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Lamictal Drug

Read and learn more about Lamictal Drug.

Q: has any one ever been on the drug called Lamictal for bipolar?
Just wondering if any one has ever been on the drug lamictal at 150 mg. Has any one ever had any problems with it such as weight gain, blood sugar or high blood pressure with it?

A: The symptoms that are listed in Medical Journa are hypersensitivity, renal impairment, skin irritation and is not recommended that it be taken during pregnancy. Headaches, irritability, drowsiness, tremors, nystagmus, ataxia, diplopia, blurred vision, GI disturbance, atrhralgia, back pain. Weight gain is only present in Prozac. Lithium is all together stronger than Lamictal. However, the maximum dosage is 200mg for an adult, an overdose will not cause death. I’ve been on Lamictal, the only symptoms I found present were headaches and drowsiness, other than that no other complications. It’s much lighter compared to Lithium which is also used to treat Bipolar disorder.
Well, whatever you’re doing, good luck!

Q: Generic vs Brand name: Is there a generic drug for lamictal?
What is the difference between them?

Is there a generic drug for lamictal?

A: Lamotrigine is generic Lamictal. The 5mg and 25mg are available in the US, but that’s it.

All mgs are available in Canada and elsewhere – yeah to keeping US drugs the most expensive in the world even though we make them here.

Glaxo-Smith Kline has a decent patient assistance program. You can check their website if you’re interested in it.

The difference between brand and generic is the filler, not the active ingredients.

Q: How effective is the drug lamictal for treating bipolar 1 disorder+rapid cycle? what is the remission period?
Does it eliminate episodes or just reduce them?

A: Well since the people before just gave you websites and all that cause they don’t know…I shall tell ya first hand that it works like freaking crazy.

The doc put me on an antidepressant because my mom just thought that I only had depression (oh yeah, cause depression sure does mean that I can get pretty freakin pissed or acting like I’m high) I was on it for 2 months…nightmare of dreaming about hell. Went through a mild psychosis and was put on lamictal…finally the doc talked to me alone and diagnosed me as bipolar I….

It takes 5 weeks for those handy little fellas to work…which is okay cause its worth it come week 5. They’ll give ya a sample pack of lamictal for that time….cause the lowest dose that works all the way is 100mg(what I take and have been for a year now) so they try to give small doses until reached at 100 so it doesn’t hurt your body and act like an overdose I guess…

But anyways…please take it, lithium makes a lot of people sick and feel like a zombie….but lamictal doesn’t do that. I had very few side effects and I act like myself…lamictal is used for long term use, unlike lithium you do not have to constantly change doses…I think at 18 months you get re-evaluted to see if you need a higher dose. Another great thing about lamictal is the no weight gain factor which is GRREAT.

Lamictal is for both bipolar and schizophrenia…so it covers all bipolar types…since some mimic a mild schizo cycle…

So don’t worry, take it and I promise in two months from now you’ll be 75% better. The only time that I talked about my disorder with my parents is a year ago…I don’t get why they never wanna talk about it or support me. Infact, my mom always wanted to pry in to know what I said to the therapist…but never ask me personally. So, the only support I had was my girlfriend and some friends plus my girlfriends mom….then members on my dads side found out freaking 5 months ago cause I needed major help and my parents weren’t truly trying to help figure out why I was depressed. But long story short, within the last year I’ve only had about two episodes with some off and on mania…but it was hard to tell if it was that because I also have ADHD. But ya know…there was barely anybody that supported me..so I learned how to control it and recover 95% on my own. By the way, I’m only 17.

So…if it can work for me…it can work for you. Good luck!

Q: Are any of you that are on Weight Watchers take the drug Lamictal?
I have been on WW three weeks. The first week I lost 5 lbs., the second I lost 4.5 lbs., but this week I gained back 4. I know I exceeded my point allowance but not by that much. The dr. increased my Lamictal dosage from 100 to 200 mg. last week. Do you think that could be a leading factor in the weight gain?

A: Lamictal is typically known for weight loss, not weight gain. It is possible that part of the weight gain this week is from water retention. Remain within your guidelines and check again next week. If there is an increase in weight let your Dr. know. Remember not to discontinue use of prescribed medication without a doctors advice.

Q: Has anyone tried tapering off the drug Lamictal? What was it like?
I’ve noticed that since being on the drug Lamictal a few years ago I’ve developed severe anxiousness and will ask my psychiatrist to start tapering off. Has anyone else had experience lowering their dosage? What was it like? I’ve heard stories about it causing withdrawal anger and irratibility in people..

A: I had no problems tapering off of it and was delighted when my memory came back……. I guess it can be different for everyone though.

Q: has anyone tried the anti depression drug lamictal and what were its side efffects?
im on two diffferent anti depressants and they want to start me on a third the lamictal …im already taking effexor and prozac
xanax for anixity attics…and still find myself gong thru mood swings on a reg basis, cry for no appparent reason..its driving me crazy any advice

A: Lamictal is actually a mood stabilizer. I’ve been taking it for about 2 years now and it works really well to treat my Bipolar 2 disorder. When I first tried to take it about 3 years ago I had really bad vertigo for 3 days, then I stopped taking it. I tried it again about 2 years ago and had no problems, except that it made me a bit manic adjusting to it. You have to start at really low doses and slowly increase to avoid getting a fatal rash. Other than that I’ve noticed that my thinking is a bit more muddled and I sometimes have trouble thinking of words to say. Also I have more problems with numbers. But these side effects aren’t as bad as living with my mood swings!

