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 |
| 1 | Unipolar Depression | HORRIBLE hair loss (50+%)-- even weeks after stopping the drug. After seeing multiple dr's to determine what's wrong with me, my latest bloodwork revealed a failed ANA(auto-immune) test. Before starting Lamictal, I had bloodwork, and all was fine. I'm convinced this drug -- even after taking it for only three months-- is the cause of some auto-immune issue.Off to see a Rheumotologist to get more answers... | Initially, Lamictal did work for me, yet PLEASE beware of things such as hair loss. It could be a sign that your body is unfavorably reacting to the drug. | F | 38 | 3 months | 10/10/2008 | 1 | seizures | SEVERE SWEATING, GI problems, insomnia, severe tremors, flu like symptoms, headaches, increased seizures, depression, itching | I had to stop Topamax that I had been on for 2 years due to kidney failure. Started Lamictal at 25mg increase up to 100mg. The side effects were apparent from the start.The night sweats were unbearable. Would wake up soaked and increase heart rate and blood pressure. Slept a sum of 3 hours per night most of the time, sometimes up for 48 hours. GI problems persist after stopping the drug.(Severe stomach pain) I hated being on this drug. Good thing I have a neuro dr. who listens! | F | 44 | 6 weeks | 2/21/2006 | 1 | Epilepsy | I experienced night sweats, insomnia, deep depression, sore throat, and my body was starting to feel like I was hit by a mac truck, then I started to get an awful red rash all over my body. I stop taking the meds that day, I started to feel better in less than 24 hours. Within 48 hours my rash was gone, my throat felt better as well as my body. And it did nothing to control my seizures. | F | 34 | 12 days | 2/23/2007 | 1 | BP, PTSD | Weight gain, memory loss, trouble with words and ideas and formulating thoughts, acne, vision changes, headaches, irritability, forgetfulness, misspelling words more and more, feeling like I'm in a fog, lethargic, can't concentrate | I am an editor, so having problems with words, thoughts, ideas and spelling is more than a HUGE problem for me. It's devastating. I found this site as I was searching for answers to all of my problems; not realizing they were all side-effects of the drug. Now that I see how many people have the same symptoms, I can only conclude that this drug, while it may seem to work for some things, can cause real harm to the brain. I am not on any other drugs, so it can't be explained away by other causes. There is a reason Lamictal isn't prescribed much anymore. It's not just that the new drugs are the new hip and cool ones to take, it's because this drug is dangerous. I thought the weight gain and acne were bad enough (I can no longer fit in any of my clothes as I recently titrated up to 300 mg), the memory and word problems are far worse and far scarier. I will never take Lamictal again, and I will caution anyone else I know to never start taking it. | F | 44 | 1.5 years | 5/1/2007 | 1 | bi-polar | rash within a week and now has covered my whole body | F | 57 | 12 days | 10/13/2007 | 1 | bipolar | confusion and sickness for the first 2 months | Had absolutely no effect at all - compliance was simple as there were no side effects but the medication had no impact on the my mood. | F | 26 | 1 years | 3/11/2006 | 1 | Myoclonic Epilepsy | Acne - Insomnia - Bruising easily - lots of hiccups Weird noises (half hiccup - burp)loud & uncontrollable Mouth twitches - cognitive skills & clear thinking are a thing of the past | Diagnosed in Feb 06. Have been on Keppra, Depakote, Topamax & now Lamictal. Keppra made me sleep 12-14 hours a day. So confused I didn't know whether I was coming or going. Depakote made me so depressed. I have been on Topamax the longest & on Nov. 2,06 started on Lamictal. I started the weird little noise on the 7th. Haven't had any seizures but I hate Lamictal. I am now weaning off of it. I will continue with the Topamax and the Clonipin to cut my brain off in order to sleep. Hopefully it will work. This has been the longest 10 months of my life and I would rather have a seizure that to take Depakote or Lamictal. Maybe my new case of acne will clear up when I am off of it. I continued to have seizures on all the meds. I have not had one since Nov. 2,06. | F | 18 | 2 months | 12/31/2006 | 1 | Epilepsy | the worst one: really bad insomnia. I never had any problems sleeping before (I used to sleep average 9 hours). Since I began taking it I haven't been able to sleep more than 3 hours in a row. I feel lucky if I sleep 6 hours. I had double vision at the beginning but it was dose related and it stopped when I decrease the dose. I've felt some other different stuff but it's hard to tell if it is the lamictal or the pregnancy. | The insomnia brought other problems: often absences, myoclonic seizures, and of course the emotional problems that come from sleep deprivation. It doesn't work at all. I hadn't had a seizure in more than a year and when I switch to lamictal I had 4 seizures in less than 6 months. This might not sound like a lot to many people but I've had 15 seizures in 20 years so for me 4 in 6 months is too much. The only reason I'm taking it is because I was told it is safer than valproic acid (or Depakote) for pregnancy. As soon as my baby is born I'm going back to valproic acid. I'm taking 200 mg 2x day | F | 35 | 6 months | 7/14/2006 | 1 | supposedly safer for pregnancy | the worst one: really bad insomnia. I never had any problems sleeping before (I used to sleep average 9 hours). Since