Lamictal side effects

Update: I frantically called my pdoc to go down to 100mg/day b/c of symptoms that didn't go away since dropping from 300mg/day to 200mg. These symptoms that didnt go away were: mild/moderate vaginal irritation, dry patches on skin, and LOOSING HAIR like crazy! (what DID go away were: dizzy "buzz", throbbing eyeball, tingling, and very itchy face(small rash) and scalp). Hopefully 100mg will be ok for me. BTW, pdoc suggested using "Nioxin" shampoo(got mine at J.C. Penney) to help stop the hair loss. --female, age 26, meds: lamictal and 6mg xanax/day

My experience has been horrible! First extreme constipation, then cold/sinus problems for a month now, then not being able to focus my eyes without them moving back and forth (kind of a rolling movement), then vivid nightmares (almost like I was hallucinating), then armpit odor that couldn't be controlled my deodorant (I've never had that problem!), now weakness and aches (especially in my legs), and lastly does not control my seizures as well as depakote. Anyone who is taking this, I would highly recommend that you be careful.

I have. I take lamictal for bipolar and PTSD. The tingling didn't start for me until I was on 300mg/day (there were other symptoms as well at this dose). The tingling I experience I have is a random, sudden burst of tingliness that only lasts a second or two. B/c of this and other symptoms, I have started taking less (200mg/day). Hopefully this will stop it!

I have PTSD and Bipolar disorder. I started taking lamictal about 8 months ago (first titrating up from 25mg to 50, etc.) I took 100mg for about 6 months and my mental illnesses seemed to improve; I had no side effects and it seemed a good medicine. But then I was put onto 200mg for one month. My illnesses still improved but started to get mild dryness and itchiness which I didn't mention to my dr. b/c I didn't think it was linked to Lamictal. However, a month later, I started on 300mg - and that's when uncomfortable side effects set in. I had a painful throbbing of the right eyeball, dry patches especially on my face, and a mild rash with moderate itching, esp. on face. Also, woke up to anxious nightmares, but not sure if this is linked with lamictal. I am starting to go back down to 200mg tomorrow, and I think these symptoms will go away.

Hi, I am looking to see if anyone else has experienced burning skin, especially on the soles of their feet and palms of hands/finger tips? I have been on Lamictal for about 5 years now (I was on Valproic Acid for 5 years before that). I am on 150 mg. I have had very minimal side effects, just a hard time remembering or speaking sometimes, but not bad at all. However, in the last 2 months, quite suddenly, I started experiencing burning on my feet and hands, especially when I walk or touch anything. It has increasingly gotten worse and worse. Lately in the night my feet start tingling badly and it climbs up my legs and burns severely. My doctor said she thinks it is nerve related and probably from my Lamictal. I really, really do not want to switch meds. Has anybody else had this problem, and did it go away or at least plateau, or did it get unbearable? Thanks.

i am saddened by reading so many bad experiences with Lamictal....i personally am finding it to be a Godsend. My thoughts were like a pinball going crazy and now i can focus on one task at a time. My typing speed has even increased 5-10 words per minute because i can focus much better. I have experienced the painful periods, noticed some joint pain in my hips and i sometimes wake up and my left hand and foot will be numb.....but overall these are a small price to pay compared to the quality of life i had pre-lamictal.

as far as vivid/bad dreams go...i've experienced that on almost all the psych med i've tried over the years. i've begun to look forward to my adventerous slumber LOL

I've been on Lamictal for about 3 weeks now. I am being worked up to 100mg, but am currently at 50mg. I was given the medication for migraines. But since being on the Lamictal I have had a headache that is at a 100 out of 10. I am having very vivid dreams, so vivid that I dont know they are a dream till I am fully awake. This headache is going on day 8, with very little relief. I tried to explain to my Neuro doctor that this medicine is causing all the problems I am having right now. This headache is not like any I have every had. And my migraine the longest one was 3 days. All my tricks that I normally use to get rid of a headache will not work. I even went to the neuro doc's office yesterday. Got a shot in the stomach that was suppose to break the headache(didn't work). They also gave me a trimex a rescue drug. Still is not working. The headache is worse when I wake up from these vivid dreams. I really believe Lamictal is making me dream and give me this horrible headache. But I cannot get my doctor to listen to me. They told me not to stop taking the meds cause it would be horrible, but if I don't stop afraid my headache will get worse with each pill. I was on Topamax but it went generic, and I have allergic reactions to the generic. He won't fight with my insurance company to get me the name brand Topamax. Even know I begged him. I just dont know what to do. Then I read on here all the other horrible side effects and it scares me even more. The doctors nurse said oh no this medicine doesn't cause headaches it prevents them. I beg to differ.

30 year old Family member is on limictal and has been on lamictal for2 years. Her personality and behavior is VERY different on the med. For the first month behavior and lifestyle was improving then Anger and confusion about simple things started to increase very high. She seems to be a completely different person. She also believes that people are always being controlling and difficult, she does not realize that the world is reacting to her personality and behavior.
For 2 years she has been blinded and cannot see what family and friends are explaining. Medication seems to have blinded her from the truth of reality. When asked to voice family concerns she agrees to and later becomes angry and does not. She is forcing a drama filled lifestyle on family, coworkers and friends.
Anger is a VERY REAL PROBLEM now that Lamictal is in the system. The med levels have been increased and lowered. Doctor is unaware of how different and constantly agitated she now is. Dr’s do not live with the people that they prescribe meds to, so they do not see behavior “Family must be involved”.
This is a very difficult situation that is blinded from behavioral facts and the truth.

