sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
My LLMD prescribed me Lamictal today for mood disorder. I never take any medication without first reading the side effects and I realize that all meds have side effects, however........
this medication scares me to death. It has a "black box warning" that sounds extremely dangerous to me. I read that if you get a rash from it to stop taking it immediately and that even if you stop it, the rash can be life threatening. You can end up in a burn center, disfigured, or dead.
Have any of you taken this medication and developed a rash and stopped taking it and you were okay.
My hubby "DOES NOT" want me to take it! I am really torn as to what to do. My luck is I would be the worse case scenario.
Seems as I read some old post that a good many ppl have taken it with good results; but I'm afraid that the risk outweighs the benefit; or that I would be so worried about a rash that my mental state would be even worse worrying about it.
Please help! I need some personal experiences.
And how did so many of you get so brave as to take a medication with such a high risk of such an "awful" side effect???
lyme in Putnam
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11561
posted
Thursday will be a week I'm taking it. My psych wastes me to go up 25 mg at a time for a week at a time. So far no rash only on 25 mgs so far.
-------------------- He took u to it, He'll you through Posts: 2837 | From NE. | Registered: Apr 2007
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Lymeinputnam.....did you read the black box warning? Are you concerned?
My LLMD wanted me to go up 25mg every 2 weeks.....very slow; but I'm still not convinced that the benefit outweighs the risk.
I'm going to find some info on it and copy it here. I'll be back!
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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MDW005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22706
posted
I was on Lamictal for many months. I did the 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg. I had no rash, but I did have elevated liver enzymes and was taken back down to 50mg. and eventually had to stop by Dr. orders.
As for the fear... I was always terrified to take meds...phobia of mine, but I was at the point with this illness that I wanted anything that could help...I didn't feel I could feel any worse than I already did.
I also don't read the side effects, I make my honey read and watch for signs of bad reaction. If I read them I would NEVER take a drug.
-------------------- God's promises mean you always have something wonderful to look forward to. Posts: 2150 | From Georgia | Registered: Oct 2009
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Life-Threatening Rashes With Lamictal
You may be wondering how a skin rash can be life-threatening. While most rashes are merely bothersome, some can be dangerous. Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare types of rashes that can be fatal. They can cause large sections of the skin to die, which can lead to disfigurement or dangerous infections. As many as 40 percent of people with toxic epidermal necrolysis (which is more severe than Stevens-Johnson syndrome) will die as a result of the condition.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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glm1111
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 16556
posted
I took it many yrs ago and it made me VERY depressed. I did not read the warning because I was too sick to read anything. If I had read it, you can bet your bottom dollar I wouldn't have taken it.
Why take the risk? It's not going to cure this horrific disease. There are other meds for mood disorder that are not as dangerous. I used to take adderrall and it really helped with depression and fatigue.
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
At this point I am about 90% sure that I'm not going to take it. The benefit does not outweigh the risk in my opinion, or in my case. My mental state would probably be much worse worrying about the dangers of taking this drug.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
I've been wondering if anyone tried Memantine (Namenda) for anxiety and mood disorders. It's a medication for Alzheimer's disease. Seems much safer than Lamictal, and wondering if the blocking of the NMDA glutamate receptors will have significant effects on things like mood, cognition, and anxiety. There has been some talk about it on this forum, but not much.
LymeMD does mention it on his blog. I seriously need something that works.
I was thinking about asking my psychiatrist about Lamictal or Namenda next visit. I'm sure I'll get a weird look when I bring up an alzheimer's medication. I think I could convince her though if I give her a rational explanation on why it might work.
The drug has warnings to not take it if you have a seizure disorder, but this makes no sense to me. I would think, if anything, it would prevent seizures. Perhaps they just haven't studied it for seizure disorders extensively yet.
Posts: 967 | From A deserted island without internet access | Registered: Sep 2009
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posted
I take 150 mg at bedtime and have for at least 4 years with no side effects. It truly does keep me from those awful mood swings I had for years. I do not suffer from depression.
One doctor, not my own, told me that he thought it was one of the best things he ever took. He said it changed his life.
But everyone is different. Maybe start very slowly on a low dose and see how it goes. That is how I started with it...how I start with any new med.
-------------------- DOCTOR: "I don't think you are sick." PATIENT: "We are all entitled to our opinions. I don't think you are a doctor." Posts: 697 | From Northern California | Registered: Jul 2009
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