Lamotrigine and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 3)

• ore...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2013

For Seizure Prevention "While going through titration, I had intense mood swings. Extreme happiness and seething anger over ridiculous things. When I forget to take a pill, it makes me EXTREMELY ill. Nausea, dizziness, fogginess, etc. On a day-to-day basis: sometimes I forget words, phrases, and even once, my ATM pin number. It's like I'm grasping for them and they're just not there. I also get lightning-like, 'zinging' headaches. They were worse during titration, but they haven't gone away. They usually happen when I'm at work. In addition, I often feel like I'm in a fog and have had a few instances where my words will slur together like my brain just can't quite form them right."

• ind...
• April 28, 2023

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "Just started taking Lamictal 2 days ago. I am taking 25 mg for the first week, then the second week 50 mg. I’m very sensitive to anything that goes into my body. I have been on SSRIs and SNRIs and found the SSRIs worked well for years, but they seemed to have stopped working well anymore. I didn’t do well on any SNRIs, I just came off of Duloxetine. Ugh, what a hard time that was. I am already feeling the side effects of the Lamictal. My eyes are doing funky things, which is weird because that’s usually a side effect from coming off a med. It must be the in-between side effect of meds, whether you are coming off or going on. Being on an antidepressant has a much more sedative effect. So far, I’m having headaches, weird balance issues, trouble thinking, and agitation. I will give this a try for a few weeks and see what happens, and I will report back with an update."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 3, 2012

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "It seems to have leveled my moods somewhat, or at least reduced my agitation. It is also inexpensive (compared to, say, Lexapro). I soon developed problems with my eyes in that they are itchy, red, and swollen, and I have decided to discontinue due to my fear of getting Stevens-Johnson syndrome. It is meant to be a rare side effect, but seems to be more common than I thought. This medication has also increased my appetite, given me strange dreams, and headaches."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2021

Lamotrigine "I’m a 25-year-old female with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). After reading so many positive reviews, I really wanted this to work. I was on this medication for 3 weeks, and I went to my local ER twice because I had a severe headache that lasted over 9 days. I went to the ER and was told it was a migraine. I then noticed that I had swollen lymph nodes and a skin rash that started appearing on my face and chest. I then became concerned that all these things were side effects from Lamictal, and when I went to the ER for the 3rd time, I was told to stop taking this immediately as it could lead to a life-threatening rash. I’m sad I experienced these side effects because of all the positive reviews. Just beware of all these side effects that could appear because they could be very dangerous."

• Jen...
• February 23, 2016

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "Lamictal gave me two ulcers, failed a drug screen for one of the best jobs around (said I had PCP in my system), debilitating headaches, and gained an immense amount of weight. I was hospitalized for attempted suicide, and my doc got mad when I weaned myself off. Having said that, I know lots of people that have had great success with it. I guess it all depends on the individual. Not all bipolar cases are the same."

• Aff...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "I began with a dose of 50 mg as a monotherapy for depressive swings and agitated hypomania. As soon as I reached the 150 mg mark, it was like a gear shifted. Every suicidal thought in my mind was just *poof* gone. It's been about six months now, and I've not had one thought of harming myself. It's unreal. Also, bonus: NO WEIGHT GAIN (applause!). Minimal side effects include headaches, dry skin, and mild hair loss. Now for the reasons why I knocked off two points: horrendous insomnia. I had to add 50 mg of Seroquel into the mix for sleep, and I'm lucky if I get a solid 5 hours. I also need an additional 50 mg Seroquel PRN for agitation when I feel myself getting hypomanic. Unfortunately, Lamictal does zilch for anxiety and mania. It doesn't help with paranoia or impulsivity. Still, I'd hate to go off of it because of how effective it's been for suicidal ideation. For those considering Lamictal, it's definitely worth it for depression, but it's not effective alone for bipolar disorder."

• Car...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 31, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "For ten years, I've tried most antidepressants out there. So, my new doctor changed the approach and put me on mood stabilizers. First was Depakote, but it was no good. Then we tried Lamotrigine. At 50 mg, it made me very anxious and even angry, but weeks after we bumped it to 100 mg, my goodness, I felt much better. I feel like a normal person is supposed to feel: sometimes happy, other times sad, some days anxious. But all within a normal manageable range. It changed my life and my relationship with people. It's been five years now. At the beginning, there were some side effects such as headaches and anxiety. Now the only thing is that I feel my skin is a little more sensitive to the sun. If you are starting now, please give it a little time."

• nai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2020

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have C-PTSD, depression, anxiety, depersonalization/derealization, and my condition is constantly worsening over the past two years. As you can imagine, I've already tried numerous drugs with mostly pretty bad side effects and no benefits at all. So I was really hopeful that this time it would be different, also because it apparently helped so many others with various conditions. But again, I was disappointed. I started with 25 mg lamotrigine and went up to 300 mg, and still it did nothing. In the beginning, I didn't have any side effects either. Lately, I have nausea, headaches, dizziness, muscle pain, and another weird thing: always when I close my eyes, I see bright colors. But I think all these things are rather because of my ongoing deteriorating health situation than because of this drug. I wish you more luck!"

