous tablets, but assured me that it was the same drug with the same amount of therapeutic value. Still, I am skeptical. I have been hospitalized for a generic Luvox snafu years ago. I've taken it now for a week and don't feel the same. I am in a similar bind of not being able to afford what my insurance company will not pay for. How can one find out what the exact ingredients are of the generics? The variability of the inactive ingredients in each pill are the main issue I think. The FDA would crack down hard if the amount of medicine isn't consistent or sub-level. I was switched from Dr Reddy's (which I've been on for 10 months)to Mylan when I went to the mail order option. I've been on the Mylan for about 2 weeks now and have noticed a change that I'm not quite sure of. I seem to be taking a step backward on the Mylan. Nothing drastic, so I think I'll stay on it for the rest of the month, and see what it does. I am curious after reading all the posts about the Dr. Reddy's being "garbage" and why it seemed to work for me? Edited March 30, 2010 by null0trooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bobus Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 I have read all of the posts for this Lamictal thread. I had no noticeable changes switching from Lamictal by GSK to the generic by Teva. My weight was stable my moods were somewhat stable (i have had a number of life changes and emotional stressors in the last 3 years). But now that i am without insurance, I am very concerned. If Dr Reddy is the cheapest on the market, what am I going to get in the public health system (assuming i get anything). From what I have read here, it won't be good. But it maybe better than nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest middecember Posted April 30, 2010 Share Posted April 30, 2010 The Teva worked for me just as well as the Lamictal. I didn't have any problem switching over, and no noticeable changes. But this Dr Reddy's is hideous. It gives me terrible reflux about 15 minutes after I take it and a stomachache for the rest of the evening. I usually have a cast-iron stomach, so I shouldn't be extra-sensitive. I don't know what to do because I have a 3-month supply from the Cigna Tel-Drug. I also take Anafranil, and I had no problem with the generics on that until they put me on the Taro. That did the same thing--reflux, bad stomach. It also didn't work and I ended up in bed with a severe depressive episode. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to find a pharmacy that would even tell me which generic they buy before I ordered. Remember how all those Congressmen were so "worried" about allowing adult Americans to buy drugs from Canada because "they might be dangerous"? I am now forced to take a drug manufactured in India. Seems like drugs from Canada might be more regulated than drugs from a third-world country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sharpie Posted May 4, 2010 Share Posted May 4, 2010 Started with Lamictal brand. Everything was great. Insurance switched me to Teva (generic) for 3 months. I did not notice too much of a difference that I recall. My mood was good and weight was stable. Right after that, I was switched again to a white pill (which now I realized it is by Zydus). Of course I was not aware of the different generics. All I knew at the time I was taking a "generic" drug. However, after switching to the "white pill" I first noticed I was having issues swallowing the pill. Next I noticed my mood was not the same (getting edgy every so often). I thought it was due to other factors. I also started noticing a gradual weight gain. As time passed, I noticed my weight kept increasing and my mood getting worse. I started gridding my teeth and getting edgy more often. I called Medco and talked to a pharmacist. He explained that different companies make the generic drug and currently I am on Zydus. He explained that possibly my body is not able to absorb the ingredients used in the generic drug (Zydus). I called my doctor. He was shocked that I was taking a generic drug (I guess I forgot to tell him). He insisted that I go back to the brand name. He said with generics it is a guessing game. Some of them work and others don't. But he said due to its sensitivity and importance, people who are taking Lamictal should take the brand NOT the generic. I cannot speak about Teva as I only tried it for 3 months. But I have negative opinion on Zydus. I will not take this generic drug ever again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Boardergirl Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I switched from teva to dr reddy because with out insurance I could not afford teva generics cost. I have had mood swings, I take it for bipolar. I also have now massive acne. I have never had acne in my life. I found out this is a side effect of lamictal. I was on the teva diamond pill for over a year and never had any mood problems or acne. I have been on dr reddys for 2 months and have horrid acne, mood swings and anxiety. I am not sure what the different fillers are but I am ready to get a 2nd job to pay for Teva pills...so I can feel normal and not look all ugly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest suzette Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 I just discovered the switch from Teva to Dr. Reddy's today and I thought Dr. Reddy's sounded like a carnival snake oil sales outfit. I called my mail order dispensing company, who said I should call my local pharmacist, who could only say that Dr. Reddy's is a legitimate company. (I miss my pretty blue pills.) I have finally been losing weight after many years of gain. I'm down just over 30 lbs. and I'm feeling great. Also, Lamictal saved my life after years of agonizing depression and pointless med changes. Now I get this stupid carnival drug and I'm frightened, so I Googled and found this blog. I am so upset about this, and worried about changes in my psych condition, and weight gain on top of that. Good Grief!!! I hope no changes happen to me. If they do, I don't know how I'll cope. I certainly can't afford the brand name stuff. I just took my first pill, and I haven't noticed any Mr. Hyde just yet. Aaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh! Oh, BTW - FYI, my weight loss began with the wonderfulness of Adderall (generic--for concentration, alertness, motivation, focus), to which I added two Slim-Fasts a day