Posted by Jost on November 29, 2006, at 19:37:39 [reposted on November 30, 2006, at 17:40:03 | original URL]
In reply to Lamictal Twitching Withdrawals, posted by oregongirl on November 29, 2006, at 10:23:18
From what I see after googling, this reaction isn't at all typical of discontinuation of lamictal.
This, for example, is an abstract of an article in
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
Volume 105 Page 232 - March 2002
doi:10.1034/j.1600-0404.2002.1c220.x
Volume 105 Issue 3Is there a lamotrigine withdrawal syndrome?
Ph. Gelisse, N. Kissani, A. Crespel, H. Jafari & M. Baldy-MoulinierObjectives– To report a peculiar observation of a patient who developed a psychomotor inhibition state after a rapid cessation of lamotrigine (LTG). Results– This man was referred to us at the age of 26 years for presurgical evaluation. His treatment [valproate (VPA), 1200 mg/day and LTG, 200 mg/day] was quickly decreased and discontinued after 4 days in order to record seizures. Because LTG was ineffective on seizures control, it was decided to stop it definitively. After a few days, he became anhedonic. He had a tremor, a slight tachycardia and an important hyperhydrosis of the hands. He was considered as having a withdrawal reaction to LTG which was confirmed by spontaneous resolution after a few days. Conclusions– Withdrawal syndrome caused by anti-epileptic drugs has been rarely reported. However, in our personal experience of patients monitored for epilepsy surgery, many patients complained of minor reactions when the treatments were quickly decreased. Severe reactions are exceptional and may be explained in this case by the pharmacodynamic effects of LTG.
Hyperhydrosis is excessive sweating.
Maybe there are more recent records about lamictal, but I'd say this suggests that withdrawal reactions are probably mild.
Your friend needs to see a physician, and also to think back to other meds possibly taken at that time--or some other problem.
Jost
poster:Jost
thread:708632
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20061010/msgs/709093.html