Lamictal and depakote

I've been on Lamictal for 3 years, and it's started to fail. I was on a generally small dose for epilepsy, 100mg twice a day. Well, I started having these twitches that caused a car incident, so I had to go to the doctor to get the dosage increased. Well, I did that, slowly, and I was twitch free. I thought that this was great, I can finally rest easy. Also, for some reason after I increased the dose I was oversleeping. No severe side effects though. But then, just yesterday, I had what we believe to be a full fledged seizure during a shower. I missed my dose by 2 hours the night before, and luckily I was having trouble falling asleep (or perhaps unlucky), and I probably got 5-6 hours that night, which lack of sleep is always a bad thing with epilepsy. So, during my shower I started twitching, bad. I turn the shower off. Then the next thing I'm on the shower floor, and I see blood on the wall, though too dazed to make anything of it. My family hears the bang and comes down and tells me to open the door, but I yell out to wait until I'm dressed. Then I felt horrible. So obviously the dose increase didn't help, and the Emergency room doctor put me on Depakote plus the lamictal until I see a neurologist next week.

I have been on Lamictal and Topamax for approximately 4-5 years now. I also take effexor. I have a seizure disorder. At first everything was alright, however now I have been having double vision, staggering, memory loss that has occurred slowly within the last two years or so, and of course as with most meds the usual diarrhea or constipation. I wonder how long does it take being on medication for these side effects to kick in? I read all literature whenever I start a new medication even if it is a OTC drug. (over the counter). I just got out of the hospital and am being sent from one doc to another. I feel like a guinea pig in a lab! Please help!

I HAVE BEEN ON THE LAMICTAL FOR 5 MONTHS NOW( FOR MINOR BI POLAR EPISODE). AT FIRST I FELT A LITTLE "SPACEY" AS I HAVE INCREASED MY DOSAGE EACH TIME I NOTICED VERY PAINFUL MENSTRUAL CRAMPS, WORSE PMS, EXTRA LONG MENSTRUATION CYCLE, JOINT PAIN IN THE HIP, FORGETTING EVERYTHING( LOSS OF SHORT TERM MEMORY), AND EXTREME TIREDNESS IN THE DAY AND NOT SLEEPING AT NIGHT. I HAD BEEN ON 75MG A DAY ( 2 IN AM, 1 IN PM) AND THEN UPPED MY DOSE TO 100MG(2 IN AM, 2 IN PM). THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE WORSENING, ESPECIALLY THE JOINT PAIN. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED PANIC ATTACKS AND IRRITABLENESS THAT I HADN'T HAD BEFORE. WORST OF ALL, IS THAT I HAVE GAINED ABOUT 27 LBS WHILE TAKING THIS MED. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS? PLEASE REPLY TO TELL ME THE BEST REMEDY.

I was on Lamictal for 4 years and after the first year I suddenly started having all kinds of teeth and gum problems for no discernible reason. But since Lamictal has the possible side effect of "sores or blisters on the inside of the mouth" I wondered if it could be related.

I did a Google search and am coming up with no experts yet, but lots and lots of posts connecting anticonvulsant meds, particularly Lamictal, Topamax, Neurontin, and Depakote, with dental problems. Dilantin is well known for causing gum disease and breaking down tooth enamel, loosening of teeth, and even breaking down of jawbone tissue.

I don't think the experts have connected the dots yet, but is anyone else having this problem?

lamictal controls seizures if you take it at the right time. i am on 200 at night and 200 in the morning plus epilim. sometimes i just sit and cry wen im trying to concentrate on reading books i have to study or trying to remember work i learnt at school which has left my brain. im failing school not matter how hard i try, i study all the time then the next day i have forgotten it. im so young and i havnt even started my future yet and i may have screwed it already. failing exams because i forgot wat i learnt the night before hurts so bad. its hard to say "hey everyone the reason i failed is because lamictal screws my memory" i know thats what it is. i was extremely intelligent before i started taking it, but now im a failure. i guess deep inside i know really im not a failure, but lamictal makes me one. : ( p.s add a constant hand tremor and sudden jerking movements every now and then.

I also am having a difficult time with memory loss. I have a very short term memory. I never used to be this way. Before I started taking Lamictal, I was taking Depakote. I haven't been on Lamictal for that long, so I do not know if my previous medications have caused my memory loss. I also get dizzy sometimes and I'm feeling out of breath lately. Some other medications I've taken are: Zyprexa (which gave me type I diabetes); Abilify; Risperadol; Adavan...the list goes on, unfortunately. I have been taking anti-psychotic drugs since I was 16, and I am 37 years old now. God help me!

I haven't taken this drug yet I am about to go get it from the store and I do not know when to take this medication. Morning or night? I already have racing thoughts at night so I do not want to be more awake at night than I already am. I also suffer from a weight issue, is this medication going to help me loose or gain weight? I cant afford to gain a few, I can afford to loose a few. I also suffer from back pain now so I do not want that to increase. Anyone have any helpful tips for me?

