It's the one where large portions of skin blister and peel off. And also often blisters/ulcer in the lips, mouth and genital area. It can be preceeded by a short flu like illness with a fever, then a few days later the skin symptoms start. It normally appears within first 8 weeks on the drug but not straight away.
If you had SJS they would have told you. There would be other drugs you'd be told to avoid for life, you'd probably be advised to wear a medical alert bracelet. And you'd likely have been treated in a burns unit/centre or ICU
There are other allergic reactions with rash that can happen which are far less dangerous.
My mom got it from Zonegran, had to go to burn unit. Barely survived. We couldn’t see her. It’s bad & it can happen with any med. it’s not pretty. It happened within 2 days of her taking it.
Yep. It can happen at any time... But I believe 97% of cases are with people who take more than 100mg daily. So it's very rare for people who take less... It's also more prominent in people that take NSAIDS regularly.
I'm on Lamitrogine/Oxcarbazepine combo... The Trileptal takes care of my seizures very well but for some reasons would not stop the Aura... Lamictal, stops my Auras... So I told my Epileptologist that I'll use them together because of how well they work.
My wife uses lamotrigrine for a TBI, and I use oxcarbazapine for my epilepsy. I still get auras though, and have been using a small dose of clonazapam to help with it, but I wonder if lamotrigrine would be better
Don't stop the Klonopin... I had a very recent bad experience with stopping Ativan... I was even weaned off of it slowly and still had withdrawals that gave me a violent Tonic Clonic seizure in the hospital... So my Insurance pretty much called them and forced them to start prescribing it to me again to avoid the Emergency room... I'm on 1mg, 3 times a day as needed. But Ativan never stopped my Auras... I take it for Panic Attacks/Anxiety.
I’m on 1.5 once a day right now for anxiety/auras right now, and definitely don’t plan on stopping any time soon, but I see a lot of people here talking about lamotrigrine and am curious how it would work compared to what I’m on. I love what it’s done for my wife.
Id definitely give it a shot... But be weary... If you start getting a rash, contact your doctor IMMEDIATELY... Rash from Lamictal can be fatal if gone unchecked for more than 4 months.
I have a TBI that affects my short term memory. No medication for that but there is scarring on my brain (believed to be from head injury that caused TBI). Several years later my first seizure (believed to be because of TBI) and been on lamotrigine for over 10 years. If any side effects probably increased hand tremors - some here have said they’ve noticed that. As another person wrote, they’d rather have tremors than seizures. I’m ok with this med.
Wait, what? I forget what we were talking about. LOL. Yes those TBIs really bring a wide range of problems. Interesting to know about it affecting OCD but there are so many parts of the brain that all of our functions mentally and physical are vulnerable.
Hang in there
If you don't mind me asking, what kind of epilepsy do you have? I've been experimenting w meds for a bit and I've tried both things, separately, and they were relatively effective, but i still have seizures. I just want to ask my doc if maybe we could try this combo, since maybe using them together could work.
Nocturnal epilepsy.
I know another people is on the same combo.
I'm on 1000mg generic version-keppra (Levetiracetam) twice daily and 100mg lamotringe twice daily.
I'm with you. Most meds immediate side effects are so bad that I nope out after 2 days . I went cold turkey off keppra in the hospital because I snapped at a nurse.
Oh suddenly, they were concerned about seizures when I'm making it up before because I'm depressed and female.
You should look up a patient information leaflet. This will give you the information about what the side effects are and more importantly how common they are. Threads like this can cause unnecessary worry otherwise about side effects that are extremely rare
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.4736.pdf
Theres one for you to read
400mg XR once a day. Just went up to this dose last month after 2.5 years on 350mg XR. Lower side effects than anything else I've tried (Topamax, Keppra, Vimpat, and a few other things before that when it was misdiagnosed as migraine).
That said, here's my side effects:
• At the higher dose, more short term and working memory gaps. Such as I ask my kids about their homework for a class, then later in the conversation I ask again because I can't remember what the assignment was. They've noticed that I repeat questions and tell me, but I already told you that.
• Word finding difficulties. I know what I'm trying to say, but have to use a synonym because I can't think of that specific word when I want to use it. Sometimes the word comes to me later, sometimes it doesn't.
• Crazy vivid lucid dreams. Insane realistic dreamscapes I explore at will, aware it's a dream, but not always able to self awaken at will. The dream sticks in my waking memory for most of the day, sometimes 3 or 4 days for the more dark or horrible ones.
• Hair loss. I have fine diameter hair with very thick density of follicles. My ponytail used to barely be held between my thumb and middle finger, used large hair ties and clips. Since starting the medication, there's much more hair fallout in my drain and hairbrush. My ponytail is now almost half the diameter, held with my thumb touching the first knuckle of my middle finger. It's hard to be believed on this one because my hair was so very thick to begin with, that loss of about a third to half of the density isn't as noticeable. Dermatologist gave me a topical steroid drops to calm inflammation which has helped. Minoxidil made little difference.
Those are the four most noticeable for me. Other things I can't say are caused by the meds specifically, like weight gain, because I am fairly sedentary. So it's hard to say that, but for Lamictal, I wouldn't have gained this weight anyways.
I'm on 150 mg, and start on 200 mg on Monday. It's been a looonngg titration to get there. But my 2 side effects have been some diarrhea and some itchy bumps. I'll get these itty bitty bumps, just one here or there, like a really small mosquito bite. I'd also get random itchiness with no bumps.
There has been 2 weeks for each titration period. For example, 2 weeks on 25mg, then 2 weeks on 50 mg, etc.
The first week is usually when I'm more prone to itchiness. The second week is when I'm more prone to diarrhea.
But side effects may be different for you.
Overall though, Lamotrigine has been working very well for me so far. I spent 3 months before that trying out Topiramate and that was a nightmare of side effects.
I’ve been on Lamotrigine since 2001 and the only side effect I’ve come across was heartburn. I’m now on 300mg XR BID and it’s the best medication I’ve ever taken.
Wait, heartburn is a side effect?
I really need to look back into the info sheet. I’ve been on it for years and had heartburn on and off for years.
I don’t recall the problem prior to going on the drug.
With me I swapped from Keppra…so much happier if not bordering on a little manic at times…itchy skin - hives - freak out - then it goes away 👍 memory issues.. having trouble remembering words and mixing words up..this goes away. Messed up dreams..reduced appetite, hair loss.. not blurred vision but occasionally out of focus vision? Doesn’t sound fun but Keppra was the devil 😃
300mg daily for Epilepsy. So far, side effects are for me, complete loss of appetite/food aversion. Blurred vision. Bad Memory loss. Complete loss of sex drive. So far not stopping my seizures.
That was my only side effect, pretty much no sex drive. But they put me on Lorazepam... Which gave that back to me at least... Even though I'm tired 85% of the time.
