|
pharmacistdan2005
Starting Member
31 Posts
Gratitude: 4
|
 Posted - 05/23/2005 : 14:55:24
|
Lamictal
Pronounced: LAM-ic-tal
Generic name: Lamotrigine
Most important fact about this drug:
You may develop a rash during the first 2 to 8 weeks of Lamictal therapy, particularly if you are also taking Depakene. If this happens, notify your doctor immediately. The rash could become severe and even dangerous, particularly in children. A slight possibility of this problem remains for up to 6 months.
More common side effects include:
Blurred vision, dizziness, double vision, headache, nausea, rash, sleepiness, uncoordinated movements, vomiting.
Less common side effects include:
Abdominal pain, accidental injury, anxiety, constipation, depression, diarrhea, fever, "flu-like" symptoms, increased cough, inflammation of vagina, irritability, painful menstruation, sore throat, tremor.
Rare side effects may include:
Absence of menstrual periods, chills, confusion, dry mouth, ear pain, emotional changes, heart palpitations, hot flashes, joint disorders, memory decrease, mind racing, muscle weakness, muscle spasm, poor concentration, ringing in ears, sleep disorder, speech disorder.  |
|
| Cricket
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 04/01/2006 : 11:22:08
|
In your list of rare side effects was "memory decrease" which hardly begins to describe what my daughter and others call "Brain Rot".
At Georgetown Law in DC, she can no longer use her Palm Pilot, for anything she wishes to enter will vanish from short-term memory by the time she takes it out of her bag, so she has taken to jotting down notes to herself on her hands in pen.
She will see a mention of a new film and tell her husband that she wants them to go see it --- only to have him tell her that they already have - within just a week or two earlier. She will have zero memory of having seen it.
She is not bipolar, but epileptic, and while she has better word retrieval on Lamictal than she did on Topomax (Dope-omax), at least then she had her short term memory.
Someone has suggested that this occurs from too rapid a titration. Don't know, but she has finally made an appointment with a neurologist so she can have further testing and begin a transition to a different medication after the end of the Spring Semester.
Cricket |
|
| EmergingArtist
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
9136 Posts
Gratitude: 822
    |
Posted - 08/14/2007 : 15:02:30
|
Hi PharmacistDan2005,
According to my Lamictal pamphlet that came with my Lamictal, it says the correct pronunciation is: la-MICK-tal. (Stress on second syllable rather than first).
I've been taking Lamictal for about 7 months now. So far, I haven't gotten the rash. In scanning the list of side-effects, I don't believe I've had any of the side-effects listed.
Cricket, I haven't experienced the memory loss. I am in talk therapy and have been accessing repressed and suppressed childhood and adolescent memories, however, my day-to-day memory is quite intact. Once in a while I misplace my glasses or keys, etc. or forget my umbrella.
My psychiatrist is very up-front about any question or concern I may have about my meds, and I may call him as well as visit his office whenever I choose.
-EA
unemployed
thirty-one-year-old Korean-American
married woman
diagnosed bipolar 1993
|
|
| slackagon
New Member
51 Posts
Gratitude: 9
|
Posted - 11/11/2007 : 00:34:38
|
This is my second week on 50mg, and then I'm going up to 75mg in 5 days. I have had some forgetfulness of things I would normally remember (work related things), and some ringing of my ears, and some heart palpitations. Nothing too serious. I'm already prone to heart palpitations so I just ignore them. 5 years ago, they would have caused a panic attack. Not now, though.
The benefits of this drug have definitly outweighed my symptoms. I've lightened up a lot, can get more done, am more aware of my own and other people's emotions, and have gone from being depressed to being almost normal (in my own eyes). My rage is nearly gone, although I did have a few spells here and there. People think I'm more normal and don't complain about me much. They've also been more understanding of my situation, as I don't rabidly complain about everything any more. Maybe rabidly is a harsh word for what I used to do, but you might as well say that, almost.
I'm trying not to be too laid back. I have to drink some extra coffee to compensate for the laid-back-ness, so I can get some work done. This has increased my hyperactivity, somewhat, and may be the whole reason I'm forgetting things occasionally. Coffee will do that to me.
However, the coffee doesn't have the effect it used to of making me irritable and anxious. This is definitly a GOOD thing, with all letters capitalized, as I love coffee, and will not just stop drinking it (despite being told that I must, by several doctors, at various points in my life).
My concentration is about 90% of what it normally is, though, which accounts for the 20+Oz of coffee per day. (4 5-oz cups from my trusty mr. coffee). As you see, it's not a hard core addiction, or anything like that (yeah right).
No rash or anything like that. But back to the main point of the thread, if you have swelling of the tongue or the face, but you don't see a rash, you should always see an emergency doctor, because a rash may not develop, but you still may have Stephen-Johnson's syndrome, which can be life threatening. |
|
| donni
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2008 : 21:16:47
|
Pharmacistdan2005
I've been on Lamictal for ~2 months and I have had horrible side effects. But they didn't appear till I was increased to 100 mg. I have ringing of the ears, nasuem, headaches, dizziness, tremors...etc. They seem to worsen when I am tired.
Do these side effects diminish over time?
I like using the Lamictal but the side effects are making me miserable.
donni |
|
| Ratava
Super Member (250+ posts)
286 Posts
Gratitude: 98
|
Posted - 05/15/2008 : 08:12:48
|
Im on 150mg of Lamictal and have been now for . . ever. Yes the side effects go away after a while. Its not a fast while. . but they do get better. I had many of them, but none bad enough to stop and everything my pdoc had put me on was pretty much nightmarish.
I always had tremmors, particularly when I would start to fall asleep, and on the lamictal they got really annoying for about 6 months or so. . But then they softened to less then I have had all my life. . . kind of weird actually.
I never got the anti-depressive effect this stuff can have, but it softens the cycle to where even when Im caught in it. . I can get myself together enough to crawl out.
Its not what is perfect but what is flawed that makes someone unique and beautiful |
|
| YepBP
Starting Member
2 Posts
Gratitude: 1
|
Posted - 05/02/2013 : 07:04:40
|
Hi,
I've been on Lamictal for 8 years and am up to 500 mg/day. While 450/mg day is the maximum known clinically effective dose, I get benefits from higher doses.
Lamictal is now the cornerstone of my meds.
Titrating up was its own little nightmare. First, it was the headaches. They would lay me out, incapacitated. Every 25mg step up meant a new round of headaches, lasting from 3-10 days. I want to go to 600mg, but I can't take the next 10 day headache. With a steady level dose, there is no headache for me.
I have tremors from it. Most days, they are just annoying. I commonly say on very shaky days (where I might drop stuff) that instead of my brain shaking my mood lamictal was shaking my body; the "brain seizure" became a physical one.
I got the rash from month 2 to 6. I hid the rash from the doc (and I knew the implications). Now, I watched the rash like a hawk; I did not ignore it. Lamictal was helping, helping a lot, and at that point it was Lamictal or Seroquel/Zyprexa. I gained 130lbs on those two and fought for 8 months to kick Seroquel. Easier to quit cocaine.
One titration was complete, I'll accept physical shaking over mental shaking any day.
Oh - just never, Never, NEVER EVER accidentally double dose, especially big pills 100mg or more. I think about calling an ambulance as headache roars back for a couple of days. If you are in doubt of a dose -- do not endanger yourself with an accidental double dose.
--M
--M |
|
Most important fact about this drug
