Lamictal And Seizures Facts

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Can you or have you drank alcohol while taking Lamictal for seizures? I just recently(less that a month ago) had a seizure. I was put on Lamtical by my neurologist. He knows that I drink and did not say anything about drinking on the drug. But if anyone has any experience about it effecting the effectiveness of the drug or something else I would be interested to know!

pointless74 replied: "I drink occassionally, and take lamictal and depakote. It is best not to drink with seizure meds, but one or two every so often dosen't hurt."

dwp_hornblower replied: "Drinking while on lamictal is advised against. Alcohol itself will decrease the seizure threshold (i.e. easier to have a seizure) so you are actually taking a step backward."

W W D replied: "Ask your neurologist. For many, an occasional drink is OK, but alcohol decreases the seizure threshhold, and in every ER I've ever worked, there are always a fair number of drunk fools who wonder why they've had more seizures, so please be careful and moderate if you drink."

Can an epileptic such as Lamictal prevent seizures that can happen from mixing Tramadol and Ziprasidone? *antiepileptic

AbeLincolnParty replied: "Maybe so, but it would make sense to drop the Tramadol. Each drug lowers the seizure threshold (the amount of stimulus needed to provoke a seizure), and if your prone to seizures then than can be a problem. Lamictal is not a broad acting acting antiseizure drug as dilantin, nor has it been used as long to establish drug interactions. What I really do not like about Lamictal is the Stevens Johnson allergy and the anti-folate activity. It looks like to me is that it is a drug put on the market to make money not some breakthrough improvement in choices for the physician. Those atypical antipsycotics like Ziprasidone promote weight gain and diabetes, I would minimize this therapy to the very , very , least."

i have been put on lamictal for seizures. what have your side effects been for those who have taken it? i am aware of what side effects it can cause i want to hear peoples stories please.

Sarah replied: "I've been taking lamotrigine (generic for Lamictal) for about 18 months now. I started really slowly- 25mg per day, increasing by 25mg every week. I'm now taking 200mg, and I haven't had any side effects whatsoever- though I do find the tablets a bit hard to take because they start to fizz in your mouth and they taste bad."

KNAPSACK replied: "I have been taking "Lamictal" for about 3 years. The only side effect that I have had is a little nausea for a couple of minutes after I take it, and after that there are no problems."

Anyone out there have any experience with Lamictal (for seizures)? My doctor has switched me from Tegretol XR to Lamictal. For a period of time, I'll be taking them concurrently until I have a high enough concentration of Lamictal in my system, then my doctor will wean me off the Tegretol XR. I'd like to hear from anyone who has any experiences, either good or bad, with Lamictal. What's it like? Are the side effects horrible? Does it control your seizures? Are you taking it with another anti-convulsant drug or alone? Thank you so much!

rotc909 replied: "MY SON TAKES THEM FOR TIC;S THAT HE GETS WITH ALL HIS MEDICINES..HE HAS BEEN ON LAMICTAL FOR 2YRS AND HE HASN'T HAD ANY TICS OR JERKS SENSE THEN ..NO SIDE AFFECTS EITHER,,, HE IS 5/7 120 PDS AND IS ON 100MG 2 TIMES A DAY,,,GOOD LUCK,,"

have seizures doc prescribes it for dilantin 400 mg a day and lamictal 300 mg. wonder if ambien has been tried I have been having seizures and doctors prescribe dilantin 400 mg a day and lamictal 300 mg a day. It seems to control them but still have brain problems. Does anyone know is ambien can help to make the brain can make it well.

miss_chrissy_dawn replied: "Ambien is usually prescribed for insomnia, so i'm not sure how it would effect seizures."

Libby replied: "dilantin is for seizures lamictal is for seizures and is a great mood stabilizer, especially helpful for depression. ambien is for insomnia. It also can cause sleep walking, sleep eating, sleep driving. I don't think ambien is the right medication for someone with seizure disorder but talk to your doctor."

Lacey G replied: "Ambien will not reduce seizures. It has been shown to improve brain function is persons in a vegetative state. See link below."

k-baby replied: "Ambien is just a sleeping pill."

Lamictal for seizures but what about anxiety meds? My sister has been on Lamictal 150 mg for seizures (she hasn't had a seizure in two years). However, she is having extreme anxiety, but she is terrified to take another med. for anxiety (she is scared that it will react with the Lamictal and that she will have a seizure again). Her neurologist doesn't deal with anxiety issues, so he doesn't have a lot to say about other meds with Lamictal. She is making an appointment with a neuropsychologist next week (b/c I insisted upon it). I wanted to know if anyone out there takes Lamictal for epilepsy/seizures and also another medication for anxiety, and how it has worked for you. I know that Lamictal is also used for anxiety, but it is not prescribed for her anxiety - just for seizure prevention. I want to know if anyone else takes Lamictal for seizures PLUS another med for anxiety.

Pat K replied: "Lamictal is for seizures and is also used for anxiety, mood disorders, but not for severe disorders. I take 200 mg with 1000 mg Keppra."

Andy replied: "I don't have personal experience with lamictal, but there are great meds that can be taken for anxiety. Some include valium, xanax, and ativan. I'm not sure, but I think that an anti-anxiety medication can be taken with lamictal. The anti-anxiety meds can sometimes be used to help with seizures so no need to worry about one making a person more succeptable."

