Just wanted to share something that actually works for me! About 1 1/2- 2 years ago I started taking Lamictal under the direction of my well known Lyme psychiatrist Dr. B. He tried it primarily for my unipolar depression, but what it really made a huge difference with was the neurogenic pain I have all over. It reduced it by about 50-75%. It also normalized my sleep cycles which had almost been reversed for about 5 years. It really has been a significant help for me.
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I was going to take this med but my doc was too nervous about a potentially dangerous skin reaction.
Important Safety Information about LAMICTAL
Prescription LAMICTAL Tablets are not for everyone. Most people who take LAMICTAL tolerate it well.
Common side effects with LAMICTAL include dizziness, headache, blurred or double vision, lack of coordination, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and rash.
LAMICTAL may cause other side effects not listed here. If you develop any side effects or symptoms you are concerned about or need more information, call your doctor.
Although most patients who develop rash while receiving LAMICTAL have mild to moderate symptoms, some individuals may develop a serious skin reaction that requires hospitalization.
Rarely, deaths have been reported. These serious skin reactions are most likely to happen within the first 8 weeks of treatment with LAMICTAL. Serious skin reactions occur more often in children than in adults.
Rashes may be more likely to occur if you: (1) take LAMICTAL in combination with valproate [Depakene�* (valproic acid) or Depakote�* (divalproex sodium)],
(2) take a higher starting dose of LAMICTAL than your doctor prescribed, or (3) increase your dose of LAMICTAL faster than prescribed.
It is not possible to predict whether a mild rash will develop into a more serious reaction. Therefore, if you experience a skin rash, hives, fever, swollen lymph glands,
painful sores in the mouth or around the eyes, or swelling of lips or tongue, tell a doctor immediately, since these symptoms may be the first signs of a serious reaction.
A doctor should evaluate your condition and decide if you should continue taking LAMICTAL.
LAMICTAL is indicated for the maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder to delay the time to occurrence of mood episodes
(depression, mania, hypomania, mixed episodes) in adults treated for acute mood episodes with standard therapy. The effectiveness of LAMICTAL in the acute treatment of mood episodes has not been established
Posted by valbeth (Member # 12715) on :
I looked into Stevens Johnson reactions (the dangerous rash) before I started it. They are very rare, and from what I read people only got into serious trouble if they were stupid and didn't report a rash, or get into the doctor as soon as it occured. ALL medications can have serious side effects. This medication has allowed me to have a life until we find a cure for this disease, and I hate to see it so underutilized because of the small possibility of a problem.
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I am glad it helped you!!
Posted by AndrewInCA (Member # 2010) on :
valbeth,
What dosage are you on?
Posted by valbeth (Member # 12715) on :
Andrew, For a long time I was on 100mg a day, for the last 6 months or so I've been on 150mg. One of the downsides of Lamictal is that it can be affected by all of other things; all kinds of meds. I do find I kind of have to manage my dosage from week to week, but always in that 100-150mg range. I also take 50 mg of zonegran at night because the Lamictal was making me so "energized" I was having trouble sleeping. I just realized that the increase in dosage of my Lamictal coincided with my having to go back on pain meds. I also take Zanaflex at night to sleep. Hope this helps.