Hi Midge,
When I upped my dose of Lamictal XR from 100 mg to 150 mg per day, I too had the tingling in my hands and fingers and got dizzy when I would bend over...also felt pretty unsteady on my feet and almost like my leg muscles were going to give out, if that makes any kind of sense. I didn't have insomnia, but I am also on Topamax and am weaning off Keppra..not sure about Topamax, but I know the Keppra tends to make me want to sleep 12+ hours, even at a low dose. These side effects went away after about 2 weeks.
When the dose was upped to 200 mg (about 3 weeks ago), I have headache, some joint pain, and what I think is a sinus infection that won't go away. I also had some moodiness and depression the first couple of weeks after the dose increase. Not trying to be gross, but I am also experiencing nausea, occasional vomiting, and diarrhea a couple times a day. I am also constantly thirsty on this drug...probably it's just my reaction (drinking constantly) to the dry mouth it causes at the higher dose. I'm down to 250 mg a day of the Keppra now and still don't have an issue with insomnia, I actually feel MORE tired...so maybe Lamictal XR is causing an unusual reaction in me...everyone else seems to have insomnia on it from what I have read.
Despite the side effects I have had on it, Lamictal XR does not seem to have the host of cognitive side effects that come with many of the other AEDs and the upped dose of it has helped counteract the "dumb as a rock" feeling the Topamax gave me. The doctor is keeping me on Topamax. Lamictal XR in combination with the Topamax is the magic combination that got my tonic clonics under control; I started on Keppra and liked it better than Lamictal XR but unfortunately the Keppra did not control my seizures very well at all.
Lamictal XR hasn't caused any weight gain, which I had kind of hoped it would. The Topamax unfortunately caused me to drop 18 pounds that I didn't need to lose and I had read that Lamictal XR could cause weight gain. I actually ended up losing another 4 pounds on Lamictal XR. I guess it is one of those drugs that everyone reacts differently to.
My side effects diminished with time, and the most recent dose increase side effects are also improving.