![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lalaland on May 3, 2003, at 19:50:15
Hi everyone...My dr just prescribed Lamictal and I am very concerned about the rash side effect. The drug company list 1 in 1000 have this and that seems way too high. I am scared to take it....Can some people share their experiences ...I am also on wellbutrin 400 mgs a day....thanks all
Posted by Trev on May 4, 2003, at 6:53:07
In reply to lamictal concerns, posted by lalaland on May 3, 2003, at 19:50:15
Hi!
I'm on lamictal now. It's not likely that you'll get the rash if you take care not to increase the dosage too fast. I'm on 175mg now, having increased by 25mg every two weeks. My pdoc won't let me increase faster. I've experienced some itching in various places a few days after increasing the dosage but that's all, checked for a rash every time but there weren't any.
I've heard that if you get a rash it's still possible to contine. One guy my pdoc had treated got the rash at 200mg, then dropped back to 100mg and when he increased very, very slowly he was able to stick with medicine. But I think most people have to quit altogheter though. Imagine quitting something that works for them! Not sure lamictal will work for me though.
Overall, I wouldn't worry about the side effects, they're easy to cope with and the chances of getting the rash is small.
Regards Trev
Posted by Emme on May 4, 2003, at 8:51:32
In reply to lamictal concerns, posted by lalaland on May 3, 2003, at 19:50:15
Don't freak. The odds I read are that 1 in 10 people get *some* kind of rash while on it, but mostly harmless. The risk of Stevens Johnson is increased if you're a child, if you're also taking valproic acid, or if you increase the dosage too rapidly.
I got mild rashes on 3 occasions while titrating up on lamictal. The rashes disappeared within 24 hours. My pdoc had me see a dermatologist to be on the safe side and be sure they were benign. We then kept the titration slower than most people do (7.5 mg/week).
Odds are you'll be fine if you creep it up slowly. If you do get a rash, see a doctor about it. If you get a mild rash, it's not an absolute given that you'll hve to discontinue the drug. You may be able to drop the dosage and increase more slowly. Don't be terrified of trying Lamictal - it is a good drug. Good luck.
Emme
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.