Lamictal and sleep

I have been on lamictal for about 7 months. I was not happy with the side effects I was experiencing (no sleep, bad motor skills, brain working slow) plus I was still having fits of rage and suicidal thoughts. I finally had enough and last week told my doctor that I wanted to get off to see if I felt any difference, because I pretty much felt the same on the 200mg than before I started. I'm slowly being weened off and now I am down to 100mg. So far I have not been getting up in the middle of the night as much and actually slept a total of 7 hours and only woke up once in the middle of the night for like 2 minutes versus the waking up every 1 to 2 hours and sometimes not being able to go back to sleep at all. My conversation ability has been returning and I'm not so nervous to talk and lose my train of thought or try to search for the right word. I've been dealing with a difficult situation in my life and I actually feel like I'm handling it better now than when I was on the full dosage . The only downside so far which is probably withdrawal is that I'm extra sleepy and I've been having to take 2 hour naps during the but I have a feeling that will go away. Besides my body might be making up for lost time from the 3-4 hours of sleep I was getting. I'm looking forward to being off of it soon.

Ive only taken Lamictal for three days.... very low dosage. I am dry heaving, have chills, cannot sleep, have terrible, racing thoughts and extremely scary nightmares when I do sleep for a few minutes. I stopped taking the drug today. I cannot take the side effects.

Hi, I just posted something a little while ago but after reading more of people's side effects feel that I have some more in common.

I have been taking lamictal for 2 years/ 300mg a day. The reason I was unsure if my side effects were actually related to it or not was because i didn't have any and now suddenly do. I have SEVERE dry mouth constantly and it is hell. I am also waking up with night sweats to the point where I have to go to bed with ice packs. I have become oilier and hairier. I have had all my hormones tested as I first believed it was that but the results came back fine. Has anyone else experienced side effects quite a long time after starting lamictal? Thanks again

As with others on this forum, memory loss is a side effect I'm experiencing with Lamictal. In fact, it's THE only side effect. I began taking Lamictal three years ago, and have maintained a dose of 300 mg a day. My short-term memory is practically non-existent. I have to write EVERYTHING down, and sometimes that isn't even enough. I've been known to forget what I've read only minutes before. I used to pride myself on my impeccable spelling, and now I'd say I'm at a fifth-grade level. In fact, I feel like I'm about ten years old. I've been taken to task over and over by employers who are frustrated with my poor performance. I've lost one job and due to lose another any day. Sure, my mood is stabilized, but for what good if I can't even support myself? I would definitely go off this medication if there was a good chance I would get my memory back, but I haven't come across anything in my internet travels that indicate this is a possibility!

Memory and sleep problems. Long term memory OK. Can't even read the newspaper and remember what I read.

I am on this medication for seizures. Besides all the other side effects being posted (typing, speech, spelling, forgetfulness, etc), I have EXTREME daytime sleepiness. To the point that I will not/cannot drive and have to stay where I'm at until I "wake up". I have been off work for 5 months, but had to go back for financial reasons. I work partial days and go home and take a nap, which the neurologist prefers I don't. Anyone experiencing daytime sleepiness (disorders)??? Thanks

Hi ! I'm French and bipolar 2 rapid cylcing (every 2/3 months for about 3 weeks each taking anafrani)l. I'm 50 years old and I had lithium for many years. Since July I have lamictal. It's very recent in France and my doctor doesn't know if my problem to sleep I get since I have lamictal will go away or not and if lamictal is responsible.
I describe the problem : I have difficulty to get asleep, I wake up during the night and I wake up very early in the morning even if i go to bed late. So I'm obliged to go to bed before 10 pm. It's very hard but since I take lamictal I had no down since September (6 months it's wonderful for me)
I only had some variations during the day at the beginning but it seems to be better. I feel really better than with lithium. But there is this problem of sleeping. In France nobody could answer to me and my doctor told me to go on internet with USA of Canada where you use for long time lamictal. Do you know something about that and do you know if it can be better after a few month more ?
Could you please answer me here or on my email : ******
Thanks a lot in advance and sorry for my bad English. I hope you will understand me.
Kind regards
N.

Oh, I forgot...wicked horrible nightmares! (Maybe this is why I sleep anymore?) Still, I swear its a wonderful drug.