I have seen great results from lamictal in others and very concerning results in some.

i never took lamictal but im on dilantin and i dont know i have only been on it for a year and im 19 trying to look for answers. i have slight angry issues that have started in the last week and it scares me i dont know if its the meds but this one thing i haven't seen for others that might help people i get like these mini one second seizures where i lose my muscle strength and drop whatever i have in my hands or almost hit my head stuff like that and then i know im about to have a full blown seizure and i start to freak out before it happens and i think thats what triggers it but i have learned to find someone while the "mini seizure" is happening and let them know or i sit and breath some times that helps but i dont know, if any knows what i can do for the angry that would be nice here is my e-mail ******

It really bothers me that the sites that should be listing nightmares & night terrors in their side effects, AREN'T! Lamictal site states: trouble sleeping (insomnia). Would be nice if GSK would question those having "trouble sleeping", "What's causing their insomnia?" My husband's been waking from nightmares "very angry" and after 3 times (scaring the heck out of me!) I now sleep in another room. He's taking 200mg for a grand mal seizure he experienced August 2009. Levels were just checked by our regular Dr (Neuro just assumes if no seizure, all is OK). Waiting for results of blood tests. He's also experiencing "listed" ADR's: more anxiety, panic attacks (which aggravate a hand tremor), is easily agitated & restless.

lamictal makes forgetful and my memory which was excellent is no longer . also I am off balance and m;y eyes are blury also i am on wellbutrin i think is also causing me the same problem could the dose be reduced. so i do not have this much of a problem

I started my period 2 weeks early after starting this drug. I have definitely had problems with words and memory. My doctor added this med due to increase depression taking Cymbalta 120mg daily. No energy, no drive, lack of self! Just really want to feel better and scared to go through withdraws of Cymbalta. I tried weaning myself down, but the brain zaps are horrible. I think getting back into the gym would help my depression 100%, but lack of motivation and feeling tired holds me back. I could sleep all the time!

quit being dumb you only get one life, one body..., if you are experiencing any of these serious side effects, you need to tell your doctor right away and demand a med change or stop taking the meds. this is YOUR body, YOUR mental and physical health and ultimately YOUR responsibility. i'm diagnosed bipolar II, anti-social, and was mis-diagnosed as major depression for over 10 years, I was messed up, and I still take control of my own mental health. Read your medication pamphlets and talk to your pharmacists also. seriously....if you cant draw an s or talk or function, why would you keep taking the sh*t?
i was taking lithium and it made me pee knives, stay up all night, not poop for 6 days at a time, retain water, and have hypo-mania, so i demanded a med change.
was taking abilify also but made it too hard to drive, so stopped taking it on my own, cause my doc said i could take it if i wanted to.

now currently taking lamictal, topamax, wellbutrin XL

I stopped Lamictal in Sept. 09 because of hair loss in front of head -- small bald spots in front! And I also had developed a bout of a rash --- little red dots on my hands. Only 2 or 3 on my hands. I called my MD and then went to show him and he confirmed that it was a Lamictal rash.

I am very upset that 10 months after stopping the medication my hair has not grown back. Now, I just noticed this evening that once AGAIN I have 3 spots on my hand!!! The Lamictal rash even though I stopped it almost a year ago???????????

How long does this take to get this poisonous medication out of your system?? It made my hair fall out, the hair never came back and now I get the rash again after not having it since I stopped 10 months ago??? This makes me think that the Lamicatal is still in my body, preventing hair regrowth and now once again giving me this rash.

Does anyone know about this??? I have Googled this all night without finding any answer. This is too bloody strange. TEN MONTHS ago I stopped Lamictal...

Thanks for any replies. This is just to weird. And I would not care if it were not my suspicion that if it can still cause a rash than it is also keeping me with bald spots.

I never thought that are so many people suffering from the same syndrome as me!I've a big problem with my brain which I consider it as the hardest barrier to overtake.For more than3 years I fell so different and strange like something happened to me 3 years ago.I've a problem to remember thing very well as I use to to before sometime I even forget time and date most of the time.Its depressing because my memory before was one of my strongest thing that I use to have.I also have headache mos of them at night.I feel so weak and lost of confidence most of the times,and before this was another strong point of mine.Life looks like a nightmare sometime u wish that u will wake up from this bad dream...I remember that 2 years ago i was so depressed that I was thinking that life cannot go on like this anymore and only death can save me.I cannot believe that one day I would think about suicide in my life.I wont to be me again I need a serious help cuz its nothing I cant do for it to fix it.It feels like it's stuck in my head.It must be a way to be save from this...I will do anything to be back again.Its nothing more terrible than to feel like u miss yourself.

I have been taking Lamictal for only three weeks, I was previously taking phenobarbital, however that medication is a category D and my husband and I were looking for a safer drug for my epilepsy and for bearing children. The medicine was fine while I was tapering off of phenobarbital. However during week 2 of Lamictal only (300 mg daily), I have been experiencing, anxiety, depression, tremors, insomnia, night sweats, weight loss (4 lbs in 5 days), shortness of breath, chest pain, short attention span and loss of appetite.

I am convinced that many of the side effects were caused specifically from the anxiety that was induced from withdrawal of phenobarbital and also the new medication. I was taking pheno for 10 years before this medication change.

Anxiety Side Effects: weight loss, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, chest pain, panic attacks

For this reason, we decided to go back on the phenobarbital, however the doctor is tapering me off the medication at too fast of a rate. Today he informed me that i will decrease the dose by 150 mg and begin the phenobarbital dose at 50 mg...

