Weight gain on Lamictal

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy Forums

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy forums - a peer support community for folks dealing (directly or indirectly) with seizure disorders. You can visit the forum page to see the list of forum nodes (categories/rooms) for topics.

Please have a look around and if you like what you see, please consider registering an account and joining the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no ads, access to members only (ie. private) forum nodes and more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!

9

90Nine

New
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
I know that they say Lamictal should not cause weight gain, but I've gained about 15 pounds since I've started taking it.

However, I have stopped taking Wellbutrin at the same time which actually made me lose about 50 pounds when I started taking it. So maybe that is what is causing it.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen with the Lamictal.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
My son is on Lamictal about 3 years. He hasn't gained any weight from it and if anything, I think, It has lessened his appetite. He tends to run very lean. He is 20.

Good luck,
joan*
 
"They" are wrong. Lots (and I mean LOTS) of people gain weight on Lamictal. I've gained 15 pounds since going on Lamictal last fall. Especially in the late evening I would crave food, so that seems to be part of it. I think my weight has stabilized now (knock on wood). Either that or the heat & humidity have killed my appetite.

Best,
Nakamova
 
I'm in the same boat everyone! I've put on about 20 pounds while on Lamictal. That feeling of craving something (usually chocolate...) around 9:00 is very annoying. If I just stopped buying chocolate maybe it would fix the problem...
 
I had the same thing when I was put on the Lamictal. 20 lbs in just a few months and still eating the same diet. My friends all thought I was trying to get more calories while nursing (I just had my 1st child,) but I wasn't nursing at all because of the meds.

I say it is all a conspiracy with the medicine trials. If someone is on a medicine that says
'little to no weight gain' and then they add another that has the same lable there is definately more of a chance to gain weight, even on the same diet as before.
 
Hmmmm

I haven't gained any, and I've been on Lamictal for over 3 months now....

Years ago, I was on both Depakote and Lamictal at the same time. My levels were off the wall, so the neurologist took me off both of them, but I also gained over 100 pounds then.........
 
I didn't gain any weight on Lamictal
(Lamotrigine) - and had been on it
for quite awhile before the allergy
developed.

But it is my understanding that weight
LOSS was an issue with this medication,
but I guess it's different with everyone.
 
I've lost about 2 stone (28lb i think) in the last two months. I put it down to trying to diet (my first serious diet/exercise thing in years) though lol. I'm on Lamotrigene too. Mind you, if it is due to the meds, i'll be quite glad to lose more!
 
Weight gain

Can someone please tell me if the same is for Tegretol.

I think Im clutching at straws here.

I'll think on this over a Pint tonight. ;-)
 
I was on Lamactal for a long time...never gained any weight. Then I went off lamactal for about a year then went back on it. I've been back on it for about 8 months now and at first never gained. But in the last three months I have gained....my guess...about 40 pounds. Went from a size 6 to a size 10 and still growing. I'm on no other meds so it's got to be from the lamactal or some other health condition.
 
I've gained 15 pounds in the year and a half since I've been on Lamictal, so yeah I think it's definitely the cause. No fun.
 
I gained 6 lbs within 2 wks of taking it... though I don't mind since I was 98lbs prior.. though I hate its all in my mid section. Lol.. oh well...

And no I don't have eating disorder

*ems0160*
 
Since I last posted on this topic I put on another 10 pounds. But I've managed to lose 15 pounds in the last 3 months so that's good.. still have those awful chocolate cravings though.

Not sure if that's anything to do with the Lamictal, or if it just hinders my losing weight.
 
Omg I'm a chocaholic.. but since starting taking lamictal its bad. Before I probably eat chocolate bar once a week. Now its every freaking day. And not just candy. Its cupcakes, ice cream, hot coco.. its like I'm addicted to it.

*ems0160*
 
I can relate to that.. I get the cravings daily. Sometimes I'll have some candy that is fat free, but still not healthy.. and it helps out. But if it wasn't for my wife bugging me I would be eating chocolate daily.. especially mini eggs and skor bars. so yummy.
 
Chris515 said:
I'm in the same boat everyone! I've put on about 20 pounds while on Lamictal. That feeling of craving something (usually chocolate...) around 9:00 is very annoying. If I just stopped buying chocolate maybe it would fix the problem...
Click to expand...

I get bad cravings for chocolate as well. Some times it just can't be satisfied. I've been on lamictal for about 13 years and it didn't have me gain weight, but the last year now I've gained about 30 pounds. I try exercising, bike riding, gym ect and nothing helps.
 
gowings83 said:
I get bad cravings for chocolate as well. Some times it just can't be satisfied. I've been on lamictal for about 13 years and it didn't have me gain weight, but the last year now I've gained about 30 pounds. I try exercising, bike riding, gym ect and nothing helps.
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness. I can relate to you so much in term of nothing helping. For many months now, I've been exercising to the point of being obsessed. I hardcore diet as well, and I can't lose a single inch, half inch, etc. I've been on lamictal for about 3 years only, and I've put on 10 pounds.
 
This year I was finally able to lose some of the Lamictal weight, via the 5/2 diet. It's not for everyone though, and it's always a good idea to check with the doc before starting a new diet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom