LAMICTAL Reviews (LAMOTRIGINE)Average Rating: 3.4 (1917 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare LAMICTAL with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender with females listed first (reviews with no gender reported listed before females). Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 |
More on LAMICTAL: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR LAMICTAL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | Epilepsy | I was suprised to read all of the side effects you guys have experienced, I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 7 and was unable to find any drug at all that could control it until I started taking lamictal. I was having up to ten petit mal seizures a day and sparatic grand mal seizures a year...since I started taking lamictal 5 1/5 years ago I have only had two seizures. Only because of a concussion. The only side effects mentioned which I have experienced is slight hair loss, vivid dreams, and hives. I actually lost ten lbs when I was tapered off depakote and onto lamictal. | Considering I was able to finally get my drivers license and be seizure free for so long, I can definitly deal with occasional itchyness and bad dreams. I was also monitored by my dr who slowly increased my dosage when I first started to prevent the rash. I am wondering if the people who experienced the rash were prescribed too high of a dose immediately. | F | 25 | 5 years | 6/20/2007 | 5 | complex partial seizures | headaches, weight loss | Before I started taking (Lamictal 150 mg qhs), I had daily partial seizures, and short term memory lost. Since I started, I lost all the weight I gained from Paxil (given by my doctor to deal with the nightly episodes of extreme fear). All seizures are gone, and my memory has improved. I currently take 150 bid, and neurontin 300 mg. I am not sure if both medications are working for me. I believe I felt better taking only the Lamictal. | F | 36 | 6 months | 7/22/2007 | 5 | bipolar disorder | I take 100 mg. at night, which was increased six months ago to 150 mg. to improve my sleep even more. I may go back to 100 mg. My psychiatrist works with me to adjust my medication. I view medication like clothes and assume it has to be fiddled with and I have to be patient. My sleep is pretty good but short now. My dreams are the best they have been in my life. I have no nightmares, no night terrors, and don't sleepwalk anymore! No kidding! All three "run in my family." We are an eccentric group. My side effects: Night sweats, some cognition problems, weight gain, and most recently a sodium deficiency, which my internist said might be a side effect. As I read through the comments, I didn't see any reference to sodium deficiency, so it may not be a side effect. The night sweats are a real pain. And I struggle to keep my weight down--sometimes I have to starve myself to keep the weight where I want it. I thought the problems with using the wrong word was due to approachi | Lamictal has been a life saver. I am very grateful. The two antipressants could not take care of the mood swings (they aren't supposed to do that), but it is terrific not to have those mood swings! My periods of mania were never that extreme, but boy could I get really nasty, blaming others for no reason at all. I have encouraged my father and son, both of whom have bipolar disorder, to take it, but my father doesn't like to lose the mania. My son won't admit he has bipolar--he is 46. I also take provigil for daytime fatigue. This is a real drug cocktail; but for the first time in my life I am not at the mercy of my unpredictable moods. I am a writer and have accomplished quite a bit academically, but it was at great physical cost--I thought I would never find out what was causing my black moods, but I have now with the the aid of some intellectual clarity and some sobering realizations. | F | 65 | 3.5 years | 6/20/2007 | 5 | bipolar II disorder | I started taking Lamictal in January, it has stabilized my mood and I have lost the 18 pounds I gained while on Depakote. I have also grown back my hair and my nausea is gone. I have less negative thoughts than I did on the Depakote and I am cheerful the majority of the time. However., I have been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy and have none of the known risk factor. I started experiencing the numbess and tingling shortly after starting Lamictal. has anyone else had this experience? | F | 50 | 6 months | 6/29/2007 | 5 | Bipolar, rapid cycling | slight mental fog | This medicaiton has helped level my moods quite well. I still have periods of up & down, but no where like I had been