Lamotrigine/Lamictal

YingYangSweetBltch · September 30, 2004, 3:41pm

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

elf_8 · September 30, 2004, 9:27pm

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.

Erica106 · October 4, 2004, 3:40am

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.

songster · October 14, 2004, 3:43pm

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.

yellowluna · October 14, 2004, 10:43pm

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

YingYangSweetBltch · October 22, 2004, 2:33pm

Thank you all for you input.

elexis1398 · October 22, 2004, 5:44pm

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.

Chief · November 11, 2004, 7:23am

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

adhesi80 · December 5, 2007, 1:52am

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

drmcohn · December 5, 2007, 4:49am

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

Serafena
Co-Moderator, Bipolar Forum

_{It is a melancholy of mine own, compounded of many simples, extracted from many objects, and indeed the sundry contemplation of my travels, in which my often rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness. -- William Shakespeare}

mogli · December 6, 2007, 11:32pm

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.

Mogs

Bipolar II, Anxiety/Panic Disorder

.5mg Clonazepam, 50mg Trazodone & Lamictal 25mg/day..working my way up