Seniors tend to be more sensitive than younger adults to medicines and their side effects, and may have more trouble as a result. For instance, even before they start taking Lamictal, some seniors have problems with unsteadiness or dizziness. These are common side effects of this medicine. If the Lamictal makes them worse, the person could be in real danger from falls or other accidents. Starting at a very low dose of Lamictal and being very cautious about any increases should help to control side effects.
The best amount is the amount that completely controls seizures without causing troublesome side effects. It depends on many factors, which are different for every individual. No one should stop taking Lamictal or change the amount they take without talking to the doctor first.
Stopping any seizure medicine all at once can cause a problem that may be life-threatening. If a little extra such as one or two extra tablets is taken by accident, call the doctor for advice.
For a larger overdose, call a poison control center or emergency room right away unless you have other specific directions from your doctor. To avoid unwanted side effects, the doctor will prescribe a low dose to start and increase it gradually until seizures are controlled. The amount the doctor will prescribe will depend on what other seizure medicines are taken. Most people need to take Lamictal twice a day, but some need to take it only once a day.
In the United States, companies that manufacture medicines are required to publish certain kinds of information about each product. You can also read these documents also called "prescribing information" online. To learn how to read and understand a package insert, see How to read a package insert.
The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives.
Skip to main content. Select a Medication Basic Advanced. Update on November 11, The FDA has released new guidance in the package insert for lamotrigine, based on experimental data, that suggests a possible issue with heart rhythms. If you have concerns about your individual situation, please talk to your healthcare provider. Lamictal Tablet. Used to treat Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. How to take and store Lamotrigine? What if I forget?
How does Lamotrigine affect the brain? How does the body digest Lamotrigine? The rate at which Lamictal is digested can vary a great deal, however, depending on whether other seizure medicines are also taken: People who also take Depakote or other medicines of that type need to take much less Lamictal because their bodies process it more slowly than usual. People who take some other seizure medicines need larger doses of Lamictal because their bodies process it quickly.
Medicines with this effect include: Tegretol, Carbatrol carbamazepine Dilantin, Phenytek phenytoin phenobarbital Mysoline primidone This is why the doctor needs to know about everything you take—not just prescription medicines but even things like vitamins, herbs, and aspirin! How well does the Lamotrigine work? What are the most common side effects of Lamotrigine? The most common complaints include: dizziness upset stomach headache unsteadiness double vision rash Most of these problems are mild to moderate.
What are the most serious side effects of Lamotrigine? If you notice any of these signs, call your doctor right away: Rash or hives Fever and swollen lymph glands Painful sores in the mouth or around the eyes Swelling of lips or tongue A serious rash while taking Lamictal has been reported in about 3 in adults and 1 in children.
The immune system reaction is called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis or HLH. It usually starts with a fever over F and can cause severe problems with blood cells or other body organs such as liver, kidney, and lungs. HLH may happen within days to weeks of starting treatment with Lamictal lamotrigine. If symptoms occur, a person should seek medical attention immediately and call their health care provider. Diagnosing this condition can be complicated by other rashes or fevers that are seen with medicines or other health problems.
A physical exam, specific blood tests and other tests are used to diagnose HLH. Note: This reaction is rare and not all rashes that happen with lamotrigine are serious problems. Do not stop taking lamotrigine suddenly without talking to your health care provider.
Stopping seizure medications quickly can lead to uncontrolled seizures. Since lamotrigine is also used for the treatment of bipolar disorder, new or worsening mental health problems could be seen if it is stopped quickly. Taking antiepileptic medicines may increase the risk of having suicidal thoughts or actions; Do not make any changes to the medication regimen without first talking with the responsible healthcare professional; Pay close attention to any day-to-day changes in mood, behavior and actions.
These changes can happen very quickly so it is important to be mindful of any sudden differences. Be aware of common warning signs that might be a signal for risk of suicide. Some of these are: Talking or thinking about wanting to hurt yourself or end your life Withdrawing from friends and family Becoming depressed or having your depression get worse Becoming preoccupied with death and dying Giving away prized possessions We again urge patients and families to contact their doctor before stopping an epilepsy medication because this may possibly lead to seizures and worsening of mood.
What else is Lamotrigine used for? Who should not take Lamotrigine? Can Lamotrigine be taken with other medicines? If you start or stop taking an oral contraceptive, and are currently taking Lamictal lamotrigine --please notify your doctor How do other seizure medicines affect Lamictal? The seizure medicines with this effect are: Tegretol or Carbatrol carbamazepine Dilantin or Phenytek phenytoin phenobarbital Mysoline primidone. If you need to go to hospital, take the lamotrigine packet or the leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine, with you.
Like all medicines, lamotrigine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. It's common to get a skin rash with lamotrigine. Most skin rashes are not serious. But if you develop a skin rash or redness, tell a doctor straight away, as this can develop into a life-threatening skin condition called Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a rare side effect of lamotrigine. It causes flu-like symptoms, followed by a red or purple rash that spreads and forms blisters. The affected skin eventually dies and peels off. It's more likely to happen in the first 8 weeks of starting lamotrigine, or when the dose is increased too quickly.
It can also happen if lamotrigine is stopped suddenly for a few days and then restarted at the same dose as before, without reducing the dose and then increasing it slowly again.
To help prevent the chance of you getting a rash that could be confused with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, it's best to not start any new medicines, foods or products during the first 3 months of treatment with lamotrigine.
