Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 71041

Shown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?

Posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 7:50:57

Ok, I'm a little confused here. I started Lamictal and
pretty shortly thereafter (after a week or so), when I
bumped to just above 25 mg's, I _thought_ I got the rash.
I was a little confused at the time b/c it really looked
like I just had a bunch of bug bites. It wasn't really
a "rash", per say, because the bites were single and
distinct. They were just like chiggers, or flea bites,
and really, REALLY itchy, and lots of them, like 30, on
one leg--but they weren't close together like a bumpy
rash. Anyway, especially as they start to heal, they
are looking even more like bug bites. I can't recall
a situation that happened where I would've gotten bites...
I did go hiking, but it wasn't a real woodsy hike at all.
And I woke up with the bites, which was strange. ARgh.
I'm so confused. I'm almost tempted to go to a dermatologist
and say "could this be a drug induced rash or is it just
chiggers?" just b/c otherwise I had such a good experience
with the drug and felt it helped my mood. Has anyone
else out there ever got the lamictal rash and if so,
what did it look like?

 

Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?

Posted by Hattree on July 20, 2001, at 9:59:42

In reply to Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?, posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 7:50:57

> Ok, I'm a little confused here. I started Lamictal and
> pretty shortly thereafter (after a week or so), when I
> bumped to just above 25 mg's, I _thought_ I got the rash.
> I was a little confused at the time b/c it really looked
> like I just had a bunch of bug bites. It wasn't really
> a "rash", per say, because the bites were single and
> distinct. They were just like chiggers, or flea bites,
> and really, REALLY itchy, and lots of them, like 30, on
> one leg--but they weren't close together like a bumpy
> rash. Anyway, especially as they start to heal, they
> are looking even more like bug bites. I can't recall
> a situation that happened where I would've gotten bites...
> I did go hiking, but it wasn't a real woodsy hike at all.
> And I woke up with the bites, which was strange. ARgh.
> I'm so confused. I'm almost tempted to go to a dermatologist
> and say "could this be a drug induced rash or is it just
> chiggers?" just b/c otherwise I had such a good experience
> with the drug and felt it helped my mood. Has anyone
> else out there ever got the lamictal rash and if so,
> what did it look like?

I got a rash after about 2 weeks (a week on 12.5 and then 25mg). It looked like poison ivy, so much so that I didn't even think of the Lamictal at first, even though I didn't know where the poison ivy would have come from. I kept taking the lamictal for another week or so, then my doc told me to stop and restart when the rash went away, only even more slowly. It was either the Lamictal or the worst case of poison ivy ever (though just a large patch on my lower leg), I guess I'll never know. Anyway it did go away, I did restart the Lamictal, and so far so good after a month or so.

Sounds to me like many people get a rash or just an itch, and they don't seem to always look the same. The dreaded Stevens Johnson syndrome is much less common.

I didn't want to give up on something that seemed to help. It may be worth another try for you.

 

Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?

Posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 11:38:27

In reply to Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?, posted by Hattree on July 20, 2001, at 9:59:42

Hattree,

Thanks for your reply, that makes me feel a little
less crazy. What dose are you up to now?

 

Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?

Posted by Hattree on July 20, 2001, at 13:10:01

In reply to Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?, posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 11:38:27

> Hattree,
>
> Thanks for your reply, that makes me feel a little
> less crazy. What dose are you up to now?

50 so far--it actually seems to help, along with a small dose of Zoloft and sometimes a stimulant.

 

Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers? » Roo

Posted by Elizabeth on July 20, 2001, at 14:09:51

In reply to Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?, posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 7:50:57

Roo,

I think it would be worthwhile at least to talk to your GP and your pdoc about the rash and maybe get a referral to a dermatologist. I think I mentioned that I got a rash while I was taking Lamictal, but it turned out it was just athlete's foot.

-elizabeth

 

Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? Hattree

Posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 16:20:57

In reply to Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?, posted by Hattree on July 20, 2001, at 13:10:01

Hattree--

Can you tell me how slowly your pdoc upped your
dose so I could give a recommendation to my pdoc
on how slow to go?
I hope you continue not to get the rash. Have
you had any other side effects? And you feel it's
helped with your mood?

