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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by sunnydays on April 5, 2007, at 9:07:45
In reply to Lamictal made me very sick, posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 8:01:42
Thanks for sharing your experience. I believe that rash is a known side effect of Lamictal - I'm hoping it doesn't happen to me as I just started taking it. My pdoc did warn me to stop taking it and call her immediately if I developed any kind of rash. I'm sorry that happened to you.
sunnydays
Posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 9:51:15
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick » metalblade, posted by sunnydays on April 5, 2007, at 9:07:45
> Thanks for sharing your experience. I believe that rash is a known side effect of Lamictal - I'm hoping it doesn't happen to me as I just started taking it. My pdoc did warn me to stop taking it and call her immediately if I developed any kind of rash. I'm sorry that happened to you.
>
> sunnydaysI hope you fair better then I did. At least your doctor sounds like she will treat your symptoms quickly if you do have a reaction.
Posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 9:51:34
In reply to Lamictal made me very sick, posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 8:01:42
> I haven't used this board in a long time, but since it is a good source of information for everyone I thought I would share my recent experience with lamictal.
>
> Around December I started having panic attacks that would cause my blood pressure to shoot up to 189/107. This little problem landed me in the hospital on their phyciatric floor. At the time the doctor seeing me thought the answer was to add Lamictal and Geodon to the Lithium and paxil I was already taking.
>
> To sum this up, I left the hospital feeling great on the Lamictal, it was like a controlled hypomania, and who doesn't want that. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to last long. I was up to 50mg when one night I had terrible night sweets and a metallic taste in my mouth along with a soar throat.
>
> The next morning my throat was fine so I took my next dose. Around 6PM these itchy bumps started popping up on my arm then sporadically all over my body. The next day I didn't take the Lamictal, but that didn't seem to matter, it got worse. I had what appeared to be a sunburn on my face and arms. I was running a temperature and felt as if I had the flu. My heart would beat fast and hard at times also.
>
> I've been two weeks getting over this, and its been a scary experience. I've had to go to three different doctors because my Pdoc waited for two weeks before he would see me and all his receptionist would tell me was if its an emergency go to the emergency room. Well I did that, and as you know emergency rooms like to treat everything as a panic attack, give you a benzo and send you on your way.
>
> Then I went to see a family doctor. He did a strep test, and when it turned up negative he told me it was all viral then said it wasn't strep as he walked out of the room. I'm really down on incompetent doctors!
>
> Finally, I go see a doctor who has experience with allergies, an Allergist. He was concerned that the prednisone would make me manic so he only gave me four days worth at 10mg and scheduled me for a follow up appointment the next week.
>
> After suffering a week and a half, I took the first dose of prednisone, and that night I didn't get a fever plus the flu symptoms started going away. So much for it all being viral.
>
> I did experience one other thing and I'm glad I started the prednisone when I did. On the second day of the prednisone the itch bumps where going away, but I had a slight rash on my lips and my mouth had an icy hot feeling. That too went away and finally after about two weeks I feel normal again. With out the prednisone I think I would still be sick or worse.
>
>The metalic taste in your mouth was most likely from the Lithium, this is a well known side effect of this drug. I am wondering if you might of experienced some sort of Serotonin syndrome from the addition of the Lamictal. Lamictal and lithium work work well together. I don't think it was a wise choice for your Dr. to add another mood stabilizer, without considering to wein you down or off the Geodon. Combining that many medications is bound to cause interactions.
Maybe Larry Hoover can contribute his thoughts. He is the number one authority here on this board knowing how and what they affect.Polarbear
Posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 9:54:18
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 9:51:34
Posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 10:55:00
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 9:51:34
>
> The metalic taste in your mouth was most likely from the Lithium, this is a well known side effect of this drug. I am wondering if you might of experienced some sort of Serotonin syndrome from the addition of the Lamictal. Lamictal and lithium work work well together. I don't think it was a wise choice for your Dr. to add another mood stabilizer, without considering to wein you down or off the Geodon. Combining that many medications is bound to cause interactions.
