Lamictal and job

I have been on Lamictal now for 10 months, and I mostly love it.

But my IQ went down about 20 points. The first few months were very bad--I could hardly complete a sentence without forgetting one or two words. My short-term memory was scary bad--almost like blackouts where I wouldn't even remember events when reminded.

Those things have abated somewhat, but I am still having to adjust to a lower ability to think. I must make lists, I must repeat instructions and directions. Perhaps this is more about slowing down what was a hyperactive brain, but it is a side-effect that is hard to accept.

I am noticing a new side effect, though. I drop things all the time. I recently dropped a book I was reading--how does that happen?

Has anyone noticed this dropping, or any other clumsiness like this?

I have been taking this since October of last year. not only is it my complete miracle cure, but the side affects vanished long ago. For people who have suffered as long as I can, I'll take some queasiness, horniness, and blurry vision over wanting to die DAILY any time. I love it. Love it love it love it.

Incidentally, I lost my job a few months back and stopped taking it and IMMEDIATELY went back to the worst I ever felt mentally. if you are taking this and would like to stop (or need to cause of lack of ins.) talk to your doctor. My experience with the immediate lack of mood control was awful.

I was on 100 mg Lamictal for about 3 months and all I can say is this medication was a nightmare for me. I do have a history of depression, and have recently been diagnosed for Bipolar 2 (which by the way I believe I am not bipolar and that what I had was extreme stress and anxiety from a high pressure job), anyway the medication put me in the hospital. I was at work feeling OK and next minute carried out on a stretcher into an ambulance. I experienced confusion, more anxiety, hair loss, tremors. I also had seizures at work during the few months of taking the medication. My eyes were rolling back and forth. How scary! I also had sores in my mouth and my doctor said it was probably an infection or tooth problem. I never had these kinds of mouth sores before and surprise surprise they (and all other symptoms) went away after I stopped the medication.

I am only feeling normal now and it has been about 5 months after my hospital incident.

The hospital was very scary as well.

I have two children and I do not need to get all messed up on medication.

I am taking another path now and feel much better these days.

No more Lamictal or any other "Mood stabilizers" for me.......

I am 32 years old, and still have acne. I have been taking it for almost 14 years now. I know that Lamictal causes skin rashes. I asked my neurologist if Lamictal causes acne. He said no. I will never be able to get rid of acne, as long as I keep taking it. I have been seizure-free for over 2.5 years now. Dad won't let me get off of it, and be on primidone only. It's more important to keep driving seizure-free, than to have clear skin.

I was put on Lamictal about a year ago after the Dilantin I was on stopped working after 25 years. Tried Fursuit but the anger and extreme tiredness almost lost me my job. I found this site since I'm coming off Lamictal. I was still having seizures and the doc just kept upping the meds. At 400mg/day I found I couldn't stop laughing (I do Stand up comedy as a hobby) My chest was killing me after 2 days of euforia and couldn't sleep. Vision was so blurred I couldn't see a thing. I told my doc I've had enough and I'm coming off the drug as slowly as I can manage. After a few months I'm down to 125 mg this week and coming off it 25mg a week. so far seizures have been about 1 per month but that might increase. I'm finding the withdrawal side effects worse than the drug. Leg pain, chest pains and found out my blood pressure has gone thru the roof. Would like to know if that has happened to anyone else. It went down a bit after I reduced my dosage last week so I see a conspiracy. I have noticed my vision improves as the drug wears off during the day but I can't concentrate at work. would like to hear from others with epilepsy that are having problems with this drug and to give me any feedback. Figure If alexander the Great can create an empire with epilepsy and no drugs then I'll take the seizures over the meds

OnLamictal for 4 weeks for mood stabalization. Noticed with increasing alarm, any thing from short term memory problems to blanking out a phone message I left a friend, and then next day, apparently left same message. Serious memory deficites, I would liken to early stage Altzheimer's disease. Had graduated up to 50mg per day. In hind site, mental disturbance must have started while still on 25mg. Very frightening and humiliating experience. Had serious affects on my daily life and job. Off med. now, and was told it would take 10 plus days for side affects to diminish.

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