As I read all of these postings, I see I'm not alone in my side effects while taking lamictal. I started out on a very low dose (12.5 mg) and doubled this amount each week. It took a while to get to my current dosage of 150 mg per night. I've been experiencing mental confusion, more panic attacks and it's very hard to wake up in the morning. I've been more frequently tired and dizzy during the daytime. Also, at night, my dreams have been extremely vivid. Many have been nightmares leaving me in a state of severe confusion as I try to awake in the morning. Recently, I started having upper back pain that I've never experienced before.
I thought this drug was supposed to be safe with very little side effects (except the potential RASH). I think my life was better before lamictal. Or, do I need to give it some time to work???? Help Please

I have been on Lamictal for about 3 and a half yrs now for Bipolar 1. Overall, I have had a really great experience with the drug. I started with 100mg and then went to 200mg after a year and a half. Now I take 225mg as of a month ago. For about a year and a half I had the acne on my chin and then it went away suddenly (thought it was cutting out dairy from my diet though). I have been extremely fatigued for awhile now. 7hrs of sleep is not good enough for me so I end up taking long naps when I have the opportunity each day- I always want to sleep. I feel stupid and lack focus and motivation. I use to be a social butterfly and now I feel so exhausted when entertaining. I am a personal trainer and am in the business of making others feel better, but I seem to be feeling worse. I have experienced weight gain as well and that is hard for me since I use to be bulimic and have always had poor body image issues. I was on the NuvaRing for 5 months and it made me sooooo depressed so I finally got off that and feel better- don't mix those 2 drugs.
I am going to ask my doctor to take me off of it this week because I am ready to trust God with my mental health. I have a great support system to help me through the tough times and if I want to get pregnant, I have to go off it anyway.

I feel like I should share my positive experience with Lamictal to balance the negative reviews. I am on it for bipolar II. I sought help because of a mixed state that was causing me to deteriorate to the point of seriously considering suicide. I titrated up on Lamictal from 25 to 50 to 100 and now 200 mg. I started the 200 mg last week, and suddenly yesterday and today, it's like a cloud has lifted. I feel like myself again.

I've had very few side effects. I have the relatively-rare yawning issue--I yawn every few minutes even though I'm not tired. My dreams have been especially vivid, which I actually enjoy. My facial acne seemed to be a bit exacerbated at first, but it's calmed down. I have a couple of small blemishes on my chest and shoulders, which is unusual for me, but it's minimal and responds well to benzoyl peroxide. My weight has stayed the same.

My bipolar has affected every aspect of my life, and I feel more stable now than I have in years. I'm sure there are still rough times ahead, but the relief Lamical has given me is a huge gift. I feel hopeful for the first time in months.

Also, it seems to have increased my libido. Like, a lot. I'm not complaining about that!

Am suffering from severe shortness of breath (along with bloating, weight gain, palpitations, inability to sleep). On Lamictal when it started. Went off Lamictal for about 6 weeks. No change. Dr. Had me go back on it as it did do well. Am trying to find anyone who has had their shortness of breath and other symptoms directly linked to Lamictal and what did you do? Am at the end of my rope unable to breathe and can't get treated.
Please respond. Thank you!!

Blurred vision, 15 lb weight gain, irritability, insomnia, excess hair growth (exacerbating my PCOS), nausea, nightmares, fuzzy thinking, bad memory, lose train of thought mid-sentence. Been on 100mg for 3 months. Doctor upped to 200mg but after 3 days on it and 3 days of no sleep, I dropped back down. Helps a bit with my depression, but I feel sort of numb. Not as bad as on some, but not good.

I've been on Lamictal 200mg for a couple of months and let me tell you, I haven't had a f^@#!&g good night sleep since! I am a 33 y.o. male with Bipolar Disorder (hate that label) and I have a "slight" case of paranoia. The drug has allowed me to refrain from acting out on certain impulses, but not suicidal tendencies. OK... now I do have fully functioning parts (one in particular) which worked fine before this drug (you see where I'm going with this?). It SUCKS!!! Let's just say that there are certain things I'd rather not have happen prematurely (I am not laughing). I do happen to be great in that particular category, yet this strips me of any natural ability to fully indulge in such activities. Uuggghhhh... Give me my mojo back or just shoot me!

Excessive stretching upon early morning awakening. I wake up in the wee hours of the day and can not get back to sleep. During this time I feel an uncontrollable need to stretch like one does normally in the morning. I must stretch 10-15 times before I have to get up!

I have been on Lamictal for a few months and I started out on 50 mg and went up two 100 mg within two weeks time - Everything was fine until I went off of it for 5 weeks and then back on it pretty suddenly. Ever since then I have had chronic nausea (constant feeling of car sickness). There are times when I wake up with it in the morning and go to sleep with it at night. Nothing will help except fountain coke (I don't know why, but it works) but the pain always winds up coming back within a few hours.