 

Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? Hattree

Posted by Hattree on July 20, 2001, at 21:49:25

In reply to Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? Hattree, posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 16:20:57

> Hattree--
>
> Can you tell me how slowly your pdoc upped your
> dose so I could give a recommendation to my pdoc
> on how slow to go?
> I hope you continue not to get the rash. Have
> you had any other side effects? And you feel it's
> helped with your mood?

2 weeks on 12.5, 2 on 25, then 50. No side effects at all. Seems to help some, but I get in good patches so its not clear yet.

 

Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?

Posted by Emme on July 22, 2001, at 9:49:25

In reply to Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?, posted by Roo on July 20, 2001, at 7:50:57

Hi Roo,
If you have *any* doubts, put your mind at ease and go to a dermatologist, tell her/him what you are taking and ask if what you have is drug related. It will probably be an easy call for them and you will have an answer. If you explain the situation and the concern with lamictal, you should be able to get an appointment with someone that same day (I did). While on lamictal, I woke up one morning with a red shoulder and wasn't sure about it. My pdoc advised me to have someone look at it right away. A dermatologist took one look at it and said "sunburn". I was slightly embarrassed, but we had to know. Unfortunately a few weeks later I had another smooth red area on my skin, wasn't sure about it, and a dermatologist said it was in fact drug related. I get the impression that drug related rashes can take different forms, so consulting an expert is the best way to go. Good luck.
Emme


> Ok, I'm a little confused here. I started Lamictal and
> pretty shortly thereafter (after a week or so), when I
> bumped to just above 25 mg's, I _thought_ I got the rash.
> I was a little confused at the time b/c it really looked
> like I just had a bunch of bug bites. It wasn't really
> a "rash", per say, because the bites were single and
> distinct. They were just like chiggers, or flea bites,
> and really, REALLY itchy, and lots of them, like 30, on
> one leg--but they weren't close together like a bumpy
> rash. Anyway, especially as they start to heal, they
> are looking even more like bug bites. I can't recall
> a situation that happened where I would've gotten bites...
> I did go hiking, but it wasn't a real woodsy hike at all.
> And I woke up with the bites, which was strange. ARgh.
> I'm so confused. I'm almost tempted to go to a dermatologist
> and say "could this be a drug induced rash or is it just
> chiggers?" just b/c otherwise I had such a good experience
> with the drug and felt it helped my mood. Has anyone
> else out there ever got the lamictal rash and if so,
> what did it look like?

 

when to restart lamictal after itch

Posted by john bower on December 14, 2001, at 7:54:01

In reply to Re: Lamictal-Did I REALLY get the rash? or Chiggers?, posted by Hattree on July 20, 2001, at 9:59:42

hi,
i was upto lamictal at 75 mg and then after 3 days silly me took 100 mg.

immediately in 1 hour i got a dreadful itch.
the itch went away 32 hours after the last dose and it has been 10 days since i took lamictal.

when did you take lamictal after stopping after the itch/rash came ?

thanks

 

Re: when to restart lamictal after itch » john bower

Posted by jazzdog on December 14, 2001, at 11:02:06

In reply to when to restart lamictal after itch, posted by john bower on December 14, 2001, at 7:54:01

I get itching every time I titrate upwards. I'm at 75 now, going up 12.5 at a time. The itching is usually gone by day 3. I mistakenly took 25 mg. too much one morning, and I turned red all over with a burning flush, like a bad sunburn. It subsided in about twenty minutes, then nothing. My shrink says not to worry about it, as long as the effects are temporary. Blisters, swelling, and mouth sores, however, are dangerous, and the lamictal should be discontinued.

- Jane

 

Lamictal and Aripiprazole (clin. trial/bipolar)

Posted by John Bower on December 15, 2001, at 3:50:59

In reply to when to restart lamictal after itch, posted by john bower on December 14, 2001, at 7:54:01

hi,
Thanks for the reply that the itch goes away after 3 days.

