Generic Brand Medications

[Lily Dust]

This stuff should be the same as 'brand name' stuff, right?!?

DH has a normal medication he is on for epilepsy (caused by something not like when your diagnosed with epilespy). He originally was on Tegratol (sp?) but had adverse reactions and moved to another type of drug. Anyway we tried the generic brand last time the script was filled and he is having seizures. Hasnt had one since before DD was born so maybe 2008 but he started this on Friday and has had 1 major and 2 minor seizures in the last 2 days. He is also feeling 'weird'. Surely a generic brand couldnt cause that?? I thought they were meant to be the same??

TIA

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Should have the same medical effect - but some have different side-effects. So it could be a different medication.

Having said that, I was on medication for fits, didn't have them for a week (ran out, didn't have time to see the GP for a new prescription, so had to wait a bit) and when I started taking them again I had some major side-effects, and this was the same brand. So it could be change of brand or just sensitivity to the drug, not sure. Go see a doctor about it and see what they advise.

[HotI]

the active ingredient should be the same, but the 'fillers' can be different. I react really badly to the generic brand of one of my meds.

Go back to the chemist and get the same brand you usually take.

[Trillian]

There was another thread about this not long ago. Basically, not all medications are created equal. They have the same active ingredient, but the rest of the 'carrier' in the medication may react with you. For something as important as epilepsy meds, I would stick with thebrand name, I know it will cost you more, but sometimes it's better the devil you know than the devil you don't kwim? My MIL needs to take heart medication and she tried a generic once and it gave her a lot of trouble and made her quite ill, so now she flat refuses the generics. I will take some things as a generic, but other things I will only take the brand name.

[Dollyroux]

*hugs*

Look it *should* be the same but I have heard that some doctors request to have non-generic brands only for certain things. I think it's best you call your DHs doctor and explain what's happening. Good luck *more hugs*

[~Kim~]

The actual drug should be the same.
BUT
The fillers and coating are different and yes, that could be having adverse effects.

Poor guy. Hope they are on top of it soon.

[inlove]

The active ingredient's are the same but the inactive ingredients are different and can cause people to have reactions or change absorption rates potentially.

[Muppity]

Think of a prescription drug like a chocolate cake. They all have chocolate in them (except those dodgy beet root chocolate cakes peddled by snake oil merchants lol) but they all have varying levels of the other ingredients. Generic medicines are the same - they are supposed to be "bio equivalent" so have the same effect but can use different binding agents (so in the cake oil rather than eggs etc) or things to bulk it out a bit.

Hope that DH is OK

[Lily Dust]

Thanks everyone for your help

I felt so awful about it but DH is back on his normal tablets as of Saturday and no problems whatsoever. So at this stage assuming it must be something in the generic brand, yet to pin down what though.

Thanks again!

[jellybean88]

I went on generic for anti depression meds and the generic didn't work as well and made me sick but the brand name was perfectly fine

[Charlotte91]

I get migraines and I have to use brand names otherwise it's just not worth living, I'm in so much pain.

Same as cold and flu tablets, I may as well eat a lolly.

Will never buy generic again.