Lamictal dosage and seizures Does anyone have experiece with increased seizure activity following increased lamictal dosage in a child 7 years old? Thank you for the responses! I appreciate your time...

francescapenney replied: "I have epilepsy but unfortunately cannot answer your question - i would recommend asking the question on an epilepsy specific forum. The national society for Epilepsy has a great forum, which is busy and you will likely get an answer very quickly. The link is:"

JW replied: "There are several possibilities. One is that the seizures increased on their own at the time Lamictal was started. A second is that if another drug was taken away at the time Lamictal was started, the problem could be that the Lamictal does not work as well as the drug it replaced. It is possible for Lamictal to worsen seizures. It is not common and it would depend on the seizure type. Certain types of epilepsy that are inherited do not respond well to the drug. Myoclonic seizures (a type where the seizure is a single forceful muscle jerk of some or all muscles) are felt by some experts to be occasionally aggravated by Lamictal. There is always the occasional person who simply does not obey the rules. If the seizures seem to be worse after starting Lamictal and your doctor does not feel there is another explanation then it is unlikely that things will get any better with time or if the dose is raised. They should then consider another medication and this may be a clue as to what causes the child to have seizures in the first place."

Lamictal for seizures? I have a seizure disorder and am taking Lamictal. Im aware of the side effects, but am wondering, from people who have actually taken it, if its caused mood swings I feel psychotic... its no bueno... and im not sure if its because my life has changed in a major way (just diagnosed, having them frequently) or its the lamictal. thanks for the input! by psychotic I mean extreme mood swings. One second im balling uncontrollably, and the next im just skippy...

kokochin01 replied: "I also take Lamictal & have been on it for 8 yrs. I have never had any real trouble with it other than some blurred vision when I first started taking it. Like you, I had a very hard time adjusting to my diagnosis. I had clinical depression after I was diagnosed & didn't take antidepressants. I eventually worked my way out of it but would have been much better off if I had asked for help. I don't know what you mean by feeling psychotic. I don't know if you mean extreme anger (which is a normal part of having to deal with all of this) or if you mean real psychosis which is a break with reality. You need to talk to your neurologist. I don't think it is a side effect of Lamictal but rather a reaction to the situation you are in. Asking for help is smart not weak. Good luck."

How serious is a missed period if you believe it is due to Lamictal? I have been on Lamictal for seizures for about four months now. I have now missed two periods. My neurologist claims lamictal could not be the cause because it doesn't effect the hormones. It clearly states on the Lamictal pamphlet " CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY if you experience a missed menstrual period". I don't understand this. If anyone could share any information or resources it would be greatly appreciated.

shekillsangels replied: "For the last year I've been on Lamictal and have never missed a period. I think perhaps the packet states to contact your doctor in the case of a missed period because Lamictal can be dangerous to a fetus if you're unexpectedly pregnant? I guess I'm not sure, sorry I can't be of more help."

Lamictal Dose in 4 Year Old with PetitMal/Absence Seizures? My friend's 4 year old has petit mal/absence seizures. He uses Lamictal alone, no other medications. They keep bumping up his meds, not when she sees seizures, but when he appears disoriented, runs into walls, has cognitive issues etc because they're saying it's all because he's disoriented from seizures she's not seeing. I'm beginning to think he's just overmedicated and that's the reason for the problems. He's 35lbs (about 16kg) and he's taking 225mg/day in two divided doses (100mg in a.m. and 125mg in p.m.) Does anyone have experience in using this medication in children that small and if so, does this seem like a high dose? Thanks...

toots replied: "Absence seizures usually are not detectable by untrained observers; they are detectable on EEG. Lamictal is used to treat intractable seizure activity in children, and is a relatively new drug (5-6 years on the market). The dose is moderated by results rather than weight; if he is experiencing disorientation and other cognitive changes due to seizure activity, the dosage needs to be increased. The pediatric neurologist may eventually want to use an additional drug, as well. Don't second-guess the doctor on this one; I'm sure he/she is very experienced with treating petit mal/absence seizures"

gedd500 replied: "I pretty much agree with toots here. Lamictal isn't given based on weight, most epileptic medicines aren't. What doctors tend to do is start with a small dose and increase it until the seizures stop. That's what they did when I was diagnosed. It can be very frustrating when this goes on, but it tends to be the only thing they can do because the doctors will probably never see him have a seizure. EEGs will give plenty of information, but often absence seizures aren't triggered by flashing lights or any other situation that can be easily simulated. The doctors usually go with what they are told. One big thing your friend can do is to write notes on everything that happens when she suspects her child is having a seizure. Have her take notes on what he was doing before, during, and afterwards. Try talking to him and ask simple questions (do they know where they are, what their name is, who you are, etc.) What they can and can't do during a seizure can help to figure out where the seizure is happening. Even which hand or foot they may be moving can help with which side of the brain it starts on. My friends and family can tell when I have a seizure because I do repetitive things like pulling at my clothing, clenching my fists or flicking my ear, always with my right hand. Afterwards I am normally disoriented and don't make much sense when I talk. The running into walls is normal for someone who just had an absence seizure. I hope everything works out for them."