FYI:
I was on the clinical trial for aripiprazole due to be released next
year.
Advantages:
1. weight loss. (for me 1 pound per week, yes)
you nibble at your food and then you feel full.
2. increased sex drive for me.
3. anti-depressant almost from day 1
4. anti-manic almost from day 1 too.
dis-advantages
1. maybe increase in anxiety.
2. abnormal ECG (increased QT-wave). After discontinuation
after 4 months, my ECG was normal. Use this if you
wish to know whether you are on placebo or medicene
3. it is not an anti-epileptic like lamictal
but it is a 3rd generation anti-psychotic

proposed brand name is abilitat. it is marketed
by bristol myers squibb in usa.

 

Re: when to restart lamictal after itch » jazzdog

Posted by john bower on December 15, 2001, at 6:05:48

In reply to Re: when to restart lamictal after itch » john bower, posted by jazzdog on December 14, 2001, at 11:02:06

Jane,
Thanks for your reply.
I started again on 12.5 mg of lamictal after 10 days.
I noticed a mild, almost ignorable, continous itch.

I am sure it is the lamictal. Let me wait for 2 weeks
before upping the dose to 25 mg if all goes well.

I'm in India now and my shrink does not know much
about the lamictal.

i'm bipolar, and my only other medicene is haldol
1.5 mg in the morning, and gabapentin(neurontin) 800
mg for anxiety in the night.

if you are on depakote it explains why you can go up only 12.5 mg at a time.

 

Re: when to restart lamictal after itch » john bower

Posted by Mr. Scott on December 18, 2001, at 18:57:41

In reply to Re: when to restart lamictal after itch » jazzdog, posted by john bower on December 15, 2001, at 6:05:48

Sorry if this is unhelpful, but I got the itch which never went away over 10 days. I got it at 50mg and decided to say screw it and keep going because it was the only MS I ever tried that seemed so "friendly". I proceeded to develop 5 red bumps in a perfect row on my right wrist and a mild cold sore. So I quit.

Scott

 

Is 100mg lamictal too much to start with ?

Posted by dreamer on December 18, 2001, at 23:36:23

In reply to when to restart lamictal after itch, posted by john bower on December 14, 2001, at 7:54:01

Fellow Lams......baa baaaaaaa

Is my pdoc a crazy beast?
Or increasing slowly is because you got rash?

dreamerashfree

 

Re: Is 100mg lamictal too much to start with ?

Posted by John Bower on December 18, 2001, at 23:45:55

In reply to Is 100mg lamictal too much to start with ?, posted by dreamer on December 18, 2001, at 23:36:23

100 mgs, IMHO, is definetely too much to start wwith. Dr Alan Brauer of Silicon Valley, California starts at 75 mg. The Indian Desk Reference (like your Physicians Desk Reference) recommends 50 mg to start with for 2 wweeks, then 100 mg for 2 weeks and so on.

I got an itch and now take 6.25 mg in the morning and 6.25 mg in the evening. And will step it upto 12.5 mg in the morning and 12.5 mg in the evening after a week.

Lamictal is useful because it has an anti-depressive effect for bipolars without preciptating mania. Lamictal metabolism is increased by Tegretol (carbamepezine) and decreased by Depakote (sodium divalproex/valproate).

I am now on lithium until my lamictal dosage goes up for lamictal's anti-manic effect to take action.

But the anti-depressive action of lamictal comes in at as low as 25 mg.

If you have to start on a high dose start at 50 mg or 75 mg. If you start at 75 mg you can go up to 100 mg (as per a patient's of Dr brauer's) after a montH.

Don't go too fast with lamictal or you'll get a dreadful itch (like me) or maybe even a rash. Then your pdoc will start whining maybe and want to not give you lamictal.

regards

> Fellow Lams......baa baaaaaaa
>
> Is my pdoc a crazy beast?
> Or increasing slowly is because you got rash?
>
> dreamerashfree

 

Re: when to restart lamictal after itch

Posted by John Bower on December 18, 2001, at 23:49:56

In reply to Re: when to restart lamictal after itch » john bower, posted by Mr. Scott on December 18, 2001, at 18:57:41

Scott,
Actually I've gone down to 6.25 mg in the am and 6.25 mg in the evening. My pdoc put me on lithium because the lamictal is taking so long to go up now (before I was on 12.5 to 25 to 50 to 75 wwithout problems before I messed up and went up to 100 after 3 days and got an itch in 20 minutes).

