This can be difficult. If you or a member of your family has epilepsy, you need to learn as much as you can about epilepsy and the drugs used to control it. Ask your doctor to write down the generic name and the brand name of any medications you are taking. The generic name refers to the active ingredient. The brand name is whatever the manufacturer decides to call it.
Generic drugs are usually cheaper than brand name drugs.
Sometimes they work equally well, sometimes not. There may be significant differences between the characteristics of brand name versus generic antiepileptic medications. The FDA currently allows for a therapeutic range among generic versions of antiepileptic medications. This means that generic antiepileptic medications may have more or less of the active ingredient than the name brand drug. Some people may have seizures if one generic medication with slightly more of the active ingredient is used one month, and another with slightly less is used the next.