[Stargazer2493]

I'm sure this has been discussed at sometime, but today I don't have much patience to look. I was put on Lamictal and Risperadal about a month ago for bipolar. I also take ritalin, neurontin, and amantadin. I gradually upped lamictal and now take 50 mg in week four of sample pack. Last week, I began having pain in back of head, neck and shoulders. By end of week the pain was severe. Today it's like I can't feel my arms, they are numb with pain beginning at base of neck down. Hard to type as my head can't make my hands and arms function. This has progressivly got worse since last week. I have read lamictal can cause muscle pain. Has anyone else experinced this? I go to pdoc today and feel like a failure cuz every drug I try doesn't work out. I also have dizziness and problems with vision that I assume is from amantadin. If I can't take that I dont' know what I'll do because that is to stop wieght gain. Please share if anyone has had this type of thing happen.
Last month I felt I was going crazy this month I feel embarrassed.

Gazer

[ghost]

CALL YOUR DOC.

I'm on Lamictal but I didn't experience this. It sounds to me like he didn't taper you up slowly enough. I was started on 25 mgs (and stayed there, for now) for a couple months before we talkked about potentially upping the dose. But this isn't normal and you shouldn't be in pain!

I hope you feel better soon...

ghost

---------
....Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.

[SunshineGold03]

I would definitely make an appt. with your primary doc. to discuss this. Good luck and keep us posted!

[darkeyes]

Everyone is different I have been on Lamictal for 2 years, did not have muscle pains, or any of the major side effects. Every medication has side effects, by law they have to be public, many of the meds have the same or similar side effects, some take time to go away, and perhaps your mix you are on may be interacting, I would talk my pdoc if I were you, maybe somethings can be changed, I personally wouldn't give up on the Lamictal, until you discuss this with your pdoc.
I wish you much patience with this, it gets frustrating I know (from my experiences) but try to hang in there and discuss with your doc if there other options/alternative meds that may help you and yet have the least amount of side effects.
Some side effects can be mild or in time wear off, we also have to ask ourselves if the side effects are tolerable vs living with the disorder, I chose living with some of the mild ones, I use to get all uptight when I would sit and read side effects and it use to discourage me from meds, but I got tired of feeling so unstable so I said "the hell with it" I'll give them a try. Sometimes we just need to give things a try, otherwise we may be missing out on an opportunity, I made that mistake if I had just taken the Lamictal instead of Depakote 4 years ago I could have saved myself some grief, Lithium worked great for me when I was agitated, once that left I switched to Lamictal for it's AD property cause I am more of a bipolar that suffers with extreme depression. Lamictal isn't an AD but a mood stabilizer that address bipolar depression quite well. I hope I haven't ranted on too much, and I hope I was of some help to you.
Please stay well,

DE

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

[lenjan]

Does anybody have any experience with the dreaded "Lamictal rash"?

My pdoc says if you're going to get it, it's usually within the first 4-6 months you're on it. I'm at 5 months and 1 week.

I noticed a couple red splotches on my thighs last week. Then I went and baked at the beach for an hour or two last weekend. Now my legs are covered, thighs to toes, in red splotches. They aren't itchy, painful, swollen, or flaky, they're just disconnected splotches.

I am also on desipramine and know that causes sun sensitivity. I don't know what to attribute the splotches to. My pdoc said to give it a couple days, and if it isn't better by Saturday, to stop the Lamictal and go to the ER.

I am not a happy girl, because this is the 4th mood stabilizer I've tried, and it's the only one that's worked for me without horrible side effects. I actually feel healthy and reasonably normal because of it, and I don't want to lose it!

Ideas, suggestions, helpful hints?

Thanks

Candy

There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed. -- Peter Sellers

[PlanningtoLive]

Candy,

I was on Lamictal for one week and broke out so badly that it took a couple of weeks to get over it.

I actually watched my arm within a 15 min. time frame completely break out. It was horrible. The itching and rash was everywhere. Mine was not splotchy.

They said I had an allergic reaction to it.


Courage is fear that has said its prayers.
Dorothy Bernard

[lenjan]

wow, that sounds like a pretty horrible reaction!

Mine seemed to me to be getting worse yesterday, so I had my pharmacist take a look. He's not a MD, but he does know drug reactions. He said to take some Benadryl for a couple days and see what happened, and that I only needed to go to the ER if I started having trouble breathing. He wasn't at all sure it was from the Lamictal.

So far I've taken 4 Benadryl -- 2 last night and 2 today -- and it isn't as flaming red as it was, nor is it spreading. I'm cautiously optimistic that this is from the sun exposure and not from the med. But I've never gotten a sunburn in targeted points all over my legs! :-)

I guess it just goes to show you never know with these meds.

Candy

There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed. -- Peter Sellers

[PlanningtoLive]

That is what stopped mine as well, the Benadryl. I had to start taking it asap, but it still took awhile to subside.


Courage is fear that has said its prayers.
Dorothy Bernard

[darkeyes]

Any meds can be photosenstive and one needs to use sense and sunscreen, regardless if you are on meds or not.
The fatal rash that Lamictal can cause happens within 24-48 hours after starting it in most cases, the other kind of mild rashing is not fatal and does subside, I still do not suggest going out and sunbathing, especially without the use of sunscreen and be sure to have plenty of water to prevent dehydrating, that can be dangerous too while on almost any med.
I use a mild soap called Cetaphil/antibacterial, they make several different kinds, I prefer the bar soap, it seems to keep my skin from rashing up.
Some of my dryness and faintest rashing I owe to being pre-menopausal, I get acne and oiliness in one part of my face and dryness around my hairline and behind the ears, ugh, even happened before Lamictal.
Our skin changes with age changes, so sometimes we can think it is our meds. the best thing is to always report any changes to the prescribing physician.
I wish you luck with this.

DE

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON