[xRavenx]

Due to double vision and finding out my lamictal levels are near toxic at 400mg. I am now being instructed to taper. I am going from two divided doses (200mg AM to 200 PM) down to just 200 mg. It seems like a big drop, but I guess they are doing it quick due to the side effects I was having.

I am nervous about withdrawal symptoms and nervous about what I might expect. Who else here has tapered down or off of lamictal, and what was your experience like?

[Nammu]

I went off lamictal on my own. I just cut the dose in half from 200 to 100, to 50 to none. The only thing I remember is that the side effects I was having from the lamictal went away. I no longer felt flat. I didn’t know they ever put anyone on 400, that’s a huge dose.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I've tapered off it in the past without problems that I remember (so nothing too bad). I also came off cold turkey when I developed the rash and that wasn't too terrible either. I don't remember what dose I was on either time although the first time it was fairly high. I think 300-350? The 2nd was probably closer to 150 because I'd not been on it terribly long when the rash developed.

I hope it goes well for you.

[*Beth*]

I've tapered it down a few times. I haven't had any problem. Good luck

[unlived]

I’ve come off it a couple of times without any withdrawal effects.

[Soupe du jour]

From my recollection, I went from 300 mg to 0 mg in one fell swoop, while inpatient at a psych hospital. I was immediately switched to another anticonvulsant moodstabilizer and antipsychotic. Given this, it's hard to know what really happened because of the switch. I don't recall thinking about it, though I was pretty out there mentally at the time. Anyway, I never really heard of Lamictal withdrawal being that bad, especially when there is some taper involved. I've heard of other medications having far worse. As Lamictal tends to work best on bipolar depression, I'd maybe wonder if a little lowered mood may result. But if your mood heightens, that may be another possible result. As for physical stuff, I don't know. I would doubt it would be that bad. Again, never heard of it being so. I could be wrong.

I have had other anticonvulsant moodstabilizers lowered after years. About a two years ago, my old pdoc lowered my Tegretol from 1,200 mg to 600 mg. Nothing bad happened. Years before that I had been on a high dose of Depakote and was then taken off of it rapidly in the psych hospital. I don't recall thinking about withdrawals, but again, like the Lamictal I had psych stuff to worry about. It wasn't withdrawals that led to the hospitalization.

The worst withdrawal side effects I ever had were not from an anticonvulsant or even Lithium, but from Geodon, an antipsychotic. That was hell. I'm telling you. That I could discuss at length.

[xRavenx]

Thank you everyone for sharing. I feel I have some level of reassurance that it likely won't be so bad. It is a couple of days into dropping down to 200mg. I am feeling more emotional and anxious, but I'm managing okay so far and hope things get better from this point on and not worse.