LAMICTAL Reviews (LAMOTRIGINE)Average Rating: 3.4 (1917 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare LAMICTAL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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More on LAMICTAL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR LAMICTAL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | bipolar II, OCD. | short memory impairment, at the beginning increased mood swings, but now none! | this medication in combo now with luvox has literally saved my mind and my life. nothin' else to say. | M | 24 | 6 months 100 mg 2X day | 2/28/2010 | 5 | rapid-cycling bipolar type II | None | Extremely effective as a mood stabilizer. Very good in combination with a low dosage of klonopin for anxiety | M | 43 | 2 years 200 2X day | 3/16/2010 | 5 | Depression | A little sleepy sometimes. Very easy to fall asleep at night. Easy to nap. | This drug stabilizes my mood without major side effects. A minor one for me is sometimes I get a little sleepy. Not sure if this is the drug or poor sleep hygiene. The side effects are therefore very mild. I am not carefree, but I can cope. I don't sink so low anymore. | M | 47 | 6 months 150 1X day | 5/25/2010 | 5 | atypical rapid cycle bipolar | worsened short term memory loss, worsened stutter, worsened difficulty finding words, worsened trouble focusing, increase in acne problems. | In November 2008, I was diagnosed with atypical rapid cycling bipolar disorder, non-combat related PTSD, panic disorder w/o agoraphobia, rape trauma disorder, ADHD combined type, and hypersexual behavior. The shrink put me on Celexa and Seroquel. The Seroquel began to help immediately, but the Celexa took a few weeks to kick in. The Celexa helped with the depression for a few months, but I still had manic episodes and pretty bad mood swings. Eventually it stopped working all together causing panic attacks. After I started having psychotic episodes, my shrink switched me to Lamictal. The FIRST DAY I started noticing the difference. I was calmer and happier. After a few weeks, the mood swings had gone from 7-15 a day to once or twice every few days. The panic attacks tapered off, and my nightmares tapered off. Lamictal did decrease my sex drive, but I saw it as more of a blessing. Since I began taking Lamictal, I now have a NORMAL healthy sex drive. I'm not driven to risky sexual behavior that was dangerous not only to my physical health but to my relationships. This medication has helped me tremendously. | M | 23 | 10 months 75 mg 1X day | 5/26/2010 | 5 | Major depression / dysthymia | None so far. My doc says she has been using this since the mid-90s and she's never had any complaints of side effects. It's hard to believe that some of the recurring side effects I've seen on here are not real, because I've been told before that a medicine wasn't causing a particular side effect when I knew it was. But, in her experience she claims no side effects. So that's a positive. We'll see. | I'm taking the starter pack. Just finished my 25 mg two week dose and started today on 50 mg. I have suffered from depression for years, and have tried everything. I re-ordered these posts so that I only saw the 5 star ratings, and it has given me some hope. Thus far, I feel no effects, but that doesn't bother me. I understand it might take awhile. I'm at a really low state right now, so I'm hoping like crazy for some relief. I'm making a promise to update this post every two weeks for the next two months, and then periodically after that if I'm still on it. If I start to feel positive effects, I'll update sooner! Fingers crossed, I feel like this is my last resort. I'm glad it's prescribed for treatment resistant depression, because if it was just another anti-d, I would have little hope. I'm rating it a 5, because if it does what I'm hoping, it will be a miracle drug to me. | M | 33 | 2 weeks 50 MG 1X day | 5/26/2010 | 5 | Epilepsy | Memory loss, hair thinning, rare bone crushing headache at night, loose train of thought easier, slightly dizzy when eyes closed. | Only had seizures at night - I think about 3 or 4 (memory loss). One when I tried weaning off. I've been attributing the hair thinning and memory loss to aging, but after reading these posts I'm not sure. The hair thinning is not too bad (yet) but worry some. Memory loss bothers me a lot though. My short term is getting pretty bad. The couple of headaches I've had (only at night while sleeping - like the seizures) were so bad I thought my head was going to explode, but I haven't had one like that for a few years - thank God. I have had severe joint pain, but was finally diagnosed with RA about 6 years ago. I never know what to attribute to Lamictal (generic for the past 2-3 years) vs age, etc. Over all I've been very happy with it. I agree with another "poster" who mentions that most people doing well with this drug probably don't check this web site, but I'm glad I finally did. A great forum! | M | 50 | 10 years 200 mg 2X day | 6/15/2010 | 5 | Biploar II | None. | After suffering for six years with "refactory depression" my current pdoc recognized signs of bipolar II and prescribed lamictal. Within three days I felt SANE! The suicidal ruminations, anger and irritability vanished. I can now think CLEARLY and I'm beginning to experience real emotions again. For years I had been experiencing emotional instability that was attributed to a personality disorder, but after taking Wellbutrin for the first time I began rapid cycling and my doc figured it out. Not a happy pill like some AD's, but I will take normal any day. | M | 38 | 21 days 50 1X day | 7/2/2010 | 5 | Bipolar I Disorder | NONE. (which I find amazing for a psychiatric medication). I do suffer from very mild acne (I use acanya, retin-a micro and rosula because I'm very obsessive about it) which I believe has been slightly anatagonized by lamictal. Granted, I already had acne. | This drug has helped me tremendously with bipolar disorder. I find it has helped especially as an antimanic. It has helped immensely with mixed states and rapid cycling. It has definitely had some antidepressant effects, although not enough to be an option for me as monotherapy. While it has been antisucidal, I was still very depressed on lamictal