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Lamotrigine/Lamictal

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Posted 9/30/2004 3:41 PM (GMT 0)

sad  Hello all, this is my first post here and I hope I can get some feedback. I was just put on this new medication to help me with my 'crash and burns' called Lamotrigine/Lamictal. My doctor told me of the serious side effects and I agreed to give it a try because I have been trying to find the right combination of medications for over a year now. I am desperate. I was wondering if anyone has experianced any of the side effects. I am especially concerned with the rash, hives, fever, swollen glands, sores in the mouth and around the eyes, or swelling of the lips or tounge. Can anyone tell me of thier experiances with this drug?.. Thanks

Posted 9/30/2004 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hello i take 250 mg of lamictal a day for my epileptic seizures and the only thing i've noticed is that my tongue has swollen alittle but it's bad at all. My body swells some and i have memory lose not sure if it's from the meds or seizures.
Posted 10/4/2004 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
hi, i am taking 400 mg/day for bipolar. I've been on it for about 4 months now and I'm very happy with it. I've noticed a BIG change in my mood swings and I haven't had any noticable or intolerable side effects.
Posted 10/14/2004 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
HI. I take it in conjunction with Depakote, Zoloft, Ambien for bipolar. I thought it didn't do much, especially with all the other meds. But while I was dealing with breast cancer I ran out of Lamictal and really plunged into depression. Breast Cancer or lack of lamictal? I'm back on it now and feeling better. I've never had any side effects.
Posted 10/14/2004 10:43 PM (GMT 0)
elf, i'm on lamictal for ep to and i have experienced a lot off memory loss, being able to retain info. i used to be efficient with my studies and now i can't see to remember anything. my doc. said that its probably from the seizures considering i've been on lamictal for 3 years and this just started happening after 2 seizures that lasted over and hour. take care, if you remember to read this. i usually have to read things twice now. :) take care, kelli
Posted 10/22/2004 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for you input.
Posted 10/22/2004 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'm on Lamictal 300mg a day for Bipolar. I have been on it for 2 yrs and I never really had bad side effects from it. The only thing I noticed was that I would forget things. Not a big deal. But otherwise it helps.

 Good Luck!

Posted 11/11/2004 7:23 AM (GMT 0)
Ive been on lactimal for over a year. Not many side effects. Sometimes I hear someone calling my name who is not there. This is very annoying. Being forgetful is the worse effect for the first 6 months or so. I am discussing with my pdoc about changing my meds.
all the best
Posted 12/5/2007 1:52 AM (GMT 0)
i was up 2 a maximum dose of 300mg a day of lamotrigine. I had very few side effects and was very happy as my deep depression had been lifted. However after 3 months on lamotrigine, i started to develop severe agitation like an inner restlessness and tension in my hands. My doctors put me on benzos to help but after a while they wore off. My doctor has told me that he doesnt feel that the lamotrigine can be causing the agitation as if it did, it would have occured early on in treatment. i have had 2 lower the dose of lamotrigine because of this so it has lost it theraputic value. i dont wanna stop this drug coz its the best thing thats happened 2 me.
has anyone had similar experiences with lamotrigine? and if so, i would be very grateful if u could kindly offer me sum advice
Posted 12/5/2007 4:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hello to all the new members! I think this is a record of new members for one post! I hope you all find the support you're looking for here, and please, take a moment to start a new thread all your very own and tell us a bit about yourself.

I've been on lamictal at around 400 mgs. for over 4 years. Keep in mind that I'm no doctor, but here's what I know about the drug. It's a mood stabilizer that docs prescribe because it also can have some anti-depressant-like characteristics so if you start feeling jittery, the doc may take you off of it for that reason. (Anti-d's can make bipolar's more manic). Also, the dreaded rash is very serious but VERY RARE so while every new patient who starts taking Lamictal is concered about it, we need only keep an eye out for a rash, and not be so worried. It's not going to strike us dead in our sleep. In the meantime, I LOVED my lamictal. I had almost no side effects for years and it really helped balance my moods, so I hope it helps you all as well. I'm only now being moved off it onto other drugs to balance out some other symptoms I'm having.

