HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Lamictal/mind racing

Support Forums
>
Epilepsy
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/14/2008 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone! I'm new here. I'm not sure if this subject has been addressed. But I have a few questions:

Some info on me:
Diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy at 15
I also only get seizures while sleeping
Been on Lamictal for 5 years.

I seem to experience a lot of mind racing that I didn't before since I started taking lamictal. I had a lot of insomnia when I started university...but I figured it was being a stressed student and all. However, it hasn't gone away since finishing up school.

I often take my Lamictal 2 hours before going to bed....and I feel restless with mind racing thoughts. However, I find that if I take it early afternoon at 3pm or so, I seem to fall asleep more easily.

Now, my questions is....have any of you on Lamictal experienced mind racing?

I'm wondering if this is something psychological in my mind...I don't seem to have any other side effects. And wouldn't I always experience mind racing regardless of what time I take it? Or do you think the side effects is stronger a few hours after taking it?

Thanks guys!
Posted 4/15/2008 11:03 AM (GMT 0)

Hi there and Welcome to HealingWell!

My mum took lamictal for a while but didnt get the racing mind thing. I know that a side effect of Lamictal can be insomnia... perhaps this has something to do with it? It is possible that you only suffer from 1 side efffect when taking a medication. It doesnt always follow that if you get 1, you will get 5 or 6. It might be worth talking to a doctor. Since idiopathic epilepsy has a good success rate with meds for control, it might be worth trying another one if you think it is the lamictal causing this.

Darren

Posted 4/19/2008 3:46 AM (GMT 0)

I was diagnosed in August of 2006 and tried Lamictal.  It made me feel like I was racing so much that it nauseated me at times.  It controlled my seizures, but I finally had to stop taking it because I just could not handle the side effect.

Take care!

Carla

Posted 4/19/2008 5:39 AM (GMT 0)
I was on this also and i got the patch skin side effect so i won't off of it
Posted 10/8/2010 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
Hi


My doctor recently diagnosed me with bi-polar and said that I should start taking lamictal to balance me out I was feeling very suicidal.


Well after reading things about this drug I think he is a bit crazy.


They say you have to slowly build up on this drug but he told me to take 200mg everyday from the start.


Well I did what the doctor said thinking he knows best and after 1 week I started to have really bad panic attacks ive never had them before in my life and the most messed up dreams and it was really freaking me out.


So I just stopped cold turkey thinking that taking this crazy drug anymore will only make things worse.


Well its been 3 days now since I stopped and im still feeling really bad.

Can you tell me your experience on this and how long it will take to stop feeling the withdrawal symptoms I know everyone says you should not stop cold turkey as it is really dangerous but i was only taking it one week and my body was telling me that this stuff really doesn't agree with me.


my e-mail is [email protected]



Thanks very much
Posted 10/9/2010 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
In drug trials for Lamictal some patients taking Lamictal reported thinking abnormalities and concentration disturbance. These can be code phrases for racing thoughts. Insomnia was also a commonly reported side effect. I have not read the studies themselves to see exactly what the patients reported. Racing thoughts are also a marker for some forms of mood disturbance, including bipolar diorder and depression. Some medications can trigger an episode. I took Lamictal for depression and chronic pain, and had an allergy reaction to it. It also exacerbated racing thoughts for me personally. Stress and depression will often cause racing thoughts, and lamictal may increase this tendency. You may want to consider that even though you have finished school, the stress levels have not decreased yet and your body has not adjusted. Talk with your doctor and consider taking the mediction in the afternoon if it is OK with him.
Posted 10/28/2010 5:51 AM (GMT 0)
I have taken Lamictal for bipolar for several years. Your Dr. started you on a pretty high dose. My Dr. told me that 300mg is the recommended high dose. Also, if you are taking the generic, many people have reported the symptoms you are experiencing. Weening off slowly would have probably eased the difficulty you are having, and I'm assuming the side effects have subsided. My suggestion would be that no matter what your Dr. wants to try you on, that you do some research on it first (dosing, side effects, drug interaction, etc). That will allow you to make informed decisions. FYI - Be aware that if you are taking the generic, that MANY people are having difficulties with it (myself included). Also, consider speaking to your pharmacist. They have quite a bit of knowledge. Just a tip... be careful if your Dr. adds an antidepressant; it can cause a bipolar person to be thrown into mania.


A question for the forum:
Has anyone heard of Lamictal causing Fatty Liver?
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply