Lamictal - how high a dose?

How high a dose of Lamictal or lamotrigene are you taking or have you taken?

  • less than 100 mg/ day

    Votes: 6 5.5%
  • 100 - 175 mg/ day

    Votes: 16 14.7%
  • 200 - 275 mg/ day

    Votes: 22 20.2%
  • 300 - 375 mg/ day

    Votes: 18 16.5%
  • 400 - 475 mg/ day

    Votes: 19 17.4%
  • 500 - 575 mg/ day

    Votes: 11 10.1%
  • 600 mg/ day

    Votes: 6 5.5%
  • over 600 mg/ day

    Votes: 11 10.1%

  • Total voters
    109

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Aubrey

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I am asking this because I am on a pretty high dose and I am getting fair but imperfect seizure control. I have some but not unbearable side effects relative to the seizure control. I am curious what other people to do manage their seizures. Also I am on generic, though I don't make that distinction in the poll.
 
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I think I'd got up to 450 a day on lamictal, but I couldn't deal with the side effects and it didn't offer any seizure control.
 
I don't have the dreaded rash and I figure I can handle pretty much any other side effect that doesn't kill me so I am sticking with it. It can keep me conscious through everything except final exams and paper due dates, which of course is when I need it most. I am at 200 mg/ 3x day.
 
I take 400mg 2x daily. I never had satisfactory control of seizures with it until I had surgery, now I don't have any seizures at all. I also take 1000mg 2x of keppra. Neurologist says we'll drop keppra and lower dose of lamictal after 2 years seizure free.
 
My doctor has declined to increase my dose of Lamictal past 600, saying that if it doesn't work at that amount, adding more isn't going to make a difference. I also take 300 mg Zonegran.
 
My neuro wanted me at 300mg, but I stopped ramping up when I hit 250mg, and then slowly tapered down to 175mg where I am now. Seizures have been controlled the whole time.
 
I'm currently taking lamotrigine 500mg/day. I had achieved reasonable seizure control at a lower dose, but months later, I started taking another medication which somehow brought the seizures back. Beginning at 500mg/day, I had a lot of trouble seeing, so my doctor had me try taking the pills three times a day instead of twice. The vision problems haven't cleared up entirely, but I've been doing better.
 
taking 750 brand. Had two breakthroughs on generic. No side affects that I can tell
 
I was put on Lamotrigine in April which caused me to have a breakdown. I stay in doors for 22 weeks- I was anxious around people so kept myself locked away which was a living hell in it's self. A neighbour cooked me a meal every day and I took it from her at the front door. I felt I had lost control, my id and my personality. 6 months on I still get anxious but I can get out thanks initially to diazepam and now clonazezpm. I was only on lamotrigine for four days but I felt strage- over awareness and not incontrol. The GP changed me from lamotrigine to tegretol, and I was also put on quetiapine and clonazepam. Six months on I am getting back to my old self and my fits have dropped from 60/80 a month to 3 this month. Obviously Lamotrigine work for some people abd not for others :)
 
taking 750 brand. Had two breakthroughs on generic. No side affects that I can tell

That's a lot - but no side effects. Cool! My memory is not so good, which may be attributable to the Lamictal. I have been on generic for months and have had semi-regular breakthroughs. Just a few days ago I got fed up enough and switched back to brand. If I survive the stressors of the next 10 days T/C free, which on the generic I did not expect to, then that will be conclusive in my mind that there is a difference between generic and the brand name. If I survive the next two months seizure free... amazing... as good as concrete proof. If not, I might just ask for a dose increase, seeing as it can be handled.
 
Omg, I can't believe how high a dose you have to take! I just started am at 25 mg and already have side effects. This scares me a little.
 
I should add I went back to brand because of the breakthroughs. Feel much better on it whether perceived or real - fear, sometimes tingly fingers or jumpy legs. I can't say the fear is gone but I think that's just part of living with E not the meds.
 
The highest dose of lamictal I've ever been on was 1800mg every day. It made me so dizzy for hours after each dose that my dr reduced it to 1400mg. The higher dose worked so much better, but I guess being able to read and walk safely is more important. I had a hard time with that (both, the side effect and stopping what really helped). Now I'm taking 1600mg of lamotrigine.
 
I am on 200mg two a day. The goverment switched me to genric but body could not take it ( started to have lots of seizures , so neuro asked goverment to get me back on brand. What a battle with goverment but doctor won. I am also on Keppra 1000mg twice a day, and zonegram 100mg 3 a day. I find keppra and lamictal give me headaches ( one side effect) but i rather be on them, as we still have no idea why i have seazures and when they coming on.
 
I am on 300mg lamotrigine a day. But was also on 600mg Topiramate weaned down to 400 on the top! :D Seems to do the trick!
 
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I am 46 yrs old and have been having seizures for 11 years. I'm lucky, I've only had 8 seizures in my life that I know of. Medications are controlling them well. I'd have had three less if one of my doctors had medicated me more effectively when she put me on Lamictal initially -- she only put me on 200 mg/day, which didn't even get me up to a therapeutic dose. I had 3 big seizures in a row one morning, so bumped that up to 500XR/day and no more seizures. It's been over a year now and I haven't been feeling "right" about my medication for a while -- whether its the lamictal, my age, my hormones, stress, a new job, I felt over-medicated and wasn't sure it was the right drug for me. I wanted to treat the seizures and not have the anti-depressant always there. I went on Zonegran instead about two months ago. The results have been disappointing. No seizures on 300 mg zonegran, but I have experienced a lot of depression and anxiety. The zonegran has given me a heightened awareness of sound too, so that sounds really, really annoy me. It's harder to focus at work. My doc put me on ativan "as needed" so I take 1/2 mg a day when I'm working and that helps, but I'm pretty miserable overall and feel more intolerant in other ways that are out of the ordinary for me.

Has anyone switched off of Lamictal and back on again? Just wondering what the path back looks like -- is it the long slow building back up due to the danger of the rash?

Has anyone else experienced the same effect from Zonegran?

Thanks----!
 
I have the depression/anxiety and difficulty focusing, but I attributed them to the Lamictal - I am taking both that and Zonegran. Could be the Zonegran, though.
 
Hi Aubrey - at least in my experience, I didn't have any of those three side effects until I went on Zonegran. On Lamictal I got depressed within a few hours if I missed a dose. As soon as I went & checked the pill case & confirmed I'd forgotten it & took the missed dose, I started feeling better again. I find myself to feel one consistent way all the time, and it's anxious, distracted with a bit of doom mixed in.. and some aggression. I definitely speak up for myself now! ;)
 
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