> Maybe Larry Hoover can contribute his thoughts. He is the number one authority here on this board knowing how and what they affect.
>
> PolarbearWell, you may in fact be right about the lithium causing the metallic taste. I've taken lithium for about four years now and never had any side effects, but for some reason while sick on the lamictal my side started to hurt. I cut my dose of lithium from 1200mg to 600mg.
I'm glad I did that too because when I went to the emergency room my lithium level had doubled. I'm going to start taking 900mg before my next PDoc visit next week and have a lithium level done before I see him. That way I will know if things are back to normal in that area.
The Geodon I quite while taking the lamictal. I had to reduce the Geodon very slowly else I would shake violently although Lamictal always gave me tremors even after I was off the Geodon. I don't think I'm going to be starting any new medications any time soon after this. I'm sticking with the Lithium, Paxil and the occasional Klonopin for my panic attacks.
I still have my problem of panic attacks to deal with too. My PDoc made me an appointment with a nephrologist who did a lot of blood work on me the other day. I still have to take a 24 hour Urine test to check and see if I have Metanephrines and Catecholamines in my urine which might be indicative of a Phenochromocytoma.
Posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 10:57:59
In reply to Lamictal made me very sick, posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 8:01:42
Rashes are common with most of the anti-seizure meds. Lamictal does have a rare instance of some of the rashes with are serious. Untreated they can kill but they are very slow moving. 2 in 1000 may get one of these, 8 in 1000 if you take another anti-seizure meds. The rub is having a doc who can tell which rash you have, they need to be very experienced in this or consult with a dermatologist who can biopsy and tell without any question which rash you have.
Going up too fast with the dose really increases the chance of having a rash of any kind. Once you get to 100 mgs (which should take about 2 months)
the chance of any rash is very small; even smaller for the serious rashes.I am hearing the some pdocs are not experienced
enough with Lactimal to use it without putting their patients at risk. That seem the case from what I hear on this board, generally, and to you (metalblade).A rash, even to serious ones, are not show stoppers. Restarting at a lower dose and going really really slow allows many to take Lactimal.
Metalblade, sounds like you did not get good care WRT Lactimal. Sounds like no one really was experinced enough with it to use it. Sorry this happened. Without a consult with a doc experienced with Lactimal or a dermatologist it is hard to say if you got a common, non-serious rash or the serious rash. In any case, stopping Lactimal and getting some treatment for the rash will bring it under control and you will not have lasting effects.
Lactimal is **the** drug of choice for rapid cycling BP. It is quickly becoming the drug of choice for BP in general.
Posted by Phillipa on April 5, 2007, at 11:44:50
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 10:57:59
Was it Stevens Johnson syndrome? Love Phillipa
Posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 11:54:35
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by Phillipa on April 5, 2007, at 11:44:50
> Was it Stevens Johnson syndrome? Love Phillipa
I really have no idea; however I was told by the allergist that SJS is acute and comes on very rapidly. After having symptoms for over a week he said he thought I was in the clear. Thank god it didn't get any worse.
Posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 12:20:35
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by Phillipa on April 5, 2007, at 11:44:50
> Was it Stevens Johnson syndrome? Love Phillipa
SJS is the life threating rash that can ultimately cause a severe systemic reaction and progress to organ failure. There is a 1% chance of this happening. I got a rash when I first started Lamictal, but it went away. I am blonde and have fair skin. More prone to rashes.
Posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 12:21:58
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by Phillipa on April 5, 2007, at 11:44:50
> Was it Stevens Johnson syndrome? Love Phillipa
There are 3 kinds or serious rashes that I know of. They need to get checked quickly, but do not kill you in a day, so you do have a few days. Just do not dilly dally around. The only people I know that had a serious problem with SJS waited till they were very sick to get help.
Posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 12:31:14
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick » Phillipa, posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 12:20:35
"SJS is the life threating rash that can ultimately cause a severe systemic reaction and progress to organ failure. There is a 1% chance of this happening. I got a rash when I first started Lamictal, but it went away. I am blonde and have fair skin. More prone to rashes."
