Lamictal question

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MAB

MAB

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My vision has been getting blurrier since my doctor started increasing my dose of Lamictial. Does this blurriness go away after you adjust to the meds? There is nothing wrong with my eyes, I had a routine eye exam about 6 months ago and everything was fine but since them I have started taking Lamictial.
 
it should do, but u might still experience it a bit now and then even when stable. i get a vertigo-type side effect now and then as well, and i've been on it 15 years lol
 
Thanks SlimBlue.

The other night I had to drive somewhere after dark in the rain. It was pretty frightening. I will stick to driving only during a day until this gets better. I've also started increasing the font size on the computer.
 
Tbh, I'd lay off the driving full stop just in case. I realise people have different situations and that may not be easy, but it can definitely make you quite wobbly and disoriented for a bit- not good in a car..
 
I had perfect vision before I went on Lamictal. It started getting blurry almost right away when I started the med, and 6 years later it's still blurry on-and-off throughout the day. I'm thinking I might have to give in and see if glasses will help. (My reading vision is fine, so it's not aging that's caused my vision issues).

I haven't found any explanations of how and why Lamictal affects vision, but one study found that a single dose of Lamictal given to rats still appeared in their eyes one year later!
 
I've been on Lamictal for about 15 years, and I have had a few times in the past several years when my night vision was really bad, but only for a day or two, then back to normal, with maybe a couple of months in between times. Yesterday my vision during the day was quite blurry. I felt like I was looking through a rainy window or something and I had to keep blinking my eyes to see if it got better. All is well again today, even though I had quite a good size partial seizure this morning. :( I haven't really changed the Lamictal dose, so I'm not even sure if it's related to that, but it feels to me that it is at least related to the epilepsy. I suppose the Lamictal could be messing with me, too.

I hope your vision settles down! Good luck with it!
 
arnie said:
I've been on Lamictal for about 15 years, and I have had a few times in the past several years when my night vision was really bad, but only for a day or two, then back to normal, with maybe a couple of months in between times. Yesterday my vision during the day was quite blurry. I felt like I was looking through a rainy window or something and I had to keep blinking my eyes to see if it got better. All is well again today, even though I had quite a good size partial seizure this morning. :( I haven't really changed the Lamictal dose, so I'm not even sure if it's related to that, but it feels to me that it is at least related to the epilepsy. I suppose the Lamictal could be messing with me, too.

I hope your vision settles down! Good luck with it!
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Arnie, how frequently do you have seizures while on Lamictial. Do you have other types of seizures?

I had a small partial on Nov. 7 but none since them. I have only had partials. I'm still on a small dose. 75 in the am and 50 in the pm. The dose increases again in 2 weeks.
 
Damn nak! There's no way I could have been taking it this long with that vision effect still going strong :s

At the most, mine sound's more like arnie's, but it's usually just a bit of blurriness for a few mins every now and then- feels like just waking up, before rubbing your eyes. It's the insomnia I hate :/
 
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Yes the insomnia is terrible but I have always had trouble sleeping. I take 2 mg of Klonipin and a muscle relaxer to help me sleep. The muscle relaxer is to help with the cramps I get in my legs and feet at night.

Last Friday I got up at 5am and didn't go back to sleep util 8PM Saturday night.
 
all i can say is: magnesium taurate

i started taking magnesium about 8-9pm in my B6 tablet and often drop off before 12 now!! i don't know whether it's the placebo affect, but it's really changed my life round this year :)
 
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MAB, have you ever tried melatonin for sleep? I was a skeptic but tried it for my kids after they were having issues, and my daughter on lamictal has needed it a lot more lately, but it works like a charm. You can get it in any health food store and many medical professionals are recommending it because it's produced in the body anyways, so you are just adding a bit more of what you have anyways.
 
Hi MAB, I have an average of about 250-300 simple and/or complex partial seizures per year. Mostly simple. I have never been very well controlled on any meds, which I why I am going to get a VNS placed and see if that helps. I am in a readers theater thing with a local theater company, and I had a seizure on stage last night and dropped my book. The seizure was small enough that I don't think a lot of people really noticed it, but a couple of the fellow actors who were close to me said they saw my eyes start to do funny things, I kind of zoned out, and was smacking my lips, then the book fell and I kind of picked it up in a daze, they said. I also had a big partial early this morning. It woke me and my wife up and I have felt kind of weird all day.
As for sleeping, I used to take several hours to fall asleep, but a couple of years ago I started taking 10 mg of melatonin and half of a xanax tab about 20 min before bed. I don't think the melatonin hurts anything, but I know the xanax will put me right out. It's great, and I have not developed a tolerance to it or anything. Sleeping well is a good thing.
Take care!
 
I've been taking a generic version of keppra xr (3000mg) and generic version of lamictal which seems to be working (200mg per day) and I haven't noticed any side effects other than having a little more difficulty with cognitive function. My doctor is thinking about taking me off the keppra xr or at least reducing it.

Hopefully I will be able to think clearer without it. My eyes are quite bad to be honest, it was like that before I had any seizures or was taking medicine for it. I haven't noticed any worsening in my vision, but I guess side effects varies among different people. I rarely get side effects from medicine.
 
chmmr said:
MAB, have you ever tried melatonin for sleep? I was a skeptic but tried it for my kids after they were having issues, and my daughter on lamictal has needed it a lot more lately, but it works like a charm. You can get it in any health food store and many medical professionals are recommending it because it's produced in the body anyways, so you are just adding a bit more of what you have anyways.
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I've tried melatonin in the past with no results. I have tried all types of sleeping meds and only benzos work. They also calm my restless legs.
 
I was probably having 100-200 a year and the lamictical has cut them down to just a couple. I'm happy but I don't think the doctor will be until they are completely gone.
 
Nakamova said:
one study found that a single dose of Lamictal given to rats still appeared in their eyes one year later!
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:eek: really? that's very unsettling.
i've been on it almost 2.5 years and it's never bothered my eyes (the enemy on that one was vimpat). but even when i go off in 8 months it will stay in my eyes?! *laugh* that sounds too surreal!

MAB give it a bit more time, then talk with your neuro if it doesn't get better or worsens. our vision is vital, and there isn't another 'see properly' option - but there is other options with our meds, there's many of them out there.
i agree with you, i'd still drive but not in the dark. best of luck my dear!
 
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Oh shoot. I just started to take Lamictal last week... Hope I don't have to deal with this :( But good luck! Hope it gets better!!!

Hugs,
Janellie :)
 
If Lamictal bothers you (vertigo, etc) try food. Lamictal really threw me for a loop at first ... someone on this board suggested eating protein before taking it. Try eating before, during and after. I have a piece of cheese about 30 minutes before I take it and then Greek yogurt about the same time as I take it. I try to eat after but don't always manage that. The food before really, really helps. I am also taking klonopin, so of course, if I don't eat before I take my meds I can't even stand up.
 
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