rash that comes and goes??

[daisy.girl]

I have a question regarding Lamictal and a rash.

On Saturday night, I was just sitting on the chair with my laptop, when I looked at my arms, they looked like a very fine non-red rash (like goosebumps). So, I got up and went to the bathroom and looked at my body. My neck had a small about of a red raised rash, and my stomach had pin point red rash over most of it....with some areas more red than others.

I did call my Neuro. I applied hydrocortisone cream.

On Sunday morning the rash was pretty much gone, but by Sunday evening, it was coming back, and my arms looked red mottled/marbled non-raised. And the pin point dots were back on my stomach.

This morning.....everything is pretty much gone again.

I know this sound bizarre....but has anyone ever heard of a rash coming and going like this??

I am going to call my Neuro this morning, but that is after 9:00AM.

 

[Endless]

Are you exposed to anything else on and off that might be causing the rash?

If you can't afford to go to the ER, then make an appointment with a dermatologist. If you say the words "lamictal" and "rash" in the same sentance they'll fit you in QUICK.

 

[daisy.girl]

I called my neuro's office at 9:00AM, explained the situation, just like I posted here....she said she would get the message to one of the nurses, and someone would call me back. So far no call.

I could make an appointment to the dermatologist...but what if there is little or no rash when I go??

I did take a couple of pictures....but not when it was the worst. I didn't think about it then....well, I didn't know it would go away either.

My main question at this point....do I continue the Lamictal?

Also, I can't think of any thing else I would have been, or continue to be, exposed to either.

 

[daisy.girl]

I spoke to the nurse practitioner from my neuro's office.

First she said their policy is to stop Lamictal at the first sign of any rash.

........but I begged her to let me try it for one more day. I told her how I was allergic to 3 AEDs already and I really liked the Lamictal more than the other three because I do not have the other nasty side effects.

Finally she agreed to let me stay on it one more day, as long as the rash does not get worse. She said the coming and going of my rash is not how it would typically happen.....

So maybe all will be good afterall!! I sure hope so.....please say a prayer that I can stay on this med.

Thank You all

 

[Nakamova]

Hi daisy.girl -- keep us posted, I hope the Lamictal behaves for you. Are you already at the working dosage for the Lamictal, or are you still tapering on? If it's the latter, then take your time before tapering up to the next level, and if possible taper up in a tiny dose (like 12 mg).

 

[daisy.girl]

I am on the XR version. I am still tapering up. I am only at 50mgs, the rash started on my fourth day at 50 mgs. I am suppose to be at 50mg for a total of two weeks, then up to 100mgs. That is what is in my titration package has in it.

My rash is about the same, a small amount of raised red on my neck, and pin point on my stomach.....BUT today I am very itchy everywhere. My head, face, back, legs, and private area, so I am not so sure what to do now.

 

[daisy.girl]

Hey everyone...

Yesterday I was extremely itchy everwhere, including my face. Last night before bed, my daughter said, Mom, looks like you have ant bites on your face. Sure enough, rash on my cheeks and forehead.

This morning rash remains on cheeks, forehead and now around my mouth too. My eyes are very watery too.

I call my Neuro and they said to stop the Lamictal and take Benedryl.

I am beyond frustrated at this point....this is number 4 AEDs that I have had an allergic reaction to.

 

[Endless]

Daisygirl,

Lamictal is famous for causing drug reaction rashes. I had one during my first try at that drug. Had one the second time, too, but ramping up VERY slowly plus seeing a dermatologist who helped me treat the rash took care of it all.

You doctor may prescribe a new AED that is not chemically related to the ones you have taken before. Related drugs often bring on the same reaction.

My 5th drug was the big winner. Gabapentin-Keppra-Topamax-Lamictal-Trileptal. Now Lamictal+gabapentin, which I think is the winner. Sometimes you've just got to fish around until you find the right one. Take heart - you still have a bunch to try out.

Oh! It helped me to not break out in a rash again to wait until the rash calmed down before I started on the next AED. The first time on lamictal I waited until the rash had been gone at least a week before I started in on Trileptal. And ramping up REALLY SLOWWWWWWW helped immensely.

Let us know what the doc tries next.

<hug>

 

[daisy.girl]

Once the rash is on your face....it is that much more serious, and my Neuro will not allow me to try it again.

I found this info:

If rash, then what?
There are ways to identify the rashes that carry great risk (e.g. Stevens-Johnson syndrome, SJS; and toxic epidermal necrolysis, TEN. Sounds scary just naming it. But that's all right, because this is indeed a very scary skin condition). The problem is that simple rashes, lacking the known danger signs, can also be risky, so it's not easy to say "oh, this rash is safe". And since there is a very low rate of severe skin reactions that can (rarely) even be fatal, any rash that appears while a person is taking Lamictal (lamotrigine) should raise concern.

What are the signs of great risk?

"Anything above the neck"
"Around or in the mouth"
"Soft tissues (like mucous membranes of mouth, nose, eyes -- including the membrane over the eye (conjunctiva), so a red, sore eye counts) (or the anus, also a mucous membrane, also counts)
"Anything on the face"
Obviously these all describe nearly the same area, but the "soft tissues" version is the most specific.

Three strategies for rash

Stop for any rash anywhere.
Have a dermatologist see the patient within 24-48 hours; hold the doses until seen.

Stop for any rash above the neck; for anything else, reduce the dose to the previous level, and hold it there until you can tell whether the rash is going away (if so, continue upward again but more slowly and/or by smaller steps; use Benadryl or topical Caladryl to control itching while you're waiting).

full article can be found here:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/LamRash.htm

 

[Endless]

I am very glad to hear you saw a dermatologist. They are the ones that can really make the call on the rash.

I didn't know you had a rash on your face. Last I heard from you it was on your body? My dermatologist gave me this ointment for my lamictal rash that wasn't cortisone, it was something else that was much stronger. It wiped the rash right off my body within a couple of days. You may want to ask your dermatologist for the same thing. The only down side is that you apply it while you are still wet from the shower, and you have to wash double wash your towel every time you use it, and super wash your hands to get it all off so you don't accidentally get it on some surface and someone else touches it... you get the idea.

Yes, the first rash I got my doc took me off the lamictal right away. The trileptal rash the dermatologist treated it, and kept a close eye on it. Sure enough it went away after about a month. But the derm. confirmed it wasn't SJ syndrome just a drug reaction rash, and mine was on my body, not in the places you describe.

Hang in there. Let us know what the next drug is that you try.