The rate is .08% for those taking Lamictal (.8 in 1000) which is 2 orders of magnitude less than 1 %.
It is not even 1% for those taking Lamictal and other anti-sezure meds or with your childern.
Here are the facts from the monograph:SERIOUS RASHES REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION AND DISCONTINUATION OF TREATMENT HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE USE OF LAMICTAL. THE INCIDENCE OF THESE RASHES, WHICH HAVE INCLUDED
STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME, IS APPROXIMATELY 0.8% (8 PER 1,000) IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS (AGE <16 YEARS) RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY AND 0.3% (3 PER 1,000) IN ADULTS ON
ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY. IN CLINICAL TRIALS OF BIPOLAR AND OTHER MOOD DISORDERS, ***THE RATE OF SERIOUS RASH WAS 0.08% (0.8 PER
1,000) IN ADULT PATIENTS RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS INITIAL MONOTHERAPY*** AND 0.13% (1.3 PER 1,000) IN ADULT PATIENTS RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY.
Posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 14:11:02
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 12:31:14
> "SJS is the life threating rash that can ultimately cause a severe systemic reaction and progress to organ failure. There is a 1% chance of this happening. I got a rash when I first started Lamictal, but it went away. I am blonde and have fair skin. More prone to rashes."
>
> The rate is .08% for those taking Lamictal (.8 in 1000) which is 2 orders of magnitude less than 1 %.
>
> It is not even 1% for those taking Lamictal and other anti-sezure meds or with your childern.
> Here are the facts from the monograph:
>
> SERIOUS RASHES REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION AND DISCONTINUATION OF TREATMENT HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE USE OF LAMICTAL. THE INCIDENCE OF THESE RASHES, WHICH HAVE INCLUDED
> STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME, IS APPROXIMATELY 0.8% (8 PER 1,000) IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS (AGE <16 YEARS) RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY AND 0.3% (3 PER 1,000) IN ADULTS ON
> ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR EPILEPSY. IN CLINICAL TRIALS OF BIPOLAR AND OTHER MOOD DISORDERS, ***THE RATE OF SERIOUS RASH WAS 0.08% (0.8 PER
> 1,000) IN ADULT PATIENTS RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS INITIAL MONOTHERAPY*** AND 0.13% (1.3 PER 1,000) IN ADULT PATIENTS RECEIVING LAMICTAL AS ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY.
Sorry, meant to say < 1%. I am a pychiatric nurse and frankly I have never come accross anyone who experienced this in my 25 years on the job.
Posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 14:30:03
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick » notfred, posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 14:11:02
Here is a link to a FAQ on Lamictal
Posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 15:12:58
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick » notfred, posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 14:11:02
>
> Sorry, meant to say < 1%. I am a pychiatric nurse and frankly I have never come accross anyone who experienced this in my 25 years on the job.
>No problem and that is GOOD to hear ! I am being a bit overprotective here. For once there is a med that several do well on, on this board.
Posted by Bonnie_CA on April 5, 2007, at 15:44:38
In reply to Lamictal made me very sick, posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 8:01:42
Good to know, I happen to have some leftover prednisone, and I'm starting Lamictal today. I'll keep that in mind.
-Bonnie
Posted by polarbear206 on April 5, 2007, at 15:52:44
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 15:12:58
>
> >
> > Sorry, meant to say < 1%. I am a pychiatric nurse and frankly I have never come accross anyone who experienced this in my 25 years on the job.
> >
>
>
>
> No problem and that is GOOD to hear ! I am being a bit overprotective here. For once there is a med that several do well on, on this board.
Lamictal has done wonders for me. I've been on it a very long time. No side effects.
Posted by Fivefires on April 5, 2007, at 16:06:18
In reply to Lamictal made me very sick, posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 8:01:42
Me too. Terrible migraine.
5f
Posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 16:44:51
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick » metalblade, posted by Fivefires on April 5, 2007, at 16:06:18
> Me too. Terrible migraine.