and a relatively normal supper, including occasional ice cream. Oh, some late afternoon snacks from time to time, too. After four months I'm down 30+ lbs. Yay! (until today -- I hope not) You are basically on Speed. Adderall is an amphetamine. You are loosing weight because your appetite has been suppressed by the Adderall. I hope you legitametily have ADHD, and are not just dosing Adderall for weight loss. This can kill you in the long term (Your heart blowing up). Plus, once you stop the Adderall, you will gain weight once your appetite returns to normal (pre-Adderall) levels. For any sustained weight loss, you must do strength training and moderate cardio along with eating a reduced calorie diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest suzette Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 Does anybody order Dr. Reddy's Lamictal from Healthware House an online company? They sell generic lamictal by Dr. Reddy's for $7.95 for 30 100 mgs. I have been ordering my Lamictal from a Canadian company...it was much more expensive. Since I started taking Dr. Reddy's pills through Health Ware House I got a cyst on my breast! I wonder if anybody heard of Health Warehouse - I have a suspicion it's a scam, even though their website says they are approved by the Iowa Health Organization, or something like that? Did anybody experience cysts after taking Dr. Reddy's lamictal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest maria Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 [dr reddys is one of most terrible companies, every medication I've gotten from them has NOT worked at all, someone should investigate this company, I Live In Oregon and my email is twobabypossies@Aol.com, if you feel the same, email me and lets do something about this company . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbodie29 Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Hi. My new pharmacy uses a different manufacturer for the generic Lamotrigine. Previously, I was (sorry I forgot the name of that manufacturer) on the pills that are 150 mg, diamond shaped, and yellow. I have now been taking the ones manufactured by Cadista Pharmac for about 2 weeks. After reading many of the posts here, I realize that I share many of the side effects that are being described. I have been voraciously hungry late in the day, but can't seem to eat anything for the first 4-5 hours after taking this med (I take it in the morning). I have also noticed weight gain, only about 6-7 lbs, but in two weeks, and being 5'3", that is a difference in my pants size. I have also been much more depressed, especially in the late afternoon/early evening, and for no reasone. Nothing has changed, I just bottom out. Is anyone familiar with either of these meds? Any advice other than trying to get the other pills taken previously? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbodie29 Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I just did a quick search and discoverd that the pills I took Hi. My new pharmacy uses a different manufacturer for the generic Lamotrigine. Previously, I was (sorry I forgot the name of that manufacturer) on the pills that are 150 mg, diamond shaped, and yellow. I have now been taking the ones manufactured by Cadista Pharmac for about 2 weeks. After reading many of the posts here, I realize that I share many of the side effects that are being described. I have been voraciously hungry late in the day, but can't seem to eat anything for the first 4-5 hours after taking this med (I take it in the morning). I have also noticed weight gain, only about 6-7 lbs, but in two weeks, and being 5'3", that is a difference in my pants size. I have also been much more depressed, especially in the late afternoon/early evening, and for no reasone. Nothing has changed, I just bottom out. Is anyone familiar with either of these meds? Any advice other than trying to get the other pills taken previously? I just did a quick search and the pills I had previously were manufactured by Teva. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PricklyPear Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I noticed a big difference between the generic tablet (for me, Dr. Reddy's) and the non generic ODT. I know other people have noticed differences between various generic brands. You may be able to have your doctor specify that the prescription is only filled with certain brands or only filled with the non-generic. If you call pharmacies they may be able to order the brand you want for you if they don't regularly stock it. I'm allergic to a very common inactive ingredient and this is what I did when I could only take one tablet brand and noone regularly stocked it. I haven't run into a pharmacy yet that can't order other brands than the ones they usually have, and I've called a lot of pharmacies for this type of thing. Sometimes it's good to start with major chains - CVS, Walgreen's, etc as they might have access to distributors who carry a larger range of products. If you are noticing differences and have been recording them with charting or talking to your doctor about them, they may be able to write a letter/fill out a form/do a prior authorization so that you only take the non-generic. You may or may not have to pay more, depending on your insurance. For me, this was relatively easy and my insurance company approved it same day, but I know that's not the case for everyone and that I'm lucky with my insurance coverage. Good luck finding something that works for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustCrazieMe Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 I took Lamictal for 3 years before being switched to lamotrigine for the last 8. The only brand that has worked for me is Teva. My local pharmacies have ordered it for me with no problem until last month. Their distributor is out, and every pharmacy I have called either doesn't carry it, or would have to order it (and has the same back order status as my main pharmacy). I'm desperate at this point, my daughter and I have dropped down to 150mg that I still have of Teva, but I can't afford $1400 for the Lamictal that my insurance won't cover for both of us. Anyone outside the Mid-Atlantic able to fill their Teva brand lamotrigine script in the last month? If so, can you tell me what pharmacy? JCM ________________ Bipolar Meds: Lamotrigine 200mg, Topirimate 25mg, Liothyrinine 50mg, Levothyroxine 50mg