I’m having problems with rapid cycling, anxiety and severe irritability these last couple weeks. I just started the generic Lamictal a couple weeks ago and had definite spaciness on my drive to work Friday including a dangerous turn into the wrong way of a road that I travel everyday. These are the same symptoms I had when in gradually starting Lamictal I reached too high a dosage too fast. I’m taking it at the same time, at the same dosage after breakfast and after dinner, exactly the same as the regular Lamictal. The pharmacist assured me there was no difference from the regular one.

Since I’ve been on the generic brand I have been very sluggish and have had a hard time judging distance and speed. I feel very loopy and have a hard time carrying on a conversation because I get confused and can’t think straight. I have been having sharp pains in my lower abdomen. I feel so tired all the time because I’m not sleeping well but once I finally fall asleep I have a hard time waking up. I called the pharmacist and she told me it may be the inactive ingredients that could be reacting to me. I emailed my pdoc because she’s away but haven’t heard back.

My pharmacy told me to call my insurance carrier if I had a problem. I called them and they said they prefer I take the generic version. I told them I already paid my brand name deductible for the year and at least want to continue receiving the benefits for the rest of the year. They told me they won't do that. I called them back and asked for a co-payment review. I then asked for a “Prior Authorization Form”. Once I receive the form I’m supposed to take it to my pdoc to have her fill out that she indicates that they should waive the cost for me and that I should not have to pay for the difference between the brand name Lamictal and the generic version which is a lot of money which I don’t have right now. She should also state that she prefers I be on the brand name Lamictal. But all this is not helping me now because she’s out of town.

The only thing that has changed is I started generic Lamictal a few weeks ago so that’s what this has to be. I feel the worse I have in a long time and I’m concerned the generic is not working the way the name-brand one was and tomorrow I have to drive to visit all those client’s again and drive about 395 miles. I kept putting it off as stress with all the driving this week and the holidays bearing down on me but I don’t think it is now. I didn’t take it this morning and probably won’t tonight. Will it hurt me just to stop it until I can get this mess straightened out? I won't even have time to do anything about it tomorrow because I'm on the road all day. I have to be focused to drive and not get lost and get the files to the other office in a timely manner….per my boss.