>
> 5fThe thing that helped me with this was dividing the dose into 2 doses a day. I had 3 migranes and then started dosing 2X/day. No more migranes. Given the end result; no seizures and a good antidepressant with no side effects 3 migranes were worth it !
Posted by KayeBaby on April 6, 2007, at 21:55:53
In reply to Lamictal made me very sick, posted by metalblade on April 5, 2007, at 8:01:42
I had this reaction too. I was only on it for less that a week and only at about 12.5 mg. It made me hypo too.
My Dr., fortunately had mentioned to me this possibility so I caught it early. I was on 60 mg Prednisone for about 5 days and that really screwed me up! My thoughts were flying so fast I felt like I was in a wind tunnel. After discontinueing the pred I could NOT sleep at all for days and was in bad shape for a while after that.
Seems like your Dr. would have told you about that possibility and it should have at been alerted when you called with this problem so that you could have gotten prompt care.
I'm glad you are ok.
Peace,
Kaye> I haven't used this board in a long time, but since it is a good source of information for everyone I thought I would share my recent experience with lamictal.
>
> Around December I started having panic attacks that would cause my blood pressure to shoot up to 189/107. This little problem landed me in the hospital on their phyciatric floor. At the time the doctor seeing me thought the answer was to add Lamictal and Geodon to the Lithium and paxil I was already taking.
>
> To sum this up, I left the hospital feeling great on the Lamictal, it was like a controlled hypomania, and who doesn't want that. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to last long. I was up to 50mg when one night I had terrible night sweets and a metallic taste in my mouth along with a soar throat.
>
> The next morning my throat was fine so I took my next dose. Around 6PM these itchy bumps started popping up on my arm then sporadically all over my body. The next day I didn't take the Lamictal, but that didn't seem to matter, it got worse. I had what appeared to be a sunburn on my face and arms. I was running a temperature and felt as if I had the flu. My heart would beat fast and hard at times also.
>
> I've been two weeks getting over this, and its been a scary experience. I've had to go to three different doctors because my Pdoc waited for two weeks before he would see me and all his receptionist would tell me was if its an emergency go to the emergency room. Well I did that, and as you know emergency rooms like to treat everything as a panic attack, give you a benzo and send you on your way.
>
> Then I went to see a family doctor. He did a strep test, and when it turned up negative he told me it was all viral then said it wasn't strep as he walked out of the room. I'm really down on incompetent doctors!
>
> Finally, I go see a doctor who has experience with allergies, an Allergist. He was concerned that the prednisone would make me manic so he only gave me four days worth at 10mg and scheduled me for a follow up appointment the next week.
>
> After suffering a week and a half, I took the first dose of prednisone, and that night I didn't get a fever plus the flu symptoms started going away. So much for it all being viral.
>
> I did experience one other thing and I'm glad I started the prednisone when I did. On the second day of the prednisone the itch bumps where going away, but I had a slight rash on my lips and my mouth had an icy hot feeling. That too went away and finally after about two weeks I feel normal again. With out the prednisone I think I would still be sick or worse.
>
>
Posted by KayeBaby on April 6, 2007, at 22:26:00
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 15:12:58
Rashes and symptom similar to ours are not uncommon with Lamictal. SJS is quite rare, though.
This information could well be empowering rather that frightening. I find it so.
Taking a calculated risk is not a problem but for it to be calculated our Dr.'s need to give us the pertenant info so that we are able to acurrately calculate it.I have been accused of trying to be my own Dr. more than once because I research everything I take-always have even before the net. For me this helps me feel less anxious and more in contol. Besides, I am the one who will (and has) suffer the consequences.
If nothing else we can read the printout that comes with the drug and see if there is a possible concern.Doctors are human and can overlook things. We need to watch out for ourselves.
Still, it sounds like Metalblade's Dr. was asleep at the wheel.
>
> >
> > Sorry, meant to say < 1%. I am a pychiatric nurse and frankly I have never come accross anyone who experienced this in my 25 years on the job.
> >
>
>
>
> No problem and that is GOOD to hear ! I am being a bit overprotective here. For once there is a med that several do well on, on this board.
