Epilepsy & Seizures Support Group

I have absence seizures, and told generics are no for me. But everyone is different.

I know I worry about the cost of Keppra since my son is on it & I am not sure we should switch over to generic... He is on the liquid and very very sensitive he takes 14mls, which is equal to 1400 mg & he is only 2 years old. He has complex partials that go straight into tonic clonics - never fails. He has switched over to generic Topamax though and has no issues - he takes a small dose of that though. I take Topamax as well for bipolar disorder - 150mg and I actually think the generic works better in regards to this one. When I switched over to generic Lamictal though I didn't think it was better. I wish they were all the exact same. For epileptics though it is sooo much more important being a small change could really trigger such a dangerous reaction.

I went from one insurance company to another one. The one i'm on now dont have brand name meds, i was taken Lamictal before now it is Lamotrigine the generic of Lamictal. I also have high blood pressure and was taken Cozzar for it and it is Diovan that is a generic for something else, so they changes my med for my HP to something else.

It has been ok for me to take generic meds. but like Aust said everyone is different when it come to taken meds.

Generics are no for me too, but it for any name brand medication, the hospitalization or medicaid even medicare will only pay for generics only if you want name brands you have to pay out of your own pocket.

I started on generics for lamictal...
and my episodes became worse..
so i am on the full strength of lamictal now, with fewer episodes,...
but everyone is different.

Mr doctor said that bacause my seizures were partial I should be ok, but I still am worried about taking the generic meds. Are most of you that had problems with generic having partial seizures? I just don't know what to do it probably is just better to stay on topomax and pay the difference isn't it?

My neurologist only wants me to take the Brand Name. Especially since I had the Brain Surgery (Left Temporal Lobectomy) almost 9 yrs, ago and had only 6-7 seizures since then.

Thank you everyone for letting me know what you thought about switching to the generics, I really was not sure about doing it either. Yesterday I decided to just pay the difference, it was a big one, but oh well, and stay with the topomax. I am at a new job and just do not want to chance it right now. Isn't it amazing how much the cost is even though I have the insurance? I feel for all of you that do not have it, and do not know what I could do! I am on my husbands also, if I had to go on my own who knows what would happen. I admire all of you who are doing this without that support!

See if your insurance will accept a note from your doctor stating that you need the name brand. Generic medicines is different from the name brand. When I was taking tegretal I had more sezures on the gerneric brand. I am now on Lamictal which I got a rash across my neck when trying the generic brand. I do not know why some doctors and pharmacist lie saying it is the same. My nurse told me there is a difference which I knew all along.

It's really unfair for insurance companies to put us in this position. We shouldn't have to choose between the medication and the generic. I was on dilantin for 30 years, and the generic (phenytoin) was not as good. When I took the generic I would have seizures so I knew I had to stick with the medication. I don't think they are a good because of my experiences, but you never know. It may work for you. SBCGC