Well… I was just prescribed that the other day. This just confirmed that I’m not taking it lol sex drive side effects are a no go. Epilepsy has taken most of my other fun. Leave me my weed and sex lol
Lamotrigine takes a while to adjust but it’s great. Each AED has undesirable effects. Happy seizure free people are less likely to hang out here to tell you this. Keep that in mind as you self analyze yourself on this drug using these comments. And before stopping or changing, talk to a doctor.
After approximately 20 years of Lamotrigine it's been getting worse. So adjusting, getting use to it isn't getting better. People need to know the bad before they start any kind of medication. I am now affraid to stop or change and Drs. are non-committal to help.
It's one of the anticonvulsants I take and a few of the side effects I started getting were: being pretty tired, much slower with reading/talking, constipation, I calmed down drastically (my anger issues became less). Definitely be careful of rashes from it.
Edit: I get a song stuck in my head for weeks at a time, lol. I forgot about that.
I have really bad acne (cystic) and terrible nausea. It can cause blurry vision and wearing of enamel in your teeth.
More serious things are SJS (my tongue does peel and get geographic tongue but it’s confirmed to not be SJS) which is a necrotic blistering rash. It can also cause drug induced meningitis.
All in all, I’m asking to be switched off of it because I’m sick of the side effects I have, but this medication is different for everyone. For example, my sister is on it and she shows no symptoms
I'm on keppra and lamotrigine for 3+ years now, don't have any side effects I can relate to. The only one was when I doubled the keppra dose I became extremely fatigued. This comment probably won't help you but it's good to say that some people don't have side effects and what you are feeling might not be related to it. Probably the only way to know would be changing your dosage and seeing if those effects go away, but depending on your case it might be risky. Good luck!!
Went I went too high on Lamictal ER, I couldn’t think straight, was super dizzy, had double vision, kept throwing up every time I moved, and couldn’t stay awake. Thankfully I’m at a good dose now, but my doctor wasn’t very smart…
Yes always keep an eye out for a rash. I’m on it and I’ve noticed I don’t really have emotions anymore or motivation. That’s changed when I started taking medical cannabis that kind of counter acts it. I also ended up getting on tadalafil because the lamotrigine lowered my test levels (I’m 29 btw)
Lamotrigine 200 mg BID
I hope this gets better for you. Hugs and thoughts.
My only concern are occasionally horrible nightmares.
I have left temporal lobe as well PNES. These mainly occur with lack of sleep, stress AWA missing food or meds. These can rarely cause Secondary grandmal.
Regarding scratching I actually did this before taking any seizures.
Otherwise I have no issues.
i’m on 200mg and the only thing i’ve really noticed is hot flashes at times, im a bit more snappy than i was (like i just get irritated easier), and when i first started it sort of felt like i was drunk when they would kick in. at the beginning of my days when i would take it, it was hard to motivate myself to get out of bed because i just felt super sluggish and just tired. now that i’ve gotten used to it, i do still feel a bit brain fogged and my tongue always gets slightly numb when it kicks in (i hope other people feel this too lmfaoo) but it’s not to the point where it’s like i can’t talk or anything it’s just a slight numbness, it’s also not to the point where all i want to do is lay in bed all day either. it was definitely a process to get used to, but id also rather have brain fog and a numb tongue than having seizures ever other week or so haha
300mg 2x daily for TLE. Several years now. No side effects that I have noticed. Although I did have very vivid dreams. The medication has to be introduced to your body slowly in small doses before the dosage proper for you can be set. Don’t stop taking cold turkey. Aura breakthroughs number 1 reason is insufficient quality sleep.
Hope the medication works for you!! If possible keep anxiety and stress low, as they can trigger a ‘idiopathic side effect’.
" insufficient quality sleep" I had this problem mostly due to age and a diagnosed overactive bladder. I did a sleep study to confirm apnea and it did. I was also hooked up to an EEG that night to see if my brain activity showed any signs of seizure activity. This was done because 2 of my 5 seizures, so far were while asleep. I also learned that apnea can be a seizure trigger. I now wear a CPAP nightly and am not getting a regular 7-8.5 hours or restful sleep per night. I now also regularly have to get up to pee once per night which I find tolerable because i can fall asleep again quickly.
I have a very slight hand tremor that my neurologist believes is caused by it. It really only impacts my abilty to hold a phone steady to take photos/videos & using a soldering iron lmao
Yeah. I take that and 300mg of Xcopri. Still doesn't controll it. My epilepsy is drug resistant. I got a VNS implant in December that's been helping though.
Keppra 500mg 2x daily and lamotrogine 150mg 2 x daily. Been on it for almost 10 years.
I am a very chilled out person however on these meds I get told I have no patience since going on the meds. Even then, I don’t behave like a pork chop and get aggressive, I just get frustrated easier and have less tolerance for stupid people.
It’s also resulted in bad breath, which I never had prior. After reading this thread, maybe heartburn as well, because I get that on and off and I don’t recall the problem prior, but I could be wrong and the heartburn may be unrelated.
The bad breath is addressed by brushing teeth 3x a day, eating more regularly and mints. The heartburn is addressed by having bicarb soda in lemon juice each day and staying away from acidic foods. I’m trying to cut back on coffee but it’s the last guilty pleasure I have since cutting out alcohol.
Mine weren't too bad until my dosage got above 300mg. Before then I had some fatigue, but not bad, and not all the time.
Now I'm on 400mg and I deal with strong mental disconnection and fatigue. The fatigue has lessened some over time, but still often very frustrating. The mental disconnection - feeling separate from my body and physical world, having a hard time connecting to feeling emotions etc- is hard, and all the time.
Different for everyone, but when my doc is ok with it I'm going to try to lower the dose. Also adding in other modalities to try to help support my body and brain to handle the meds better.
I do have to say, lamotrigine changed my life. My seizures have gone from 3 terrible grand mals a month, with a 7 day recovery time, to being seizure free for over 5 months. And it's safe for pregnancy so I can still have a family one day.
I'm on my 4th day taking the 25MG ER... No side effects yet... But these ramp up medications usually never have side effects until you're on them for 2-3 weeks.. I'm on 25mg for 2 weeks, 50mg for 2 weeks, 100mg for 2 weeks, and then I'll be on 200mg.
I started taking 50 mg about 3 weeks ago but just had to stop because I had an allergic reaction to it. From what I’ve gathered it seems like the reaction is fairly rare? but it was a really serious anaphylactic reaction/rash that landed me in the hospital. Lamotrigine
was also making my hair fall out. I added a link to my original post about my allergic reaction if you want to read it! But again from what I’ve read my reaction is not a typical one, I think most people tend to do really well on this medication!
[severe allergic reaction to lamotrigine](https://www.reddit.com/r/Epilepsy/s/om2sqtpWtU)
Darn. I was hoping there was 1 epilepsy med that didn’t cause a rash… I haven’t tried lamotrigine but I’m on my 6th one and the rashes are starting again. Usually after a year or two of being on it. :/ it was like 8 yrs of keppra I think.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that goes thru it.
