Hi, Julie. I know you have been on Lamictal a long time. What side effects do you have? Regina
Hi Regina,
I call Lamictal my wonder drug. It gave me a much more normal life. It can have some intense side effects though.
Lamictal side effects can be there from the beginning- literally from the first week- in the form of a stiff neck, clenched jaw or some mild breathing problems. I had these for quite a while and then they went away.
There is definitely a rash associated with Lamictal- one, called Stevens Johnson Syndrome is serious the other benign. My coauthor Dr. John Preston said that most of the rashes from Lamictal are very mild and not of concern- but I also know one person who had the rash from head to toe. No matter what, see your doctor if you see a rash. This does NOT mean you have to stop the drug unless there is a serious rash. People do learn to manage the itchiness. Talk with a doctor who really, really understands Lamictal. All psych drugs have potentially serious side effects, so don’t throw Lamictal out too soon!
I’ve been on Lamictal for three years. My side effects come and go. It’s frustrating, but I need this drug so I deal with them. I have a stiff neck that makes it hard to get comfortable at night and I’m now experiencing extremely intense itching- without a visible rash.
I’ve talked with my doctor. It’s pretty bad.
So, it’s always a tradeoff with psychiatric meds like Lamictal. Can you live with the side effects? Are there ways to make things easier such as massage, chiropractic help and ice packs? That’s what I do. If I get a bad side effect, I stay calm and do what it takes to deal with the side effect. This determines if I can stay on a med or not.
Julie
Hi! Some of us get really big sleep problems when we start taking Lamictal or raise the dose. I know that it happens to people who take it for epilepsy too (so it can
Lamictal has been my wonder drug, too and have been on it for 3 years. It’s only been in the last month and a half, though, that I have begun to experience a very sore/stiff neck. Good to know it’s not just my imagination or poor pillow. Haven’t changed the dose so I don’t know what could be triggering the change. I guess sometimes things just happen. /John
hello, I am new to this blog, and very happy to have found your work.
I am a rapid-cycling BP1, and I have had reactions to normal lithium [tremors] as well as having problems going on and then off both Xanax and Klonopin.
I have tried to use nutrition to curb my cycles and I’ve had success with ginger, cayenne, and turmeric capsules.
I know that may sound nuts but it works for me.
I am writing because the ONLY thing that has given me any measure of feeling control is taking Lithium Orotate , 6mg tablets, between two to four a day.
I was VERY cynical when I first tried this, as I had come across a few articles online and didnt believe that such tiny doses of anything could work for BP. I find also that it reassures me that even if I ate half the bottle of 100 tablets it would prob be the same dosage as my inital bad Lithium trial a few years ago. I assumed I would increase dosage to 10 or more 6mg tablets but nope, 2 to 4 max a day works just fine to stabilize me.
I may not be representative of all or any BPs,
but since this substance barely ever interact with other meds, I think most BP people should at least TRY this, before going on to heavier meds.
Another factor for me is that I am uninsured and they are less that the price of vitamins, available online from a reputable company, and NON-prescription and also require NO blood tests.
Here is a link to an article on Lithium Orotate:
http://mysite.verizon.net/res003jh/lithium-orotate/id13.html
Please address this subject/substance in your blog!!!!!!
thanks ~ EF
My 18 year old son with BP, anxiety, depression, OCD, ADD tried Lamictal from March to June of this year and once he got above the 100 mg. mark he developed facial tics (squeezing his eyelids shut and mouth grimaces). We went off Lamictal gradually for about one month, and the facial tics disappeared. He had about 3 weeks completely off, then on the advice of Dr. Papolos (author of The Bipolar Child), we started up again and he is on 25 mg./day. So far, so good. But that dose is really equivalent to 50 mg/day because he takes 1500 mg. Depakote as well, and Depakote intensifies the Lamictal in the blood.
Has anyone else experienced facial tics with Lamictal? Dr. Papolos as well as my son’s current pdoc had never heard of that, but a friend who researched drug interactions/side effects on line did come up with 5 cases that have been reported.
A good friend whose mother has Bipolar Type I told me that her mother very recently had a terrible reaction to turmeric which sent her into a terrible manic phase. Her physicians feel that there were adverse interactions between the lithium and the turmeric.
I found this of interest since I have Bipolar Type II. I’d like more information on this. However, I do not take lithium, so perhaps I am safe from such adverse reactions. (I take Trileptal instead.)
I started on 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg I started on 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at night, Gradually moved up to 150 mg I felt much better but still had a little anxiety and moodiness and needed to take the edge off because I felt like I was still on the edge of my old pat I felt much better but still had a little anxiety and moodiness and needed to take the edge off because I felt like I was still on the edge of my old patterns and still a bit obsessive. Dr. Raised the dose to 200 mg couple weeks ago. I am having the hardest time, I thought it was really good at first but I have such severe constipation because of raising the strength of this medicine Nothing seems to work, I even have a clonic done and practitioner could barely get anything moving. everything in my colon was backed up and there was very little relief. I told my doctor this Side effect he said he has never heard of this complaint before however, I have seen posts and blogs where people have commented how bad the constipation is that they have not gone to the bathroom in over a week, so, I looked on the website for this medicine and one of the side effects is constipation . I Dr. Lowered the does back down to 100 mg to see if that helps. I don’t know what to do because this was the original dose and it has been raised twice since then Like the strength I’m on now except for I can’t live with this side effect there are too many toxins in my body it’s not going to the bathroom it it’s very unhealthy also. Is anyone have this problem? Or any suggestions?
Went through the fever stiff neck thing. Started having severe headaches and flu like symptoms. Went off this med and luckily survived I guess, turns out those symptoms are the start of meningitis and