Posted by morningsbloom on November 28, 2007, at 14:23:40
I took Lamictal for just 7 days at 25 mg for mood stabilization and experienced DEFINITE side effects that absolutely required me to discontinue its use. What surprises me is that only one of these side effects was mentioned by my psychiatrist when I inquried about the medication, and the other side effects were dismissed by my pharmacist as something they knew nothing about. Also, online research on drug profile sites (not personal accounts) did not list one of the worst of these side effects (severe body aches).
Prior to taking Lamictal I had been on NO antidepressant for approximately two months, so my system was clear. The first night I took Lamictal 25 mg I slept like a baby. The second time I took it I woke up with all-over body aches and pains, so bad in the neck and shoulder area that it triggered a severe migraine attack. Migraines are not new to me, so I didn't think much of it at the time. For the remaining 5 days I stayed on Lamictal, the aches and pains worsened each morning I awoke (and continiued throughout the day) and each day I woke up with an excrutiating migraine. In addition, I felt constant anxiety, as though I had consumed several cups of coffee. I took my usual Klonopin and it didn't even seem to work, so my psych told me to up it a bit temporarily. Even that didn't touch the anxiety.
I could tell something was seriously up, so I did something I rarely do and paged my psychiatrist. I was told they really hadn't heard of those side effects (apart from a simple headache), but each person is different so perhaps it was best to stop. I didn't need to taper because I was on a low dose and only took it 7 days.
One day later I was a new person--I thought it would take a few days to recover, but it only took one day. I did, however, have to take a special medication to break the migraine cycle, as it was very resistant to any normal treatment. All in all, it was the week from hell.
Thinking perhaps all of this was a fluke and wanting Lamictal to work, last night I foolishly took it again. The very same thing happened again, but this time "just" bodily aches and pains.
It wasn't until I visited this forum and also read other personal accounts online that I read multiple personal accounts of bodily aches and pains and many other similar symptoms that I experienced during the short time I took Lamictal.
Apparently severe bodily aches and pains are more common than widely reported with Lamictal. I'm not saying everyone would have these side effects, but I am saying I absolutely KNOW Lamictal caused them and they were horrrendous. Why do we always have to find out these things by personal account and they're listed as "rare" in the literature, but when you research them online many people say they're experiencing these side effects?
poster:morningsbloom
thread:797459
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071125/msgs/797459.html