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 Date added. 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 |
| 4 | bi-polar | Flu feeling any time there's a change in the dose. | If you're in any dose start, increase etc..... don't give up too soon it does get better for most the headache, flu, foggy head etc have taken a while to adjust at every dose change but eventually disapate | F | 41 | 2.5 years | 3/27/2008 | 4 | absence seizures | extreme moodiness at higher levels, had to go back to only 100mg twice daily | My new neurologist and oddly the only doc to mention this told me that lamictal as well as other anti-seizure meds cause folic acid deficiency. Didn't know this. She wants to check my levels every six months. When I decide to have kids she wants to put me on prescrip strength folic acid. So be aware of vitamin and mineral deficiencies w/your meds!! | F | 33 | 3 years | 3/23/2008 | 5 | Bi Polar 1 | 3rd post- August and Sept 07 /March 08. I have minor word issues still. Very vivid dreams have returned to normal. Moods have stabilized. No longer feeling like I have to get out and drive my car an hour or two late at night anymore. | Highly recommended. I've logged posts as updates so I can have a baseline for my own treatment and see progress. Lamictal causes a narrowing of "Highs and Lows" but instead of having long deep cycles where the high and low are furthur apart and intense, they become lessened and the cycles become shorter. In my case they are very mild, and quicker cycling, almost looking like normal day-to day moods. | M | 40 | 10 months | 3/21/2008 | 4 | Bipoloar II | headache, drymouth, dizziness, muscle ache | The side effects were only when I had to increase my dosing. The headaches have been pretty constant, but nothing Advid wouldn't take care of. This drug has literally saved my life. I feel 100% better and much less "edgy" while on it. I was very scared about taking a mood stabilizer, but this was the first my pdoc suggested...highly encourage! | M | 27 | 5 weeks | 3/20/2008 | 1 | Bi-polar II | Hair loss; scaly, painful rash all over torso and arms; "electric" feeling throughout my body; double vision; slight fever and general flu-like symptoms; muscle aches and tightness; loss of appetite. | Obviously, I was allergic to this medication. I am so glad that I searched the web for the possible side-effects - I found that, while it's rare, people who are allergic can experience multiple organ failure. It took over a month for the rash, which is a precursor to the unbelievably frightening "Stevens-Johnson Syndrome", to disappear after I quit taking lamictal. For info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens-Johnson_syndrome. Please be aware of how this drug affects you after taking it for a little while - it could save your life. | F | 29 | 3 months | 3/19/2008 | 4 | Mood stabilizer | dumbing down | I have felt almost "normal" emotionally for the first time I can remember. I didn't think about the side effects until reading them from others, and then I have made the connection between the length of time I've been on Lamictal and my changes. I definitely noticed my recall is fading, loss of labido (which may not be hurting me)and now I am researching to see if this is causing a weight gain. This is perhaps my biggest fear. | F | 35 | 2 days | 3/18/2008 | 2 | BiPolar II (severe PMS) | INSOMNIA & ANXIETY, sore throat/swollen glands, mouth sores, fatigue, inability to articulate, lack of motivation or direction, inability to preform simple daily tasks, bad taste in mouth and metalic odor (not sure if that's real or imagined), feeling of floating, blurred vision, dry puffy eyes (causing sinus presure & headaches), body aches, joint pain, tense muscles and cramping in back and shoulders, feeling like I've lost my mind! | The side effects are far too consuming and debilitating to describe any positive effects of this medication. I've tried Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, and now Lamictal, for my severe PMS. This has been (by far) the worst medicine, for me, followed by Lexapro. Without medication, I have two good weeks per month, followed by two bad weeks. The bad weeks include insomnia, headaches, mood swings, racing mind, fatigue and lack of motivation, all of which causes me to feel depressed during that time. I feel like I spend my 'two good weeks' constantly trying to make up for what I don't do in my 'two bad weeks'. Friends and family hate that I 'go into hiding' for ten days a month and have encouraged me to try medication. It's been an honest effort, but I choose to just have my 'bad weeks', knowing that they go away and there will be good times ahead. This medicine was really really scary for me, making me thankful for the life I had before taking it, and looking very forward to a time when i | F | 33 | 30 days | 3/18/2008 | 2 | bipolar disorder | abnormal dreams every night - headache every day - high blood pressure - cuts down on the manic episodes, but