The taper from lamictal is too short... therefore i will be tapering off at a slower rate to avoid any adverse side effects. I have read that you should taper off at 20% every two weeks.

Also for the anxiety the doctor prescribed me klonopin.. I am not going to take that. It seems like there are too many side effects for that medication and besides I am tired of the meds.

The only side effects I had while taking the pheno were drowsiness and constipation.

Being unable to sleep due to fear that I will not wake up is an anxiety I prefer to avoid.

omg since taking Lamictal my legs hurt so bad and my feet hurt so bad..just to stand on my feet to walk is so painful. I tried skipping a day and the pain goes away then took it again and the pain starts all over again. I guess I will call the doctor in the morning. Suffering in PA.

How long do the withdrawals last before you get this awful drug, Lamictal, out of your system? My daughter took it for six weeks, gradually increasing it to 100 mgs., and started feeling really sick. She couldn't think, she goes from extreme anger to crying all the time. She had almost all the symptoms mentioned on this board except, fortunately, the rash. The doctor told her to go off of it cold turkey and now she is having severe withdrawals. I don't think it would help her to go back on it and taper off because she was so sick while taking it. She's on day five of being off it and says she never wants to take another drug again. She was prescribed this drug because she was sensitive to all the anti-depressants and couldn't take them. She's not bi-polar but does suffer from severe depression. I think this is an evil drug.

I've been lamictal for about 2 mo I began @ 25 then 50 then 100 @ 2 wk intervals, I felt fine w the 25 but now I've had a severe sore throat to where I had no voice along w a fever chill n coughing so bad that Id throw up, I went to c a doctor they gave me Azithromycin it cleared everything up now here I am a wk later n have a sore throat again. I'm not sure what to think @ this point..

I have been taking Lamictal for 10 years. It was such a relief to find anything that would stabilize me enough to be a mom, hold a job etc. I have changed the antidepressant that i take here and there, I also take meds for hypothyroidism.
The one thing I want to say is that i think it makes me fatigued - so so tired fatigued! I took provigil to keep me awake, but now insurance companies will not approve it for this use. So I am good for about 8 hours a day, and that is it! I am so tired all the time.

I have been on Lactimal since August and have recently developed severe side effects that include mood swings, crying, nausea and pain in the back, loss of appetite. I am not sure it ever really controlled my mood swings but they have definitely got worse in the past couple of months. My doctor has me also on Geodon 80 mg and I was trying to reach the therapeutic window which never occurred. In the past couple of weeks my symptoms have gotten worse so I asked to taken off the Lamictal. I am being taken off from 200 mg over a two week period to not taking any medication. I reading the other blogs it seems as if other doctors are taking a longer time in titrating off the drug. Does anyone have experience in being taking off LAmactil over such a short period of time

I have been on Lamictal for only about 17 days now. Just went up to the 50mg about 3 days ago. Since I started I have felt like I have a cold or mild flu and a terrible headache everyday. I also developed a blister on my lip. I was cleaning out a dirty rental and thought it was from being in all the dirt. Then 2 days ago I started feeling worse. Headache worse, neck pain, swollen lymph nodes in my neck and bottom of the back of my head. Today I feel even worse and noticed I have small red dots on my face and a red/purple rash on my arm. The rash is small but has 2 tiny blisters on it. They had warned me to watch for a rash so I came online and looked up the side effects and I think I have been having a reaction all this time and it is getting worse (lymph nodes and rash). I will talk to doctor on Monday, today is Sunday, and see if I'm one of the few that has a serious reaction to this drug. If you read the stuff online they make it sound very scary. Has anyone hear had the blister rash and swollen lymph nodes? Can this wait until tomorrow or is it serious and I need to go to an urgent care today. Again the online info is just scary.
Thank you

I lost my father and gained a brother at the age of five and feel this is the primary reason I developed a MI. I was diagnosed with BP after a bad manic episode when I was 22. I am 26 now and have been on 200mg of laictal for about a year. I feel that the drug is responsible for reducing the extremes of my emotional rhythm, but I am still experiencing depression symptoms nearly all the time. I have developed intrusive thoughts when I am nervous as well which make me sick and keep me from maintaining friendships or socializing as much as I would like. I have experienced bouts of memory loss since the first time I tried marijuana, but as I get older it gets worse. I am unsure if it is normal depression relayed forgetfulness or if it's the mess but I feel like I am loosing my humanness and can honestly say I feel dead inside. I don't like feeling like this but am afraid to make a change because although I feel numb I am not psychotic and making an ass out of myself in public. Does anyone know if there are tests that can be done to determine if the drugs are the culprits of the side effects or if it's the medication?

I take Lamictal for depression, possible bipolar type 2. I have pain in my eyes, blurred vision, and buzzing in my ears. I can't say it's actually ringing. There's no pitch to it. It's more like when you have the TV on and the channel goes off and there's just snow. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's loud enough that it affects my hearing. I just got up to a therapeutic dose (200 mg a day) of Lamictal about 3 weeks ago and this started about the same time. Has anybody else had that problem? I know other people have had the eye problem, but I haven't seen anything about the hearing problem. Psychologically, I felt much better within 2 days of starting 200 mg a day.

Everyone! Get off Lamictal unless you have epilepsy! As soon as I stopped taking it, headaches went AWAY! Back to normal now. Someone needs to take ACTION against this drug!

I have never posted on a website. Two months ago I went into work and felt fine. Then, within about 10 minutes, I suddenly had a severe case of vertigo. I had to hold on to things just so I wouldn't fall down and had double vision, I have partial complex seizures if I don't take Lamictal. Within a few days I had several MRIs, CT scan, and an EEG. Everything checked out. I continued taking Lamictal as usual. Then it occurred to me that the vertigo happened about an hour after taking it. I got pharmacy records of my medication and realized that, while changing from one neurologist to another, the dosage had accidentally been increased from 500mg per day to 800! I'm now back to my normal dosage and everything is great! I encourage people to be their own advocate. Make sure that the dosage is correct and you are taking it accordingly. But, I did notice that I didn't want to smoke cigarettes as much! Maybe they can use that in the future.

My dosage of lamictal was increased recently to 400 mg for bipolar 1. Last year I was slowly worked up to 300 and right away to 400mg. I have had two episodes of panic attacks, double vision, feeling faint,scared, anxiety, crying, side effects, they are the scariest feelings I have ever had feeling I am going to die. The 2nd episode was the worst. While I was driving today I began swirving on the road, double vision, severe panic attack, crying, scared, feeling I was going to die. I immediately pulled over and could barely walk while getting out of car. I didn't want to make the slightest movement fearing I would pass out. Finally a nice man came to the rescue and stayed with me, I was taken to the ER by then I was slowly coming out of this nightmare, the side effects by the way slowly go away and take about 45 minutes. In the mean time you are living hell on earth. The doctors really couldn't do much for me...they took my vitals and sent me on my way and instructed me to immediately call my doctor and let her know what I was experiencing. I have yet to here from her or the nurse. Tonight I have noticed red blotches on my face with a slight colored white bump in the middle. I am scared to death! I am going to stop taking Lamictal NOW...I am wondering though..does alcohol bring these side effects on? I had drank the night before and take my lamital in the morning and about 30 minutes later and the nightmare began. I just started taking lamictal 400 mg for a week or two. I am not taking the next dosage tomorrow and waiting till Monday to talk to my doctor...tonight is Friday. Does anyone know what the side effects are if I stop taking Lamictal???? and if alcohol brought on these side effects??? I AM so scared!!!

My dosage of lamictal was raised from 50 to 75mgs. I know this is a very small dose. I also am taking prozac,wellbutrin, for depression. I was hit by an auto as a pedestrian in 2001. About six years ago a pain specialist tried me on neurontin. I was able to sleep for the first time without waking several times due to pain. With increased dosage, pain continued to abate during the day. Now back to lamictal. I am now experiencing very disturbing dreams. Disturbing to the point of feeling like nightmares. It's since increase of lamictal, I believe. I am contacting my psychiatrist to let him know I am decreasing the lamictal back to 50. My dosage for neurontin has been gradually decreased from 1800mgs to 300. I am going to ask about ^ the neurontin. Both drugs are used for sleizure disorders and both have been to stalize mood. There is no data,I believe, that neurontin does a better job with mood swings. But given my experience it might be worthwhile to ask your doctor about trying neurontin. Maybe even decreasing the lamictal too. I know I know-gradually. But check it out.

I was told I had Bi polar 9 months ago. Since then I have been taking Lamictal. Now. Currently taking 200mg a day.
I am 30 years old and have never had acne the way I do now.
Blackheads, red bumps, and white heads on my face, jaw line, back, shoulders, and triceps.
I have hair loss (more than the normal female shedding or breakage). When I am all done with washing, drying, and brushing the floor is visibly laced with my black hair. I have become depressed, can’t concentrate, am fuzzy, dizzy, nervous, have memory loss, dry skin, have problems with coordination, blurred vision even after getting new glasses, headaches, loss of appetite, I stutter, 100 times more sensitive, unmotivated, sometimes frantic, anxious, my hands shake, and I have developed Hypothyroidism.
Over all I am disassociated, and "ungrounded". I have never felt this way in my life.
When I was prescribed Lamictal, I took it because my doctor said it would stabilize my mood and symptoms. I believed him and took them religiously. They have only made things worse + acne.
I could deal with the acne if I was getting better mentally and emotionally. Beauty is on the inside and feeling that you are pretty is what matters.
If you go to a doctor, and they say "take this pill every day for the rest of your life, and you will never get cancer", would you take it?
Heck yes! That is how I felt when he told me about Lamictal and Bipolar. "You will get better, just keep taking the meds and you will be good". WRONG!!!! I told him about all of this and his answer was to up my dose.
Bi polar disorder is too often diagnosed and used as a blanketed root of cause.
Before taking Lamictal, my symptoms were:
-Poor judgment and trusting people that shouldn’t be trusted
-Promiscuity when hurt (looking for the feeling of being desired and wanted)
-Anxiety
-Sad
-Shameful of my past and childhood traumas
-Ignoring problems to avoid confrontation
-Angry at myself at times
-Fears of rejection and being alone
-ADHD
I recently sought out a second opinion. I was given a full psychological evaluation with personality and IQ tests. The end result: I have been CLINICALLY diagnosed with dissociative disorder and they CLINICALLY confirmed the ADHD.
So when you seek medical help for any symptoms, feelings, problems, or whatever. BEWARE of doctors that are quick to jump the gun and give you meds to "fix you" without conducting proper tests and evaluations.
You could end up worse than you were before. Especially if you are prescribed the Med "du jour" that most likely gives your doctor more incentives and benefits that it will for you.
Just my two cents.
- SLP

I have been on Lamictal for 6 years now and have had great results. No major side effects from the meds at all. I had not really intended on going off the medication until I started thinking about having kids. I consulted my doc who said that I did not need to be on Lamictal if I was considering trying to get pregnant. So here I am 3 weeks into lowering my dose and telling my self I am making the right choice. I started out at 350mg/day and I am now down to 250mg/day. The last couple of days have been pretty tough. I woke up and was instantly in a bad mood, for no reason. Now I have no energy and don't want to move off the couch. The next couple of months are really gonna be tough for both me and my husband.