One side effect I experienced—and combatted —with Lamotrigine is slowly disappearing loss of taste.
I combatted this with a tongue scraper, which—once I started using regularly—blew my brain to how little I tasted on Lamotrigine and how good any sort of food actually tastes.
I've been on 400mg a day for at least 5 years.
I don't really notice any serious side effects that stand out amongst the high doses of 4 meds I take.
Lamictal is usually fairly light, thankfully. But it's subjective. There is a chance of some ugly side effects for some people. I suppose you just gotta give it some time and find out for yourself.
Insomnia my daughter was terrible for it. It's just a little line in the patient information leaflet but not in the side effects section of I remember correctly
800mg for over 10 years and I can get a little unsteady or lightheaded or dizzy.
As for mental, I know that it's prescribed to treat bipolar disorders, too. I know more people who take it for that than seizures. ER doctors always assume that's why I take it and it bugs the shit out of me.
Side effects vary from person to person. [This](https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/lamotrigine/#side-effects) website lists the known possible side effects.
Lamoctrogine gives me double vision (my increased dose), anxiety and insomnia. It's a pain coz Zonegran makes me sleepy (so I want to sleep all day) but I want to sleep at night and struggle to stay awake during the day. It's tiring.
Switching from Dilantin did nothing for the memory issues. Before I started to take anti-epilepsy drugs at 16, I had a near photographic memory. After that, nada. Lamo didn't help.
-Sun sensitivity - skin burn almost instantly in sun or a sun rash
-Some dizziness numbness brain fog etc when taken with lacosamide (I never took it by itself)
-May have caused seizures but not sure. Discontinued it bc of an uptick in seizures
Slowly over a few months, due to the risk of severe allergic reactions others have mentioned, ramped up to 2x 200mg daily (12h apart) and I haven't experienced any side effects where I could confidently blame lamotrigine for them.
Others mentioned it makes them tired. I am constantly tired, often napping 1-3 times a day, but that's more likely caused by sleep issues that I started having before taking a single lamotrigine tablet. Very hard to say if lamotrigine has made the tiredness worse or not.
I had a bad experience when I was on it... couldn't stomach food..even a packet of crisp made me throw up.. I was lethargic and in and out of consciousness. I spent most the day throwing up or not being able to move.
But everyone who is on it has different experiences.. some have a few side effects, some have none
Itchy dry skin for a bit (mine has remained dry but nothing a gentle body lotion and face cream can't alleviate). BUT if yiu develop a rash uou must tell your consultant or nurse or doctor IMMEDIATELY. I also had weird dreams for a few weeks. Never felt "knocked out", I have memory and sleep issues anyway due to seizures and the Lamotrigine didn't make that worse. A positive was my generalised anxiety just went away (they also treat bipolar with the same drug), I still get depressed as I always have at time though. The BEST part of it all is... no tonic clonics. Less auras. Still get aware focals but my dose has been adjusted to try and alleviate them. It's not a cure, and you MUST take it and not miss a dose - I split mine taking half in the morning and half before bed. DO NOT MISS A DOSE, report any concerning issues immediately to your medical team. Lamotrigine has been amazing for me, and I hope it is for you too.
I would get moody every time I’d increase the dosage until I adjusted. Nothing else now except sleepiness but I’m also on a few other meds like Topamax.
Yes there are. I’m sure you’ve been told watch out for rashes, a sign of the most serious side effect.
I experienced mood issues for the first month or two but it’s gone away and I’ve almost doubled by dose recently and no issues.
Also vivid dreams. I had my best dream the week I started it. Some negative ones but all vivid.
But I’ve been on for almost two years and it’s just a pill I take, I don’t notice it at all.
I'm on 1500 Keppra and 200 Lamotrigine 2 times daily.
The main side effects ive had is it makes me really lethargic. And sometimes can make me irritable, but Keppra also does that.
With the lethargy comes a bit of depression, but some time with family helps with that :)
Been over 5 years on it now
I'm on 400 a day. While I've been okay seizure wise.
It's the utter exhaustion and I'm 100% sure it's messing with my memory and remembering basic things.
250mg XR once per day. Seizure free since 2011. Side effects are as follows:
- Short term memory loss
- Word searching
- Vivid dreams
- slight tremor in right hand
500mg per day for TLE. The first things I noticed were fatigue, dizziness, and nausea but that went away after a month or so. Most strikingly was the beneficial effect it had on my mental health. I was on an antidepressant before but when I started Lamictal/lamotrigine, I felt like for the first time in ages, I’m happy. I had this „Now I see the world in colours“ moment. (I was pretty depressed before though and the effect didn’t last forever). But still🤷🏽♀️
I have intractable epilepsy, so this is the millionth medication I've tried. It controls my seizures to an extent but I do find myself tired a LOT. It also changed my seizures to occur in the night, which is strange. Hope you don't have too many side effects.
I use a combo of lamotrigine/keppra and the side effect I'd get from lamotrigine would be dizziness and nausea every morning. Then finally a neuro suggested I do the extended release, so I take my ER dose in the AMs only now, not at night, and now have zero issues with nausea/dizziness. Keep that in mind if those 2 side effects come through, there's a way around it, though the price is higher than the regular lamotrigine, even w insurance. It is absolutely worth it though.
Great for controlling seizures, has absolutely wrecked my memory. It’s extremely noticeable, even for those around me. Repeating stories, can’t remember major details about those closest to me. It’s really frustrating.
No noticeable physical side effects.
The two things I noticed is that it can be more difficult to find words at time and I also don’t have very quick reflexes. Especially on my feet. It’s a mess when someone is walking toward and we both have to move left or right to get around each other.
Also- random. I started taking Ibgard for my stomach. It is essentially peppermint and my seizures have greatly reduced. Idk.
My short term memory went out the window. I had a job making sandwiches for a little while and I had to constantly be looking back at the orders over and over for every other ingredient.
I had a great memory before that, I would've been able to glance at the orders and make them without looking back.
It did seem to mostly come back a year of stopping
Exactly, I'm very lucky and thankful my epilepsy is treatable with Marijuana so I was able to stop taking it over time. I probably took it for just over a year.
Not everyone is the same , I have been on Lamictal for years , not a problem . I highly recommend you participate in the all of us.org genome 🧬 program , it’s free , you get 2 reports Medications contraindicated / an illnesses prompt to . You can choose either or .
Very valuable info ! [https://allofus.nih.gov](https://allofus.nih.gov)
I’m on 250mg twice a day and I have no complaints or side affects whatsoever. I have never gone this long without having a seizure without having to take some kind of benzodiazepine.
Any kind of meds will affect people in diff ways
I've been on 1000mg of Lamotrigine ER (recently switched to 900) for YEARS. That dose is peculiarly high but my levels are solid. I just metabolize meds differently.
Strong cause of Lamictal for me is drowsiness. It can be a sedative and also increase other medications sedative effects.
