Ran out of Lamictal

While packing on Saturday I realized I was out of Lamictal. I called in for a refill and found out I had no refills left. Well I can't see my pdoc for another three weeks and the pharmacy hasn't called to let me know if it was filled yet.

Anyone stop Lamictal cold turkey? I've had a bad headache and shaking and today I've been horribly moody. What side effects have you experienced? I'm going to call my pharmacy soon and ask if it has been filled.

Hi - I have in fact been in a similar situation where I missed doses for a few days in a row and started to notice some instability with moods, as well as headache and trouble sleeping - that was just after about 2 days or so.

The one thing you need to be really aware of though, and your pdoc should know this, is that if you go without Lamictal for an extended period of time, you will need to begin all over again starting with a small dose and slowly work your way up to your therapeutic dose. The risk of the rash and other side effects is there again if the drug has been out of your system for long enough - I'm just not sure how long that period would be before you have that risk. Good luck - try to get your script soon and call your pdoc to make sure you can start up taking it again at the same dose. Hope this helps.

When my pharmacy calls the doctor's office, my prescription is filled within the day. Definitely check with the pharmacy, and if they don't have it call the pdoc.
Bluemountains

with my pdoc, if I'm off it for 2 days I have to re-acclimate to the medication which takes forever. I've always went off it when I was irritable anyways and are prone to migraines. So I wouldn't know what was because of withdraw and what wasn't.

If your pdoc is associated with a dr clinic or an organization, they should have an emergency person available to help you out with this.

I have run out of it before and felt really sick with withdrawal. I get these "zappy" headaches, head pounding, shaky, and almost manic if I end up going cold turkey. I've read that you really should not let this happen because there is a risk of seizure since you are not tapering down.

If you can't get in touch with your pdoc can you see your primary care physician instead? They may be willing to call in for you if you can provide the correct dosage.

Good luck!

What a great idea, ForgetAboutIt... that didn't occur to me.

Seizures definitely are a possibility. According to my mother (a GP) even taking two doses too close or too far apart can increase their probability. I would agree with the plan to contact or have the pharmacy contact your pdoc so that you can get a prescription to your pharmacy. I would recommend talking to your pdoc though, to discuss whether or not you need to titrate the Lamictal.

I was able to get them yesterday thank goodness but pdoc won't refill it again without a visit. I was suppose to go back for a recheck in February.

Wow! I just you've got to keep an eye on when your appointments are. I try to see my pdoc every 1 - 3 months, but since I am in Canada it is free.

Hmm, I'm way too irresponsible to be on this drug then! Haha, I'm always taking it late or too close together. I work shifts that are erractic like everything else in my life and often miss dosages but don't realize it until I find I'm filling my script a week or two later than I should have been. I tried an alarm and pill cases and so on but, blargh. If it were once a day...

Ooops!

Other than it really not working that well for obvious reasons, I never noticed anything.

Though really, I thought the seizure risk was only an issue if you were actually taking this for epilepsy? Even when I've gone off it and had to start over again with my doctor, seizures were never a concern?

Hmm, maybe no drugs!

I tend to do the same; bad schedule just increases the probability. My mom told me basically so I didn't double dose when I missed one. I think absolute withdrawal would be more likely, but if you don't have epilepsy, the risk is low anyway. I just don't want to mess with it in a way that could trigger a seizure.

Crap. I was going to pick up my Lamotrigine refill this afternoon but the pharmacy is already closed - I thought it was open until 8:00 but they close at 6:00 on Saturday. I thought maybe another CVS could fill the prescription but they said they can't without contacting the original pharmacy. Luckily I have 100 mg to get me through the night and maybe I will take a Klonopin to keep me calm.

Sad thing is I feel like crying and screaming now, I always get emotional when dealing with pharmacies when I feel like I have to jump through hoops and just want to get my medicine. It really doesn't help that this is my PMS time of month where I am way out of whack anyway.

I guess I should transfer all my Rx's to the 24-hour pharmacy down the street so I don't have to go through this anymore.