Any good suggestions on how to better cope?

I've been taking lamictal for eight years for a diagnosis of BPII. 375 mg a day. I have also taken 30 mg of oxazepam every night for insomnia. I thought I was side-effect free until one year ago. In one period of time I developed gait ataxia, blurred vision, pulsating eye, numbness on one side of my body and sudden onset of suicidal ideation. During this period, in one or two instances I could not make the letter "S" correctly. I reversed the letter. I insisted on a blood draw to test my blood serum levels. The test reveals that the lamictal serum level was abnormally high and that at the level it was I could expect some strange side effect. I realized that this alone could account for my symptoms. I reduced the dosage by 75 mg and the symptoms went away. It took six months for my vision to return to normal.

However, I do not think these were the only side effects I suffered on lamictal. For years I felt that I was getting dumber. It was difficult to comprehend what I was reading and also difficult to talk articulately. I was a lawyer and began to think my work was suffering because I simply could not really understand what I reading. My complaints to my psych went unheeded. She felt that I was already super smart so even with my complaints of difficulty comprehending that I was still smarter than the general population. I also had scarily vivid dreams, lots of numbness in my extremities, clumsiness, and no sex drive. After I lowered my dose of lamictal, I started to regain my reading comprehension, ability to listen, and to talk articulately again. After lowering my lamictal dose I no longer have vivid dreams, my sex drive has returned, and clumsiness is no longer an issue. The suicidal ideation left. I still have bouts of numbness.

Based on my experience, I would offer this: get periodic blood draws to test your lamictal blood serum levels and be attuned to your body. Whenever you tell yourself that I just don't feel right, even it you cannot articulate this beyond just-don't-feel-right, check it out with your MD and I think more importantly do your own research.

This website is a godsend. Doctors don't have enough experience with the side effects. They just read what the drug companies give them to read. They don't believe much more. This web site brings together the experiences of so many more people than a single doctor would see in his or her practice. So please contribute to this web site whether you think it is related to lamictal or not.

The more people we get reporting symptoms and if there is convergence of the side effects the more we will learn about the side effects and it gives us information to advocate for ourselves.

So whoever started this web site, I am in your debt.

Been taking Lamictal for bipolar about three months now, mainly for depression. Also take Prolixin and Xanax for panic disorder and OCD. I was doing fair, then I started having insane severe PANIC ATTACKS when I got to about 150mg of Lamictal. They last for about 3 hours and I feel like I am going to pass out, in a fog all the time. Loss of coordination, and what's with the annoying upper back pain. I do not know if Lamictal is the cause, but it sure seems like it, never had panic attacks so weird like this before. Since reaching 150mg I have almost went to the E.R. with severe panic attacks twice now. Need to start tapering down. Actually I am going to skip today's dose, then go down to 100mg. Need to talk to my doc. Don't like these attacks at all. Can barely even type. It's like hand to eye coordination is just not there. In my opinion, THIS DRUG SUCKS!!! I am considering asking to try something like Zoloft or Paxil to replace the Prolixin and the Lamictal. Just go with one drug and try to tough it out and use the Xanax only as needed, or maybe Klonopin. Also spend a lot of time at the gym or something for depression, which is mainly what I suffer from with my bipolar. One thing I know is that I can't take these severe PANIC ATTACKS anymore. Gotta stop the Lamictal! It just ain't gonna cut it. Any suggestions???

Hey folks-

So I posted months ago about my experiences with lamictal and starting my journey of coming off of it.

Well 3 months later and I am now down to 25mg a day....and will only have to do this for another 3 weeks....and then I will be DONE!!! I cannot wait!

My main side effects from coming off of it are a general unbalance of energy and emotions for about the first 2 weeks. Its on and off, and not unbearable, and I realize that it is just my body reestablishing an equilibrium.

And like another poster commented, since coming off of lamictal I have been happier than I have been in my entire life! I'm generally a happy person and who knows if it has anything to do with decreasing the dosage...but I am incredibly happy! And though it's not a manic happy, I have noticed a tendency to get a little too excited, which can lead to a crash...but I think that is just how my brain and body are going to be now that I'm nearly off the meds.

However I am wondering....has anyone that has come off this med experienced hot flashes??? It seems to me that a few days after I lower the dosage, that I have pretty severe hot flashes. Please let me know if anyone else is experiencing that!

Also...since decreasing the dosages...my menstrual periods have become nearly unbearable. The pain is not only worse, but my body's reaction is to nearly go in shock, create severe nausea, and makes me feel like I'm going to pass out. Anyone else experience this???

I haven't really noticed any de-fogging of my brain happening yet. But I look forward to reporting more once I am completely done with this med!

I must admit that I still have a bit of animosity towards the doctor that put me on this medication and never followed up with me. And even though I've had an amazing life, I still wonder how much more I could have done. But I guess there is nothing I can do about that now...so I shouldn't waste me energy!

Good luck to everyone on your journey with this medication!

