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Lamotrigine - Lamictal...Are they the same?

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Posted 8/26/2007 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Does anyone know if Lamotrigine and Lamictal are the same? Are there ANY differences between the two? Different side effects, etc.?

I live in Virginia (USA) and don't have prescription insurance. It costs a little over $400.00 a month for my daughters meds (Lamictal). I have noticed that they don't sell Lamotrigine in the US. Not sure why, however, that is...if the two are the same drug. Why is one okay to sell in the US, but not the other?

Anyway...I noticed that I can get the Lamotrigine in Canada for approximately 1/2 of what we are paying now for the Lamictal. If they are exactly the same....it makes sense to order the Lamotrigine from Canada. BUT, if there is any difference between the two...put it this way, I don't want to play around with my daughters health.

Can anyone help me with this? I've been told that lamotrigine is just the generic for lamictal. I guess I am having trouble understanding why then don't they sell the lamotrigine in the US?

Thank you for any help you can give!!!
Posted 8/26/2007 3:56 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Karen,

All drugs have different names. There is a generic name and a trade name (and probably others as well). The trade name is simply a brand name. Its what different companies call the drug. The generic name is usually the long chemical name that few people can say! For example Prozac is a trade name, Fluoxetine is a Generic name but they are the same thing. The same applies to Lamictal and Lamotrigine. They are the same thing. Why they would licence one and not the other is a mystery to me. Since they are the same thing, I dont see how they can ban Lamotrigine if it is the active ingredient in Lamictal (Which is openly available)

But the answer to your question is YES, they are the same.

Darren

Posted 8/27/2007 1:04 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for your response!!!! You have been very helpful. Still wish I could find out why one is sold in the US, but the other is not. I'm sure it has something to do with someone not being able to make as much money off of us if the generic is allowed to be sold. Not sure though...can't really say...but it sounds about right. Long for the day to see ALL people being able to purchase their meds without having to struggle to do it! OR wondering if they will have enough after paying their bills to afford their meds.

Anyway...babbling now...thanks again and may G O D BLESS YOU!

Karen
Posted 8/28/2007 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
I did some research for you and the short answer is that it is not the drug that is licenced... it is the brand name. This is why you can get Lamictal and not Lamotrigine. My guess is that it will say Lamotrigine on the side of a Lamictal packet anyway. When you get drugs, you are not simply getting the pure drug. There are other things in it as well. (For example, some have an enteric coating). Different brands add different things to the drug and hence, only some brands are licenced.

I hope this helps


Darren

Posted 8/29/2007 12:31 PM (GMT 0)
Yes it does. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! :-)

Karen
Posted 8/29/2007 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
Your welcome. Im "always happy to help" ! lol (I couldnt resist that one... its the slogan on my name badge for work!) 

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