Lamictal Rash? Acne or a heat rash?

[elizzza811]

I am currently on Lamictal...just went up to 50mg twice daily on Tuesday, so I'm on week 4, with a target dose of 100mg twice daily.

Since starting Lamictal, I have noticed a slight rashiness to my face, especially this past week when I increased my dose. It looks sort of acne-like though...or like a heat rash. I have very slight tiny 'bumps', mostly around my lower jaw and lower cheek, especially on the right side. I can squeeze thin white 'strings' out of some of them, and other I can squeeze a tiny bubble of clear fluid out...just like when I had acne and would get clogged pores. There are no other rashes anywhere else on my body, it doesn't itch or hurt either. Should I be concerned? I don't feel any worse than normal.

 

[RobinN]

I am not sure you should be concerned. I do think these drugs change the gut flora which in turn, causes acne breakouts. Not sure if you see other issues around your cycle or not. My daughter did. The rash we saw with one of her meds, was more in moist areas... down her throat.

Do you usually get heat rash? We don't tend to get it, so if a rash occurred following an increase in meds, I would definitely associate it with the med. If it increased I would contact your doctor, or if it changes in appearance or irritation. Perhaps you could even take a picture of it and send it to your doctor. Just to be safe. Most doctors use email these days.

Trust your instincts.

 

[Endless]

Elizzza,

I'm on Lamictal, and it's given me acne. Ugh. The first time around on it I also had a drug reaction rash (which we beat this time by ramping up slower). My particular rash was like a red streak with pinpoint little dots on it. It felt kind of like a razor burn. It wasn't the really bad rash - SJS syndrome. Just regular drug reaction rash. Thank goodness.

If you are worried about it, see your PCP and ask her about the rash. It could just be acne.

 

[elizzza811]

I definitely would view this as mild 'acne' related to Lamictal, but not a Lamictal rash per say. I'm just happy it's not the 'cystic acne' I used to have. It looks nothing like the Lamictal rash photos I've seen. My face had been sooo clear for so many years though (maybe 5?), so it definitely does seem to be somehow related to Lamictal.

I can't really tell if my rash is related to my cycle either, since I no longer have a uterus - just one ovary - so I can't tell when I'm ovulating. I have noticed an increase in my 'sex drive' since starting Lamictal though, so could Lamictal be improving my hormones somehow? Also, my bowel movements, though not perfect, have definitely improved some on Lamictal, so why when I read about (I forget what it's called) gastrointestinal epilepsy?...they only seem to diagnose children with it? Severe gastrointestinal problems were one of my top 5 symptoms at one point.

 

[momof3boys]

Thats what happened to me... only mine started out like acne around my mouth, chin and jaw area. After I went from 50mgs to 100mgs twice a day, it got really bad. The acne then went to a sore that went deep into my skin and started to form scabs. I went to my primary care dr and she said I was having an allergic reaction to the Lamictal. I was also having swollen glands on my neck. Once I was off, within 3 days, the swollen glands were going away, but it took a good few weeks to a month for the sore to completely go away. The dr said that its good she noticed it then, otherwise I might have scars how deep the sores got as I went higher up in my dose.

 

[elizzza811]

I don't have any sores (yet), but I did have one really bad 'cystic' zit several weeks ago (when I first started Lamictal). It's gone now (pretty much), but I will keep an eye out. My glands are fine (so far), too. Tuesday I'm supposed to go up another 'notch' on the Lamictal, so I hope my doc calls me back tomorrow.