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Lamictal side effects.

Mon, 02/27/2006 - 20:49
Hi, I am really in trouble regarding the medicine. I took Depakote ER for my generalized seizures and been controled by it for about 5 years. In March 2004 I had a child who was born with Fetal Valproate Syndrome-syndrome caused by Depakote. I can't describe to you how painful it is to realize how much damage I did to my own son! It took me about 6 months to find out what was wrong with him because all doctors who saw him couldn't help me. Right now, thank God, he is a very active, happy boy, running and destroying everything around:)). But he underwent two surgeries and maybe one more is coming. Now, we decided to try to have another child and I started to change medication on something safer. There is no safe medication but new generation AEDs sound more promising. At first, doctor put me on Keppra 500mg twice a day. On the fourth day after completely stop taking Depakote and being only on Keppra I had a seizure, first in 5 years. I scared my older son who is 11 years old now a lot. He helped me during my seizure because my husband was at work at that time. My youngest was OK, he didn't understand anything. Doctor increased my dosage to 2000mg a day. But my mood is very affected by it. I am very snappy, angry and tired all the time. Plus there is not enough data regarding pregnancy and Keppra. After talking to my doctor again we decided to switch to Lamictal. There is some data regarding pregnancy on this medication. It's my second week on Keppra 2000mg and Lamictal 50 gr. It's going to take overall 8 weeks to do a complete swith. The dosage of Lamictal at the end will be 400 mg. But since yesterday, I started to have funny taste when I eat-everything tastes bitter. Plus I don't want to eat at all, except bread. I started to wonder, can it be an effect of Lamictal and will it go away? I am lost completely. Did anyone experience anything like that and what did you do? Sorry for such a long blog! Thank you very much for any response! Natalya.

Comments

Re: Re: Lamictal side effects.

Submitted by natalya on Thu, 2006-03-16 - 09:55
Keri, Thanks for your reply! I usually take Lamictal at night only and I started to take it with milk. It works! With hot tea it tasted just awful but milk somehow takes the bitter taste away. On empty stomach in the morning I take Keppra only and it didn't upset my stomach. About Lamictal on empty stomach I don't know because I usually pretty full by night time :). But thanks anyway! I appreciate a lot all the help I receive here! Later, if I have to split my dosage(morning and evening) I will take it after breakfast. I hope this medication will work on my type of seizures! Natalya.

Re: Lamictal side effects.

Submitted by julie scott on Wed, 2006-03-15 - 12:45
Hi My Name is Julie and I live in the uk. When first diagnosed with epilepsy i was given epilim to control my seizures but i found it was a difficult medication for the Doctors to control. Now i am on Lamactal and am much happier on this medication. I have had no side effects it's great for me.

Re: Re: Lamictal side effects.

Submitted by natalya on Thu, 2006-03-16 - 10:05
Julie, I am glad it worked out for you! What type of seizures do you have? I am switching to this medication because this should be the safest drug(they're all teratogens so) for the pregnancy which I am planning. I hope it will work for me too. Thanks for your reply! Natalya.

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