ECT-May/June 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherAlex Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I also just had to get a refill of a different generic. I had been taking Teva, and had done well on it. I do take 400 mg daily, split dose morning and evening to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of levels drop too much. I got Aurobindo this time. I was pretty upset because pharmacy didn't call when they couldn't fill as written "teva only. " I was traveling and could possibly have found a pharmacy that had some in stock. Depends on who is working that day... One guy is great and knows the issue (recognized me on sight and knew my name the second time I went in), the other is rude and doesn't give a crap (still doesn't recognize me after a year). The caring one noticed it was wrong when I came to pick it up immediately. But nothing to do but get this other one since it was backordered and I had zero doses left due to travel and poor planning. He said it looked like it will be in stock in a week or so. (This also explains why Cvs couldn't get it when I tried to switch my prescriptions to them (to reward their ethical decision to finally stop selling tobacco, but I digress). They didnt know it was temporary problem. ) I have previously done ok on Mylan. I had a horrible experience with Cadista and reported them to the fda. After that I tried teva and it seems consistent. (Husband concurs. Ha.) I got Aurobindo this time. I am not panicking and will try to keep an open mind. I can't find much about personal successes or failures with this one. Found one reference to an fda letter re poor manufacturing process, but link did not work. I called Teva customer service. She confirmed backorder status and said it will be available within 21 days. This is surely a conservative estimate. Soon. She also suggested calling around different pharmacies to see if any happen to still have stock. (The extra annoying part for me about them not calling as I was in a different region and may have had luck there. ) She couldnt answer if this happens regularly or rarely. I have not seen discussion in the past about availability issues, so hope it is rare. She didnt know if it was supply problem or a demand problem. Has demand increased due to more diagnosing or more people switching to teva to get away from this flood if cheap foreign crap? Or sometimes things go wrong in manufactruing. Equipment fails. Batches have to be discarded if they dont pass quality control (for an ethical company such as teva that does care). They can have supply issues on ingredients. Etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherAlex Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm256861.htm holy crap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I had a horrible experience with Cadista and reported them to the fda. I actually had a good experience with Cadista, but a terrible experience with Patriot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherAlex Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I suspect the one big issue with the lack of consistency in "other" ingredients is lack of cleaning the equipment thoroughly between runs when they switch production line to a different med. A company that isn't cutting corners would be more willing to spend the time and labor and water to get the prior med out of the mixers, etc (if the colors wouldn't give it away.... hmmmm...I wonder why all these cheap Indian imports are ALL white? ). I bet these cheap ones just scrape the bulk out and dump the ingredients of the next batch in on top of it. So if you get the first batch in a run after a switch, maybe it has the full amount of lamotrigine (+/- 15%), but could have any other meds mixed in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherAlex Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I would add a word of encouragement... Most people do fine on many of the different generics. We don't hear from them. We hear about the bad experiences from people seeking answers. This med does have a measurably higher rate of dissatisfaction with generics than some. (To the post who said their doctor denied this... Look for another doctor. Studies have proven it. ) But most people are fine or simply increase the dosage a little. It is better to take a chance on a different generic than to have nothing at all. Get a list of all the ones your pharmacy can order then Google each and assess which have the least complaints to hopefully increase the odds of success. It is becoming increasingly important and easier for us as consumers to do our own research on our health care options. Doctors just cannot keep up with every detail of every issue and every drug as the knowledge and options continue to increase. Help them and others by being or own advocates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBQuick Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 (edited) Seven years later update: weight gain and Lamictal/Lamotrigine My data (charted over seven years)—YMMV: Lamictal Brand: no unusual weight gain (nightmare to get insurance to cover) generics: Zydus: 30 lbs gained in 45 days, massive, insatiable cravings/appetite Teva: 20 lbs weight gain 45 days no change in appetite but cravings for carbs increased Taro: 15 lbs weight gain 45 days increased appetite, mood cycles were deeper and higher Dr. Reddy's: 23 lbs weight gain 45 days, no change in appetite, short-term memory issues Aurobindo: no weight gain 45 days, able to lose weight with normal training, appetite completely manageable My Conclusion: test and track data over 90 days after you start a Lamictal generic. Anyone says generics are identical is placing believe over facts (data). Facts are better. SoCal, getting Aurobindo lamotrigine is tough, literally down to one single Rite Aid pharmacy carries it, CVS does Zydus only, Walgreens does Taro and Teva, Target does Dr. Reddy's. And all those corporate chain pharmacies claim everyone carries the same as that particular location. Calls to many outside a 50mile radius of my house disproves that claim. Gotta pay attention to meds and generics. Meds are too important to just let a pharmacist do whatever they want with your body and your brain. Edited May 3, 2016 by JackBQuick Formatting went jacked-haywire on its own 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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