Posted 3/2/2012 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
Caren, I'm sorry this happened to you. Because everyone's chemistry is different, there's no predictable way to know how one person is going to react as another might to the same drug.
Pharmaceutical companies try to reveal the possible symptoms of drug sensitivity, but they can't predict how it will react in all, as you know.
There are many other medications available to treat your illness, and I hope you find the one that works. You were smart to catch the symptoms of drug sensitivity and to report it immediately.
Lamictal (Lamotrigine), used in treatment of bipolar type II illness, is also one that may cause a rash in a few people. That one is dangerous if a rash occurs, so if you are prescribed Lamictal, be alert to a possible rash appearing usually on the back of the neck. Stop the drug immediately if that happens.
I suspect, like some of us, that you may have an allergy gene which makes it difficult sometimes to find a medication that you may respond to successfully. I have such a gene but had no problems with Depakote and loved the positive effects of it, except for the loss of hair (my psychiatrist warned me that was likely) and stopped the med for that reason.
Good wishes,
It's Genetic