Hi, BJ,

The other posters are right -- go to the ER.


You are doing great and making great progress. I hope that you can get back on track with the right Lamictal.

Sending lots of hugs.


Mari

You should not discontinue it suddenly.

I sent you a PM.

Prior Auth can also be done on the phone, many doctors do it this way. So call the gal at the office ASAP to get that ball rolling.

Call your insurance back and see what number the doctor should call. This is much much faster than paper.

Drugs used in psychiatry always have complaints. This I think is because people are used to focusing on symptoms, and themselves more than non-psychiatric patients.

I myself use generic thyroid and generic blood pressure meds with no problem.

And remember, that brand name companies also flub up and make huge mistakes. Glaxo who makes Lamictal was found to be making ineffective Paxil CR a few years ago. None of the tablets were disintegrating properly and that drug went off the market for a while so it could be fixed. This situation was rather unique. Paxil CR was on the market for a long time (over a year) when a patient had the tablet tested and found the problem. And in fact there were TWO big problems with Paxil CR:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/gen..._year_liti.htm

Glaxo is closing the factory that makes Lamictal in the near future, so when that happens, it will probably be made elsewhere. I don't see them discontinuing it as some companies do when things go generic--but we'll see.
Here is the article:
http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/...0/daily14.html

When that factory closes, there may be a temporary unavailability of Lamictal...that depends on Glaxo and how organized they are.

You want to make sure you were given the correct dosage of the drug on that last fill. If your doctor changed you, or the pharmacy made an error, you may have been given the wrong thing. Always check this first.

I just noticed that you have been on this for a FEW WEEKS? Any changes in response would have manifested sooner, IMO.

You may have something else going on.... so you need to check with your doctor.

I have to wonder about the trend in brand name products to not have active ingredient.
This is becoming alarmingly common.
Drugs affected:
Claritin D (Schering)-- no decongestant
All the inhalers at Schering-- recalled no active ingredient (twice)
All the timed release oral drugs at Schering --like TheoDur--- no active ingredient
Here is just one article on that mess:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...50C0A9679C8B63
It was so bad that the FDA had to threaten to not approve another drug in order to have
these bad manufacturing practices corrected.

I know from personal experience that Claritin when it was RX had many complaints. I had one doctor writing for 3 times a day! for himself, and when I asked him, he said one a day (the recommended dose) didn't work!
When it went generic OTC --people remarked (including myself) that the Alavert form
was far more effective than the Schering brand. I stopped taking Claritin, eventually!

So I would wonder if Glaxo has been up to something and that the Brand name is not
containing what it should for labeled doses! The symptoms you have BJ, are similar to
those in higher dose, and make me wonder if your generic actually has what it says it does in it (and the Brand name did NOT )!
Glaxo did it before and it may be doing that again. By not putting what is labeled in it,
they make people buy MORE and make MORE money. Lamictal is very very expensive!
It was very profitable for them.

Dear BJ

With the wellbutrin I felt slightly different within a few days; and gradually a bit worse as time went on - to fullblown back to square one in about 2 1/2 weeks. The doc said this is normal because it takes time for the name brand to totally leave your system and the generic to take its place. She said things like metabolism and body chemestry affect how fast (or slowly) you will feel the full affects from the change.

I would absolutely not just quit cold turkey. If nothing else drive to the ER! You know your body better than anyone - don't listen to anyone's crap about the drug change not being the issue. (I agree with Mari on her feelings towards your pharmacist. I realise that they are not doctors and do not understand the condition as a doctor would, and you are their customer and not their patient, but its frustrating when they don't have up-to-date info on your medication!)

This sounds like excellent advice. Please take care of yourself!

Well, that is another Glaxo drug.

Metabolism should not be different.

What CAN be different is that the rate of absorption may change.

Most of the time generics are FASTER than the brand. This is because, the FDA standards are:

Meets or EXCEEDS solubility of the Brand patent, for the generic.
So what happens is that the generic is absorbed faster, and gives a different effect.
For example Vicodin, has a generic made by Watson. The Watson brand is the absolute favorite for the patients. They ASK for it. Because it is a softer tablet and is absorbed very fast and they can feel that.

Most brand name tablets are very hard. This is a common factor in their manufacture.
For a while with Wellbutrin, the Glaxo company was making its own generic. But that changed as the years passed.
Here is an example:
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...1904060100.htm
Ranbaxy has bought Glaxo's generic company in Spain.

Dear BJ,
I hope that you do all right traveling for work today.
Let us know when you get back home.

Mari