lamictal rash

[Didisp]

Hi, My son has absence epilepsy and has been on 100 mg of lamictal for 6 months. About two months ago, I noticed what looked like large purple animal scratches across his back. He had been in the woods that day, so I thought he scraped himself on rocks.
Then, a month later I noticed them again, and said wow, those scratches did not heal yet? My son said he never had any scratches on his back and didn't know what I was talking about. Today I pushed back his long hair and noticed the purple marks are still there.
They are dark purple marks, almost like stretch marks, but much darker, and covering a large area (about a sq foot). He has not lost gained, or grown, and besides they don't really look like stretch marks, almost like something mauled him, and he is scarred under the skin...except that never happened. Anyone have any experience with Lamictal rash? Doctor called and said if he had it for two months, it's probably nothing, but to take him to his primary doctor first. I've never seen anything like it, because it is depressed in spots, and under that skin. I'm an elementary teacher, so I've seen many many rashes.

[Nakamova]

The Lamictal rash is red, blotchy and itchy, so it's very unlikely that's what your son has. His rash may well be from stretch marks though -- not only pregnant women get them, but also teens going through rapid growth spurts, or body builders. You can read about it below, see if it sounds like what's going on with your son. And do go see his regular doc or a dermatologist.

http://menshealth.about.com/od/teenh...ench_marks.htm

[Endless]

Hi,

I got a rash from lamictal. It wasn't stevens-johnson syndrome, but it was a drug-reaction rash. I saw a dermatologist who diagnosed it.

It wasn't blotchy like the pictures. It was in giant red strips. It didn't itch, either. It burned. It felt kind of like when you used to twist each others' arms/skin as kids. If you looked really close, you'd see little bumps in the red strips.

If you even SUSPECT a lamictal rash, get to your doctor QUICK. Your doctor is the only one who can look at it and tell. A dermatologist is even better. All you have to do is say the words "lamictal" and "rash" together and they'll get you in same-day.

Even though it wasn't steven's johnson syndrome (which can be a deadly problem), my doc made me monitor it constantly, and if got any worse whatsoever, come back in at once. SJ Syndrome can be lethal, and it's nothing to fool around with.

I had that darn rash for many weeks (months?) before it got better. In the meantime we treated it with steroid creams and antihistamines.

I'm betting your son has something else. But you need to get in there QUICK to have someone look at it.

[Didisp]

It could almost look like stretch marks, but they are not in a place congruent with that, and in a bizzarre direction, and deep purple. It actaully sounds a lot like the rash the next person posted. thanks you have both been helpful.

[Jbo57]

My doctor has just prescribed Lamictal for me to take to supplement my Dilantin. In reading all this stuff, it makes me really, really scared to the point of just staying on the Dilantin and not taking the Lamictal. The concept of dying from a rash is not appealing, to say the least.

[Nakamova]

Hi Jbo57 --

The SJS rash from Lamictal is extremely rare. Most people have no problem with it whatsoever. So don't let your fear stop you from trying a med that might help.

[Endless]

Hi, Jbo,

I was afraid of the Lamictal, too. But I took it anyway, and got a drug-reaction rash from it. But it wasn't SJ Syndrome. That's really rare. But to be on the safe side my epileptologist took me off it anyway, because the rash made him nervous.

Now I'm on Trileptal instead, and it has fried my brain and made me rather slow, and depressed, not to mention the same rash as I had on Lamictal! So I begged to have the Lamictal back, because it left my mind relatively intact. My doctor and dermatologist put their heads together and decided it was okay for me to try again. We'll try to treat through the rash and maybe it will go away at some point. I have orders to watch the rash carefully and if it gets worse than before to call the docs.

Bottom line, for people who like the least possible impact on their energy level and their thinking ability, Lamictal is a good drug. It only has adverse side effects for the minority of people. And SJS is really rare. But if a rash pops up, run to the doctor without delay to get it checked out.

All these drugs scare me in some way or another, frankly. But it's not worth letting it stop me from taking the medication I need to get my seizures under control.

[Dutch mom]

Take a look here (with a photograph of the rash in post 37)
A rash - But is it THE rash?

[Didisp]

To the person who was just put on lamictal, and is afraid of the rash. As other people here have said, it is very rare. My son saw a dermotlogist, and they don't feel the rash was related to the lamictal.

My son was on Topomax, before this, and it made him out of his head and had so many side effects...the lamictal by comparison had been so much better. And the rash turned out to be unrelated. To be safe the derm. said he would like to see my son right away if the rash came back. The rash is now gone, after two and a half months. Mystery, but at least, he doesn't have to change meds. again.

[Jbo57]

Thanks. I begin the Lamictal starting tonight. It might/should help with seizure control...however, I don't hold out much hope for it helping my nerves. Don't know why the anxiety is so great because NOTHING has changed, but for some reason, I constantly feel like I'm coming out of my skin.

[Didisp]

My son has OCD also and the lamictal for his seizures did not seem to get worse with the lamictal. Since OCD is an anxiety disorder and that did not get worse, hopefully the lamictal will not make you feel worse. My son felt like jumping out of his skin on topomax.

[Jbo57]

My son has OCD also and the lamictal for his seizures did not seem to get worse with the lamictal. Since OCD is an anxiety disorder and that did not get worse, hopefully the lamictal will not make you feel worse. My son felt like jumping out of his skin on topomax.

Thanks for the input. I'm sorry that your son has OCD and seizures...that's a double cross to bear! I'm not concerned with the Lamictal making my anxiety worse...my point was that it is being given for additional seizure control and I don't think it will help with the crunching nerves that I've been experiencing. Thank you again for the input.

[Didisp]

Got it straight now. Good luck to you.