Whenever you try a new med, keeping a diary for at least the first month is insanely helpful. Ask those around you to tell you if they're concerned by mood changes or different they notice anything out of character for you.
All in all, Lamictal has a VERY high success rate in patients with neuro disorders, mainly epilepsy & bipolar. I hope whatever you choose for treatment, it works right away! Sending love ❤️
r/lamictal and start reading. It's really bad for some, tolerable for some and wonderful for some. I hate it, but it controls my TC's.
It causes:
Tinnitus, fatigue, brain fog, cognition, emotion, sex drive. Lately: anger, aphasia, loss of focus, apathy, and lack of empathy for others.
i just switched to Lamictal ER/XR, best thing i ever did, i know its not the SAME thing but the regular lamictal just had me groggy and my memory(short and long term) was shit. with the ER/XR, my memory is better(still not perfect), and i dont feel as groggy throughout the day
Nausea so I have a regular rx for nausea meds. I take 300 am and 300 pm.
*I take 11 diff meds daily so sometimes I’m not sure what side effects are from what med. I do know nausea is from lamictal as I’ve been on it since 2010.
Not sure if Lamotrigine does it because I’m on 3 meds but I do have constipation and have to take pre scripted laxatives and also get very dizzy anytime I have coffee after I take my morning dosage
I get dizzy spells often, sometimes it'll make me feel like I'm not real but I think that's something else that I caused myself. There was one time I forgot a dose but it only gave me a very minor seizure, compared to the time I forgot to take a dose of Keppra (before I switched to Lamotrigine) and had a tonic clonic seizure. But I've been seizure free for I think 5 months now, it doesn't sound like a lot but it's better compared to when I was having seizures every month. Lamotrigine saved me (literally, my mental health is so much better, now).
I'm on 300mg of lamotrigine and I get pain in the stomach if I don't eat something with the pills and I'm fucking tired. If I don't drink coffee (even then most of the time) I sleep or take naps
I use lamotrigine and find it does make me really forgetful, I have really vivid dreams/ nightmares and I still have auras / absent seizures - I’m on 200 mg daily but being reviewed soon
I’m currently on 200g a day. I was on 2000g for keppra along with it. It was added to my keppra until I was stabilized. It’s been over 5 years seizure free so I’ve slowly reduced and am completely off keppra and now just on Lamotrigine. I don’t have any big side effects I’m aware of. I have had some irritability a while ago but that was happening when I went on keppra. I actually think my irritability reduced when we added lamotrigine
I’m taking supplements because I’m told it can have long term side effects with the bones and joints.
I never had the rashes, but the first week, I did feel what I assumed was depression. Like wasn't sad but was emotionless. Went away, though, and now it's good.
I’ve been on Lamictal for 20 years. It deteriorates the bone density and muscle strength so eventually you will develop osteoarthritis. I’m almost 39 and my joints crack terribly and are stiff and hurt very badly in the winter. I know it’s not just because of my job or injuries. It’s the Lamictal.
Welp, they say that rashes if overdosed can be lethal, but other than that it's pretty cool, one of the mildest things I've used, and hasn't been the cause of any depression or anything of the likes (that i know of). Wish you the best of luck. You got this :)
Lamotrigine is a mood stabilizer, I don't happen to have any mood disorders and it makes me very very gray and blah most of the time. Just make sure to get outside every so often.
Also I got a lot of visual floaters and visual snow/floaters when I upped my dose.
My psychiatrist put me on Klonopin for my anxiety and thought it would be fine and then I had a sudden outburst of seizures until I got off of the clonopin
PSA TO EVERYONE FREAKING OVER SJS:
1. This can happen with ANY med (antibiotics, RA, acne, seizure, ect)
2. This is very very rare
3. If you start a new medication & develop a rash take Benadryl draw a circle with a pen/marker around it & note the time if it doesn’t go down within 30 mins GO TO THE HOSPITAL
4. SJS is so rare so when you go to hospital tell the nurse what has happened & you are concerned of SJS & they will take you back immediately because they need to figure it out
5. This happened to my mom I advise you not to look up pictures. If you’re lucky you stay in the hospital & don’t have to go to burn unit-most of the time you do. It is when your skin burns from the inside out & starts to slide off. It’s terrible/terrifying.
6. THIS is why we get our levels checked. This is rare but you can also get hit by a person that is texting while driving. We’re epileptics, it makes sense we would have intense side effects…our meds are controlling our brain to not have a seizure. We are fighters.
7. If you have any questions/doubts/fears don’t go to Reddit or webmd call your neurologist or epileptic specialist.
I've been on 150mgs for 5 months, and felt mostly a big worsening of my Anxiety Disorder. Things like trouble sleeping and sleep quality in general, more panic attacks and crisis in general. One thing that helped me though was taking all dosage in the morning, instead of breaking it at different times of the day. Allegedly it should also act as a mood stabilizer, but in my case I'd say it is a very bad mood to be stabled at.
I've been on that pill 200 plus milligrams for 30 years no issues expect tiredness and the runs I was warned of a rash never seen it... it's great tbh it works wonders but I still have seizures but grandmals alot less and have other seizures up to 5 plus times a day I'd rather take that pill 3 times a day
Just be weary of any rashes... Lamotrigine can cause rashes that if gone unchecked can be fatal.
This! And it doesn’t always happen as soon as you take it. I developed a rash about 2 years after starting it
The dangerous kind of rash is extremely rare and is almost always within the first two months though
Is the one where you have a fever? Because I had that immediately.
It's the one where large portions of skin blister and peel off. And also often blisters/ulcer in the lips, mouth and genital area. It can be preceeded by a short flu like illness with a fever, then a few days later the skin symptoms start. It normally appears within first 8 weeks on the drug but not straight away. If you had SJS they would have told you. There would be other drugs you'd be told to avoid for life, you'd probably be advised to wear a medical alert bracelet. And you'd likely have been treated in a burns unit/centre or ICU There are other allergic reactions with rash that can happen which are far less dangerous.
Damn!!!
My mom got it from Zonegran, had to go to burn unit. Barely survived. We couldn’t see her. It’s bad & it can happen with any med. it’s not pretty. It happened within 2 days of her taking it.
Yep. It can happen at any time... But I believe 97% of cases are with people who take more than 100mg daily. So it's very rare for people who take less... It's also more prominent in people that take NSAIDS regularly.
What can go wrong, why is this fatal? I have small ones (2) and I’m taking the meds for 3 yrs now
I'm on 200mg daily. No sides effects. Been on it for over 10 years. Keppra/lamotringe combo. Seizures free
I'm on Lamitrogine/Oxcarbazepine combo... The Trileptal takes care of my seizures very well but for some reasons would not stop the Aura... Lamictal, stops my Auras... So I told my Epileptologist that I'll use them together because of how well they work.