I ALSO HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL

• Memory Loss ***
• Messing Up Words + Speech Comes Out Backwards ***
• Loosening of Teeth
• Sores and Blisters on Inside of Mouth
• Soreness and Heaviness in the Legs + Occasional Muscle Aches
• Headaches (Not so much anymore)
• Heart Racing + Mind Racing
• Trouble Writing + Spelling ***

I'm sorry to hear all the bad side effects you all had with lamictal. I was on lamictal for depression for about a month and a half. I started low, 25mg. But when I got up to 100mg I started to itch! No rash, just itch, about a half hour after I took it! I was in denial, of course, because I had been feeling on top of the world! I had a loss of appetite, which I needed due to the fact my migraine meds had me gain 40 lbs over the last 2 yrs and NOTHING would take it off. My energy level had come back....something the Abilify had taken away a year ago....I'm getting off that very soon. I hate it. It takes away mania for bipolar disorder, so they say, but I'm slightly different....borderline bipolar II,so it takes away my personality, my get up and go, my motivation, you name it. I'm only on 5mg. When I was on 10mg, it knocked me out....I'd get the kids to school, come home and sleep, and be in and out like a drug addict all day til it wore off in the afternoon. Anyway.....lamictal.....I'm back on it.........starting at 12.5mg a day, then 12.5mg 2x a day, etc up to about 50 or 75mg, no more than that. It was a great help to me so I'm not going to let myself get those darn itches again. I did notice a little bit of intestinal irritation in the beginning last time, but that was only for a few days. I take Wellbutrin and also take Topamax 250mg.....and have a ton of hair falling out....and acne, so i feel for those of you with those symptoms. And yes, I still get migraines and still am depressed. But life goes on....I have kids to raise. I just cry in the shower and in the car. The best to all of you....good luck with your meds! Keep on trying!

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 for about five months for bipolar II. I has been increased slowly over these months and I am now up to 300 mg a day. I have a tendency to sometimes forget things but remembering numbers has never been a problem for me. In fact I can look at someone's tag number driving down the road and remember it for days. Phone numbers of people I have known for 20 years would stick and I wouldn't even have to call them on a regular basis to know the number. However, recently while trying to use my bank debit card at the store I was asked to enter my PIN number and totally could not remember. I tried it several times but it never came to me. I felt like a fool!. At this time, that was three days ago and I still cannot remember it!

This is very, very distressing to me. I feel like something has been wiped clean and that I will never get it back.

My Lamictal dose has been increased in the last couple of weeks and I thought maybe Lamictal or one of my other meds could be making this happen so I started researching and found this site where other people were complaining of memory loss while on Lamictal.

Headaches are another common side effect for me while on this med. It has really helped me emotionally and I need to know if the memory loss is just going to be a temporary thing and it will get back to normal or if I will be forgetting more and more over time. PLEASE HELP!!!

My chronic pain has really increased since being on Lamictal for 15 months for bipolar. I have had fibromyalgia for years. The bipolar developed after that. Since starting Lamictal, I have developed headaches so severe that I have been off work 3 times in the past 7 months, inc. 5 weeks recently. I've always had headaches, but these new, more severe headaches are non-stop. I have to take 3 time-release 100 mg codeine tablets every day, plus Gravol to keep the headaches bearable. Even then, many days I end up bed-ridden. I've also developed chronic, very bad plantar facsiitis in my left foot since starting Lamictal. I did weeks of intensive physio, plus swimming therapy to no avail. Finally had to get a cortisone injection in my foot.

I hate being like this; I like my job and was used to leading a very active life, despite the fibromyalgia, before I went on Lamictal. I briefly tried Lithium recently, but it had a whole other set of side effects, so I am really frustrated.

Has anybody else had increased or new pain since being on Lamictal?

Rosslyn

I started taking Lamictal about six weeks ago for epilepsy. Now keep in mind, I was on Dilantin which worked great for 17 years and then suddenly stopped working. I have been in medication hell since then. First Topamax made me dumb as a rock. I would space out all the time. Worst drug ever. Then Keppra which was better in that my memory/ability to speak came back but I had these intense ups and down. I had rages constantly. Now I'm on Lamictal. So far, it's better than the Topamax and the Keppra, however the dreams are very intense as are the night sweats. I'm also experiencing much hair loss. Fortunately I have a full head of hair but I'm afraid I will eventually lose it all.

I CANT BELIEVE THIS! on *** i read good things about this medication. I've been on it for about 8 months. lately i have felt like crap and tired and cant sleep. i get paranoid I'm using too much cleaner in my bathroom and just many things. the last 4 or 5 days I've had muscle aches i thought was the flu and a horrible migraine. memory loss.. i feel foggy. i feel like i can contain my mood better but I'm wondering what to do.. when i forget to take it i get messed up but IT CAUSES memory loss WHICH causes u to forget to take it! i have bad anxiety and trouble sleeping. i feel even now. dude I'm confused at this very moment.

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

I started taking Lamictal in September 07 for bipolar. Started with 25mg and now on 150 daily. I\ Since being on the medication, I feel like Ive lost my sense of self. I find it difficult to keep a conversation going and i lack creativity, I'm just not as witty and sharp as i used to be. I used to write and draw a lot but i have trouble creating inspiring works like i used to. I sleep away too much and have too many weird dreams.