previously. | F | 30 | 8 months | 7/25/2007 | 5 | bipolar | I ended up in the ER yesterday due to dehydration. My symptoms weakness, confusion, dream like state, dizziness & I didn't want to open my eyes. I thought I was having a stoke. I didn't know dehydration was a side effect. I have had other episodes like this, but this one was really scary. I will defiantly be more careful to stay hydrated by adding Gatorade (or the like) Here is a recipe I found: 3/4t Salt, 1t Baking Powder, 4T Sugar, 1c Orange juice, 4c Water I almost have to laugh at the various medical problems that come with BP. I almost wish they would've found something else so it wouldn't just be another coo-coo moment. Ha Ha! I have a feeling a lot of you know what I'm talking about. | Really wonderful. Especially compared with other meds. I think most BP meds nearly kill you before they help. Better than killing yourself I guess. I'm not sure what "myself" feels like anymore, I just know Lamictal has been a hugh relief & I am very grateful for it. | F | 42 | 2 years | 6/27/2007 | 5 | Bipolar I | none | I am taking 100MG twice a day and my mood has become very stable with the exception of a few bouts of mild depression. | F | 15 | 7 months | 8/23/2007 | 5 | Bipolar II/Bulimia | None whatsoever! | After several years of trying different medications (including Lithium, Risperdal, Abilify, Topamax), I have finally found an Rx that has saved my life. Most of the previously listed meds made me gain weight, decreased my sex drive, made me "ditsy" and realy interfered with my life in general. If anything, those meds made me worse. Lamictal has not only helped my bipolar depression but has also helped me conquer my eating disorder. | F | 23 | 2 years | 7/26/2007 | 5 | major depression, bipolar disoder | well, the first time i took lamictal, i had a rash on my lower back. It began to show after about 6 weeks. So i went. Had to wait six weeks to try again. Now i have been RASH FREE this time! | Lamictal is a lifesaver. I was very upset with the drugs available for bipolar, because of the high potential for weight gain. I have suffered from anorexia nervosa for 4 years, so i would not try any thing like depakote. SO lamictal does not have a weight gain potential and it works! :-) | F | 18 | 4 months | 3/19/2004 | 5 | Bi-Polar 2 | the headache is awful but seemed to only be a problem when increasing doseage, really vivid upsetting dreams, restlessness, anxiety, trouble falling asleep but sometimes sleeping really well, wierd eye twitch that is hard to describe, itchy (no rash though!), motivation increase, grinding teeth, slower recall, clumsy, trouble articulating sometimes.... | sounds like alot of side effects, but overall i feel so much better than i did before. my doctor wanted to increase to 125, and decided to stay at 100mg to see how i felt and i have slowly felt more depressed and anxious, so i have decided to increase the doseage again. I was previously diagnosed with anxiety and depression and took lexapro for awhile and with the new doctor, new diagnosis and new med i feel better than i have in a long time! | F | 21 | 12 weeks | 2/7/2007 | 5 | bipolar II | Got small rash on arm when first began taking it but increased dosage slowly and rash went away. If you increase dosage slowly enough you won't have trouble with the rash. | I felt it working right away. My brain felt tighter and better connected. I could especially feel it in the right side of my brain. It was weird b/c I never | F | 31 | 1 years | 7/29/2004 | 5 | Bi-Polar w/paid cycling | acne, dry mouth, and insomnia | Lamictal has both stabilizing effects and mood effetcs. Worked wonders for my rapid cycling. Was able to graduate high school! | F | 18 | 1 years | 7/6/2004 | 5 | Mood stabilizer for Bipolar disorde | dry mouth, achiness in legs and arms, sometimes drowsiness | I have been on a Lot of stabilizers, and Lamictal has worked great! I am thankful for it. | F | 20 | 4 days | 7/7/2004 | 5 | seizures | at first: extreme excessive tiredness now: weight gain, easily bruising | It has worked really well for me, knock on wood. No extremly bad side efects besides weight gain which sucks and bruising easily. | F | 16 | 1 years | 10/10/2004 | 5 | bipolar | 200 mg a day (along with 300 of effexor) excessive sweating, extreme night sweats (wake up with wet sheets from it), very vivid dreams. started at 12.5 mg and doubled it every 2 weeks. first three days after increasing a dose had strange tingling/electrical shock feelings especially in my limbs, as well as dizzyness. went away but comes back if i miss a dose for a day...which is kind of good cuz then i make sure not to