It's also best to not start lamotrigine within 2 weeks of a viral infection, vaccination or rash caused by something else. These common side effects may happen in more than 1 in people. They're usually mild and go away by themselves. Keep taking the medicine, but talk to your doctor if these side effects bother you or do not go away:.
In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to lamotrigine. These are not all the side effects of lamotrigine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. There's no firm evidence that lamotrigine is harmful to an unborn baby. But for safety, your doctor will only advise you to take it in pregnancy if the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks.
If you become pregnant while taking lamotrigine, tell your doctor or nurse straight away. Do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor first. If you have epilepsy, it's very important that it's treated during pregnancy as seizures can harm you and your unborn baby. If you're pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, and taking lamotrigine, you're recommended to take a higher dose of folic acid, a vitamin that helps your baby grow normally.
Your doctor might prescribe a high dose of 5mg a day while you're trying to get pregnant and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, lamotrigine can be taken while you're breastfeeding.
It's important to keep taking lamotrigine to keep you well. Do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby. If you notice your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, or you have any other concerns about them, talk to your pharmacist, health visitor or doctor as soon as possible. For more information about how lamotrigine can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, read this leaflet on the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy BUMPs website.
Some medicines and lamotrigine interfere with each other and increase the chances of side effects. Your doctor may need to change your dose of lamotrigine. There might be a problem taking some herbal remedies and supplements alongside lamotrigine, especially ones that can cause rashes, sleepiness or shaking and tremors.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. For epilepsy — brain cells normally "talk" to each other using electrical signals and chemicals.
Seizures can happen when the brain cells are not working properly or working faster than normal. Lamotrigine slows down these electrical signals to stop seizures. For bipolar disorder — we do not really know how lamotrigine prevents low mood in people.
It might work in a similar way to epilepsy. Sometimes it's called a mood stabiliser, as it reduces mood swings. It usually takes around 6 weeks for lamotrigine to work properly. This is because the dose needs to be increased slowly to prevent side effects. But there are some side effects that might happen over a long time. Long-term treatment with lamotrigine can cause osteoporosis and osteopenia , increasing your risk of breaking a bone.
If you're taking lamotrigine for epilepsy, stopping it suddenly can cause seizures. Coming off lamotrigine should be done very slowly and might take a few months. If you're taking lamotrigine for bipolar disorder, it's usually safe to stop taking it without having to reduce your dose first.
If you get a serious side effect, such as a severe skin rash, your doctor may tell you to stop taking lamotrigine straight away, even if you have epilepsy. If you're switching medicines, it's very important to do it exactly as your doctor tells you to. If you want to switch, you'll usually start taking the new one at a low dose and slowly build up the dose while you're still taking lamotrigine.
Once you're taking the correct dose of the new medicine, you should be able to slowly reduce your dose of lamotrigine. It can take several weeks or months until you have stopped taking lamotrigine completely. Most side effects of lamotrigine wear off, but it can take several weeks or months.
The increase in seizure frequency may merely reflect medication changes. Lamotrigine therapy is efficacious for most seizure types, and it is widely used in the treatment of partial and generalized epilepsies. The most significant adverse events are skin hypersensitivity reactions, which frequently lead to discontinuation of lamotrigine therapy, due to possible progression to Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Our patient became ataxic and somnolent with lamotrigine intoxication. All of those symptoms completely resolved. No skin eruptions occurred. Other articles have described ataxia and encephalopathy with accidental or suicidal lamotrigine ingestion at toxic concentrations.
Skin eruptions or Stevens-Johnson syndrome do not seem to be associated with lamotrigine intoxication per se. Lamotrigine seems safe even after ingestion of high or toxic concentrations with reversible ataxia and encephalopathy.
Author Contributions: Study concept and design : Dinnerstein and Jobst. Acquisition of data : Dinnerstein and Jobst.
Analysis and interpretation of data : Dinnerstein, Jobst, and Williamson. Drafting of the manuscript : Dinnerstein and Jobst. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content : Jobst and Williamson. Administrative, technical, and material support : Dinnerstein and Jobst. Study supervision : Jobst and Williamson. Arch Neurol. Coronavirus Resource Center. Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to use our site, or clicking "Continue," you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy Continue.
Save Preferences. Privacy Policy Terms of Use. Twitter Facebook. This Issue. Citations Skin rash You should let your doctor know about this as soon as possible Headache Drink plenty of water and ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller.
If the headaches continue, let your doctor know Common lamotrigine side-effects these affect fewer than 1 in 10 people What can I do if I experience this? Back or joint aches and pains Ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller Feeling sick nausea or being sick vomiting , diarrhoea Stick to simple meals - avoid rich and spicy food. Drink plenty of water Feeling dizzy, tired or sleepy Do not drive and do not use tools or machines Dry mouth Try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking sugar-free sweets Feeling agitated or irritable, difficulties sleeping, feeling unsteady or shaky If any of these become troublesome, speak with your doctor for advice.
If you have any questions about this medicine ask your pharmacist. Are you protected against flu? Further reading and references. Join the discussion on the forums. Health Tools Feeling unwell? Assess your symptoms online with our free symptom checker. Start symptom checker. Very common lamotrigine side-effects these affect more than 1 in 10 people.
Drink plenty of water and ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller. If the headaches continue, let your doctor know.
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