• Sau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 13, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "I had a complete change in my life on this. I’m bipolar II, and lamotrigine has worked best on resistant depressive symptoms, namely, severe oversleep, severe fatigue, and daily headaches (I believe psychosomatic headaches), and I had complete 100% resolution!!"

• ven...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 2, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "Lamotrigine has been life-changing. I have bipolar II, and my depressive episodes were so extreme I wasn't sure how I could continue work or maintain my relationships. I was prescribed lamotrigine, and within a few days, I noticed a difference. At first, I had some nausea and headaches, but it was mild. I've been taking lamotrigine for six months now and couldn't be more grateful for this drug. I hardly have any depressive or hypomanic episodes, and when I do, it's difficult to pinpoint them because of how mild they are."

• bdi...
• November 30, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm 31 and have been on this medication (off and on) for 6 years now. Before that, everything I took made it worse or made me a zombie. I was only off it while I was pregnant and for about a year after. I had forgotten, when I got back on it (this and Prozac is my combo), how much better I feel. I'm not losing my temper every time someone is annoying, not crying constantly (my spending habits are still ... horrible ... but it's almost time to increase my dose lol). I feel in control of my emotions, and I'm not feeling everything so deeply. I take them before bed because they make me extremely tired and give me blurred vision and a headache if I take them and stay up. Also, I really like the vividness of my dreams when I take them just before sleep. I have a lot of nightmares (not from the meds, I've always had lots of really bad nightmares), but honestly, I don't mind it that much. I like being able to remember my dreams so clearly."

• cc ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 18, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I started lamotrigine about 6 weeks ago, currently on 100 mg per day. Problems I have run into: sleepiness, insomnia, excessive yawning, aggressive behavior, panic attacks, increased depression, headache, pain in neck/shoulders, coughing fits, dizziness, especially when standing up quickly. After this experience, I have been looking up side effects of any new medication, so I can know sooner if I'm experiencing side effects or an adverse reaction, or some other medical issues..."

• Cor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I have tried all the meds there are for bipolar, and Lamotrigine was my last hope. I had read so many good things about it, so I could not wait to see how well it works. When my dosage was 50 mg/day, I was feeling okay. I woke up early, and I could sleep at night. When my dosage was 100 mg/day, I was tired 24/7. I have quit a lot of meds, but tapering off Lamotrigine was a nightmare! Terrible headache every day, double vision, and insomnia. It took me weeks until my dosage was back to 50 mg/day. I tried again for a few weeks if 50 mg/day was a good dosage for me, but I could not sleep, and I had the terrible headache every day. So, I had to stop taking Lamotrigine and take some other meds instead. I have been 2 months without Lamotrigine, but I still get the headaches, which I never had before I took this med. So, be careful!"

• Sec...
• September 25, 2014

For Seizure Prevention "Been on: Dilantin, Keppra, and Tegretol. All for different lengths of time. Have been on Lamictal for 12 years, not had a seizure since. I did however quit my high-stress job. Truly a leap of faith for my family. I was the breadwinner. But health is number one. The side effects: insomnia. My Epileptologist added Neurontin to the mix to help combat this (so-so). Weight gain (10 lbs). Word finding. Forgetfulness. Headaches. These were all before the addition of Neurontin. I've been on the Paleo diet/lifestyle for 1 1/2 years. Never felt better. Eliminated my debilitating headaches! Lamictal gave me my life back."

• Shd...
• April 8, 2017

For Epilepsy "I was diagnosed with simple partial epilepsy 14 months ago, and I have been on Lamictal ever since. It stopped my seizures. However, it is making my life a living hell. I go through these weird déjà vu episodes. I have headaches. I get dizzy. I forget things-everyday things and very important things. I have trouble concentrating. It is a living hell. I would rather have seizures."

• lam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2021

For Epilepsy "I have had absence seizures since I was young. I'm now 27 and still suffering from them. This is the first medication that was prescribed to me, and I can confidently say that this experience has been as awful as when I had shingles. I had a headache that never went away, body aches, chills, a cough, and fevers that turned into a rash all over my face and body. Benadryl and steroid cream (as harmful as it is) used to work wonders for me, but they're not doing anything right now to relieve me of the itch. I felt sick every day, and the seizures continued to happen. I'm suffering so much that I wish I could go back to how I was before, even if I have to live with having seizures for the rest of my life."

