I have been taking Lamictal for just over a year. Some of the sid...

Yes, I have had all these side affects. I am 40 and thought I was getting "old" with the short term memory thing. Then I almost fell down a flight of stairs at the mall (thank God I avoided that embarrassment) I just outright missed a step altogether. I do not have insurance either. My sister is a teacher and had to get off it because she was acting spacey etc.

I too have been on Lamictal for over a year.
No side effects at first......but now increasing memory loss, as you have described, re: short term memory, not being able to spell, can't remember the word i want to say etc.
Then this week, I have developed even greater "fogginess" in my brain, as you say, a feeling of being spaced out. There is also some inbalance, especially when moving my head from side to side.
Was wondering what this could possibly be.
Thanks for your comments. Helps to know I am not alone.

Dear friend/victim of Lamictal. I have been on it since 11-05, and since
February of this year 2007, I have consistently gotten worse with muscle pain in my neck, lower back, feet, hands, wrists; but finally every inch of my upper back down to my arms and hands and legs. It was unbearable. I was also dizzy alot and my vision was so blurred; I was always squinting to see. I thought it was old age at 52. But when I told my doctor this she is now taking me off of Lamictal to see it is the culprit. Well, lowering the dose the first night and then when I got going to work the next day, I'm telling you the truth, the pain was practically gone. The next day after that, the pain is GONE! I feel clear minded, my vision is improved, my dizzyness is gone. I can't wait to be off of this stuff. And, yes, I am going to research any more med's. I am asked to take. This experience scared me. I am beside myself as to whether I want any other med.s. Bi polar sucks. I just don't know what to think about all this anymore. Well, at lease I got rid of the very scarry and painful experience. Yes, the pain and side affects will go away. Good luck to you. Be careful.

This is emmi, regarding one other email regarding Lamictal, I DID fall down a step that I just couldn't seem to "find". I twisted my ankle really bad. I always have trouble finding, if I werent' so foggy, any step I come across. Please answer my postings. I wan't to know more, and be smarter about taking any meds from now on. take care...

After going through countless medications for my bipolar disorder that I could tolerate I found Lamictal. Although I am on many other different medications for an anxiety disorder I find it extremly hard to concentrate. I used to be in the top ten of my class but I'm losing all concentration, does this go away or continue to get only worst?

Hi, I am also on lamictal. I take it for recurrent depression with problems with almost any ad (not bipolar). I have thought it's a great drug, haven't had memory issues. Last fall I got up to 150mg. Overall, it had a lot of benefit for the shorter, monthly depressive episodes. However, I did go into a major depression, regardless and was having horrible neck pain and headaches. Couldn't take it. Advil and tylenol were minimally effective and it was tearing up my stomach.

Some time goes by and I need to be on something, so I go back on it, knowing that I won't probably go up to the 150mg. I am up to 125 and I have had a neck ache, (also often in shoulders and wrists) since that time.

I feel like a pschosomatic mess telling my psychiatrist that I think it's the lamictal. First he'll probably think it's all in my head (making erroneous correlations) second it's a pretty good "invisible" drug (except the achiness), there are not many other options out there for me. I am going to my PCP today and will ask him about it, but he is not real familiar with the drug, I don't think.

I have been taking lamictal since dx in 3/07. I have noticed all of the effects you named. I used to be a walking dictionary and now have completely lost words and spelling is out the window. I have always had challenges in the cooridnation dept and its alot worse. I had to come off of it for a short time due to a mix up at the clinic, and i think i actually felt better. I wonder if the klonipins play a role in this also. My pdoc is not very empathetic and doesnt seem to hear me, but I am going to try and get off of the lamic and the klons, as I am at the most depressed point in my life, plus all the physical side effects are worst than the bipolar that i have dealt with my whole life.

I have been taking lamictal 75mg for the last year and a half. Don't think I'm really bipolar; think I have ADHD and the lamictal is making my memory/inability to pay attention worse, but my hyperactivity/impulsiveness/restlessness symptoms have improved. Anyone else encountered this? I want to find a solution because I feel dumb dumb dumb.

I have been taking Lamictal for 6 months. Initially when starting I noticed some cognitive slowness but it got better and I was fine for a few months. Then, starting a few weeks ago, I started feeling very spaced out, out side my body, had visual weirdness, blurry vision, and worst of all problems reading and spelling and typing. Also short term memory loss. I'm basically a mess. I was surprised to see these symptoms popping up suddenly especially since most people say the side-effects get better over time. However, with some research I see that some people do encounter problems with Lamictal after a while. Out of the blue. Some people can take it forever and never have problems, others not so lucky.

I'm currently titrating down and I can't wait to be off this med. I normally have a very sharp and verbally oriented mind and I want my wits back, damnit. I'm also going to call GSK and report this adverse event.