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Troubles with Lamictal
Tue, 06/13/2006 - 13:59Topic: Medication Issues
I'm on Lamictal 225mg/2 times a day right now and it doesn't seem to be working too well. I'm still having the aura part of simple partial seizures and it kind of worries me that I'll have a full-on seizure soon.
The problem is that when I tell my doctor this, he just keeps upping the dosage. I had labs done the other day, and they showed my levels are above normal. Not by a whole lot, but enough.
I'm just wondering how you all deal with a neurologist who doesn't seem to get it. He told me that if I'm only getting the auras, it's not a big deal and I shouldn't worry. Part of the problem there is that I get these auras at work, all the time. It's embarrassing when I freeze in the middle of a presentation.
Any suggestions?
Comments
Re: Re: Troubles with Lamictal
Submitted by txcat on Wed, 2006-06-14 - 11:03
Hello,
I have had the opposite effects. I was on depakote for years and then was switched to Depakote ER. I am planning on having children so my doctor switched me to Lamictal. I am taking 200 mg 3 times a day. He then prescribe Keppra to me. I was taking it twice a day. I had another seizure the other day and so he uped my medication to the lamictal and keppra to 3 pills a day of each. He is now talking about doing a video EEG. Have you had any of these problems before. As to your blog...depakote was great for me, but not the right drug if you want to become pregnant. I did have some weight gain, not alot but it made a difference. I don't think you will have any trouble with it.
Re: Re: Troubles with Lamictal
Submitted by psgravitt on Wed, 2006-06-14 - 22:00
Hi ncfrog... Your comment was of special interest to me because my 16 year old son who has generalized tonic clonic seizures has been on Depakote ER (but changed to Lamictal because of the 40 lb weight gain). He's taking 400mg. of lamictal 2x/day and has had 1 grand mal seizure on this dose... and it was a terrible fall! When he increased it to 450 mg. (2x/day) he had double vision. We were planning to go back to the Depakote ER (1000 mg 1x/day), but now I'm having 2nd thoughts because he's lost 20+ lbs and it's now been 3-1/2 weeks on lamictal with no seizures. It's a gamble whether to keep him on Lamictal (lost weight, but had a bad seizure) or back to Depakote (gained weight, but controlled seizures). Please keep me posted on how you do. I hope you do well. P.S. The neurologist said that it would take @ 6 weeks to tritrate the drugs and there is a chance of seizures during the process.
Re: Troubles with Lamictal
Submitted by ncfrog on Wed, 2006-06-14 - 10:45
I'm also on Lamictal 300mg/2 times a day right now. Since I have switched to Lamictal I have had 5 grand mal seizures. When I meet with my Neuro we have thoroughly discussed everything. I called her this morning after the last seizure I had last night, there is a possibility that we may try to go to Depakote instead of staying on Lamictal. Has anyone tried going from Lamictal to Depakote? Are there any significant things that happen when switching from one to the other? I have been on all of the seizure medications out there. Any suggestions here.