Generic versions of Keppra (Levetiracetam)

David I also take the generic form of Keppra, (Levetiracetam) and the generic Lamictal (Lamotrigine). Since generic forms have been on the market, my insurance company will only pay for the generics. I’ve never noticed an undissolved med., but then again, I’ve never looked for it. A couple of months ago I started to have problems. I looked up the maker of the meds and found out both of them are made in India, which probably lacks quality control. On the web, I found out that that the generics have a + or – 20% leeway in the active ingredients to be approved in America. The price of the non-generic is outrageous! There is no quality control of the binders that hold the active ingredients together. So there is no standard on how fast a generic drug releases the active ingredients.  It could be a matter of hours or minutes. It seems that my dr. is unaware that generics and non-generics are not equal. On my last refill, I asked my dr. to put down the manufacture maker of the meds (after doing research on what generic manufacture seem to be the best) but I’m stuck with what the pharmacy  dispenses. The only recourse I have is to set my cell phone alarm to go off 3x’s a day and hopefully keep a consistent level of meds in my body.

David I also take the generic form of Keppra, (Levetiracetam) and the generic Lamictal (Lamotrigine). Since generic forms have been on the market, my insurance company will only pay for the generics. I’ve never noticed an undissolved med., but then again, I’ve never looked for it. A couple of months ago I started to have problems. I looked up the maker of the meds and found out both of them are made in India, which probably lacks quality control. On the web, I found out that that the generics have a + or – 20% leeway in the active ingredients to be approved in America. The price of the non-generic is outrageous! There is no quality control of the binders that hold the active ingredients together. So there is no standard on how fast a generic drug releases the active ingredients.  It could be a matter of hours or minutes. It seems that my dr. is unaware that generics and non-generics are not equal. On my last refill, I asked my dr. to put down the manufacture maker of the meds (after doing research on what generic manufacture seem to be the best) but I’m stuck with what the pharmacy  dispenses. The only recourse I have is to set my cell phone alarm to go off 3x’s a day and hopefully keep a consistent level of meds in my body.

David, I looked up Milpharm Limited, it is a subsidiary of Aurobindo Pharma. Auorbindo also has a subsidiary in Malta: Agile Pharma (Malta) Ltd. I also take Lamotrigine, the generic version of Lamictal. When I began to have trouble, I looked up the manufactures of both. The Levetiracetam came from a manufacture called Bluepoint Labor and it was the first time I had taken it. That’s when I started to having trouble. I think they make a subpar genetic med. (They only had a one picture page on the internet, no information). My Dr. switched me to Lamictal ER (extended release) and Levetiracetam ER. Instead of taking multiple doses during the day, with the ER, its once a day. They have a special coating or different binders to slowly release the med. over a 24 hour period. I’m lucky to have good insurance. The cost of the Lamotrigine ER without insurance is $1,236 and the Levetiracetam ER is $351 a month. But with my coverage, I get each one for $10. I had one problem with ER’s, insomnia, even when taking generic Ambien. My Dr. switched me back to regular Lamotrigine and Levetiracetam and have them filled at a different store to avoid the Bluepoint Labor product. I like the idea of taking only one ER a day. I’ve been thinking of trying to alternate days of taking the regular meds. and the ER’s to see if I can slowly cross over and only take the ER’s and avoid insomnia.

Good luck and let me know how you are doing. You might also want to do a web search to find out if anyone else is having problems with Malta (or Milpharm) Levetiracetam. I found complaints from people taking meds made by different manufactures of Levetiracetam and Lamotrigine on the web.