Again, welcome to the board.

serafena
Posted 12/6/2007 11:32 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Ying Yang -- Welcome to you and to all the new members.  HW is a great place for support, the best online for sure.

I was on Lamictal over a year ago, and out of all the meds I tried for my bp, it was one that I remember having the least side effects with.  I was off meds for just over a year and am now starting Lamictal again.  I will post as my dose increases and as the weeks on this med go by...So far it's been about two weeks, and I have noticed being tired during the day, extremely tired.  Has anyone else had this?

I didn't get the rash the last time I was on it, and my pdoc says we shouldn't have to worry about that this time around either.

I find the main side effects with a lot of these meds are, drowsiness/tired/'zombie effect', increase in restlessness or anxiety...weight gain...But I think Lamictal is pretty good.  And a lot of memebers seem to agree.  It makes me feel better knowing everyone has had such good experience with Lamictal.

Anyway, keep us posted.

Posted 12/9/2007 6:21 AM (GMT 0)
i have suddenly developed severe agitation on 150 mg daily of lamotrigine. I was up to 300mg daily for nearly 3 months and i had hardly no side effects whatsoever. Does anyone know why i could be getting these side effects after 3 months on half the dose? Now im confused and depressed. Can someone plz plz help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated...
Posted 12/9/2007 3:45 PM (GMT 0)
Ready,

I am sorry you are still having agitation at a lower dose, I would def. contact you doc ASAP and let them know what you are feeling. You might need to get your dose readjusted, or need to have something else added on. Or it just might not be the right med for you, unfortunately everyone is different and what works for one may not work for the other person. I was on Lamictal for almost 2 years in the past, and it worked great most of the time. Please keep us updated with what is going on, again I am sorry you are struggling with Lamictal
Posted 12/9/2007 5:00 PM (GMT 0)

I know my pdoc always lowers my dose if I'm experiencing too much side effects.  But R2D, I know this is coming from lowering your dose, so I'm not quite sure what is going on either.

Definitely talk to your doc/pdoc asap; I hope this gets better for you soon.

Posted 12/10/2007 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
thanks olivia and mogli 4 the quick reply. As i mentioned earlier, i was not getting side effects from a higher dose but am now getting them from 100mg daily. Ive heard that changing the brand of lamotrigine can sometimes cause this?

U were sayin that my doc could possibly add sumthing on to counteract the side effects? Is there anything you know of that might help?

One private doctor ive seen suggested adding beta blockers for the agitation but i heard they have side effects including impotence. Ive also been on clonzapam and the doc says that this should be enough to counteract the agitation, but im still agitated, especially with this inner tension in my hands and arms.

Ive also heard of a drug called riluzole which is used for motor neurone disease, and has the same method of action as lamotrigine and has been indicated in the treatment of bipolar disorder. So my doc says that its worth a try if we cant resolve this troublesome issues with lamotrigine. Once again, thank you all for your advice and anymore would be greatly appreciated...

Posted 12/11/2007 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
I've never heard of riluzole for bipolar. Are you seeing a psychiatrist?
Posted 12/11/2007 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
Serafena,

I think that is because is it still in the clinical trial phase in the United States. From what I understand it has shown some promise, but not as much as the already available meds.
Posted 12/12/2007 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
do u guys know of any others drugs which are similar 2 lamotrigine?
Posted 12/12/2007 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
r2d,

Unfortunately, Lamictal is one of a kind, but there are a lot of other mood stabilizers out there. Some have higher side effects than others, but everyone is different and you never know how you will react to the meds until you take them. I would discuss your meds options with your doctor or a trained professional. Also, sometimes a combination of meds work better than one alone. Right now I am on two mood stabilizers.