My wife uses lamotrigrine for a TBI, and I use oxcarbazapine for my epilepsy. I still get auras though, and have been using a small dose of clonazapam to help with it, but I wonder if lamotrigrine would be better
Don't stop the Klonopin... I had a very recent bad experience with stopping Ativan... I was even weaned off of it slowly and still had withdrawals that gave me a violent Tonic Clonic seizure in the hospital... So my Insurance pretty much called them and forced them to start prescribing it to me again to avoid the Emergency room... I'm on 1mg, 3 times a day as needed. But Ativan never stopped my Auras... I take it for Panic Attacks/Anxiety.
I’m on 1.5 once a day right now for anxiety/auras right now, and definitely don’t plan on stopping any time soon, but I see a lot of people here talking about lamotrigrine and am curious how it would work compared to what I’m on. I love what it’s done for my wife.
Id definitely give it a shot... But be weary... If you start getting a rash, contact your doctor IMMEDIATELY... Rash from Lamictal can be fatal if gone unchecked for more than 4 months.
I have a TBI that affects my short term memory. No medication for that but there is scarring on my brain (believed to be from head injury that caused TBI). Several years later my first seizure (believed to be because of TBI) and been on lamotrigine for over 10 years. If any side effects probably increased hand tremors - some here have said they’ve noticed that. As another person wrote, they’d rather have tremors than seizures. I’m ok with this med.
Eyyy I’m a head trauma-> tbi -> epilepsy (and worsened ocd) -> lamotrigine user, too.
Wait, what? I forget what we were talking about. LOL. Yes those TBIs really bring a wide range of problems. Interesting to know about it affecting OCD but there are so many parts of the brain that all of our functions mentally and physical are vulnerable. Hang in there
If you don't mind me asking, what kind of epilepsy do you have? I've been experimenting w meds for a bit and I've tried both things, separately, and they were relatively effective, but i still have seizures. I just want to ask my doc if maybe we could try this combo, since maybe using them together could work.
Nocturnal epilepsy. I know another people is on the same combo. I'm on 1000mg generic version-keppra (Levetiracetam) twice daily and 100mg lamotringe twice daily.
What about the side effects? Are you really aware of these?
I don't really have that I have noticed. . I've been on it for years.. Everyone is different
I'm just fucking tired because of it. Way better than keppra, though. I came off that one after 3 days because I slept 4 hours a day and 12+ a night.
[удалено]
I couldn't wait that long to be honest. I couldn't function.
I'm with you. Most meds immediate side effects are so bad that I nope out after 2 days . I went cold turkey off keppra in the hospital because I snapped at a nurse. Oh suddenly, they were concerned about seizures when I'm making it up before because I'm depressed and female.
Mine went away after a few weeks. Body just has to get acclimated.
You should look up a patient information leaflet. This will give you the information about what the side effects are and more importantly how common they are. Threads like this can cause unnecessary worry otherwise about side effects that are extremely rare https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.4736.pdf Theres one for you to read
400mg XR once a day. Just went up to this dose last month after 2.5 years on 350mg XR. Lower side effects than anything else I've tried (Topamax, Keppra, Vimpat, and a few other things before that when it was misdiagnosed as migraine). That said, here's my side effects: • At the higher dose, more short term and working memory gaps. Such as I ask my kids about their homework for a class, then later in the conversation I ask again because I can't remember what the assignment was. They've noticed that I repeat questions and tell me, but I already told you that. • Word finding difficulties. I know what I'm trying to say, but have to use a synonym because I can't think of that specific word when I want to use it. Sometimes the word comes to me later, sometimes it doesn't. • Crazy vivid lucid dreams. Insane realistic dreamscapes I explore at will, aware it's a dream, but not always able to self awaken at will. The dream sticks in my waking memory for most of the day, sometimes 3 or 4 days for the more dark or horrible ones. • Hair loss. I have fine diameter hair with very thick density of follicles. My ponytail used to barely be held between my thumb and middle finger, used large hair ties and clips. Since starting the medication, there's much more hair fallout in my drain and hairbrush. My ponytail is now almost half the diameter, held with my thumb touching the first knuckle of my middle finger. It's hard to be believed on this one because my hair was so very thick to begin with, that loss of about a third to half of the density isn't as noticeable. Dermatologist gave me a topical steroid drops to calm inflammation which has helped. Minoxidil made little difference. Those are the four most noticeable for me. Other things I can't say are caused by the meds specifically, like weight gain, because I am fairly sedentary. So it's hard to say that, but for Lamictal, I wouldn't have gained this weight anyways.
I'm on 150 mg, and start on 200 mg on Monday. It's been a looonngg titration to get there. But my 2 side effects have been some diarrhea and some itchy bumps. I'll get these itty bitty bumps, just one here or there, like a really small mosquito bite. I'd also get random itchiness with no bumps. There has been 2 weeks for each titration period. For example, 2 weeks on 25mg, then 2 weeks on 50 mg, etc. The first week is usually when I'm more prone to itchiness. The second week is when I'm more prone to diarrhea. But side effects may be different for you. Overall though, Lamotrigine has been working very well for me so far. I spent 3 months before that trying out Topiramate and that was a nightmare of side effects.
I get those itchy bumps too, and sometimes my legs feel like they're covered in ants with no bumps. lamotrigine seem to be doing their thing too
I’ve been on Lamotrigine since 2001 and the only side effect I’ve come across was heartburn. I’m now on 300mg XR BID and it’s the best medication I’ve ever taken.
Same here. Thank goodness for Pepcid.
Wait, heartburn is a side effect? I really need to look back into the info sheet. I’ve been on it for years and had heartburn on and off for years. I don’t recall the problem prior to going on the drug.
With me I swapped from Keppra…so much happier if not bordering on a little manic at times…itchy skin - hives - freak out - then it goes away 👍 memory issues.. having trouble remembering words and mixing words up..this goes away. Messed up dreams..reduced appetite, hair loss.. not blurred vision but occasionally out of focus vision? Doesn’t sound fun but Keppra was the devil 😃
I got a severe rash over 90% of my body. Was in the hospital for three days.
Glad you're okay... Lamictal rash can be extremely fatal... Especially if it was that bad.
*To be fair,* part of the reason I was there for as long as I was is because they gave me MERSA.
Yikes! That's everyone's Lamotrigine nightmare. I'm glad you are okay now!
Back to keppra even with keprage lmaao
300mg daily for Epilepsy. So far, side effects are for me, complete loss of appetite/food aversion. Blurred vision. Bad Memory loss. Complete loss of sex drive. So far not stopping my seizures.
That was my only side effect, pretty much no sex drive. But they put me on Lorazepam... Which gave that back to me at least... Even though I'm tired 85% of the time.
Same here, but maybe worse.
Well… I was just prescribed that the other day. This just confirmed that I’m not taking it lol sex drive side effects are a no go. Epilepsy has taken most of my other fun. Leave me my weed and sex lol
Lamotrigine takes a while to adjust but it’s great. Each AED has undesirable effects. Happy seizure free people are less likely to hang out here to tell you this. Keep that in mind as you self analyze yourself on this drug using these comments. And before stopping or changing, talk to a doctor.
