My dr gave me LAMICTAL for mood swings. Has anyone taken this med, if so, any weird side effects??

Question

Or did you get a rash from taking this med?? Thanks for any/all answers.....just a bit nervous about taking this new med =0)

Answer 1

The only negative side effect I got from taking it was increased anxiety, and I have panic disorder so I had to stop taking it before I really started. Anyway, if you're worried about the possible rash side effect, you shouldn't be. Rashes come rarely and if they do it's even more rare that they're harmful. If you get one you just have to make sure you deal with it as soon as you spot it. But there are tons of meds like it, if you're uncomfortable with Lamictal you should ask your doctor to put you on something else.

Answer 2

It's been good at managing depression. I like this med! No side effects except that it's too activating for me to take as monotherapy. Lithium is my other med and while it deals with the hypo/mania, it also enhances Lamictal's antidepressant qualities. It's been a really good, nearly side effect free med for me, too. The combo is great. Btw, The Rash... serious, but very low odds of getting. Just monitor for it.

You might find this site useful. It's the best one on psych meds that I've found, and the talk board includes a section on Lamictal. Just keep in mind, the majority of folks on the talk board are those with med issues. It's a very disproportionate representation of med problems cuz most people doing well don't seek out a website for med explanations.

http://www.crazymeds.org

Answer 3

IF you have a rash you need to call the doctor immediately or call the pharmacy where you picked up the prescription. This is not a normal side effect a person should ignore.

Answer 4

I've been on Lamictal for over a year now. The only
side effect I've had was headaches for the first month of
taking it. No side effects since. By far, it has been the
best medication for my bipolar disorder.
Peace & Blessings!
Frank.........

Answer 5

hi,
i've been on it for a bit, and its actually the only medication that didn't give me any side effects.
the rash you're probably referring to is VERY rare--well, developing a rash isn't rare, but the chances that it will 'mutate' into a serious rash that requires a trip to the ER is very rare. If you get a rash, call your doctor, and monitor the rash as well.

Answer 6

I have been on it for years and never had any side effects! I love it, it seems to help. Here is what they say could be side effects:

SERIOUS RASHES REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION AND DISCONTINUATION OF TREATMENT HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE USE OF LAMICTAL. THE INCIDENCE OF THESE RASHES, WHICH HAVE INCLUDED STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME, IS APPROXIMATELY 0.8% (8 PER 1,000) IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS (AGE <16 YEARS) RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY AND 0.3% (3 PER 1,000) IN ADULTS ON ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY. IN CLINICAL TRIALS OF BIPOLAR AND OTHER MOOD DISORDERS, THE RATE OF SERIOUS RASH WAS 0.08% (0.8 PER 1,000) IN ADULT PATIENTS RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS INITIAL MONOTHERAPY AND 0.13% (1.3 PER 1,000) IN ADULT PATIENTS RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY. IN A PROSPECTIVELY FOLLOWED COHORT OF 1,983 PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY TAKING ADJUNCTIVE LAMICTAL, THERE WAS 1 RASH-RELATED DEATH. IN WORLDWIDE POSTMARKETING EXPERIENCE, RARE CASES OF TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS AND/OR RASH-RELATED DEATH HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN ADULT AND PEDIATRIC PATIENTS, BUT THEIR NUMBERS ARE TOO FEW TO PERMIT A PRECISE ESTIMATE OF THE RATE.

OTHER THAN AGE, THERE ARE AS YET NO FACTORS IDENTIFIED THAT ARE KNOWN TO PREDICT THE RISK OF OCCURRENCE OR THE SEVERITY OF RASH ASSOCIATED WITH LAMICTAL. THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS, YET TO BE PROVEN, THAT THE RISK OF RASH MAY ALSO BE INCREASED BY (1) COADMINISTRATION OF LAMICTAL WITH VALPROATE (INCLUDES VALPROIC ACID AND DIVALPROEX SODIUM), (2) EXCEEDING THE RECOMMENDED INITIAL DOSE OF LAMICTAL, OR (3) EXCEEDING THE RECOMMENDED DOSE ESCALATION FOR LAMICTAL. HOWEVER, CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE ABSENCE OF THESE FACTORS.

NEARLY ALL CASES OF LIFE-THREATENING RASHES ASSOCIATED WITH LAMICTAL HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN 2 TO 8 WEEKS OF TREATMENT INITIATION. HOWEVER, ISOLATED CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED AFTER PROLONGED TREATMENT (E.G., 6 MONTHS). ACCORDINGLY, DURATION OF THERAPY CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS A MEANS TO PREDICT THE POTENTIAL RISK HERALDED BY THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF A RASH.

ALTHOUGH BENIGN RASHES ALSO OCCUR WITH LAMICTAL, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT RELIABLY WHICH RASHES WILL PROVE TO BE SERIOUS OR LIFE THREATENING. ACCORDINGLY, LAMICTAL SHOULD ORDINARILY BE DISCONTINUED AT THE FIRST SIGN OF RASH, UNLESS THE RASH IS CLEARLY NOT DRUG RELATED. DISCONTINUATION OF TREATMENT MAY NOT PREVENT A RASH FROM BECOMING LIFE THREATENING OR PERMANENTLY DISABLING OR DISFIGURING.