Here is a link for some meds used for people with bipolar, I hope you find it useful. http://www.drugs.com/condition/bipolar-disorder.html
Posted 12/12/2007 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
thanks again olivia for the quick reply. The reason i asked whether there was anyfing similar to lamotrigine is because lamotrigine is very good for bipolar depression, which is my main symptom. Ive tried quitiepine which is an antipsyhotic and is meant 2 help with bipolar depression, but i couldnt bear the side effects namely feeling drowsy and drugged. Lamotrigine is thought to have anti depressant effects because it modulates glutamate which is implicated in depression. Thats why i mentioned riluzole in my earlier post. So basically i was just wondering are the any other mood stabilizers or drugs (apart from SSRIs and anitpsychotics) which are specific, or predominantly help with bipolar depression? Im really sorry if i sound like a broken record but my life is going down hill. Ive lost my job and soon will loose my sanity if i cant find a solution, so at the moment i feel like ive reached a dead end.... i cant see the light at the end of the tunnel no more sad sad   sad
Posted 12/15/2007 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
r2d,

Lamictal is the only med that also has antidepressant qualities, there is no other like it.
Posted 11/7/2008 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone,

I'm about 19 years old and I'm suffering from depression. I know that it's not severe, but it's definitely noticeable. My dad passed away about a year ago, we have to sell and move from our house...and my bf I found out made out with another girl when he was drunk and mad at me. Turns out later that night I dumped him because I was angry (I hated her and saw her truck there as well as a few other cars)... and supposedly that pushed him over the edge and he went and drank more then slept with her. When I found out he eventually told me that when he's drunk and mad he blacks out and does stupid things...we put him into therapy and his psychiatrist diagnosed him as bipolar. To put an end to my story, I'm forgiving him because I can see a huge difference when he's on his meds, but I'm depressed because of everything going on in my life. I don't know if he's lying to me still, but supposedly he talked to his doctor about my problems and his doctor gave him a sample pack of lamictal for me to try. He said that the doctor put him on the orange packet to treat bipolar...and that the green packet is more for depression and calming your brain down, and you don't have to be bipolar to try it. HOWEVER, I'm not bipolar and have never before experienced any form of depression until this past year. I was wondering...will lamictal be harmful for me because it's too strong?? Can you just treat it for minor forms of depression or major forms??
And last but not least, do you think that he might be giving me what his doctor prescribed for him because he think it will help? Like he had a sample packet from his doctor in the past, and really he is just giving it to me and never talked to his doctor about it?
I wouldn't think that the doctor would give him something for another person... he even went on to tell me he signed a waiver over it, but that wouldn't work because I would have to. So basically I think I'm being lied to, and I'm crying out for input....
I'm afraid that I don't need something as strong as lamictal...and I heard that it treats seizures as well?

PLEASE help!!!!
Thank you...
Posted 11/7/2008 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Mike's girl,

Welcome to HealingWell and to the bipolar forums.

I hate to say this, but I think your suspicions are dead on. A doctor would never give him medicine for someone else to use. A doctor would never treat a patient he/she hadn't seen. Lamictal is an anti-seizure medication which also acts as a mood-stabilizer for people with bipolar. It has some anti-depressant properties but it isn't an anti-depressant and I DEFINITELY wouldn't take any psychiatric drugs without having seen a doctor first.

That's not to say you're not depressed and couldn't use some medication to help you through this hard time. You are going through some extremely stressful times. Talking to a therapist and seeing a doctor can only help you. If a doctor determines you have depression, try the meds he/she gives you. (I truly doubt it'll be lamictal.) They can really be helpful.

Let us know how everything goes,
serafena
Posted 11/7/2008 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
just to throw another log on the fire...my fiance takes 75 mg of Lamictal and it has drastically improved his health...I think he's experienced a bit of memory loss, but nothing too severe, and no rash. Going on 5 months now in combo w/ lithium, risperdal and lexapro.
Posted 11/9/2008 10:48 PM (GMT 0)
hello i have been taken Lamictal for 6 months now and i think thats the one med that really works for me. i am also on abilify, serequil, and kelonipin. everything works in the morning but by late afternoon i am a mess. crying, angry, agrivated, just real uncoftable in my own skin. so i am going to see Dr and see what he can do to fix the afternoons. this was a helpful post great to hear so many great responses. fast 1
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