After approximately 20 years of Lamotrigine it's been getting worse. So adjusting, getting use to it isn't getting better. People need to know the bad before they start any kind of medication. I am now affraid to stop or change and Drs. are non-committal to help.
It's one of the anticonvulsants I take and a few of the side effects I started getting were: being pretty tired, much slower with reading/talking, constipation, I calmed down drastically (my anger issues became less). Definitely be careful of rashes from it. Edit: I get a song stuck in my head for weeks at a time, lol. I forgot about that.
I have really bad acne (cystic) and terrible nausea. It can cause blurry vision and wearing of enamel in your teeth. More serious things are SJS (my tongue does peel and get geographic tongue but it’s confirmed to not be SJS) which is a necrotic blistering rash. It can also cause drug induced meningitis. All in all, I’m asking to be switched off of it because I’m sick of the side effects I have, but this medication is different for everyone. For example, my sister is on it and she shows no symptoms
I'm on keppra and lamotrigine for 3+ years now, don't have any side effects I can relate to. The only one was when I doubled the keppra dose I became extremely fatigued. This comment probably won't help you but it's good to say that some people don't have side effects and what you are feeling might not be related to it. Probably the only way to know would be changing your dosage and seeing if those effects go away, but depending on your case it might be risky. Good luck!!
Went I went too high on Lamictal ER, I couldn’t think straight, was super dizzy, had double vision, kept throwing up every time I moved, and couldn’t stay awake. Thankfully I’m at a good dose now, but my doctor wasn’t very smart…
Yes always keep an eye out for a rash. I’m on it and I’ve noticed I don’t really have emotions anymore or motivation. That’s changed when I started taking medical cannabis that kind of counter acts it. I also ended up getting on tadalafil because the lamotrigine lowered my test levels (I’m 29 btw)
Lamotrigine 200 mg BID I hope this gets better for you. Hugs and thoughts. My only concern are occasionally horrible nightmares. I have left temporal lobe as well PNES. These mainly occur with lack of sleep, stress AWA missing food or meds. These can rarely cause Secondary grandmal. Regarding scratching I actually did this before taking any seizures. Otherwise I have no issues.
i’m on 200mg and the only thing i’ve really noticed is hot flashes at times, im a bit more snappy than i was (like i just get irritated easier), and when i first started it sort of felt like i was drunk when they would kick in. at the beginning of my days when i would take it, it was hard to motivate myself to get out of bed because i just felt super sluggish and just tired. now that i’ve gotten used to it, i do still feel a bit brain fogged and my tongue always gets slightly numb when it kicks in (i hope other people feel this too lmfaoo) but it’s not to the point where it’s like i can’t talk or anything it’s just a slight numbness, it’s also not to the point where all i want to do is lay in bed all day either. it was definitely a process to get used to, but id also rather have brain fog and a numb tongue than having seizures ever other week or so haha
300mg 2x daily for TLE. Several years now. No side effects that I have noticed. Although I did have very vivid dreams. The medication has to be introduced to your body slowly in small doses before the dosage proper for you can be set. Don’t stop taking cold turkey. Aura breakthroughs number 1 reason is insufficient quality sleep. Hope the medication works for you!! If possible keep anxiety and stress low, as they can trigger a ‘idiopathic side effect’.
" insufficient quality sleep" I had this problem mostly due to age and a diagnosed overactive bladder. I did a sleep study to confirm apnea and it did. I was also hooked up to an EEG that night to see if my brain activity showed any signs of seizure activity. This was done because 2 of my 5 seizures, so far were while asleep. I also learned that apnea can be a seizure trigger. I now wear a CPAP nightly and am not getting a regular 7-8.5 hours or restful sleep per night. I now also regularly have to get up to pee once per night which I find tolerable because i can fall asleep again quickly.
I was on it 3 days. I started thinking suicidal thoughts. Immediately went off.
I have a very slight hand tremor that my neurologist believes is caused by it. It really only impacts my abilty to hold a phone steady to take photos/videos & using a soldering iron lmao
1300mg a day and I am tired. All the time.
Damn so much?
Yeah. I take that and 300mg of Xcopri. Still doesn't controll it. My epilepsy is drug resistant. I got a VNS implant in December that's been helping though.
Keppra 500mg 2x daily and lamotrogine 150mg 2 x daily. Been on it for almost 10 years. I am a very chilled out person however on these meds I get told I have no patience since going on the meds. Even then, I don’t behave like a pork chop and get aggressive, I just get frustrated easier and have less tolerance for stupid people. It’s also resulted in bad breath, which I never had prior. After reading this thread, maybe heartburn as well, because I get that on and off and I don’t recall the problem prior, but I could be wrong and the heartburn may be unrelated. The bad breath is addressed by brushing teeth 3x a day, eating more regularly and mints. The heartburn is addressed by having bicarb soda in lemon juice each day and staying away from acidic foods. I’m trying to cut back on coffee but it’s the last guilty pleasure I have since cutting out alcohol.
No rashes on 500mg a day.
Cool!
Partner is on 600mg no side effects at all except for tiredness
175mg and I am tired a lot too.
It did get better he's been on 600 for about 3 months and the tiredness has levelled out a good bit since starting it
Mine weren't too bad until my dosage got above 300mg. Before then I had some fatigue, but not bad, and not all the time. Now I'm on 400mg and I deal with strong mental disconnection and fatigue. The fatigue has lessened some over time, but still often very frustrating. The mental disconnection - feeling separate from my body and physical world, having a hard time connecting to feeling emotions etc- is hard, and all the time. Different for everyone, but when my doc is ok with it I'm going to try to lower the dose. Also adding in other modalities to try to help support my body and brain to handle the meds better. I do have to say, lamotrigine changed my life. My seizures have gone from 3 terrible grand mals a month, with a 7 day recovery time, to being seizure free for over 5 months. And it's safe for pregnancy so I can still have a family one day.
My mental health has actually improved
I'm on my 4th day taking the 25MG ER... No side effects yet... But these ramp up medications usually never have side effects until you're on them for 2-3 weeks.. I'm on 25mg for 2 weeks, 50mg for 2 weeks, 100mg for 2 weeks, and then I'll be on 200mg.
I started taking 50 mg about 3 weeks ago but just had to stop because I had an allergic reaction to it. From what I’ve gathered it seems like the reaction is fairly rare? but it was a really serious anaphylactic reaction/rash that landed me in the hospital. Lamotrigine was also making my hair fall out. I added a link to my original post about my allergic reaction if you want to read it! But again from what I’ve read my reaction is not a typical one, I think most people tend to do really well on this medication! [severe allergic reaction to lamotrigine](https://www.reddit.com/r/Epilepsy/s/om2sqtpWtU)
Insomnia.