HI 4-2010 how to treat mental illness Louise age 63
I am one of the people that have a mostly good result to lamicatal. Taking Lithium, Geodon anti-manic and Lamictal for severe bipolar with psychosis of Thought Disorder of Confusion(cognitive fuzziness there) with rapid cycling moods. Triggered severe by pregnancy 25 yrs ago.

tried 8 doctors in 20 yrs, most are ignorant, lazy, uneducated and no empathy to pill pushing. They don't live the pills they push. My dr agreed that only 5-10% of mind-treating doctors are any good. It is common knowledge it takes about 8 doctors to finally treat bipolar. Do not try to do this alone, take someone with you every visit and takes NOTES. read google, keep daily notebooks. Only you can finally treat yourself---educate, educate, educate. Draw conclusions, believe in your perceptions and get feedback from a trusted friend.
Finally Lamictal has helped. I have a high IQ but can't work in intellectual jobs nor tolerate much daily stress. Take heart and TRY DIFFERENT MEDS WITHIN A YEAR, do not stay on any that cause problems. ONLY change ONE med at a time, this means it could take 6 mo to try a med or remove it. Do not listen to doctor's SPEED trip getting you on or off a drug, the body adapts very slowly and only you will suffer.
Drugs hide in the white fat of the body so there is a slow removal when you quit one, the withdrawal can take months longer than doctors say, That is why you have to take a long time getting off before trying a new one----but if it is an emergency go ahead, I've been there--then you will have to sort out the side effects of the old drug vs the new one--lots of work here. good luck
I already have cognitive problems lifetime even though I went to college so Lamicatal is not easily identified as a problem.

I have been on Lamictal for about 7 months and I take it for mild bipolar. In the last month I went up to 300mg at night, before bedtime. I go to sleep very quickly, which is nice, but I began snoring since starting Lamictal. I have waken up with intense prickly pain of my leg (the heavy asleep feeling) one time, and one time a strange amputee syndrome I call it, when I woke and could not feel my entire arm from the shoulder down (odd, I know). I wake up in the middle of the night 4-5 hours after a take it and most often can fall back asleep after using the bathroom (which is a new thing...bathroom in the middle of night). I wake up with body soreness/back pain but it often goes away once I start moving. I have noticed a slight increase in acne on my face and shoulders, and I am 29 (annoying to have to go through at this age). I still notice occasional up and downs but it is slight and generally only notice it in regards to creativity levels.
Overall, I am happy with the balance that Lamictal has given me in my life.

I have been on lamictal for over a year, I have been having the problems getting to restroom when I have to go. I have been having double vision, vertigo, tremors and short tempered. My dosage hasn't changed in quite some time. Haven't really changed anything oh, I have been having some strange, and some downright horrifying dreams ( I couldn't move for over thirty minutes I dreamed a tarantula was on my face, it was my blanket). I have had added stress though so this very well could be the culprit? Maybe?
Well God Bless you all, I hope it gets better for you all. ( I am being treated for various types of seizures, I also take carbamazepine) I'm not the best speller....lol can we blame it on the lamictal also...lol

I take lamictal for bipolar disorder and since I've gotten up to 150mgs of lamictal, my dreams have been very vivid and cause me a lot of stress and anxiety. They are usually dreams concerning things happening in my life. Since the nightmares and bad dreams have started, my insomnia has gotten MUCH worse. I am sleeping about 4 hours a night at most and can barely function during the day. The only good nights sleep I get is after a week or so of sleep under 4 hours every night because I eventually get so exhausted and pass out. I think I'm almost afraid to sleep due to the horrible dreams I've been having. I'm thinking about asking my psychiatrist to take me off of it even though I really need it for my constant mood swings. My psychiatrist also refuses to prescribe me sleeping pills, and I don't think they would even help. I don't know that I need help falling asleep, I just keep myself up because I'm so paranoid about having these dreams.

A neurologist upped my dose of Lamictal from 200/day--100 am & 100 pm-- to 250/day for a week and then up to 300/day the following week. I misunderstood and gegan taking the 300 per day immediately--and developed double vision. Not a little blurring, but double vision. My eye doctor didn't know what was causing it, but he assured that my eyes were basically fine. I had no idea what was causing it and I was terrified! Well, thanks to the Internet, I found out that this is a side affect which affects nearly 49% of people on this drug! 49%! And she (neur.) didn't warn me about it. I called her office and her nurse told me I had not built up to the full dosage properly and that I would just have to ride it out. It has been 2 weeks since that conversation and I am still seeing double; it has not improved. My eye doctor sold me an eye patch so that I would only see 1 of everything and not 2 and that solution is getting very annoying. Who else has had this side effect. How long did it last? What did you do to make it go away?

I have been on lamictal for about one yr. now. I am up to 300 mg a day. My side effects are the same as everyone else’s. It’s awful. I have one question, has anyone experienced bladder problems? Not being able to feel like you need to urinate and have no control over holding it? Good luck to you all.

I have been diagnosed with bi-polar 1. I have server manic mood swings that have cost me significantly. I have on Lamictal for 5 months now and have been increasing my dosage every few weeks. My mood swings have even out some. I don't feel any depression at all. I do have manic times, but I am able to recognize it. I feel good. On the other hand, my memory has slipped. I used to remember everything--people's name, number, etc. I have trouble remembering the littlest things--where did I set my keys down 2 minutes ago. I find myself forgetting words I know, making having a normal conversation a little difficult. I feel unintelligent with a limited vocabulary. People that don’t truly understand the disease think that I am not concentrating enough and blame it on me for not being focused. I have forgotten what I am doing sometimes or where I am going. Crazy! I have had problems recently with my coordination. I tried to race someone and fell flat on my face. I have broke glasses lately because I cannot judge the distance to the counter. I also have problems hearing lately. I am not sure if it has anything to do with Lamictal. The last time I raised my dosage, I started itching a night. It’s weird. It is when I lay at night I really notice it. It drives me nuts--but not that important. My dreams are very vivid. Most of my dreams are negative dreams relating to something going on it my relationships with people. Lamictal probably will save my life. I rather be stable and have a few problems then be out of control.

