Totally frustrated. Got the Lamictal Rash.

I was loving Lamictal. Feeling good! Was able to go down on the Lithium as the Lamictal dose went up.

AAAARGH! I thought I had a bit of contact dermatitis on my hands from washing so much at the hospital where I work. About half of my unit has the same issue, so I didn't pay any attention to the rash on my hands.

14 hours later I am at home, and taking my scrubs off. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, BATMAN!!! There are red dots coming from my feet and hands, and gradually working their way up to my abdomen and neck. By the time I showed up at the ER, the rash had spread to everywhere on my body. My face looks like I got sunburned.

I was freaking out on the inside, because the ER is at the hospital where I work. I do not want anyone there to know what meds I am on or why. I got taken back quickly, and I almost cried when I had to tell the nurse my meds, and I had to answer her question about why I take them.

She was the coolest nurse ever. She said if anyone but her and the doc ended up knowing about my info, it would be a HUGE privacy violation. She also told me that she doesn't judge me or think anything bad about me because of the info. She said "you were worried about that weren't you? I could tell". She took extra steps to make sure that only she and the doc ever touched my chart. (usually techs and other folks end up doing chart stuff).

I was worried they would want to give me steroids (can trigger mania), but I just got industrial sized doses of benadryl and zyrtec. They told me no more Lamictal until I can speak to my psych NP. The dummy ER doc kept acting like there was no way an NP can treat psych issues, he actually ROLLED HIS EYES!

At least it's not the really bad Lamictal rashes, like Stevens Johnson syndrome, or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, but I really don't want to have to quit the Lamictal. It may sound snobby, but I am having a hard time with the idea of being on Lithium forever, or having to use other anticonvulsants. (side effects suck). Any drug that reminds me of when Sally Field played a stereotypical Bipolar I on ER, I don't wanna take.

I called my NP this morning, and am waiting on her call back. I am crushed.

Crap! I'm so sorry to hear that. I can't imagine how aggravated you must feel. I am also hoping that my body will handle the Lamictal well. Mainly cause I don't want to gain weight like I did on Zoloft.

Talked to my NP, she thinks it's a anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome. Since it didn't show up before I went to 100 mg a day, we can stay below that level and probably be okay.

I was freaking out because it looks weird and spread fast.

WHAAAAAAH!!!! I don't wanna have brain cooties and an ugly rash at the same time....I would settle for brain cooties and a beautiful body though....

So sorry you had that scary experience. Like most of us, you read the blurb and think "That would never happen to me!"
Glad to hear you got a sensitive nurse in the ER who understood the privacy issues in your workplace.
Hope it's gone and won't come back!

I was on lamatical for a short time. ended up with a rash across my chest. I don't remember it. ended up with flu like symptoms took tylenol for severe headaches and ended up with acute liver failure. 2 weeks missing last year. was off meds for a year, went back to pdoc due to symptoms of mania returning, tried lamatical ended up with flu like symptoms and severe headache from 25 mg. only took that one dose, scared the hell out of me after what happened a year before. am on 300mg lithium, but when doc tried to increase to 600mg I had painful side effects. 300 seems ok, but things don;'t seem any different.

(((((((Amazonmon)))))))

Sorry you had such a bad experience with Lamictal. Glad the nurse & doc in the ER were so good about handling the privacy matter. That would be stressful going to the hospital where you work. Personal matters like that where we don't want them known can be a problem. Sad there is still a problem.....should be able to be open without a problem, but the world hasn't come that far yet.

I deal with situational depression that ended up major depression reoccurant from the time I lost my career in 1994. Thought I had it under control without meds because I had the worst side effects of everything my pdoc gave up on meds & went to huge dose of omega -3 EPA 4:1 DHA 1060mg:274mg & other omega 3's 202mg. Before that, I had a trauma I went through in 2004/2005. Ended up dealing with PTSD & stress anorexia. My pdoc tried Lamictal to try & help my symptoms as a last resort try......I ended up itching all over (luckily no rash) & horrible flu sore throat & running nose.....ended up really sick the 2nd day I took it. He took me off it immdediately after all the other bad side effects I had with all the other meds. What a strange side effect, but glad it was caught before getting really bad. Had parkinson reaction to 2 meds I was taking awhile ago....he had tried thorazine right before I was going through my neck fusion surgery they were doing....found that problem while looking for the cause of my horrible migraines......& I was taking compazine for the nausea with my migraines....put those 2 together & wham....parkinson's like symptoms.....took them a long time to figure that one out....realized the compazine first....then the symptoms kept going & I went back to my neurologist & he realized the thorazine was still causing the symptom.