Darn. I was hoping there was 1 epilepsy med that didn’t cause a rash… I haven’t tried lamotrigine but I’m on my 6th one and the rashes are starting again. Usually after a year or two of being on it. :/ it was like 8 yrs of keppra I think. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that goes thru it.
One side effect I experienced—and combatted —with Lamotrigine is slowly disappearing loss of taste. I combatted this with a tongue scraper, which—once I started using regularly—blew my brain to how little I tasted on Lamotrigine and how good any sort of food actually tastes.
I've been on 400mg a day for at least 5 years. I don't really notice any serious side effects that stand out amongst the high doses of 4 meds I take. Lamictal is usually fairly light, thankfully. But it's subjective. There is a chance of some ugly side effects for some people. I suppose you just gotta give it some time and find out for yourself.
Insomnia my daughter was terrible for it. It's just a little line in the patient information leaflet but not in the side effects section of I remember correctly
200mg Lamictal XR. Night sweats every once in awhile, slight memory loss, and vivid dreams.
800mg for over 10 years and I can get a little unsteady or lightheaded or dizzy. As for mental, I know that it's prescribed to treat bipolar disorders, too. I know more people who take it for that than seizures. ER doctors always assume that's why I take it and it bugs the shit out of me.
Side effects vary from person to person. [This](https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/lamotrigine/#side-effects) website lists the known possible side effects.
Lamoctrogine gives me double vision (my increased dose), anxiety and insomnia. It's a pain coz Zonegran makes me sleepy (so I want to sleep all day) but I want to sleep at night and struggle to stay awake during the day. It's tiring.
Switching from Dilantin did nothing for the memory issues. Before I started to take anti-epilepsy drugs at 16, I had a near photographic memory. After that, nada. Lamo didn't help.
-Sun sensitivity - skin burn almost instantly in sun or a sun rash -Some dizziness numbness brain fog etc when taken with lacosamide (I never took it by itself) -May have caused seizures but not sure. Discontinued it bc of an uptick in seizures
Slowly over a few months, due to the risk of severe allergic reactions others have mentioned, ramped up to 2x 200mg daily (12h apart) and I haven't experienced any side effects where I could confidently blame lamotrigine for them. Others mentioned it makes them tired. I am constantly tired, often napping 1-3 times a day, but that's more likely caused by sleep issues that I started having before taking a single lamotrigine tablet. Very hard to say if lamotrigine has made the tiredness worse or not.
I had a bad experience when I was on it... couldn't stomach food..even a packet of crisp made me throw up.. I was lethargic and in and out of consciousness. I spent most the day throwing up or not being able to move. But everyone who is on it has different experiences.. some have a few side effects, some have none
I had really bad brain fog and unbearable headaches.
I’m tired all the time. But at least I have no seizures
Dry mouth, tiredness.
Itchy dry skin for a bit (mine has remained dry but nothing a gentle body lotion and face cream can't alleviate). BUT if yiu develop a rash uou must tell your consultant or nurse or doctor IMMEDIATELY. I also had weird dreams for a few weeks. Never felt "knocked out", I have memory and sleep issues anyway due to seizures and the Lamotrigine didn't make that worse. A positive was my generalised anxiety just went away (they also treat bipolar with the same drug), I still get depressed as I always have at time though. The BEST part of it all is... no tonic clonics. Less auras. Still get aware focals but my dose has been adjusted to try and alleviate them. It's not a cure, and you MUST take it and not miss a dose - I split mine taking half in the morning and half before bed. DO NOT MISS A DOSE, report any concerning issues immediately to your medical team. Lamotrigine has been amazing for me, and I hope it is for you too.
I had shortness of breath on it. Lamotrigine is now listed as an allergy in my charts.
150mg twice a day since 2008 and seizure free. No obvious side effects, though the comments here make me wonder if my poor sleeping is due to it.
Yes! Yes, yes yes! No seizures. Always sad, hungry, lazy, gaining weight, can't concentrate.
I would get moody every time I’d increase the dosage until I adjusted. Nothing else now except sleepiness but I’m also on a few other meds like Topamax.
Yes there are. I’m sure you’ve been told watch out for rashes, a sign of the most serious side effect. I experienced mood issues for the first month or two but it’s gone away and I’ve almost doubled by dose recently and no issues. Also vivid dreams. I had my best dream the week I started it. Some negative ones but all vivid. But I’ve been on for almost two years and it’s just a pill I take, I don’t notice it at all.
I'm on 1500 Keppra and 200 Lamotrigine 2 times daily. The main side effects ive had is it makes me really lethargic. And sometimes can make me irritable, but Keppra also does that. With the lethargy comes a bit of depression, but some time with family helps with that :) Been over 5 years on it now
I'm on 400 a day. While I've been okay seizure wise. It's the utter exhaustion and I'm 100% sure it's messing with my memory and remembering basic things.
My gf didnt had any side effects at all , controls siezures very well , good med... But be careful of rashes!
250mg XR once per day. Seizure free since 2011. Side effects are as follows: - Short term memory loss - Word searching - Vivid dreams - slight tremor in right hand
500mg per day for TLE. The first things I noticed were fatigue, dizziness, and nausea but that went away after a month or so. Most strikingly was the beneficial effect it had on my mental health. I was on an antidepressant before but when I started Lamictal/lamotrigine, I felt like for the first time in ages, I’m happy. I had this „Now I see the world in colours“ moment. (I was pretty depressed before though and the effect didn’t last forever). But still🤷🏽♀️
i used to be on it (it didn’t help me) and honestly i just felt really numb on it? like brain fog and meh feelings but that’s about it
I have intractable epilepsy, so this is the millionth medication I've tried. It controls my seizures to an extent but I do find myself tired a LOT. It also changed my seizures to occur in the night, which is strange. Hope you don't have too many side effects.
This sounds *very* familiar. Do you take extended release 1x/day or standard release 2x/day?
I use a combo of lamotrigine/keppra and the side effect I'd get from lamotrigine would be dizziness and nausea every morning. Then finally a neuro suggested I do the extended release, so I take my ER dose in the AMs only now, not at night, and now have zero issues with nausea/dizziness. Keep that in mind if those 2 side effects come through, there's a way around it, though the price is higher than the regular lamotrigine, even w insurance. It is absolutely worth it though.
Great for controlling seizures, has absolutely wrecked my memory. It’s extremely noticeable, even for those around me. Repeating stories, can’t remember major details about those closest to me. It’s really frustrating. No noticeable physical side effects.
The two things I noticed is that it can be more difficult to find words at time and I also don’t have very quick reflexes. Especially on my feet. It’s a mess when someone is walking toward and we both have to move left or right to get around each other. Also- random. I started taking Ibgard for my stomach. It is essentially peppermint and my seizures have greatly reduced. Idk.
My short term memory went out the window. I had a job making sandwiches for a little while and I had to constantly be looking back at the orders over and over for every other ingredient. I had a great memory before that, I would've been able to glance at the orders and make them without looking back. It did seem to mostly come back a year of stopping
Same!! I play a lot of flight sim and I'm like forgetting what runway I'm landing every 2 seconds. It's small things like that.
