Second Thoughts about Lamictal

[Topcat]

I brought up the subject of Lamictal to my epileptologist (I am presently on Keppra). Now I am having second thoughts:
My 2nd drug that I will keep taking along with it is Trileptal (Oxcarbazipine).
It was my idea to try them. I think I heard about it from a former neurologist.
I was wondering who here might have tried it and and what anyone thinks.
Has anyone had bad side effects and how hard is it to transition?

These Two things concern me.
1) Side effects such as rash.


2) Transitioning instructions.
I had a closed head injury (which is the cause of the seizures). My memory is really really bad. Even though the Dr. wrote down the instructions. I am not sure if I will be able to understand them and I already am confused by the different pill bottles and dosages.

I suppose I will call his office because right now I want to hold off on even taking them. The unfortunate thing is because all he treats is epilepsy patients it takes many months (like 4 or more) to see him. I hope he won't be upset if right after I said I wanted to try it now I say I don't.

 

[masterjen]

1. The risk of rash, while present, is low. This is part of the reason for the very slow titration when on Lamictal. Mention to your neuro that you are concerned, and would like to try a slower titration if you'd like.

2. Pharmacies can "blister pack" your medications for you, and this will prevent you from having to dole out the medications from the bottles yourself. If you take various pills at different times of the day, the card will contain 4 "blisters" containing the pills and each blister will be marked according to time you are to take those pills. Nothing to remember except to take the pills and of course you can set a watch or cell phone alert to remind you of that.

 

[Music36]

I took Lamictal for about 12 years with Tegretol. Keppra was added on about five years after I started Lamictal. As you know, everyone is different. Some people have bad side effects, some people don't. You just have to try it and see what happens.

When I start a new med or increase a med, I take it slowly.

 

[Porkette]

Hi Topcat,

I took Lamictal along with mysoline for about 4 days and I broke out with a rash.My skin started to itch like crazy my Dr. took me off the lamictal and put me on vimpat instead. To clear up the rash I had to use steroid cream on my skin for a short time and then the rash was gone. I noticed little red patches on my skin along with tiny little bumps that look like pimples. That's the first sign of the rash. To get more detail about the med ask your pharmacist I've found often that my Dr. doesn't know as much about the meds as a pharmacist does. I wish you the best of luck and May God Bless You!

Sue

 

[Frink]

Lamictal did not give me a rash, it did not help my seizures, it did make the world look fake to me, kind of weird, kind of cool in a bizarro world sense.

 

[Nakamova]

I've been on Lamictal for about 7 years now with no major issues. No rash during the transition. During the first few months it affected my sleep (restlessness, nightmares) and made me extra-perky during the day (not necessarily a bad thing), but after mybrain and body adjusted those side effects went away.

It's considered to be one of the meds least likely to cause cognitive side effects. Everyone reacts differently, but that may make it more appealing if you're already struggling with memory issues. Have you had a neuropsych evaluation done? It's basically a bunch of memory tests that takes a snapshot of your cognitive function and helps identify problem areas. The eval. might give a sense if any med makes things worse or better.

 

[Jezy]

İ have taken Lamictal for a number of years. I believe the side effects are more tolerable than others I have used such as Dilantin in the past and the Keppra I currently use with the Lamictal. I always worry about the culmative effect of taking meds for so long but feel Lamictal is manageable although not as effective as it use to be.

 

[Music36]

Porkette,

I had tiny little red bumps on my finger tips and toes about five years ago and the dermatologist said it was probably a reaction to one of my seizure meds. The bumps would come and go. Eventually, it stopped. I went off Lamictal a little over a year ago b/c I got a bad rash on my whole body that was most likely from Amoxicillin but just to be safe my neurologist took me off Lamictal.

 

[seagull]

İ have taken Lamictal for a number of years. I believe the side effects are more tolerable than others I have used such as Dilantin in the past and the Keppra I currently use with the Lamictal. I always worry about the culmative effect of taking meds for so long but feel Lamictal is manageable although not as effective as it use to be.

