Comments on: Tapering Lamictal

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:24:56 +0000

Hey, how is it going? I am in the same boat and would like to know how the yaz is helping with Lamictal acne. It can be hard to find people on the same meds as you when there are so many combinations. I’m not on lexapro though, but close enough.

By: souljah

souljah — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:34:10 +0000

I have been on lamictal 100mg, Klonopin 4mg, and Lexapro 20mg for roughly 4 years now. As of the first of the month with a doctors help ive com off 3 mg. of Klonopin, stopped Lamictal after 1 week of just taking 10mg. and then am now starting on half of the lexapro. Sure my body is being pulled a bit in alot of directions bc of the change in brain chemistry. Anyone can do this, slow or fast, just remember to not push yourself too hard bc you only one brain, and time can heal. Truthfully, meditation has been a great contributer to the decreased anxiety during all of this. Also, of course talking yourself through the process, because from experience you can talk yourself into any side affect, anxiety, symptom, or depression and out of it as well. Its amazing how our thoughts can generate wild feelings, good or bad. Also, don’t read all these blogs about how horrible and painful and devastating this is because your prob. gonna freak and end up with a new diagnosis…sorry for those who are suffering im just tired of our instant gratification pill lifestyle… how did all those people years ago survive without em?

By: BikerMark

BikerMark — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 17:10:38 +0000

Thanks for the tapering off information. I have been on a very low dose Lamictal (25mg a day) and I while it did help me with the manic episodes and depression(BP) I have had insomnia, blurred vision, and loss of balance (leading to a near death motorcycle accident 2 months ago). The side effects are no longer worth the benefits.

Best wishes to all!
M

By: doctordan

doctordan — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:57:46 +0000

D–

See the article dated Sept 1, 2008.

–DH MD

By: D

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:39:11 +0000

Dear Dr. Dan,
I’m a 45 y/o female properly diagnosed and treated as bipolar for 1 & 1/2 years. Prior to this diagnosis, I was treated soley for depression for 10 years (the last 5 as refractory.) I am presently doing GREAT on Lamictal 200mg daily and Effexor 300mg daily. The problem? I’ve had a rash on my leg for 2 weeks and only today made the connection to Lamictal’s potential for a life-threatening rash. I can rule out contact dermatitis. I’m not experiencing SJS symptomes. I will contact my ANP on Tuesday for evaluation and probably drug dicontinuation. My question? What titration schedule do you use to discontinue Lamictal? What titration schedule do you use to concurrently add another AED such as Topamax? I really appreciate your time and dedication to this topic! Have you had particular success with another AED? I can’t begin to tell you how well I have been doing since the addition of Lamictal. It changed my life. I hate to give it up.

By: doctordan

doctordan — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:42:25 +0000

Tony–As you can see with catherine above, it is often better to go slow. But slow is different for everyone. Whenever the time is available, i suggest that you allow for 2-4 weeks at a particular lowered dose to “re-equilibrate”. This allows for you to have good days and bad days (as we all do) without assuming that it is related to the change in medicine. BUT, you may need to go slower. If you really feel crappy for weeks on the lower dose and then feel better when you go back up, you can try going down slower . . . like by 12.5 mg every 2-8 weeks. You must also remember that you might need the medicine to feel OK at this time. You may need to reconcile to staying on the medicine for an extended period of time. Talk to your doc!!

–DH MD

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:39:10 +0000

Hi, I myself am starting to taper off Lamictal and Im wondering what to expect from the side effects. I am taking 200mg a day and just recently started to taper off. Ive recently tapered of 25mg and Im noticing I am a little bit more irritable, more lethargic, a bit more emotional, is this normal withdrawal? And how long does it last? I’d like to understand what is going on in my mind.

By: catherine

catherine — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:57:40 +0000

Thanks for the tapering schedule. When I brought it up with my doctor she said to keep cutting by half but that wasn’t going so well. 25 mgs seems more reasonable.

By: doctordan

doctordan — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:14:40 +0000

Jennifer–

Good question at the end there. Why were you put on that drug. As you know, it is typically used for bipolar depression but has been used with increasing frequency as a primary or adjunctive treatment for unipolar depression. Bottom line is . . . you’re taking it . . . you should have been told why. if you were not (or you forget) then you should ask. The answer to that question is really at the root of whether you should stop it or not. I am also big on having people talk to their docs about changes, too, so i hope they are in the loop. I usually go down a little slower than than (two weeks between changes of meds) but have been know to speed it up a bit when I need to. It sounds like you have really been suffering with side effects from the meds so i understand your haste. Please, tho’, talk to your doc!

–DH MD

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:00:21 +0000

I am on 150mg of lamictal for about 15 mos. now. My face has never looked worse, and I’ve noticed the peach fuzz too! I will not leave the house without make up…I wear it to the pool, even first thing out of bed. I never knew this was causing my terrible acne, but it is. I want to taper down quickly… so how fast is too fast? I have been cutting the tablets into quarters and taking 3/4, next week I will take 1/2, then the following 1/4. I don’t want to send myself into a frenzy. I am also on wellbutrin and 40mg of prozac. so i don’t feel like I need all this crap in my brain anymore! I have never been diagnosed Bipolar so I don’t understand why I was given this drug