Does Lamictal work for you?

[CODDLING REQUIRED]

I was just diagnosed as bipolar in 2005.Sice which time various attempts with different meds. and combinations.I was doing fairly well with Cymbalta and high doses of trileptal but my blood reached a level that was unsafe and had to stop the trileptal.
Now my shrink wants me to start taking Lamictal and I'm scared from reading the rash warnings etc... Has anyone got any feedback to give me some idea of what to expect? Any info. would be appreciated. Thanks.

[bizi]

see the thread on "here's an odd question" for others input...bizi

[yoyo_girl]

the rash is rare... very rare... the media about the rash is kind of disproportionate. It also happens pretty soon after taking it should it develop, which is one reason why they start people at small doses and work up.

i have been taking it now for 5 yrs. I need add-on's but i like the lamictal.

[waves]

Well, first and foremost, warm ((( CODDLES ))) to you! Welcome to our forum.

I've been on Lamictal now for about 3 years, at 100mg bidiurnally. I am in Europe they don't even titrate as slowly as in the US. I was put straight onto 100mg bid (i did my own titration, coming from the US, i was scared :rolleyes: ). I think here the "prudency" of titration is considered overdone considering the rarity of the rash.)

Well at first, like many others i've seen here, the Stevens Johnson's fear loomed over me for several months... but I've been fine.

The most important thing is if you should get any rash while taking lamictal, you must have it looked at right away, preferably by a specialist.

Good luck with it, and let us know how you are doing.

~ waves ~

[CODDLING REQUIRED]

Hey there Waves, Since my last post I am now on 200 mgs. and no rash.Thanks for the response.They had me up to 300mgs and I felt confused and a little too strange and asked for him to lower it.I am also on Cymbalta 90 mgs. and 200mgs of morphine for pain.I was waking up more or less boucing off the walls. I feel better now.As you probaly know, you have good days and bad days, depending on the contribution from outside influences that add to the stress of living life.
Thanks for the coddles!
Coddling Required

[Jeanbean1001]

I'm not posting because I'm an expert on this at all -- only posting because this morning I started taking Lamictal and am glad I found this forum.
About your concern for the rash - yesterday when my psychiatrist prescribed this for me, she told me that only 1% of people taking the medicine get the rash, and that out of that 1% only .01% of them get a fatal rash. She (and the literature I read) also said that as long as you slowly progress the dosages (like taking25 mg for the first couple weeks and gradually getting to 100 mg) the rash is much less likely to occur.
I know you posted again and said that you were rash-free but I just figured I'd let you know about the percentage statistics just in case you were still wondering.

Let me ask you... while on the Lamictal, do you feel sleepy or anything like that? My Dr said she usually tells people to take it in the mornings, but that it could cause sleepiness and in that case to take it before bed. I'd like to take it in th emorning, but I don't want to get sleepy at work. Does it have that effect on you? Just curious.
Thanks!

[shosty]

My daughter got nosebleeds (and one mouth sore, no rash at all) last week and her neurologist completely panicked. Her psychiatrist recommended going down a bit (she was only on 15mg, is exquisitely sensitive to all meds) but the neuro wanted her off. Going off resulted in a huge withdrawal problem, so now she is going back on, slowly, 2.5 mg at a time.

Lamictal has been a great drug for her, and my daughter feels it is worth any risk of further nosebleeds to try again. But she won't go up to 15 again from 10mg.

These amounts need to be translated for others, since with any med, she takes less than 10% of the lowest usual dose.

We are hoping she can stay on it and that she does not again develop problems.

[1patrick1]

I have been on lamictal for over two years. I have experienced no problems, but when i missed, say two doses I became light headed and dizzy.