This jus how I feel.i also on lamotrgine and cut it down also agree Lamotrigine proberly had least side effects than other stuff been on but I do worry about culmative effects.

 

[Topcat]

I decided to just trust my neurologist. I figure he has to know what he is doing. I have a sheet of paper that he made out for me. I am just going to be very, very careful and follow that. So far so good no rash. I haven't seen any change but of course I am on a really low dose.

 

[Music36]

Topcat,

Hope Lamictal works out for you.

 

[seagull]

when I first started it years ago it felt like my brain had been swept out clean and ready to kick butt unfortunatly that feeling did not stay that long I went back to my apathy which I think maybe mental or getting old.
I think you should have faith in nuro he studied for many years on subject.I have had some real dork nuro over years but mostly they good know their stuff

 

[Zolt]

Hey Topcat,


Must you take a second drug? I'm of the firm opinion that i will only try one drug at a time. Since it can take a long time for symptoms to show up. I told my doc that i do not want to try a combination of drugs until we run out of single meds first. Sometimes you need to be the boss. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, some people need 2 drugs for there control.

I was on lamotrigine for 1 year, the first 1/2 of the yr everything was great, Lamotrigine seemed to be great, my seizures went from having one once a month to every other month. Woo hoo. But then the final 1/2 yr, my seizures got tremendously worse, rather than having small seizures i was starting to have seizures that would beat me up and tie me up like a pretzel afterwards. The second one i almost felt if my neck was going to break, after 2 of those, i had to put my foot down and demand to be taken off of lamotrigine.

With the next medicine, the seizures went back to what i was normally used to. Which is Gabapentin, i was put on next and i learned to use it's half life to control my seizures to happen in the mornings, if you want to read about it, i write about it on my profile page here on cwe.

Cheers,
Zolt

iano: op:

 

[Topcat]

Zolt - I've tried a bunch of stuff over the years. I had my closed head injury back in 2003.
So I've taken them singly in combination etc.
So this is just another of many changes over the years.

 

[valeriedl]

I've been on Lamictal along with some other meds for a good many years and I've never noticed any problems from it, everyone is different though with it comes to how they will react with different meds. I have been on some meds that I've had problems with and my neruo took me off of them quickly.

Keep your meds in a pill pill case. I take several different meds at several differnt times during the day and have a separate pill case for each. I'll also write on the top or side of the pill bottle with magic marker how many of the pills I take and at what time I take them so I'll get them in the right pill case. Write on the pill case what time the meds are to be taken that way you don't get them mixed up.

 

[Topcat]

I've been on Lamictal along with some other meds for a good many years and I've never noticed any problems from it, everyone is different though with it comes to how they will react with different meds. I have been on some meds that I've had problems with and my neruo took me off of them quickly.

Keep your meds in a pill pill case. I take several different meds at several differnt times during the day and have a separate pill case for each. I'll also write on the top or side of the pill bottle with magic marker how many of the pills I take and at what time I take them so I'll get them in the right pill case. Write on the pill case what time the meds are to be taken that way you don't get them mixed up.

I messed up worst when I used a pill case. I should be O.K. once I have transitioned it's just during the transition that I might have trouble.

 

[Music36]

I don't need a pill case, but I have learned that I should not have a conversation when taking my meds b/c it distracts me. I was on three seizure meds, including Lamictal, for years and one day I accidentally took a double dosage of Lamictal. I was talking and did not pay attention to what I was doing. I grabbed the wrong bottle and swallowed the pills w/o looking at them. I realized what I did right away after I did it, but it was too late. An hour later I was in really bad shape. I lost motor coordination and could not walk, my heart was racing, I was having trouble breathing, and I was extremely dizzy. It was scary. It was stupid of me to make that mistake. I probably should have went to the ER, but I just went home and slept it off.

 

[seagull]

Zollt that what Lamotrigine don to me felt great at first then after years or so went back then up the dose same thing happen so now trying cut back...yes doc gave me gabiton which I not taken.how do you give it half life

 

[Topcat]

So far so good, not much change but only the 2nd week.

 

[seagull]

I wish free of everything