• Lex...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 19, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "Taken 25 mg up to 50 mg for mood disorder and OCD. Not a huge difference at 25 mg, but having taken 50 mg for 3 weeks now, definitely feel calmer and racing thoughts much less so. Also, OCD much more in the background, the odd twinge, but it’s like all the worst symptoms are faded. Hardly any side effects but of a headache at first. This is really helping and giving me optimism for the future."

• ali...
• May 22, 2011

For Bipolar Disorder "Before taking this medicine, you must know this: Does anyone in your immediate family have an autoimmune disease? It is imperative you have blood work done before taking this medicine. If you have an abnormal ANA, do not take this medicine. I would not want anyone to react as I did. I took the minimum dose for maybe a week, I developed a full-body rash, photophobia, headache, etc."

• AJS...
• April 14, 2011

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Lamotrigine for 3 months for treatment of Rapid Cycling Bipolar II. I'm currently on 150 mg. This medicine has been amazing. I tried Wellbutrin - which made me full of rage and even violent - and Abilify - which made me excessively more impulsive (gambling, drinking, smoking - all of which I would normally not do). Lamotrigine has been a Godsend. The cycling has slowed to a near halt. I have a few mild down cycles, but they are few and far between and subside quickly. I have been able to concentrate better. It has even had the pleasant side effect of helping to reduce my anxiety. The only negative side effects for me are nausea for the first few days and intense headaches for the first week after increased dosages."

• Sta...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 8, 2020

For Epilepsy "I've been on this medication since I was first diagnosed with epilepsy 10 years ago. It was not strong enough by itself since I have different types of seizures. I'm on 300 mg twice daily now. Tried a combo with 250 mg x 2 of this with Vimpat 200 x daily. Had to add Clobazam 20 mg twice daily, and it seems to be working. Lowered Vimpat to 100 mg and am on 300 mg Lamotrigine. But I always experience headaches. Not sure if this is a side effect of the medication or just my epilepsy. Headaches are not too bad. I'm used to it for the most part. Not super extreme."

• Eri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2021

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "Started off on Lamictal about 3 months ago. I was having severe mood swings and was diagnosed with Bipolar II. Lamictal has been by far the best medicine I’ve tried. No weight gain, not severely tired. I would take it around 5 pm after work and be totally fine. What I did notice was that it is associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. My doctor at the time bumped me up to 200 mg within 2 weeks (big mistake), and my body started reacting to it. I now have cystic acne on my face. The withdrawal from coming off the medication (because my side effects got bad... night terrors, cystic acne) was extremely irritably, lethargic, headaches. I’m talking to my doctor about lowering the dosage because we all know that finding medication to fit is hard. I also wanted this medication in case I became pregnant."

• Nvy...
• September 3, 2016

For Epilepsy "My wife got epilepsy during her first pregnancy. Initially, the doctor advised us to use 'Eptoine,' which cost us, and my son was born with a cleft. Of course, we had to go for an operation to correct it. After which, the doctor advised us to use lamotrigine, and we had a second child. Here and there, there were sometimes seizures. Also, we tried to stop it using but got a seizure again. Now we are confused and experiencing some side effects like drowsiness, reduced vision, headache, and vomiting sensation."

• kir...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 4, 2022

For Depression "I've taken this medicine before and now noticed it has given me severe dry skin, once I started it again after 4 years of not taking it. My sides and back have a few patches of itchy, dry eczema. My headaches are bothersome, and my neck is extremely stiff and painful from the day I started the medication. I'm 5 days in and hope it goes away soon. Googling the rashes scared me, of course, but all the rashes I saw were oozing and wet and widespread. Mine are very dry little patches, maybe only a handful of them in total here and there. Really scary, I'll have to keep an eye on them. More googling told me SJS starts on the chest in the front, and mine started on my hips, so maybe that's good. I realize there's a lot of areas a worrying rash can start. I'll just keep watching it. I know it takes a few weeks for positive effects to come in, but my anxiety has been made more severe. Not sure if it's the omeprazole I started taking about the same time. I can be laughing one minute and crying the next."

• pyn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 20, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I have just been diagnosed with bipolar II. I have been on antidepressants for 23 years and as I got older, the drugs didn't work as well. I suffer from depression, panic attacks, severe anxiety, phobias, and erratic mood swings changing daily, even hourly. So now I am on 300 mg Effexor, Valium, and have just started in increments of 25 mg of lamotrigine. Before this, I took Epilim, which was great, but within 2 weeks, I had a rash everywhere. Now I am up to 75 mg of lamotrigine and I have headaches, tiredness, sleeping up to 15 hours plus diarrhea, sick, depression, aggression, anxiety, the list goes on. It's been 6 weeks and I am losing it... my mental health team is useless. Will this get better???"

• dat...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 7, 2022

For Seizure Prevention "I take 200 mg twice a day for seizure disorder. Virtually no side effects besides minor headaches and nausea. My seizure threshold is now high enough that I can take seizure-inducing meds like Wellbutrin without an onset of seizures."