I never really struggled with bad depression but have had some manic episodes. Lamictal has stabilized me, but i fear too much stabilizing. haven't had any manic episodes, but I feel my self and my life slipping away. Theres gotta b something better out there.

Hello! I've been taking Lamictal for about 6 years now. I'm diagnosed as BP II and have the most difficulty with depression. I currently take 500 mg-- 400 mg at night and 100 mg in the morning. I have to say that Lamictal has been very good to me for the most part. As long as I don't put myself into extremely stressful positions-- such as my last job-- I do quite well. I also take a combination of supplements with Lamictal which seem to give the extra push that I needed to completely get out of my last depression. I take 1000 mg EPA (fish oil), B-100 Complex, Folic Acid, Cal-Mag, multivitamin (high quality, organic), Vitamin D (at least 1000 mg) and a few others.

I notice that when I take it at night if I don't go to sleep right away, my mouth and tongue will tingle. Sometimes when I take it in the morning, I feel foggy and dizzy and sometimes get vertigo. Every now and then the side effects seem to get worse, which I am not sure about. I started searching on the internet because I've been noticing that the "tip of the tongue" problem has been occurring more and more often. I often cannot think of the word I want, simple things even. As others have mentioned, I also have difficulty with memory. I am still very successful, currently pursuing a 2nd Master's Degree, but have noticed that achieving the same level of quality of work takes a lot more effort than during my previous degrees.

I do have some periods of anger/irritability and have recently been sleeping a lot, though it probably has a lot more to do with the time of year-- winter with less light-- than anything else.

I am particularly worried about my memory loss and inability to sound "well-spoken" in a setting which demands that of me. It is frustrating! I don't want to do any lasting harm on my brain. After increasing to 500 mg from 400 mg, I have noticed more of these brain issues, but I'm also doing so much better mood wise!

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 experiencing a flu like symptom for over a year now. They started about 2 months after I began taking 350mg of lamictal a day. Symptoms include exhaustion, headache, soar/achy throat, post-nasal drip, TONS of nausea, lack of digestion & regurgitation of food. I am tired and feel warn out all the time... I have had everything checked by doctors and they've found no health reasons to explain these symptom's.

HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS????

I am currently restarting Lamictal for my bipolar disorder. I was on it for about a year and gained 15lbs. I started feeling very depressed about my weight. I was very fatigued and would take naps every day and sleep all though the night. I didn't have a whole lot of energy. My husband and I are wanting to have children so I discontinued Lamictal for the reason and because I thought it was making me depressed. However, after having Lamictal fully out of my system I realized that I was having a depressive episode that got worse because I wasn't on my Lamictal. I am not starting Lamictal again and I am going for a higher dosage now since I am in a depressive episode. As far as weight gain goes, my doctor is also putting me on Topamax which I start this evening. It could possibly counteract the weight gain issue.

I am also on a vitamin regime to help with my mood and Clonazepam for anxiety attacks.

This is a nightmare. I have been on Lamictal 200 mg, tab in morning, for approx. 5 months. About 3 1/2 months ago I started getting muscles aches and weakness, muscle overuse problems, fluid retention ( like 12 pounds), stayed in a trance with very little short term memory. Thought it was everything but this medicine....I am an avid athelite, yes, even at 51. So, I blamed myself for not slowing down. Quick exercising totally, for 2 months, iced 3 times a day on leg muscles. Finally after making it to the summer without a mental breakdown, I went to the emergency room and a new internist to get checked out. Blood work, thyroid, hormones,ok.... Really don't care what they think , I can not walk, it hurts like hell. The Dr. did tell me to get off Lamictal....ok 7th day and I have some relief but it is not complete. Called manufactures, interesting, yes- these are side effects!!! But the studies are limited. Listen , unless you have seizures, get off this medicine... you read the full disclosure of side effects and then search yourself......It can ba a huge FOOOOOPA.....And you are the fool that will end up holdling the bag, not the manufacturer. Hopefully I will get better. Right now , I just trying to stay calm.

I have been taking lamictal for about two months now, slowly increasing about 25 mg a week to insure that I do not get the serious rash. I am not at about 150mgs a day now. I really do not like this drug. I waited patiently to feel different, better, for my moods to stabalize, and in place of feeling that way, i have been somewhat disoriented, more emotional, at a loss for words and I generally feel "stupider." It is a horrible feeling, i am usually very quick to my feet, and now i am lagging. In addition, I have been having very vivid, intense dreams, that I never had prior to taking lamictal. All I want to do is get off of this drug, however, i have to do so slowly because of this rash, and that too will just be another long waste of my time.