does nothing for the depression - low energy - muscle fatigue | M | 62 | 3 months | 3/17/2008 | 3 | Epilepsy | Weird dreams and I don't mean intermittent but every night what seems like all night. I wake up afraid. Also night sweats, hair loss, slight memory confusion (not sure if this is leftover from the Topamax), some indigestion problems, weight loss | This works for my epilepsy. I was on Topamax a couple of years ago which literally made my IQ decrease about 75 percent. I never fully recovered. I was then on Keppra which made me insane so comparitively Lamictal works great. It's the dreams that are making it hard, that and the hair loss. | F | 40 | 6 weeks | 3/16/2008 | 3 | the "Bipolar 2" theory | BAD effects: nervousness, irritability, DEPENDENCE ON THE DRUG!! (not taking it (for me) results in: severe severe withdrawals. Almost lost my job because of the withdrawals- madening agitation, tremors, heart palpitations, panic attacks, suicidality when I taper down. After several tries, I will be checking myself in to an inpatient facility to go off. (I have been on psych meds for 13 yrs.. so it might make it harder as my body is very dependent now). I would like to have a kid one day and as for now, I do not have this option. Lamictal is a grade 'D' on the safety during pregnancy scale by FDA. These drugs are not safe for pregnancy - cause birth defects/withdrawals in infants. ////GOOD effects: I lost almost 40 lbs :D in about 6 months!!! At first it was kind of scary. I was taking other medications at the time (klonopin, adderol, ativan, provigil, lexapro, trazadone (now I only take trazadone)) my hair was falling out, I was getting my period twice a month and bruising easil | great things and definitely confuse me about stopping the medication, but these drugs just cannot be good for you. I like having emotions. I feel less creative since I have been on meds. I lost my dark edge. I'm like in this neverneverland now of emotions. But I have taken many psych drugs.. the vast majority actually, and this one has helped me the most. But still on a quest to get my mind and heart back. The one I was born with. I pray that this is a possibility for me. After 13 years of mind numbing and dumbing-down (and it literally does physically feel that way (btw-my brain felt constricted the first few days I was on it- migraine too), I don't know who the h*ll is under all this. So, basically, I give this drug a good rating. If I had seizures - something I deem more of a valid reason for taking this, I'd say - good drug. But for a disease that isn't even a disease but rather a theory, I think people (including me) need to walk through their problems and stop looking for a | F | 31 | 2 days | 3/16/2008 | 5 | Bipolar | None except when we tried a dose that was too high - It made me loopy :P We came back down to 75mg and its perfect. | This has been a life saver to me... It stabilized me, and mellowed me out to a "normal" level... Stuff that used to send me over the edge (either way) now I am able to calmly deal with, without being suicidal depressed or psychotic angry... My husband can tell if I miss my pills even one day, they make that much of difference. I have also taken this during my pregnancy with no negative side effects on the baby; I won't be breastfeeding however. | F | 26 | 9 months | 3/13/2008 | 4 | BiPolar | I have had no side effects since I started taking it,at least not until now. I have been taking it for 2 years and now I am having surgery to remove enlatged lymph nodes. I just happened to stumble upon today that Lamictal can cause enlarged lymph nodes. | I thought I didn't have any side effects from this medicine until i saw the lymph node stuff today, I am not sure if that is what is causing it or not, but I guess I will have to find out. After reading thorugh the posts on here today for Lamictal I do have some of the other systems people have posted such as being agitated. I am angry all the time and biting peoples heads off for no reason. I think I am going to switch to something else | F | 32 | 2 years | 3/13/2008 | 5 | adult onset epilepsy (grand mal) | I have been taking Lamictal for 10 months due to Grand Mal seizures I started having at age 32. I titrated up to 100mg but have recently gone to 200mg due to recent seizure. I have had a few side effects mainly joint pain in knees, fluid retention ( has anybody else had this???) definite weight gain but some due to fluid. Big time craving for sweets! In the beginning had some trouble with spaciness, short term memory. forgetting what I was just saying. But head seems alot clearer now. Had to cut hours at work though seem to get tired as day goes on. But so far has been controlling my seizures at this dose, although Doc says can go higher if need be. | F | 33 | 10 months | 3/12/2008 | 5 | Bi-Polar I | Memory re-call; slight "dumming down" | This is a WONDER DRUG!!! It has saved my life! After trying a number of anti-depressants I was convinced I was just incapable of