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 |
| 3 | bi-polar II | sudden fits of rage, diminished patience/tolerance extremely unstable moods during and preceeding mentrual cycle; constant, underlying hostility and frustration alternating with obsessive thinking and sadness | I felt great on 30 mg Cymbalta & 25-50mg Lamictal. Once I came off the cymbalta things went rapidly south. I have difficulty sleeping through the night. I have been exceedingly clumsy (more than usual). I feel far more self-pitying than my usual problem-solving self. Reluctant to leave the house due to clutzy jag and sudden bouts of hostility. In fact, I think I ruined a friendship recently due to a random, uncharacteristic out-burst of verbal cruelty. I am a little sick of myself right now, but I'm all I can seem to think about the past 2 weeks. Doctor appointment is two days away. | F | 33 | 4.5 weeks | 12/2/2007 | 3 | bipolar II mixed | constant bowel movements (not like diarrhea), slight drowsiness | i'm not sure it's working as well as it should. i don't get hypomanic, but i'm more depressed than i was on depakote. i got on it because it had few side effects. however, the culprit may be my antipressants not working. | F | 52 | 5 months | 5/15/2003 | 3 | Bipolar II, Depressive tendency | Very swollen glands- visibly so, Lower back/neck pain, severe eye strain, headaches, night sweats, drowsiness but inability to fall asleep, dry mouth. | I have a history of ADHD and was diagnosed with Depression and General Anxiety Disorder at 13 y.o. Recently, my psychiatrist and I decided that since I hadn't responded to Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, or any other antianxiety/antidepressant, and show strong signs of Bipolar II, I should try Lamictal. I hope it works. | F | 19 | 3 weeks | 1/20/2005 | 3 | seizures | I have had many side effects, sleep disturbance, poor apptetite, then increased appetite, very poor memory and cognitive problems. But lately I am having symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. My doctor said that lamictal will not cause this condition. I disagree. I also went through a bit of withdrawal when I ran out of medication for three days. I had the anxiety, skin crawling, and feling like I was going to die. He didnt beleive that this could happen either. I am on 600 mg. a day for seizures. | It is controlling my siezures where no other drug was able to. | F | 5 days | 5/10/2005 | 3 | BPII, mostly depression, fast cycle | Very fine rash (like a heat rash) on arms when I started the meds at 25 mg. Went back to 12.5 mg and upped dose by 12.5 mg/wk until I was at 200 mg. With slow increase, no further rashy problems. | Now increasing from 200 mg/day, cutting back on lithium dosage, as I have more depression than hypomanias. (I also take Prozac 40mg/day--for 10 years) Lamictal is much easier for me to tolerate than Depakote, which caused hair loss, weight gain, excess sleep. Huge difference? Noticed one when I started lithium, less so w/Lamictal & gradual increase. Am hoping higher dosage adds more energy, motivation! | F | 45 | 1 years | 5/18/2005 | 3 | Cyclothymic Bi-polar | I have this | F | 40 | 10 days | 5/20/2005 | 3 | Mood Swings/Depression | Congestion, Dry Mouth, Headaches, restless sleep, bad dreams and intrusive thoughts. | Started very low dosage, immediately got congestion and flu like symptoms which lessened after two weeks. Increased dosage to 25mg for two weeks, felt good, very stable no mood swings, however some anxious intrusive thoughts that I couldn't shake. Increased dosage to 37.5mg, congestion worse, sleeping bad, bad dreams, headaches, depression and intrusive thoughts constantly. Also I have noticed I can't spell sometimes, and can't think of words that I used to use all the time. Is it possible that I am now on too high a dosage? I am seeing my doctor this week but have already gone back to taking 25mg. I started taking it because I had been on Prozac for ten years and it wasn't working for me anymore, also I was tierd of sexual side effects. I am still taking the prozac, but was supposed to be going off it once the Lamictal kicked in. Now I don't know what to try!!! | F | 39 | 9 weeks | 5/23/2005 | 3 | Bipolar II | Profuse night sweats. Slight rashes head and elbows. Alcohol with this makes me suicidal. 200mg day was best, but now on 400mg day. Grinding teeth, facial tics. | maybe reduce meds again. Respiridol was added but made me feel too weird. STopped that. This is better than Depakote and Lithium side effect wise. Will stay on for a while. | F | 35 | 7 months | 6/23/2005 | 3 | depression | I have some of the memory loss and trouble w/ word usage, poor concentration, night images, vivid dreams, misplacing things, etc. side effects from taking lamictal. Can anyone comment on whether the side effects went away once you stopped taking lamictal and how long it took? | F | 47 | 5 years | 3/16/2007 | 3 | Bipolar | Severe weight gain (20 lbs in 3 mos), loss of balance, poor concentration, still having mood swings but not as extreme | I am relieved to read that others have experienced weight gain. All of the "official" information says this is "weight neutral". | F | 37 | 120 days | 4/24/2007 | 3 | Depression and Anxiety | I have been taking Luvox and Klonopin for years to help battle my depression and anxiety. Recently I noticed that I was feeling depressed for extended periods of time. In light of this, I contacted my doctor and we determined that I should take a mood stabalizer, Lamictal to help with the depression. In the past I tried several different medications mostly SRIs with terrible side effects. Luvox worked the best in terms of tolerable side effects until now. I've been really depressed while taking Luvox and frustrated and angry because I'm tired of taking medications and dealing with the side effects. It has now been 14 days on Lamictal and I do feel that it has helped with my depression but has also