Posted by Viridis on April 18, 2004, at 22:34:47
In reply to New to Lamictal a bit nervous about it, posted by BWL on April 16, 2004, at 18:00:45
The incidence of rash is VERY low, and it's most likely to occur in children. Apparently, most of the problems arose with early use of this drug, when dosages were increased much more rapidly than they are now. My pdoc did the standard taper up, and said that any sign of rash or skin irritation should be checked by a dermatologist immediately. I had no problems with Lamictal, nor have any of my pdoc's other patients.
My understanding (and this is NOT a medical opinion, just my impression from what I've read) is that Stevens-Johnson syndrome (the disorder that the rash signals) can be reversed if the rash is caught early. In any case, the incidence of serious skin problems with Lamictal is around 1/4,000 adults. I don't know the numbers for serious penicillin reactions, but I suspect they're quite a bit higher. So, all in all this is a very safe med. But if you do have any weird skin things, then do see a doctor/dermatologist right away.
Good luck!
poster:Viridis
thread:208531
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040417/msgs/337573.html