Posted by Fivefires on April 6, 2007, at 23:09:44
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by notfred on April 5, 2007, at 16:44:51
>
> The thing that helped me with this was dividing the dose into 2 doses a day. I had 3 migranes and then started dosing 2X/day. >
>I'm sorry but u lost me here. RU not saying the same thing twice above?
>
>No more migranes.>
>Again, pls, how many divisions of one dose?
>
Given the end result; no seizures and a good> antidepressant with no side effects 3 migranes> were worth it !>
>So migraines stopped completely? And, I'm assuming the dosage didn't change but the regimen did. If I'm right, do u recall how long u put up w/ the migraines?
I get them w/ breakthrough pain and it seems like they're doubly worse when I get one for any other reason. Very painful.
tkanks, 5f
Posted by notfred on April 6, 2007, at 23:23:41
In reply to Fear vs. Empowerment » notfred, posted by KayeBaby on April 6, 2007, at 22:26:00
> Rashes and symptom similar to ours are not uncommon with Lamictal. SJS is quite rare, though.
> This information could well be empowering rather that frightening. I find it so.
Yes, all the more important to get the numbers right so people can understand the true frequency.
2 orders of magnitude is a big difference. Also I have posted info about the rash(es) several time(s) b4 on this site.
>
> I have been accused of trying to be my own Dr. more than once because I research everything I take-always have even before the net. For me this helps me feel less anxious and more in contol. Besides, I am the one who will (and has) suffer the consequences.
>
Me too but some freak out over everything. There is a difference between informed and hypervigilant.Over emphasis of SJS is a common scare tactic at antimed sites,
Posted by notfred on April 7, 2007, at 0:03:51
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick - Migraine type HA » notfred, posted by Fivefires on April 6, 2007, at 23:09:44
>
> Again, pls, how many divisions of one dose?
>I take 300 mgs a day, A 150 mg tab morning and night. I took 5 weeks to get to 100mgs/day, 3 more weeks to get to 300/day. Once I got to 100mgs/day
I went to twice a day dosing (50 mgs morning and night, for 100mgs/day).GSK makes free starter packs, good for 5 weeks, that take you through slow titration.
>
> So migraines stopped completely? And, I'm assuming the dosage didn't change but the regimen did. If I'm right, do u recall how long u put up w/ the migraines?Yes, they stopped. I had a migraine the day after I raised the dose, 3 of them total, till I started
2x/day dosing instead of taking the whole dose once a day. Just the day after the increase, I was fine after that. For treatment of seizures twice a day dosing is the standard; the monograph indicates twice a day dosing when the daily dose is above 100mgs/day for any indication. My neuro
called me in some Lortab, so i did not put up with the pain for very long.
Posted by metalblade on April 7, 2007, at 0:59:21
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick, posted by KayeBaby on April 6, 2007, at 21:55:53
> I had this reaction too. I was only on it for less that a week and only at about 12.5 mg. It made me hypo too.
>
> My Dr., fortunately had mentioned to me this possibility so I caught it early. I was on 60 mg Prednisone for about 5 days and that really screwed me up! My thoughts were flying so fast I felt like I was in a wind tunnel. After discontinueing the pred I could NOT sleep at all for days and was in bad shape for a while after that.
>
> Seems like your Dr. would have told you about that possibility and it should have at been alerted when you called with this problem so that you could have gotten prompt care.
>
> I'm glad you are ok.
>
> Peace,
> Kaye
>When you say you where in bad shape for a while after the five days of prednisone do you mean you were still getting over the rash. I've noticed that it has taken a while to disappear completely even after the prednisone I took. Although, without the prednisone I don't think it would have even started to go away; It seemed like the gift that kept on giving.
Posted by Fivefires on April 10, 2007, at 1:09:11
In reply to Re: Lamictal made me very sick - Migraine type HA, posted by notfred on April 7, 2007, at 0:03:51
Tks notfred!
If it should be presented to me once again in the future, I'll try remember these 'key points' re: Lamictal and headaches.
5f
This is the end of the thread.
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