Posted by Larry Hoover on December 7, 2002, at 16:00:33
In reply to Lamictal Rash or Hypochondria?, posted by pork chop on December 7, 2002, at 15:39:45
> Has anyone developed skin rashes with Lamictal? This is my second week (the first week I was at 25 mg). Now I'm at 50 mg and I just noticed a red itchy patch on my throat. I worry incessantly anyway, but I'm really concerned about developing The Rash. What does it look like in its beginning phases?
>
> I know my pdoc recommended discontinuing immediately at the first site of rash, but I had a smaller one in the same spot last week and it went away on its own. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I'm going to ask the doc this, but has anyone just tapered down in dosage instead of quitting altogether? I don't want to give up with Lamictal yet.Your dose may be increasing too quickly, or you may have to discontinue.
From Dr. Goldberg's Depression Central:
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.lamotrigine.html
The side-effect of lamotrigine that most often causes the drug to be discontinued is a rash. Rashes can be mild, similar to a slight sunburn, or can be quite severe resembling a severe case of poison-ivy. The more severe the rash the less likely it is that the individual will be able to continue the medication. ALL rashes should be reported to the physicians prescribing the lamotrigine.
A rash is more likely to develop when the initial doses of lamotrigine are high or when lamotrigine is too rapidly started when someone is taking valproate.
It is important that people taking lamotrigine who develop a rash immediately contact their physician as there have been a few deaths in people who have developed lamotrigine-induced rashes.
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:130941
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021203/msgs/130945.html