miss. i have a feeling that i will have to be weened off VERY slowly. | the good definitly outweighs the bad with this medicine. i still cry easily. but definitly not like it used to be | F | 20 | 7 months | 8/28/2004 | 5 | Seizures | None | This is the only medication I have ever taken for my seizures, and when I was taking little doses at first, I would still have a few seizures, but I'm now taking 400mg per day, and I don't have any at all. | F | 22 | 3 years | 9/8/2004 | 5 | Bi-polar 2 | At first mile rash on upper arms, morning diareah and gas, slight headaches, even at 25mg racing thoughts went away. I did'nt know what they were till they went away! Who could know! Kept me wake if I took it at night, sleepy if in the AM. I set the alarm for 5:00AM take the dose and 1 ritalin. Even then I sometimes sleep longer. Occasional pimple in the same place usually. At 200mg morning tremors of hands and head bobbing. Extreme short term, some long term memory loss more deslexia typing and phone numbers. Doc. put me back to 100mg. Still have dexlexia but no more tremmors. Also on 10 mg ritalin 4x daily and xanax 1 or 2x. I think the ritalin helps me get out of bed in the am. Takes me a long time to motivate in the AM even so. Hope I can stay at 100mg. Break the 200mg in 2 and it's only 58.00 per month. | I feel almost like a new person. Not as much anxity, racing thoughts depression. After a month or so I looked at the sky and the whole world had gone from grey to technicolor. Wow. Still have some downs but I can reprogram bad thoughts before the fully form. | F | 47 | 3 months | 8/1/2005 | 5 | BiPolar I | Both drowsiness and insomnia, slight clumsiness/dizziness and lack of coordination, sweat more during exercise, skin bruises easily. | I've taken nearly every available SSRI and have been on medication since age 14. This is the only medicine that has helped the depression without triggering mania. Having been hospitalized at least once a year, I was getting desperate and considering ECT. This was my last hope. Used in conjunction with Lithobid, Lamictal has made a significant improvement in my quality of life. The side effects are annoying but are far outweighed by the benefits. | F | 24 | 1 years | 7/28/2005 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder | Intense Dreams, Heavy Night Sweats, Random (But Definite) Memory Loss, Acne (-like?) Flare-ups on Upper Cheeks and Chest, Possible Connection to Repetitive Sinus Problems, Slight Mental Haziness... | Do not allow my lengthy list of side-effects to discourage you from taking this medication... - It has literally changed my life! Before I began taking Lamictal, bipolar disorder had made a complete mess of my life...countless destroyed relationships, constant thoughts of suicide, drug abuse, failing grades, uncontrollable insomnia, dangerously impulsive, etc. No other medications were working. Finally, my doctor led me to Lamictal. Within a few weeks, many of my symptoms were gone!! The side-effects are definitely frustrating, but they could increase ten-fold and I would still be an avid supporter of Lamictal. | F | 21 | 2 years | 6/25/2005 | 5 | Bipolar 1 | I have not had any side effects other than being tired if I take it in the morning and noticeable mood change if I miss a dose or two. My swings are mostly rapid-cycle/ultra-rapid. This medication has worked to subside the swings. The only thing I do notice is that I still have mood swings around the time of my period. They are not as bad as they used to be, however. I just give my family and friends the "heads up" when it is that time of the month. | Lamictal is the only medication I take for my disorder and I only take 50mg. I have been on the medication since Dec 2006, so it has been nearly two years. I did A LOT of homework before electing this medication and learned that it is imperative to take the smallest possible dose (about 5mg) to start out for the first 2 weeks to a month. Then increase to 10mg, then 25, etc. I have taken 100mg when I forgot a dose the day before in order to bring my level back up, with no side effects. But taking 100mg for me is very rare. I do well on 50mg. There are consequences/other/increased side effects to using Lamictal with other anti-depressents or mood stablizers, so I haven't used anything else, and I won't. If you are suffering side effects such as (but not all inclusive) hair loss, rash, burning sensations, sores in the mouth, nose, eyes, etc., nausea, vomitting, Diarrhoea...or anything else that is new for you.....CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR. You may be developing Steven-Johnson | F | 38 | 2 years | 10/23/2008 |