RE: Lamotrigine adverse reaction & Bipolar

[indiegirl]

Hi I was wondering if anyone has ever has an adverse reaction to Lamotrigine i.e. breaking out in rash, very itchy, red patches all over skin? I'm afraid to try other drugs due to this? Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Vikkttoorr99]

I've been on lamotrigine (lamictal) for years. I've taken many other medications for bp and not much has worked for whatever reasons. I did not find relief until I got on lamictal. It took several months to work the dose up a little at a time and some fine tuning to get the dose right. Now I'm on 300mg lamotrigine. I had some tremors and had some balance problems on the higher doses. I also take 450mg lithium carbonate and 60mg methylphenidate (this one's in the morning). Methylphenidate gives me high blood pressure so I also take atenolol 25mg. I've tried a lot of medications there are only 2 that I've ever had REAL problems with- Seroquel and Abilify. I didn't take them together. There were years between when I tried them separately. The physical side effects I don't know that much about but those 2 medications made my psyche  much worse. I'm not saying they shouldn't be tried or that they are bad. I just know that they aren't good for me. Good luck to you.  
  

[juliagulia45]

I had the same fears when beginning Lamictal- the warnings are very terrifying-- but I experienced none of the rashes or side effects, and responded well to it in general. My psychiatrist feels it is one of the most effective drugs out there for bipolar despite this side effect, which from the research I have seen is rare, but serious.

If you are thinking of starting it, the doctor should start you out very slowly on what is called the "starter pack," which brings you up very slowly. This allows your body to adjust to the medication. If, however, you have ANY of the skin rashes described in the literature, stop the medication and call your doctor immediately. The rashes are not just a typical skin rash either, but with hives/welts, as described to me by both the doctor and pharmacist.

I have tried many meds over the years and Lamictal has worked best for me. I have had many bad experiences with other meds. It takes time to find the right meds sometimes, so do your research but listen to your doctors and your body too.

[ILADVOCATE]

The specific reaction to Lamictal is called Stephen's Johnson syndrome and it is a rare and dangerous allergic reaction to it. When that happens if a psychiatrist or doctor diagnoses it they will stop the Lamictal. There are some other mood stabilizers and medications in general that can cause this reaction but many don't such as lithium and most others. That side effect is specific to Lamictal and that's why it has to be raised at a specific titrated rate as mandated by the FDA. This is a full list of mood stabilizers:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/moodstabilizers.htm
It would explain the specific side effects both long term and short term each has. You could also look at the medication websites themselves and then discuss all this with your psychiatrist and they could decide what medication would be right for you.