Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

[beachlovingmama]

I would love some feedback on this one!!! Has anyone ever experienced(ing) skin issues with this med?? I don't mean the serious rash that comes with the drug, but I am talking about irritaion like chemical burn type rash. I have had this rash off and on for over a year. I have been to the dermatologist, and I have been to the family doc and my shrink. They all say it has nothing to do with the Lamotrigine. HOWEVER...I never had skin issues till I started this medicine. I never even had overly bad skin as an adolcesant and now I've dealt with horrid acne(not now since I am now on Tetracylcline),itching on my legs, arms, hands and even itchy scaly lesions(almost like eczema) on my breasts.
AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
I am telling you this is insane. Its not me thats crazy. If anyone out there has any or the same issues please let tell me so that I don't feel like I am losing my mind any worse than I was before my diagnosis!!
Thanks

[Atlantis]

Sorry I can't offer much help...i am on 300 mg of Lamictal for 1 year and have not had any skin irritations, maybe some minor, minor ones, but nothing even worth mentioning..

I think i read some posts of other people on the forum who had some skin issues on this med..I think there is a thread called Lamictal..

I hope your skin "feels" better

[uni]

Hello Beachlovingmama. I too take lamotrigine. It hasn't given me the same trouble you are having. I've had trouble with itchy spots off and on since my teens, so if the med is a problem I don't know the difference.

It sounds torturous what you're having to put up with. Wish I could be of more help. Hopefully someone on this forum will be, though. I hope you don't have to suffer with this much longer.

[AJ]

I've been on 250mg twice a day for quite some time without any issues, but not so for everyone.

This might be the previous thread Atlantis is referring to:

Lamictal

[paul m]

Hello BLM. Lamictal never worked for me but I have talked to many people at our in person support group that have been bothered by rashes caused by lamictal.

If you go to www.crazymeds.us you will see that they advise that lamictal can cause regular rashes.

Almost all mood stabilzers including lithium can do this, but not as bad as lamictal. I get rashes as well some like eczema.

What to do? I cannot say for sure, but I once had a dermatologist who's husband had bipolar and for this I was lucky. Her solution was simple.

Mainly I use sunlight soap in the bar form(it's a yellow bar). It has a laundry detergent type smell, but that doesn't last. For my scalp I use the purest shampoo I get find. Scent free. The dermatologist specifically suggested those types of soap and shampoo. They take a long time to work, but my rashes don't come back much. When they do I use a prescription salve.

I can't guarentee they will work, but it's a cheap method to try. Take Care. paul m

[uni]

Paul, might you mean crazymeds.us ? Couldn't find the other one. Quit leading us down the garden path.

[Sweetest1]

Yeah Paul, where do we really find the crazy drugs????

Rebecca

[paul m]

Hello All. I could try covering up my incompentance by using the old excuse that I just wanted to see if anyone paid attention to what I said

For some reason I have a brain cramp with that website lately, maybe I need more crazy drugs.

In regards to leading people down garden paths, well, I'm pretty good at it. It's finding my way back without getting into trouble that is the problem.

Thx to all for repeatly catching my errors. Take Care. paul m

[AJ]

I don't know Paul, crazydrugs is kinda growing on me.

[paul m]

Hello AJ. Maybe we can all get together and start a new website. www.crazydrugsbycrazies.com . Take Care. paul m

[uni]

I like it.

[Yoko Alono]

Lamictal has given me hope

Hi,

I have begun to (slowly) go on lamictal. Everything seems to be improving. I'm from Australia where it is not on the PBS so I have to pay for the drug myself. However, it seems really worth it. I have begun going of my Zeldox (which prevents the mania) and my massive dose of Effexor XR (for the depression), I had to start taking Clamazapam due to anxiety increase with Zeldox. I feel that I have been sedated for six years on these drugs like olanzapam and serequil and lithium (oh what a horrible time that was). Zeldox helped with the sedation and with weight gain (I lost 24kg in 12 months) but the anxiety went crazy.

I am investing a lot of hope in Lamictal. It seems to help with the depression thats for sure. Just build it up really gradually so as not to get the rash - as apparently once you get the rash you have to stop the lamictal all together and the chance is lost.

So for me, so far so good!

Hope that helps,

Yoko Alono

[paul m]

Hi. I'm glad that you have found something that works for you. As you know that can be tough to do. Thx for sharing. Take Care. paul m

[Re-O]

My pdoc has taken me off Lamictle because it had become less effective .. or something like that. (I try not to but generally I only actually hear every other word she says) The thing I liked the most about it was the lack of side effects.