Q: Have you heard of the drug, Lamictal? And what is it generally used for?
I have depression, anxiety, and OCD. I take Prozac and Xanax and my Dr. recently added Lamictal for my compulsive skin picking. I have a horrible obsession with picking at the smallest little blemishes on me and making them worse. I can’t help it. He said that Lamictal would help! What is it generally used for? If you take it for anything, has it helped and have you experienced any bad side effects?

A: lacmital is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. For epilepsy it is used to treat partial seizures, primary and secondary tonic-clonic seizures, and seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Lamotrigine also acts as a mood stabilizer. It is the first medication since lithium granted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the maintenance treatment of bipolar type I. Chemically unrelated to other anticonvulsants, lamotrigine has relatively few side-effects and does not require blood monitoring. The exact way lamotrigine works is unknown.

it has been successful in controlling rapid cycling and mixed bipolar states in people who have not received adequate relief from lithium, carbamazepine and/or valproate, possibly having significantly more antidepressant potency than either carbamazepine or valproate. It is useful as part of the treatment of some people with major (unipolar) depression, and has recently been reported to be a useful treatment for some people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). (Source: Lamotragine FAQ.)

Q: What happens when a toy poodle takes the perscription drug LAMICTAL?

A: Their responsible owner takes them to the vet.

Q: If you take the drug lamictal and birth control pills it is supposed to decrease the effectiveness of your bc.
Anyone know by how much it decreases the effectiveness percentage wise?

A: Someone is looking to get pregnant. Eat lots of fruits.

Q: hey i have a question about a drug combo: lamictal and lithium?
im 16 years old, relatively average in height, weight although a bit thin and a pretty bad bipolar although i seldom realize it. right now im currently taking 1200 mg of lithium a day (in 4 300mg pills a day) and 400 mg (in 4 pills as well 100mg each). im also taking a pill every night to make me sleep although my family wont let me know exactly what it is as well as a pain relief pill for bad days. now, they are surely stopping mania and giving me far less headaches and grief. but what ive been feeling lately are pretty bad muscle spasms, constantly shaking hands, and once in awhile vertigo. are these caused by the lithium or lamictal? if they arent then i definitely want to know what the other 2 pills i have to take are.
sorry i meant 400mg of lamictal

A: Lamictal and Lithium are very good drugs, commonly used in combination to treat Bipolar Disorder. You should call your physician immediately to discuss the symptoms you have described. Sometimes, drugs that are in the same class as Lamictal can cause 2 different, but equally dangerous side effects. The first is called Tardive Dyskinisia which is a neurological problem brought on by drugs like Lamictal. The second is a condition called Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome or NMS. Anytime you are on a psychiatric drug and experience muscle spasms and tremors in combination with headache, this should be evaluated by a physician who is experienced in using these types of drugs. Hope this helps!

Q: Could the drug lamictal or zoloft cause weight gain?
One doc tell me lamictal causes weight gain, while the other says it causes weight loss…

A: I don’t gain on Lamictal. I take 200 mg for bi-polar with psychosis.

I also take Geodon 40 mg (for mania) and Abilify 10 mg (for depression).

All of these don’t cause weight gain.

Q: Which drug is better Lamictal or amblify especially for weight?
Prayer Warrior I didn’t ask what drug not to use thank you. People that don’t have our conditions don’t quite understand exercise doesn’t fix it we need additional help.
Prayer Warrior I didn’t ask what drug not to use thank you. People that don’t have our conditions don’t quite understand exercise doesn’t fix it we need additional help.

A: They’re both supposed to be weight neutral. Which is better? The one that works best for you – everyone responds differently.

For bipolar, I’d go with Lamictal first. It is a true mood stabilizer whereas Abilify is an antipsychotic. Lamictal has been around for over 20 years whereas Abilify has only been on the market a few years. That is, consequences of long-term use are better understood. Although Abilify’s risks of EPS and TD are low, they are higher than Lamictal’s. Both come with potential other side effects so it’s a draw there, which gets back to ultimately going with which ever works best for you.

Q: What happens if a dog eats a tiny tiny chip off of a Lamictal (seizure drug)?
You basically read it all. I just want to make sure.

A: It may cause drowsiness, but he is likely to be just fine..Just watch for any signs of stress..panting, glassy eyes, etc..

Q: I am taking a new generic drug for lamictal. i am having headaches. is it just readjusting to the drug, or wha?
is the generic chemically suppose to be a exact copy of the original drug?

A: A headache is one of the given side effects of lamictal.
A generic drug must contain the same active ingredient as the original formulation, identical in dose, strength and safety.
They become available when the patent taken out by the company that developed the drug expires.

Q: Nuerological drug called lamictal for multiple uses?
I am on a nuerological drug called lamictal for epilespy. I read that it also is used for bi-polar patients. Would it change my personality and mood swings so I’m not the same as what i was before i started taking it? I am now 18, and started on it when i was 17

A: It would probably effect the degree of your moods, but whether those changes are enough to effect your personality only you know the answer to that.

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