Lamictal
Sorry, I know this message is a bit late, but I just joined this site. I have been on 600mgs a day of lamictal since October of 2007. I have had very little in the way of side effects and, in fact, the medication was apparently working so well, that I began to think I probably didn't need it. At a routine check-up with my neurologist 16 days ago, I asked if we could try to wean me off the med. She agreed, but said it would have to be a really slow decrease. She dropped me down to 500mgs daily. 11 days later (this past Thursday) I had a seizure in my sleep, predicated by an overwhelming phantom olfactory hallucination (I have been anosmic since surgery to remove a olfactory groove meningioma in July of 2007). I immediately increased my dosage back to 600mgs. I have had some minor after-effects since then. Friday was basically a lost day; confusion, light-headedness, sleep, disorientation, headache. Saturday was better. However, today is my first day back to work, and I am having a very difficult time concentrating. Also, my typing and spelling are pretty good (spelling is better than typing), but I am finding myself having to stop in the middle of a word to remind myself how to spell it.
I am now trying to come to terms with the fact that I do have a pretty serious seizure disorder, and frankly speaking, I'm sad. I was hoping this wouldn't be a permanent medical condition, but 5 years out, I think I have to admit to myself that it is. Still, I have to remind myself how lucky I am to have survived a brain tumor with no major, life-altering deficits.
Best of luck to all out there. Glad to be part of this community.
SarahD
Sorry, I know this message is a bit late, but I just joined this site. I have been on 600mgs a day of lamictal since October of 2007. I have had very little in the way of side effects and, in fact, the medication was apparently working so well, that I began to think I probably didn't need it. At a routine check-up with my neurologist 16 days ago, I asked if we could try to wean me off the med. She agreed, but said it would have to be a really slow decrease. She dropped me down to 500mgs daily. 11 days later (this past Thursday) I had a seizure in my sleep, predicated by an overwhelming phantom olfactory hallucination (I have been anosmic since surgery to remove a olfactory groove meningioma in July of 2007). I immediately increased my dosage back to 600mgs. I have had some minor after-effects since then. Friday was basically a lost day; confusion, light-headedness, sleep, disorientation, headache. Saturday was better. However, today is my first day back to work, and I am having a very difficult time concentrating. Also, my typing and spelling are pretty good (spelling is better than typing), but I am finding myself having to stop in the middle of a word to remind myself how to spell it.
I am now trying to come to terms with the fact that I do have a pretty serious seizure disorder, and frankly speaking, I'm sad. I was hoping this wouldn't be a permanent medical condition, but 5 years out, I think I have to admit to myself that it is. Still, I have to remind myself how lucky I am to have survived a brain tumor with no major, life-altering deficits.
Best of luck to all out there. Glad to be part of this community.
SarahD