Luckily, I just deal with anxiety & depression, not bipolar....knowing how necessary it is to stay on the meds. When they first were trying to figure out my DX in 1994/1995, my pdoc tried lithium while I was in the hospital...good thing....I ended up shaking so bad I couldn't hold a glass of water.......& the shaking just kept getting worse. Another med (can't even remember what it was) they tried during another hospital stay, caused stiff joints the first morning. I couldn't even sit up in bed that morning.....yikes. Sensitive to every med in the world it seems......afraid to put anything inside of me with all the bad experiences, so I can really feel for what you are going through.

Hope they can find something that will help you with lessening the lithium level.......know how important it is being on meds with bipolar

Take care,
Debbie

When I first started the skin on the palms of my hand just started peeling! Like I had a bad sunburn or something...My dermatologist gave me a topical antihistamine, the swelling, redness, itchiness subsided. My pdoc said no worries... My skin is dry already and lamictal increased that like 8trillion fold, but the intensity of the reaction subsided after about 2 months and I was able to get up to 400mg where I am today with minimal side effects like dry skin and a tiny bit of nausea.

Hmm...what a whirlwind episode. At least the ER nurse & doc were nice and followed confidentiality. I actually thought I'd be one of the few to get the rash as most of the side effects listed on meds happen to me. No rash so far after about 3 weeks.

I hope they don't have to take you off of it either. I'm scared of Lithium and don't know what I'll do if Lamictal doesn't work or I can't take it for some reason.

Does it really make people's skin dry? I never read that. My skin is naturally pretty dry. Just wondering if anyone knows.

Let us know how things go.

Wow this is an old thread, LOL.

It wasn't so much the rash that made lamictal a no go. It was the swollen lymph nodes, fever, bruising, and petechiae (looks like rash but it's leaking capillaries). Your liver can be next to go in that sequence, and it can be fatal. This stuff is all peculiar to me though, its really rare. Lamictal works fine for most folks...

AND I AM SO JEALOUS I COULD SPIT!

Ah, der, I didn't notice this was from back in May. I do remember your telling us about the rash and why you had to quit Lamictal. I just thought for some strange reason they were letting you start it up again.

Should've looked more closely. My bad.

it's okay!

I had a non-refundable ticket to England and was leaving in four days when that horrible purple rash showed up and I had been taking Lamictal for 8 months with no side effects! I had to rush to the clinic, they said to stop the Lamictal so I ended up going to England to see relatives in a manic episode, had a really high time! (sorry) When I returned, the clinic screwed up my appt and I ended up in hospital for five days while they put me on Depakote. So the moral of my story is, you can get the rash even after 8 months with no previous problems.

Steroids can trigger mania???? Hmmmmm is that only with certain people or is that a common thing with anyone who is bipolar???

Mood elevation is a well known side effect of steroids in anybody, but it doesn't always happen. I haven't looked up articles but I believe it's probably more likely in the bipolar set, because we are already predisposed to mania.

Damn. You can get the rash after 8 months! Here I was thinking that I'd be clear after 8 weeks. Oh well. For now it beats lithium, although they may have to add it anyway if Lamictal doesn't totally help.

PS, anyone got any steroids?

Hey thinker,

I was afraid of Lithium too, but I am on it currently. I take a very low dose, my blood levels aren't even in the therapeutic range. But it is working for me. When I tried the higher doses, I got the shakes really bad and I could not think straight. I also ended up with acne. All side effects of Lithium. However, I have to say I have had other meds that were worse. So I like the Lithium because it keeps me from mania. But if your doc wants to put you on Lithium, don't be afraid, just research it really well.

Yeah, Lauru, the side effects scare me...like hair thinning, extreme thirst, blurred vision, etc. But I'll wait and see if the Lamictal works on its own first. If not, I probably will give a low dose of Lithium a try. Thanks again.

hair thinning, extreme thirst, blurred vision, etc. lamictal too

im a little confused here.......which is really not that uncommon lol.....does Lithium cause those side effects or does Lamictal???
Thanks for clarification