alone. I do believe that this drug has truly saved my life and that I would have most likely done something destructive enough that I would not be here today. | M | 20 | 3 years 300 mg 1X day | 8/1/2010 | 5 | Bipolar | none | M | 51 | 5 years 200 1X day | 9/2/2010 | 5 | Unipolar Depression | The first 2 days when I started it and also when I upped the dose I had a spaced out brain fog thing going on. After that Zero side effects | I have had been in a very dark place for the past 5 years with major depression. I was put on an SSRI Lexapro in the beginning of the depressive episode and had extreme agitation and high anxiety that would not go away. I could only take it for 3 months. Lamictal has so far been a life saver. After 3 days on 50mgs my depression started to lift. Its even better on 100mgs. The Dr still wants me to go up to 200mgs to avoid a relapse. I hope this lasts. | M | 55 | 3 weeks 100 1X day | 9/2/2010 | 5 | nocturnal tonic-clonic | none of signifigance experienced. | M | 56 | 5 years 137.5mg 2X day | 11/14/2010 | 5 | BP 2,ultra radian cycling | Headache,suicide attempt during "doseclimb" | Stable,sane-family says it`s wonderful to get to know THIS version of me :) Relief,relief,relief ! | M | 45 | 360 days 300 1X day | 11/18/2010 | 5 | Memory loss and confusion. My super short term memory is gone. I forget everything I did about a minute ago. Pour a cup of coffee or even pick up something I forget it. I have learned to slow down to compensate. | I went off this drug briefly for an unrelated illness and it was hell. I was suicidal and crying all the time. I would never do it again alone. Its a big commitment but well worth it but effects are different for everyone. I am happy and productive for the first time in my life. Personally I would never go off it. | M | 41 | 8 months 200mg 1X day | 12/12/2010 | 5 | Bilopar II | Some irritability when I first started (The starter pack) at 25mg and up. The irritability was not that bad and went away once I started the 100mg dose. Other than that there have been virtually no side effects. I have gained 5 pounds since starting Lamictal. But I am confident that is as a result of being less depressed and not a direct side effect of the medicine. | For me this has been a God send. I was initially diagnosed with Major Depression (over 10 years ago) and was subsequently put on a variety of Anti depressants. This served to fuel my manic states. My marriage and finances were on the line so I sought out the best Christian Psychiatrist in my area and was correctly diagnosed with Bipolar II. He immediately prescribed Lamictal and we are now moving forward in our journey to find the right combination of medicines to give me the best quality of life possible. I have only taken Lamictal for 5 weeks but am amazed at the results thus far and am confident that it will continue to be the mainstay of my medicine regiment. If you are battling Bipolar II I highly recommend you consider Lamictal. Best of luck to you as you work to find healing. God Bless | M | 38 | 5 weeks 200mg 1X day | 2/9/2011 | 5 | epilepsy | No side effects | I was previously on tegretol, which was an awful drug for me. I was always on edge with it and never knew when a seizure (complex partial) just might happen. After the switch to Lamictal, the world completely changed for the better. It's a beautiful thing to be under control - for years. Feel free to contact me if you'd like and I'll try to answer any questions you might have. | M | 44 | 10 years 100 2X day | 2/23/2011 | 5 | Anxiety, Depression | Irregular heart rhythm. Canker sores. | Drug works well in limiting anxiety and depression. Doesn't get rid of it so much as limits it. Added Deplin to the mix and heart palpitations and canker sores went away. Read someplace Lamictal can reduce folic acid levels, which Deplin supplements. | M | 40 | 2 years 25 mg 1X day | 3/7/2011 | 5 | depression / mild bi polar | a little hyper the first 2 weeks but it wore off | I am not sure if it is the lamictal, much prayer, I believe both, but I can't remember feeling so normal and energetic within a week to 10 days after I started. I was supposed to step to 100 mg, but felt so good I never increased and the doc is fine with it. No side effects at all. I even like my job now, and regained hope and enjoy life again. First drug I ever stayed on more than a few days, I tried several but had bad reactions and I feared drugs. I got over it and stuck with it and glad I did. | M | 54 | 10 weeks 50mg 1X day | 3/9/2011 | 5 | bipolar disorder | muscle twitching | it's been great so far. i was ragingly psychotic at one point, being on lamictal for the most part brought me to a much safer place. i still take other medications too, so i'm not sure i can contribute the success purely to lamotrigine, but it was a much better alternative than lithium (which made me feel so stupid) | M | 23 | 5 years 400 1X day | 5/29/2011 | 5 | BiPolar | Sometimes I get minor hives on my back and shoulders. Sometimes my eye twitches (but that could be tired eyes from computer screen). Reduced vision. Some memory problems, like searching for the correct words to use. | For me the perfect mixture is 200mg Lamictal, 10mg Ambien, 10 mg Amitriptyline, 4 mg Perhenazine. Taken all before bedtime. Zero Morning Carryover, I wake up crisp and ready for work. Doesn't cause pain, no dry mouth, no bad breath, no gas.. I get a very good sleep and stay even all day. No more Mania, no more depression. | M | 43 | 4 years 200 MG 1X day | 7/8/2011 | 5 | Bipolar 1 | None | Stabilised my mood at the lower end to an acceptable level. Made a huge improvement to my life. | M | 41 | 1 years 100 1X day | 7/21/2011 |
LAMICTAL (LAMOTRIGINE): Lamotrigine is used alone or with other medications to prevent and control seizures. It may also be used to help prevent the extreme mood swings of bipolar disorder in adults. Lamotrigine is known as an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug. It is thought to work by restoring the balance of certain natural substances in the brain. This drug is not approved for use in children younger than 2 years due to an increased risk of side effects (such as infections). FDA Approval Date: 1994-12-27 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)