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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Lamictal and extreme muscle burn and edema
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Lamictal and extreme muscle burn and edema
by elizabethl, Jul 04, 2007 12:00AM
Dear Dr. Gould,
I have been through the mill. As of today, I have been off Lamictal for depression ( no other psychotropic) for 3 1/2 weeks. I ended up in the emergency room due to muscle cramps and fluid that has been going on for about 5 months, it just became unbearable. The internist verified that all was well, except for low salt/ potassium ,level 3.2. Not that low. I had been on the lowest dose of an potassium sparing diuretic to combat the 16 pounds of fluid that accumulated on the brief time on lamictal ( weaned off zoloft during that time) My Psychiatrist refuses to even consider the Lamictal as a cause. I did talk to the manufacturer and they confirmed their is a low incidence of edema and muscle pain. Nevertheless after stopping all prescriptions the edema is slowly going away and the muscle pain is still there, but a tiny bit better. I later find out the my Dr. is a spokes person for the drug manuf. and that is why she went off the charts in a manic state about the non-side effect.
So, how long does they edema last? It is mainly in my legs and hips, stomach has almost gone completely. Have you heard of others having this problem and can you give any advice. The good news is my memory has returned along with my balance and many other things that my Dr. refused to acknowledge.
Thanks for the help.
E
I have been through the mill. As of today, I have been off Lamictal for depression ( no other psychotropic) for 3 1/2 weeks. I ended up in the emergency room due to muscle cramps and fluid that has been going on for about 5 months, it just became unbearable. The internist verified that all was well, except for low salt/ potassium ,level 3.2. Not that low. I had been on the lowest dose of an potassium sparing diuretic to combat the 16 pounds of fluid that accumulated on the brief time on lamictal ( weaned off zoloft during that time) My Psychiatrist refuses to even consider the Lamictal as a cause. I did talk to the manufacturer and they confirmed their is a low incidence of edema and muscle pain. Nevertheless after stopping all prescriptions the edema is slowly going away and the muscle pain is still there, but a tiny bit better. I later find out the my Dr. is a spokes person for the drug manuf. and that is why she went off the charts in a manic state about the non-side effect.
So, how long does they edema last? It is mainly in my legs and hips, stomach has almost gone completely. Have you heard of others having this problem and can you give any advice. The good news is my memory has returned along with my balance and many other things that my Dr. refused to acknowledge.
Thanks for the help.
E
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Jul 06, 2007 12:00AM
, Jul 06, 2007 12:00AM
Unfortunately, or fortunately, this is so rare that I do not have any experience with it, but if you are getting better,and the internist is following your fluid balance carefully, you are doing all the right things. Keep on treating the edema symptoms, and stay off all medications as much as possible....you should be talking re this with your new psychiatrist as well...
