BODY TWITCHES from LAMICTAL???

[opus88]

Just a general question I am throwing out .....I have occasionally noticed odd twitches or jerking of whole body or just an arm or a leg....usually when I am totally relaxed and just about to fall asleep....
this probably happens at least twice each night...tonight its happened 4 times this passed hour therefore its maybe something I shouldn't be ignoring???

this has been happening periodically for a few years and something I just didn't pay attention too...but now I've noticed it more and more frequently.

I am wondering if maybe its a side effect of Lamictal...but everything I've read doesn't mention this problem, so just wondering if anyone else out there has had similar experiences?

I am also on gabapentin and also did alot of reading on that med and found no indication of it maybe being responsible either.

[alltheprettyflowers]

Medications can do that. I remember tapering off Seroquel..that was interesting. Non stop twitches, felt like a drug addict.

[Clementine1127]

I recently increased my dosage to 450 My daily. I've been on Lamictal for 13 years but needed to increase because of depression. I've had tics in the past, but it wasn't until recently with the increase that other people close to me have noticed. I am so thankful for knowing that I'm not alone.  Feeling good surpasses the side effects. I hope that this message helps people who have doubts or questions. I'm here 24/7

[ILADVOCATE]

Best to leave the dose in place. If its akathesia or a temporary movement disorder they can treat it with a side effect pill. If its tardive then its not reversible and permanent even if the medication is stopped so if that's diagnosed then they would change you over to another medication and should refer you to a neurologist who is a movement disorders specialist for further treatment but best let them see what's going on first. Also if it causes temporary movement disorders then if you discontinue it you will have flare up symptoms that is called withdrawal dyskinesia. That is not tardive and will eventually go away. But in lowering or stopping any medication the symptoms it is treating will come back so best to work with them. If they won't work with you you could seek a second opionion and regardless it would be essential to see a movement disorders specialist.

[opus88]

I did some reading and yes did find it...although not easily that Lamictal can give an adverse side effect of movement disorders, I don't see my Pdoc until late January,,in the meanwhile I am lowering my dose slowly to see if this solves the problem..he won't be very happy with me abt that, however I need to know..will let you know..thx

[ILADVOCATE]

Good question. Actually some of the treatments for tardive in that they raise dopamine levels are activating so sleep disruption has been a problem for me that is chronic. I'll be speaking to my neurologist this week so hopefully they can continue to look for medications that treat tardive but don't have the standard side effects of anti-Parkinsonian medications. Ironically Depakoate has been considered for me and lithium treats tardive as well but those are used less than other treatments and I couldn't tolerate them in the past as mood stabilizers which is the very reason Lamictal was tried for me. If you are diagnosed I could give you more information at that point and you could get an informed answer from the staff neurologist in the neurology forum. If caught in the early stages tardive can gradually reverse itself and is more easily treatable.

[opus88]

thx for that info, I was concerned abt that being the problem. I will follow that lead and read up more.
You are a text book of knowledge you know!
Again appreciate the reply and info
p.s. do you ever sleep?...it must be 230 a.m. in NY?

[ILADVOCATE]

Lamictal can occasionally cause extra pyramidal side effects and as an adverse side effect tardive dyskinesia. That is where I acquired it from. Go to the medication website (the prescription information part) under "adverse side effects" and print that out for your psychiatrist. They can determine whether its e.p.s. (in which case it can be treated with a side effect pill) or tardive which means it must be changed to another medication. Adverse side effects are statistically rare but they can happen. For anyone reading this this would not generally be of concern with Lamictal. I acquired it through (to quote my psychiatrist) "Lamictal worsening a pre-existing Parkinsonian condition" which in my case was focal dystonia but that wasn't diagnosed at the time nor was it known at the time (1998) that Lamictal could cause this. Naturally they would want to rule out more common causes as well but yes its within clinical potential. Speak to them about it.