properly functioning in our society. Unfortunately I started the drug too late to save my marriage but it helped me get through my divorce with aplomb. It has also helped me not only deal with but be happy about single motherhood. The only downside is that I miss some of the emotional highs I could be feeling about my daughter, but that is such a slight downside compared to all the benefits. | F | 33 | 2 years | 3/7/2008 | 5 | In the very begining of taking it, 25mg a day, I had a continuous mild headache. this lessened over the first couple of weeks and I've had no side effects since. | My wife and I have noticed a big difference in my behavior and my ability to handle stressful situations. This was when I got to the level of 200mg/day. My doctor had me increase up to 300mg/day but we don't notice any improvement over the 200mg/day. On my next appointment I am going to ask the doctor if we should drop back down to the 200mg level. Does anyone have any advise to share on how to determine the correct dosage? Thanks | M | 42 | 8 weeks | 3/7/2008 | 2 | Bipolar II more depression | Confusion, night sweats,short term memory loss, blurry vision, achy, headaches, cannot complete a senctence without putting two words together, so I remind myself of the way Scooby-Doo (cartoon dog) talks. | I started out at 150 mg was doing great, mild side effects and after almost two years, I am now down to 50 mg. | F | 40 | 2 years | 3/7/2008 | 2 | Bi-polar II major depression, moder | I seem to have a type of Bi-polar that doesn't really fit any catagory, closest to type two. It is hard to know how effective it is at times because I am 24 and believe the severity of the disease is increasing. At first, it was pretty good. Stabilised mood, decreased depression, decreased self-medication. didn't do much for anxiety so I take Klonopin at nite for that. I am starting to think that these positive effects are no longer really there. took it for a few months, then quit and restarted last March. I am on 250 mg a day and feel like my negative effects are worsening. I forget what I am saying mid-sentence and my concentration is poor, have started getting cyctic acne sporadically, and an inability to explain what I am feeling to my doctors. When I am in a major depressive state I believe I always feel that way. When I am feeling a little more normal, I don't think about the depression so I feel like I am not being taken seriously by them anymore. | I am also experiencing hair loss and increased libido which wouldn't be a bad thing except I have much less intense orgasms and cannot enjoy sex because of INCREDIBLY INTENSE headaches. My concentration is really bothering me because even though I also suffer from body image distortion severly(less so on the med) I have always had a good self esteem about my intellectual abilities. But now I have just dropped all my classes and don't have a job anymore. I have just stopped contacting some friends and want to be alone a lot. . I am so sick of this and am having suicidal thoughts almost daily. I am now thinking of methods and timing. This disease caused my personality to change and I am angrier, feel sometimes dull like I have no personality. I don't know how much of it is the disease and how much is the med. I don't think I can do this much longer. I went from having a 3.91 GPA three years ago to being a college drop-out. I have always had an extremely high IQ and excelled in most cl | F | 24 | 1 days | 3/6/2008 | 2 | bipolar II - Depression | Agitation, dizziness, low concentration....It is a relief to see I am not the only one. | I was titrated at a slow rate; when I got to 100mg I was OK; but my doctor felt we should increase to 150mg. I'm calling her tomorrow because I feel like I am going insane. I can't concentrate. I'll put a piece of paper down in front of me; then I'll spend 15/20 minutes looking for it, when it is actually right in front of me. Not only that I am so agitated, I feel like I just want to scream; it is very stressful and frustrating....I really want off of this drug. As far as controlling my mood swings I think that they have gotten worse...... | F | 50 | 4 months | 3/6/2008 | 4 | Bipolar II | Hair thinning, weight fluctuations, short term memory loss. | I really despise the memory problems, but this has been the best drug so far. | 1 years | 3/5/2008 | 4 | epilepsy | nausea, dizziness, wonky vision, still shaky someimtes, headaches, and pretty serious hair loss. My main worry is tooth decay/bone loss. Is anyone else having tooth issues? | About tooth loss; I had 5 more pulled today, with 4 more going in a month. The bone material around my teeth is disintegrating, making my teeth crumble, get infected, and break off. It could be from the Lyrica, but I don't know for sure. aside from this issue, I love it. I only have large seizures 3 or 4 times a year now. Kinda sucks that I'm conscious for them now, but the frequency and severity levels have really dropped. | F | 36 | 4 years | 3/4/2008 |