My son is diagnosed bipolar II mixed episodes. My son is on 1500 mg of Depakote, which the doctor increased as he was starting him on Lamictal. He also introduced and increased Seroquel. His personality is flat, his hands shake, he's gained 40 pounds and he sleeps after every dosing and naps in between. I was the one who suggested the Lamictal because I've read so many success stories about this drug. But I didn't realize that the doctor was planning to increase the Depakote. My son responds well to Depakote but it doesn't help in regard to his severe depressions or his irritability. Is there a way to sort out what is causing what?

Is this a forum for trashing Lamictal? I've been on it for a year and it probably saved my life. If you have negative effects from taking it, why not drop it and try something else? I'm glad I never read all of these horror stories, as I'm sure it would have scared me enough never to have tried it. That would have been a shame .. I've never felt as symptom free as I do now; I sleep well and dream well, put in long days in my business and never have a problem remaining focused and alert. The perfect cocktail for me turned out to be 250mg Lamictal twice a day, 25mg Trazodone at night, and 40mg Citalopram. I feel really fortunate that my psychiatrist only feels the need to visit with me once every 6 months just to check in. If I miss a day, my wife notices immediately as I start to swing "up" again. Drawbacks? The cost (about 7 bucks a pill), and some weight gain which may have happened anyway .. (I'm 52). If you have the insurance to cover it, I say give it a try.

I have been prescribed Lamictal for seizures, and am currently taking 400mg daily, with my 300mg of Dilantin. Had horrible side effects this weekend-nightmares, exhausted, worsening depression, crying jags, difficulty swallowing. Has anyone else experienced mood changes for the worse while on this drug?

I recently was given 200mg over the recommended pharmaceutical dose of Lamictal. My dr.'s partner prescribed this after a trip to the ER for a seizure to get me by until I could see my regular neurologist at the beg. of the week. The extra dose caused major blurred vision side effects, inability to walk, extreme sensitivity to light, and nausea. I am now at 400mg of Lamictal and starting Topomax with it so I hope this works. Any thoughts from anyone else taking this med combo?

Rash ???

I am under Treatment for Bi Polar using Lamictal-
200 mg in morning and 200mg at night before I go to bed. (totally 400 /day),
300 mg of trileptol at night and
100 mg of Zoloft in the morning.
I have taken the Lamictal for about 5 mos ramping up steadily( 25 mg,50 mg etc) as per directions to prevent the infamous rash. I used to take 1200 mg of treleptal and depakote before that.

Rash? I don't know what you call it. I get the feeling of a bee sting sensation periodically on my neck and collarbone area. To say the least, it itches and I have redness ( i don't know if this is from the scratching or a side effect)
Ouch!!! ( I have it now)I use ice to soothe it but it seems to progressively get more annoying. The little stings occur every 2 minute or so, isolated in a 2-3" square area, they will occur in different places at different epsiodes that occur about once every 48 hours. but always on the neck /collarbone region The Psychiatrist says it is not the rash that everyone talks about. When I was on Lithium 22 years of 1500 mg starting in 1977, I remember a similar rash at times.
I remember a rash that itched on my stomach about a month ago - I figured it was just a bug bite.
( I once attended a BPSA meeting and declared that lamectal is just lithium in disquise)

feed back, experiences and comments welcome

Dizziness,nausea,vertigo,tiredness,weakness,muscle aches and a dr. that keeps telling me it must be a coincidence ann that i probably have the flu,even though i've been on lamictal for 6 weeks and have just raised my level to 50 mgs. a day .wanted to go on lamictal because dr. assured me it would not have the cognitive side effects depakote has.she definitely has not been truthful since i've been reading alot of postings by others who have alreadytaken lamictal and they're having alot of difficulty withfinding theright word when speaking,trouble concentrating and reading and just plain old fogetfulness and associated confusion.and she wants me to happily subject myself to this!help-i'm scared to death!

I am on my 5th day of taking 25mg of lamictal and I have developed a sore blister cluster on the right side of my lower lip, a slight sore on the side of my tongue, my eye lid rims seem to itch, and I have to scratch a random itch on my body. I was just diagnosed as having bi-polar 11 disorder and had already have been taking prozac for a number of years for anxiety. The prozac was not helping by itself anymore and I am finding it harder and harder to keep a job. I, not to long ago, held Director positions in the Human Service field, and am now settling to take a job at a local retail store for a little more than minimum wage. Anyway, I was hoping to get the help I need from this new med but, feel it is probably not the right one for me. What will I be given next? I was given lamictal because of my fear of gaining weight an either depakote or lithium. I will call the clinic tomorrow and hope I will be squessed in to see a Dr. who can tell if this blister is from this or because i ate alot of fresh tomatoes recently. In the past , my love for tomatoes was worth the sore. but, sometomes i stayed away because i did not feel like dealing with the discomfort. Now I am rambling, but worried about this being a potential harmful side affect. Also, I do not need to become any more scattered brain then I have been lately. My own sanity seemed to deteriorate since my daughters behavior since 6th grade became umbearable. She is now in 10th grade and as of 8 months ago is not living with me. She called the police and I was jailed for a night and a day.My bility to cope with life became more and more difficult. I hope to find a regimen that will keep me from applying for disability. I am now 53 years old and have worked all of my life up until now. I feel like a kid trying to find out what I want to be when I grow up. Rambling again but this certainly has been helpful in that It gives me a chance to sort out my concerns. ThankYou