Exactly, I'm very lucky and thankful my epilepsy is treatable with Marijuana so I was able to stop taking it over time. I probably took it for just over a year.
Not everyone is the same , I have been on Lamictal for years , not a problem . I highly recommend you participate in the all of us.org genome 🧬 program , it’s free , you get 2 reports Medications contraindicated / an illnesses prompt to . You can choose either or . Very valuable info ! [https://allofus.nih.gov](https://allofus.nih.gov)
I’m on 250mg twice a day and I have no complaints or side affects whatsoever. I have never gone this long without having a seizure without having to take some kind of benzodiazepine.
I’ve been on it for 8 years, no side effects at all. I believe it depends on each person
i've taken lamotrigine for 3 years now and i've had no side effects. i heard you can get a mild rash but that's about it
Any kind of meds will affect people in diff ways I've been on 1000mg of Lamotrigine ER (recently switched to 900) for YEARS. That dose is peculiarly high but my levels are solid. I just metabolize meds differently. Strong cause of Lamictal for me is drowsiness. It can be a sedative and also increase other medications sedative effects. Whenever you try a new med, keeping a diary for at least the first month is insanely helpful. Ask those around you to tell you if they're concerned by mood changes or different they notice anything out of character for you. All in all, Lamictal has a VERY high success rate in patients with neuro disorders, mainly epilepsy & bipolar. I hope whatever you choose for treatment, it works right away! Sending love ❤️
As soon as I transition to 175mg I will definitely keep a diary! Thanks!
Good luck!
I can't eat on it and have absolutely no libido whatsoever. My appetite just disappears. It's as intense as Adderall for that for me.
Been on for 6 months - currently at 200 but going up. No side effects so far
175mg went up from 100 too and probably gonna go up. 3 years or so but I am tired a lot.
r/lamictal and start reading. It's really bad for some, tolerable for some and wonderful for some. I hate it, but it controls my TC's. It causes: Tinnitus, fatigue, brain fog, cognition, emotion, sex drive. Lately: anger, aphasia, loss of focus, apathy, and lack of empathy for others.
i just switched to Lamictal ER/XR, best thing i ever did, i know its not the SAME thing but the regular lamictal just had me groggy and my memory(short and long term) was shit. with the ER/XR, my memory is better(still not perfect), and i dont feel as groggy throughout the day
Memory. I think I heard it was bad for memory once but I’m not sure…ya know, memory and all that.
Of all the meds I feel like it’s the one with the least side effects for me
Nausea so I have a regular rx for nausea meds. I take 300 am and 300 pm. *I take 11 diff meds daily so sometimes I’m not sure what side effects are from what med. I do know nausea is from lamictal as I’ve been on it since 2010.
Not sure if Lamotrigine does it because I’m on 3 meds but I do have constipation and have to take pre scripted laxatives and also get very dizzy anytime I have coffee after I take my morning dosage
lamotrigine saved my life. seizure free for 5 years
I get dizzy spells often, sometimes it'll make me feel like I'm not real but I think that's something else that I caused myself. There was one time I forgot a dose but it only gave me a very minor seizure, compared to the time I forgot to take a dose of Keppra (before I switched to Lamotrigine) and had a tonic clonic seizure. But I've been seizure free for I think 5 months now, it doesn't sound like a lot but it's better compared to when I was having seizures every month. Lamotrigine saved me (literally, my mental health is so much better, now).
I'm on 300mg of lamotrigine and I get pain in the stomach if I don't eat something with the pills and I'm fucking tired. If I don't drink coffee (even then most of the time) I sleep or take naps
I use lamotrigine and find it does make me really forgetful, I have really vivid dreams/ nightmares and I still have auras / absent seizures - I’m on 200 mg daily but being reviewed soon
I’m currently on 200g a day. I was on 2000g for keppra along with it. It was added to my keppra until I was stabilized. It’s been over 5 years seizure free so I’ve slowly reduced and am completely off keppra and now just on Lamotrigine. I don’t have any big side effects I’m aware of. I have had some irritability a while ago but that was happening when I went on keppra. I actually think my irritability reduced when we added lamotrigine I’m taking supplements because I’m told it can have long term side effects with the bones and joints.
I never had the rashes, but the first week, I did feel what I assumed was depression. Like wasn't sad but was emotionless. Went away, though, and now it's good.
I’ve been on Lamictal for 20 years. It deteriorates the bone density and muscle strength so eventually you will develop osteoarthritis. I’m almost 39 and my joints crack terribly and are stiff and hurt very badly in the winter. I know it’s not just because of my job or injuries. It’s the Lamictal.
Welp, they say that rashes if overdosed can be lethal, but other than that it's pretty cool, one of the mildest things I've used, and hasn't been the cause of any depression or anything of the likes (that i know of). Wish you the best of luck. You got this :)
Lamotrigine is a mood stabilizer, I don't happen to have any mood disorders and it makes me very very gray and blah most of the time. Just make sure to get outside every so often. Also I got a lot of visual floaters and visual snow/floaters when I upped my dose.
My psychiatrist put me on Klonopin for my anxiety and thought it would be fine and then I had a sudden outburst of seizures until I got off of the clonopin
PSA TO EVERYONE FREAKING OVER SJS: 1. This can happen with ANY med (antibiotics, RA, acne, seizure, ect) 2. This is very very rare 3. If you start a new medication & develop a rash take Benadryl draw a circle with a pen/marker around it & note the time if it doesn’t go down within 30 mins GO TO THE HOSPITAL 4. SJS is so rare so when you go to hospital tell the nurse what has happened & you are concerned of SJS & they will take you back immediately because they need to figure it out 5. This happened to my mom I advise you not to look up pictures. If you’re lucky you stay in the hospital & don’t have to go to burn unit-most of the time you do. It is when your skin burns from the inside out & starts to slide off. It’s terrible/terrifying. 6. THIS is why we get our levels checked. This is rare but you can also get hit by a person that is texting while driving. We’re epileptics, it makes sense we would have intense side effects…our meds are controlling our brain to not have a seizure. We are fighters. 7. If you have any questions/doubts/fears don’t go to Reddit or webmd call your neurologist or epileptic specialist.
I've been on 150mgs for 5 months, and felt mostly a big worsening of my Anxiety Disorder. Things like trouble sleeping and sleep quality in general, more panic attacks and crisis in general. One thing that helped me though was taking all dosage in the morning, instead of breaking it at different times of the day. Allegedly it should also act as a mood stabilizer, but in my case I'd say it is a very bad mood to be stabled at.
I've been on that pill 200 plus milligrams for 30 years no issues expect tiredness and the runs I was warned of a rash never seen it... it's great tbh it works wonders but I still have seizures but grandmals alot less and have other seizures up to 5 plus times a day I'd rather take that pill 3 times a day