To me it is worth it. I am a classic bi-polar case. I did it all. No one can live like that.

I have been on Lamictal for about 2 years for Bipolar II disorder, or mood disorder majority of the time in a depressed state with some manic episodes. I was on 150 mg per day, taken at night and recently my Dr. urged me to go up on the dose because of some additional stress in my life, mainly divorce. I'm working my way to 200 mg right now and think it may be too much.
When I initially started taking the drug within days I got a rash but my dr. said just keep breaking them up and take my time getting to the 50 mg and he was right, I took it very slow and within a month or two I could feel the effect on my brain and mood. My Dr. believes me when I tell him I get odd muscle aches in specific areas. First my feet, then my back and right now believe it or not, my knees. But he does laugh a bit. I feel spacey sometimes and foggy. I think I felt better without the higher dose and am going to take myself back down. I also am afraid to drive sometimes because I am not concentrating. I will say that I will stay on the medication as long as it works, I have been on a lot of medications over the last 15 years and none have worked like this one.
Dreams every night that can be really intense, and most of the time they are not happy or positive. I take at night because it actually makes me sleepy, which my Dr. says is very odd.

I have been on Lamictal for a year and it's been a nightmare. I am on 150mg for supposed bipolar which I don't agree with. My memory is horrendous and so slowed down I can't retain anything when it comes to short term memory. Even long term memory is not good. When I try and concentrate really hard on something my head hurts literally. I have been complaining about this for a while. The insomnia is horrible and I have to take something to sleep. If you read the side affects of Lamictal it causes all of the things that it is trying to treat. This drug is being prescribed off label for "bipolar depression" it's really an anti-seisure drug. Every minute is excruciating. Over the past year I have never had so many mood swings, it's incredible. I have insomnia, emotional numbness, not able to enjoy anything, feel so dead and distance, my "normal" personality is gone. There have been times/weeks when I am clear and feel back to myself and then it's gone. I fear permanent brain damage. This is not depression! This drug is ruining my life and has made me a mockery among supposed friends, which I've lost most of them and is causing issues in my marriage and my family thinks I'm crazy. I am scared to death since my dad died of ALZ. My doctor said I don't have demential, he called it Lamictal "stupid". How's that for a great doctor and he had an attitude when I asked to be weaned off. He said that I am taking full responsibility for being weaned off, guess he has to cover his ass. The entire psychiatric community are pill pushers and I am determined to get my life back. I am praying daily that this nightmare will have a happy ending.

I have had severe depression for many years and was just recently diagnosed with Mood Disorder and Severe Depression. I am on Lexapro 20mg. and I also take a thyroid medicine. I take Lorazapam as needed also. My Psychiatrist put me on Lamictal. I was told there are NO side affects of this drug. No weight gain, no drug interactions and so on. The only thing she did tell me was about the rash. I have seen pictures of this rash. It looks painful. I am on the second regimen of the starter pack, which is 50mg. In two weeks I will be on the 100mg. I have read a lot of things in this forum and am wondering what good comes from this medicine? I am still irritable, angry, depressed, and have moments of mood swings that would make a person dizzy. I have night sweats, and dizziness upon awaking. I am no longer getting along with my boss very well. I feel as though I am being singled out if someone critisizes my work. My long term memory has never been good, but now it is gone. My short term memory is terrible. I try to write things down, but then I forget where I put the note book I write things down in. I am lucky to remember to grab my lunch to go to work. I have had no weight gain because I have had Lap Band surgery, but I eat all the freekin time. I am sustaining my weight loss but I can't seem to lose anymore. My surgeon refuses to do anymore adjustments until I "get my head right". So, I can't lose anymore weight until I have an adjustment. I have thought about going in and lieing about how I feel, but wonder if he can see it in my face.
Can someone tell me the good things about Lamictal?

I have been on Lamictal for 6 years and have not really had any side effects. I just recently had my dosage increased to 200mg twice a day. I have horrible crazy dreams that always wake me up, but in the morning I never remember them...I just know I have had them and I hate that it constantly interrupts my sleep. I have also been having head pain on the direct back of my head. Is anyone experiencing this too?

My Dr. put me on 25mg of Lamictal to help slow my mind down from Adult ADHD. He did not say I have bipolor disorder but that this medication is a lot safer than the stimulantes that are out there for ADHD. How ever since taking this medication I have had the worse mood swings. I am angry all the time and snap at the drop of a pin. I have also gotten bad acene on my face that is very painful. What should I do?

I have been on Lamictal for about 2 years now. I started on 75mg, worked up to 150mg, and am now at 100mg. Before taking Lamictal I had very clear skin, yet after starting to work my way up to 75mg I broke out extremely bad on my face, chest and back. I used everything to clear my skin up, benzyl peroxide, retin-a, and even accutane. The accutane made my acne worse, and I did not see any results until the final month of treatment. Even after completing 6 months of accutane the acne was still there. I am now using aczone and it is reducing the amount of breakouts yet it's still there. My dermatologist told me she has noticed that a fair amount of her patients are on lamictal. She also said that accutane does not clear up the acne caused by lamictal. I have also noticed the cognitive "fuzziness", forgetfulness, memory loss, stuttering, etc with lamictal. Some days I am extremely unmotivated, and others I am very frantic. I will be going off of lamictal this week. Is it terrible to go off cold turkey?