I began taking it I haven't been able to sleep more than 3 hours in a row. I feel lucky if I sleep 6 hours. I had double vision at the beginning but it was dose related and it stopped when I decrease the dose. I've felt some other different stuff but it's hard to tell if it is the lamictal or the pregnancy. | The insomnia brought other problems: often absences, myoclonic seizures, and of course the emotional problems that come from sleep deprivation. It doesn't work at all. I hadn't had a seizure in more than a year and when I switch to lamictal I had 4 seizures in less than 6 months. This might not sound like a lot to many people but I've had 15 seizures in 20 years so for me 4 in 6 months is too much. The only reason I'm taking it is because I was told it is safer than valproic acid (or Depakote) for pregnancy. As soon as my baby is born I'm going back to valproic acid. I'm taking 200 mg 2x day | F | 35 | 6 months | 7/14/2006 | 1 | Bipolar I | Terrible, suicidal feelings at the beginning of my period, irregular period; very scary and new to me. Am also taking lithium which I took for years with no problems. | Was not prepared for this side effect and had to search to find it listed as a "rare" complication. Now in trying to taper off am having headaches, vomiting, suicidal depression,etc. | F | 39 | 7 months | 6/4/2006 | 1 | anxiety, inability to orgasm, o.c.d | i've only been on it for 2 days. i'm on a 35 day trial. | F | 19 | 2 days | 4/22/2007 | 1 | BiPolar | Rash, covered all of body | Discontinued use, no effect on issue | F | 1.5 weeks | 11/20/2005 | 1 | treatment-resistant depression | constant bowel movements and diarrhea, migraines and weird head pressure (whereas I rarely had headaches before), nausea, cognitive slow-down, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, blurred vision,increased heart rate and blood pressure | I agree with another person who rated this medication and said she felt completely "toxic" while taking it. I have been taking various psychotropics for over ten years and have never felt as sick from side effects (at 100mg daily)as I have from lamictal. Unless this medication is essentially saving your life, I would not recommend taking it. | F | 34 | 3 months | 11/1/2006 | 1 | Bipolar II | I was very tired. But the worst thing :I got UVEITIS and it is HELL, which I found out after the fact is a rare side effect of Lamictal. I am very upset (understatement) I ever agreed to try this medication. | DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG FROM HELL. | F | 43 | 7 months | 3/13/2007 | 1 | Major Depressive Disorder/anxiety | Extreme thirst, dry skin, vaginal dryness/discomfort, dizziness, always tired, nausea, indigestion. | Absolutley not worth it. I somewhat tolerated 25mg, but as soon as I went up to 50mg, side effects became more detrimental than the depression and anxiety. 3 weeks of withdrawal has been absolute hell. | F | 29 | 4 weeks 50 1X day | 10/8/2020 | 1 | Depression | Night sweats, swollen groin lymph nodes, back/neck pain, my depression has gotten 1000% worse. | I'm sure this drug is great, it just isn't working for me. | F | 26 | 20 days | 10/16/2006 | 1 | Bi-polar possibility | Parkinson's like tremor. Profound weakness. Could not stand or sit up. Severe BP spikes. Infections, gums, lungs, etc. Feeling out of my skin. Feeling that I was going crazy and going to die. Thought people weren't listening to my cries for help. No one would help me titrate off. Severe paranoia. I repeatedly asked to lower my dose to see if I truly had MS symptoms to go with my MRI Psych fired me. I came close to losing my job my mind my family. This was truly the closest thing to attempted murder. I was NOT bi-polar I was being recruited as a hefty Copay for the Psych. I feel I have a moral obligation to report him to protect others. Especially the children he sees. He cost me money time and I truly suffered incredibly. Lamictal is VERY dangerous. Please be careful. | F | 43 | 3 months 150 mg | 7/23/2012 | 1 | bipoler | Stiff neck, sencetivity to light,white sores in mouth,tremor,back pain,fatigue,sweating,diarrhea and costipation,flu like systoms,a zombie,low grade fever,sweating,blurred vision,weakness,very irtated | F | 47 | 8 weeks 100mg | 8/6/2012 | 1 | Bipolar | When using 50mg hallucinations, severe irritability, lack of co-ordination, felt like i was losing my mind. On 25mg that ive been taking for the past 9ths, dnt feel its helping really. Feeling irritable and moody recently | F | 48 | 10 months 25mg | 8/7/2012 | 1 | Bi-polar | I started taking Topomax and Lamictal 1 ½ years ago. I immediately noticed memory problems, short-term memory loss and problems processing thoughts quickly and efficiently, but didn’t connect the problems with the medicines. I finally realized they might be connected and stopped taking Topomax 9 months later and Lamictal 15 months later. My memory did not return as a result of stopping either. At some point it no longer mattered whether the medicines were assisting me as they were designed to, because they interfered do drastically with my memory that I could no longer hold down a job. If you notice memory impairment, please investigate immediately alternative treatments for your ailment and try to stop taking these medicines. I am trusting that Jesus is in control of my medicines, my health, my future and my life and is working to provide and care for me. I know that He loves me and is my all-powerful Savior. I trust that He will either restore my memory or take ca | F | 40 | 15 months 100mg 1X day | 12/14/2011 |