added 5lbs. of weight gain to my body. This is not acceptable - I used to be a size 2 and I'm not fitting into any of my clothes! After reading other comments from several people on this website with a similiar problem of weight gain, I'm going off, it is not worth it! | F | 41 | 14 days | 4/24/2007 | 3 | Bi Polar | Occasional confusion and memory loss (I do a repetitive job at work thank goodness), extreme thirst, muscle pain, excessive sleep at night, heacaches, nausea. No hair loss or weight gain. | Went off zoloft about 1 week ago. Started Lamictal 2 weeks ago. I also take Klonopin and Depakote ER. Not sure if all of this is the right mix because I still am on the very low side of depression. | F | 39 | 14 days | 4/30/2007 | 3 | ADHD/Depression/Bipolar | extreme fatigue,night eating but not hungry during the day,sedated,moments of intense irritability, but i get over it real quick and i am able to reflect and wonder why the hell i got so irritated at that person. | I have been on lamictal for 1 week, I just quit a week ago ater gaining 25lbs on Lithium. I am not sure if some of these side effects are from Lithium withdrawal? any ideas? | F | 32 | 10 days | 8/6/2007 | 3 | Bipolar disorder | Slight dryness of skin and hair, slight anxiety increase, weight fluctuations (large to small, etc.) | Much better than Abilify, which gave me ocular spasms, and Risperdal, which caused weight gain. | F | 16 | 3 weeks | 2/16/2007 | 3 | Depression, Post Traumatic Stress | Ive been on this for 5 days. Only thing I feel right now is not much different than I felt before starting. Im a little fatigued, and Ive noticed Im happy one day and down the next. I read these comments, dropped my head and started to cry. After so many years of up and down Depression, new psychiatrist suggested a lower level of BP..not one or two. I had side effects people mentioned BEFORE going on Lamictal! as in.BAD DREAMS,insomnia,weight gain. Im VERY CONCERNED about the acne situation and weight gain!!!!! I am so vain I would freak out! Zoloft worked for 2 years and I went from a size 2 to a 12 and as soon I stopped it, I dropped back down! I wish at this point, a doctor could open my head up and take out whats so f^@$ed up! | Lamictal, please work for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | F | 37 | 5 days | 4/19/2007 | 3 | epilepsy and manic depression | At present--feeling suddenly stupid because I can't figure things out and I'm losing things all the time. I naturally have word- finding problems so I can't attribut that to Lamictal. | Started Lamictal years ago for epilepsy and took Depakote at the same time because it controlled my moods better. The Depakote had it's own side effects that were bothersome and so I was switched to 100% Lamictal for both problems. Then I went back to the Depakote- Lamictal combination for best mood control. Recently, my neuro. raised my dose of Lamicatal from 150mg to 100mg morning and night. That is when my present symptoms began. Oddly, I had been on this dosage before and did not have these problems. | F | 47 | 3 years | 3/31/2007 | 3 | Depression | It's become difficult to retain what I read. When memorizing, I briefly remember info but by the next day most is forgotten. It takes a lot of effort to express ideas nowdays. My brain seems to be in a fog. | Over the past two years Wellbutrin 300mg and Lamictal 100mg have worked effectively to combat depression but during this time the effects I've described have become progressively worse. I suspected shortly after starting Lamicatal that it was affecting my memory and ability to concentrate but its purpose was to take the edge off Wellbutrin and it worked. My secret fear has been that I'm developing dementia but maybe the problem is Lamictal. | F | 55 | 2 years | 4/29/2007 | 3 | Bipolar Type II | ACNE, easily angered, weight gain, memory issues, frequent urination, mostly at night | I was on this a year and a half ago, for about two months, but stopped because I couldn't afford it. But it was long enough for these side effects to take place. I didn't realize that's what it was from at the time. They haven't gone away since. I just started again, and only came here to check out weight gain as a side effect and now it's all coming back to me. It's scary but at the same time, I remember this drug being the one that actually helped me the most. So which is more important considering it seems the damage is done and it did help. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. | F | 27 | 16 days | 4/25/2007 | 3 | Bipolar | I am SO tired ALL the time. I hate it and it drives me nuts! I can fall asleep ANYWHERE! Ironically, I fell asleep in the waiting room of my psychiatrist office! Wanting to sleep all the time makes me MORE depressed. I never feel like doing anything! I have NEVER had this problem before. | F | 29 | 1 years | 8/6/2007 | 3 | bipolar | during my second hospitalization for mania, the doctor started me on 100mg and i developed the rash. second time around i didn't get the rash, and it has helped me stay stable, but i've had SEVERE WEIGHT GAIN, about 30 lbs in 3 months. i feel like the drug company is full of shit, and my doctor says there is no better medicine so i can't go off of it. plus i still havent gained back my comprehension and writing skills, i have such a hard time with school work nowadays. the weight gain made me so depressed that he put me on wellbutrin, which may have helped the mood a little but doesnt do much. now im taking an anorexiant, phentermine, as well, but while it has curbed my appetite a little, it doesnt work nearly as well as others say it does. i guess it probably has a wierd reaction with the lamictal. almost willing to try topamax to get this weight off... | i guess most ppl don't experience weight gain, but if you do, make sure to tell your doctor. maybe we can spread the word that this drug isnt actually weight neutral. | F | 19 | 3.5 months | 4/27/2007 |