I've been having nightmares since I reached 200mg about three weeks ago. I rarely remember my dreams, and even more rarely do I have nightmares. Since taking Lamictal, I have multiple nightmares each night. Otherwise, Lamictal has worked excellently for me (as compared to Keppra and Zonisamide, both of which had terrible psychological side effects). Being awake on Lamictal is great--no seizures, no artificial sadness created by the other drugs--but being asleep is terrifying. I just thought to google it tonight and I was surprised to see so many other stories about it. Now I know, and I agree. Thank you.

I was hospitalized for trying to commit suicide a year and a half-ago. After the hospitalization I was put on several anti-depressant medications including aytipical anti-psychotic medications. After a couple months I changed my psychiatrist as I found one that I really trust. I was diagnosed as having bi-polar disorder. I was put on 200 mg of Lamictal along with several other anti-depressant medications and an anti-anxiety medication. Over a course of months I continued to have my medication changed several times but always staying on the Lamictal. I have been complaining about memory problems for a year. I also started to experience hair loss all over my body (eyelashes, eyebrows, hair on my head, arms, legs, etc) I have even more anxiety worrying about how I am going to look when I lose all my hair on my body. I have consulted a couple dermatologists and they keep telling me that it may be alopecia but they aren't sure. I keep thinking it has to be related to my medications but haven't received confirmation from anyone about this relationship.

My memory loss has continued for months. It seems slowly get worse. I also have had problems with slurred speech that has occurred on and off. When I am under more stress it seems to get worse. I was taken of many of my medications and now am only on Lamictal, Celexa, Pristiq and Trazadone (definitely a cocktail but not as much as before). So I am on Lamictal and 3 anti-depressants. My psych doctor says my memory loss is not from any of these 4 medications as he has been prescribing them for years.

However, my memory issue is becoming more pronounced. In November I went to a family function and spaced out when I met one of my relatives. I couldn't remember her for a few seconds and then realized who she was.

Over the last year I have also had problems on and off with finding my car when I park it. Or I can't remember how to get someplace when I have driven there several times before. I eventually find it but I know what happened. Lately I am now having problems with spelling, typing the wrong words, mixing up words when I read them, unable to recall words when I talk, and can't remember the names of simple things. Sometimes I have to ask people if I already told them something as I can't remember who I told what. I also have a problem concentrating. People have now noticed the changes in me as I have been known as being very bright, have a great vocabulary, great speller, great orator, and have great grammar. I am no longer that person.

I have consulted with my Psych doctor about this and now he may want me to go to a memory specialist. I fear that I have some form of dementia such as alzheimer's or these drugs have caused permanent brain damage that might be getting worse. I am scared to death as I am only 46. My grandfather died of AZ but he didn't get it until he was 86. I now live in fear each day that I will get worse and that I will not be able to work or hold a job down. I am used to having high paying jobs dealing with finances and numbers a lot.

However, after reading this forum I am now prepared to present this information to my psych doctor to let him know that there are many people that have had similar symptoms, especially the memory loss, hair loss, slurred speech, unable to spell (thank God for spell check), poor grammar, lack of concentration, confusion, etc.

I called my psych doctor this week and let him know that it seems to be getting worse. He said it is a very difficult balance when weighing in on what to do next. I am not sure what that means but will find out in a few days. I think it might be that I may need to go off the Lamictal and other meds to have the memory doctor do tests which he may fear could increase my suicide risk. But I will have to find out what he says. I am always anticipating the worst.

I am bringing him pages from this forum. I hope he will consider that the Lamictal just might be causing many of my odd symptoms. He is very bright and spends a lot of time with me so I am sure he will be open to reading these comments. Although there are many of us on this site reporting similar symptoms, compared to the masses taking this medication, we may be few. But that doesn't diminish the fact that we know we are experiencing these problems so they must be considered in relation to taking Lamictal. It seems like this is not a coincidence for all of us.

Hello, Glad to read all of your posts since I have never personally met anyone who takes lamictal. I have been on lamictal since march 2003 and the only side effects I get is the rash, little double vision, little dizziness, depression seldomly and lately have had problems with anxiety. I feel like if i was going to die. I do not suffer from memory loss, loss for words, concentration, etc. I take 200mg a day 100/100 and i had my level checked yesterday and it was 34 lowest being 40 dont know. I was put on this because of seizure disorder grand mal noctural, and have been seizure free on this medication. I absolutely detest the anxiety. It is terrible. I feel so hopeless, palpitations and this pins and needles going up and down my legs. But all in all i have felt pretty good on lamictal if only i can get rid of the anxiety. Good luck to all!

I feel the same way, I am so happy I found this site too:) Please tell me:) Insomnia, can't sleep at night that well...Weird dreams, slurry speech, slow communication. It uses so much energy to talk. Numbness, no emotion at times, and I am taking
100 mg for the first 4 mths. Then I cry when I get depressed. And then I get happy, but only for out of 10 1 time of the day. I am mostly depressed or numb. Forgetfulness, want to vomit. Headache, mouth dry, thirsty. Itchy. Do we need to take Depakine to balance the side effects? Or sleeping pills to help sleep at night. Is it alright to take medication nonstop everyday for 1 year? Will Bi polar really go away?
Please help me with answers, I am trying to cope with it, as much as possible. And trying to keep it a secret, because I'm afraid once I start my new work. These side effects will make my performance slow motion. Thank you so much.:)
E.