I am getting nightmares for 4 days since I've started the lamictal (long-duration nightmares, rather unpleasant, you wake up --- or think you wake up from one nightmare -- and then go back to another nightmare) and get up exhausted in the morning from the nightmares.

I am not getting an itch at 6.25 mg (did get one at 12.5 mg) or a rash, but I'm very careful and I will stop at 25 mg or 50 mg ---- because I'll most probably take lithium for mania, and lamictal for its anti-depressive effect in bipolars.

regards

 

Re: lamictal too much -more questions

Posted by dreamer on December 19, 2001, at 9:57:08

In reply to Re: Is 100mg lamictal too much to start with ?, posted by John Bower on December 18, 2001, at 23:45:55

> 100 mgs, IMHO, is definetely too much to start wwith. Dr Alan Brauer of Silicon Valley, California starts at 75 mg. The Indian Desk Reference (like your Physicians Desk Reference) recommends 50 mg to start with for 2 wweeks, then 100 mg for 2 weeks and so on.
>
> I got an itch and now take 6.25 mg in the morning and 6.25 mg in the evening. And will step it upto 12.5 mg in the morning and 12.5 mg in the evening after a week.
>
> Lamictal is useful because it has an anti-depressive effect for bipolars without preciptating mania. Lamictal metabolism is increased by Tegretol (carbamepezine) and decreased by Depakote (sodium divalproex/valproate).
>
> I am now on lithium until my lamictal dosage goes up for lamictal's anti-manic effect to take action.
>
> But the anti-depressive action of lamictal comes in at as low as 25 mg.
>
> If you have to start on a high dose start at 50 mg or 75 mg. If you start at 75 mg you can go up to 100 mg (as per a patient's of Dr brauer's) after a montH.
>
> Don't go too fast with lamictal or you'll get a dreadful itch (like me) or maybe even a rash. Then your pdoc will start whining maybe and want to not give you lamictal.
>
> regards

I'm confused.....I have been prescribed 100mg one pill to take at night. Also effexor 225mg that I've taken for a long time and lorazepam when needed.
I'm possibly , well , pdoc says I'm manic at the mo and I feel very pleasantly weird -very high - a little paranoid \:-0 , is this BIG dose cause I'm supposedly manic.
Question is when does it start to work and should I be concerned by my sore throat and aching eyes ???
Thanks

dreamer euphoric in the twilight zone

 

Lamictal itch solution

Posted by Fred33 on December 19, 2001, at 16:57:02

In reply to when to restart lamictal after itch, posted by john bower on December 14, 2001, at 7:54:01

> hi,
> i was upto lamictal at 75 mg and then after 3 days silly me took 100 mg.
>
> immediately in 1 hour i got a dreadful itch.
> the itch went away 32 hours after the last dose and it has been 10 days since i took lamictal.
>
> when did you take lamictal after stopping after the itch/rash came ?
>
> thanks

Try not to augment Lamictal more then 25mg every 10 days to avoid any skin problem. One solution to the rash/itch is to add an antileukotriene like montelukast or zariflukast (worked for me). Good luck.

P.S.: Lamictal is worth a try!

 

Re: lamictal too much -more questions

Posted by John Bower on December 20, 2001, at 0:51:32

In reply to Re: lamictal too much -more questions , posted by dreamer on December 19, 2001, at 9:57:08

hi dreamer,
I cannot second-guess your pdoc.
But I'll tell you my experience:
1. In Stanford, they pulled me off all anti-depressants
(I'm bipolar) and had me on lithium and depakote.
I did not go to mania then but the depression was
so cruel I was in extreme pain for 6 months. Then
I was on aripiprazole which is extremely effective
for manic-depression --- will be released next year.
2. now i take lithium for mania until my lamictal
comes up ---- but lamictal is working as the only
anti-depressant for bipolar disorder that i need.
3. i have an itch now at 6.25 * bed/morning because
once I increased my lamictal from 75 mg to 100 mg
in 3 days.
4. ---- and this is what is important to you.
a. ask your doc if you can take 75 mg instead of 100 mg
b. one post here says (previous thread, this message)
to take an antileukotriane like monteklukast or
zariflukast if you get the itch or rash --- it
worked for this patient.

best of luck,
and why don't you ask your pdoc to start at 75 mg
to be on the safe side.

regards


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