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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 15:51:30
Well, I tried one more day. It's not the death rash, but it's not improving w/ hydrocortisone cream. If fact, it's a little worse, though still contained to a small patch on inner forearm. I totally stripped down and had my husband examine me. So that's the visible extent.
No sore throat, no fever.
So yes, I am stopping in keeping with wise counsel and my pdoc's orders.
See what he says on Wed. I wonder if I'll be able to titrate up more slowly....
Crumbs.
Other than that, it's an o.k. day around here.
Posted by Solstice on September 3, 2011, at 16:12:31
In reply to Darn rash on Lamictal, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 15:51:30
I am so sorry you got the rash! How disappointing.
How slow did your pdoc titrate you? From what I've heard, the slower and smaller the incremental increases, the better.
Solstice
Posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 16:19:03
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » floatingbridge, posted by Solstice on September 3, 2011, at 16:12:31
25mg per day starting Monday. Rash appeared maybe Wed, but it was so teeny-tiny.....
Yeah. It's disappointing.
Thanks for understanding.
It's possible, I've heard to restart at 12.5. And take what might feel a year :-) to titrate up.....
I have a feeling he might just abort mission. We'll just have to see.
Posted by Solstice on September 3, 2011, at 16:27:17
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » Solstice, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 16:19:03
> 25mg per day starting Monday. Rash appeared maybe Wed, but it was so teeny-tiny.....
>
> Yeah. It's disappointing.
>
> Thanks for understanding.
>
> It's possible, I've heard to restart at 12.5. And take what might feel a year :-) to titrate up.....
>
> I have a feeling he might just abort mission. We'll just have to see.Apparently not all rashes are a big deal. There are a couple of rashes that are serious and require hospitalization - but only .3% of adults get the serious variety. Those taking it for bipolar, etc. have less of a chance than those taking it for epilepsy, but chance increases if you also take Depakote or valporic acid. It's certainly possible that the rash is coincidental and has nothing to do with the lamictal, but only a physician should be making that determination. In the meantime, you are wise to abort it and wait till you can be seen. May want to take pictures of it so it can be evaluated - in case it disappears by the time you are seen.
Lamictal sure does work well for a lot of people who need mood stabilization and lifting.. so I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll get to take another stab at it :-)
Sol
Posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 16:31:29
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » floatingbridge, posted by Solstice on September 3, 2011, at 16:27:17
Posted by jane d on September 3, 2011, at 16:47:45
In reply to Darn rash on Lamictal, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 15:51:30
I got a rash while increasing lamictal. It went away when I dropped the dose back down and then increased it in two steps instead of one. I don't remember what those doses were now but it wasn't super slow. I also was very very sun sensitive while on lamictal which could look just like a rash.
Posted by Phillipa on September 3, 2011, at 17:20:16
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal, posted by jane d on September 3, 2011, at 16:47:45
Drop to 12.5 mg til see doc and see if goes away. Assuming no emsam patch was in same spot? Phillipa
Posted by Solstice on September 3, 2011, at 17:32:41
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal, posted by jane d on September 3, 2011, at 16:47:45
>
> I got a rash while increasing lamictal. It went away when I dropped the dose back down and then increased it in two steps instead of one. I don't remember what those doses were now but it wasn't super slow. I also was very very sun sensitive while on lamictal which could look just like a rash.Yeah - I forgot about that - but lamictal does cause sun-sensitivity. I'll bet it's easy to not realize how much sun exposure is accumulating, and ending up with a fairly benign rash due to the sun-sensitivity aspect.
Sol
Posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 19:11:22
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » jane d, posted by Solstice on September 3, 2011, at 17:32:41
Well this is all good to hear. I took Sol's advice and snapped some photos.
I think I need to stop, not decrease dose by half, and hope to be seen by doc, pics in hand. Yes? Sound reasonable?
Doc cautioned about being consistent with lamictal or one needs to titrate from scratch. Well, 5 days isn't too much to give up....
Thank you all.
Jane D. Did you find lamictal beneficial?
Posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 19:20:27
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » Solstice, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 19:11:22
Posted by Solstice on September 3, 2011, at 19:33:12
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » Solstice, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 19:11:22
> Well this is all good to hear. I took Sol's advice and snapped some photos.
>
> I think I need to stop, not decrease dose by half, and hope to be seen by doc, pics in hand. Yes? Sound reasonable?I think that sounds like wisdom.
> Doc cautioned about being consistent with lamictal or one needs to titrate from scratch.
I think the problem is that if you've titrated up to a few hundred mg, and then are inconsistent with it, you put yourself at risk by, say, going off for several days, and then resuming at your usual dose of several hundred mg's. You'd have to start all over again to avoid triggering the dreaded rash :-) But it sounds like you'd need to start all over anyway, at something even smaller than the standard starter pack.
Sol
Posted by jane d on September 3, 2011, at 20:03:01
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » Solstice, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 19:11:22
The pictures are a great idea!
I was trying lamictal as an antidepressant adjunct. At first it seemed to help a bit but in the long run I decided it didn't. I also had memory problems with it which I might have been willing to live with them if I had felt dramatically better on it. I didn't so I found it intolerable. However the rash never came back after the first time. :)
Posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 20:11:52
In reply to Re: Darn rash on Lamictal » floatingbridge, posted by jane d on September 3, 2011, at 20:03:01
Posted by morgan miller on September 4, 2011, at 13:33:03
In reply to Thanks all (nm) » jane d, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 20:11:52
That sucks FB, maybe you get another shot at it and it works out the second time. If not, I'm sure you will find success with something.
Morgan
Posted by morgan miller on September 4, 2011, at 13:43:50
In reply to Thanks all (nm) » jane d, posted by floatingbridge on September 3, 2011, at 20:11:52
That sucks FB, maybe you get another shot at it and it works out the second time. If not, I'm sure you will find success with something.
Morgan
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