Lamotrigine and Rash: What Users Say (Page 3)

• 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."

• Fra...
• April 19, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "Lamotrigine is, hands down, the best bipolar medication I have used! It is highly effective for depressive episodes and has no side effects for me. It also does not cause weight gain! I am rating 10 out of 10 for bipolar depression. I have combined it with an antipsychotic for mania; a highly effective combination for me. If you are struggling with bipolar depression, I highly recommend you speak with your doctor about giving lamotrigine a try. The risk of rash is low if you follow your doctor's instructions."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2022

For Anxiety "This medication changed my life. No more anxiety or depression. Unfortunately, after about two weeks of taking it, I did develop a rash and had to stop taking it immediately. Best two weeks of my life in years. The only other side effect that I had was I needed very little sleep, and I had a lot of energy."

• Mel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2017

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "I wanted to add to my review. Besides developing a very bad rash and chest pains, sometimes Lamictal would give me heartburn and indigestion too. It would last for hours, and I would be very nauseated. I never had heartburn or indigestion before, so I know it was the medicine that caused it. I'm so glad I don't take it anymore."

• KRH...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 5, 2023

For Cyclothymic Disorder "I started this medicine in mid-January for cyclothymia, mood problems relating to complex PTSD, and very bad seasonal depression. Basically, my moods were a mess. I tried SSRIs and quetiapine in the past, which I had problems with (side effects related). After starting lamotrigine, I felt consistent improvements after 6 weeks, around about the same time that I started on my full dose of 200 mg. I also had a very long streak of not binge eating (I have 7 years of this problem). Unfortunately, the binge eating streak ended, and I was back to my usual ways after 8 weeks, but I know lamotrigine can be helpful for this. I had itchy skin while increasing the dose and had a random rash that I've never experienced before (it wasn't the rash), so I can see how lamotrigine made my skin more sensitive in the short term. After 4 months, my moods are stable. My only complaint is some short-term memory loss, but it isn't that bad. I love this med!"

• Ell...
• December 13, 2020

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I am diagnosed with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), depression, anxiety, and PTSD. I am also on Wellbutrin (after failed attempts with Prozac and Lexapro), Buspar, and Seroquel. I was started on lamotrigine 25 mg and was gradually increasing. One week into being on 50 mg, I developed a rash in the back of the roof of my mouth and a very sore throat. After freaking out, I found out this could have been from Lamictal? I stopped the Lamictal, and within two days, my throat was totally cleared up, however, it was still a bit sore. Throughout my time on Lamictal, I have felt increasingly worse. My body hurts and is tired, I feel flat and emotionless, and I am in a weird and constant state of pain. I get exhausted just taking a shower. Lamictal has increased my anxiety, I have episodes where I can’t breathe, my heart is pounding, and I feel like it is the end (like a panic attack but more intense). These episodes happen frequently, almost every day. They are getting worse and more frequent."

• Hor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 3, 2016

For Seizure Prevention "After taking Dilantin (and Keppra, which cause depression), it kept me and my mom extremely, extremely cool. Depression faded away. It does well with seizures unless I miss a dose. Now I ONLY have nocturnal seizures. Side effects got worse. I have double vision, stuttering, Alzheimer's type memory, can't walk at all, dizziness, and rashes. Other than seizures, side effects are MUCH worse than the medicine itself. I encourage you NOT to take it at all. AT ALL."

• God...
• October 10, 2016

For Epilepsy "I have been using the brand Lamictal for about 5 years. I love it. I have had a rash in the beginning of starting it that went away after 2 weeks or so. I do have some trouble with my vision. But, I am willing to put up with the vision issues if it means me not having a seizure. My advice to anyone that is on it: Do not stop it without talking with your doctor first. It is one of those meds that you have to be weaned off of. I've tried other seizure meds, and I've had no luck. This is by far the best for me."

• Pat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 20, 2024

For Epilepsy "I’m in my 40s, male, started having seizures about a year and a half ago. Was told I have temporal lobe epilepsy. I’ve had 6 seizures altogether, some in my sleep and some during the morning/day. I was put on lamotrigine starting at a low dose and it is going to take 8 weeks to get to full dose. I just started a few days ago with the medication. I really hope it works so I can get back to driving and working FT. I am extremely worried about side effects though, especially the rashes and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. (Not sure if I spelled that right.) I know a small percentage of people die from this drug and it’s completely freaking me out. My neurologist said this was the best option for me, I hope she’s right and I hope I don’t get any rashes. So far, so good, it’s only day 3 but I have no side effects yet."

• Pat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 20, 2024

For Epilepsy "I’m in my 40s, male, started having seizures about a year and a half ago. Was told I have temporal lobe epilepsy. I’ve had 6 seizures altogether, some in my sleep and some during the morning/day. I was put on lamotrigine starting at a low dose and it is going to take 8 weeks to get to full dose. I just started a few days ago with the medication. I really hope it works so I can get back to driving and working FT. I am extremely worried about side effects though, especially the rashes and Stevens-Johnson syndrome. (Not sure if I spelled that right.) I know a small percentage of people die from this drug and it’s completely freaking me out. My neurologist said this was the best option for me, I hope she’s right and I hope I don’t get any rashes. So far, so good, it’s only day 3 but I have no side effects yet."

• bip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2021

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "Was on Lamictal for a few days. Was unable to cry or express extreme emotion despite feeling it, constantly had disturbing images pop into my thoughts that I never could have imagined my brain ever producing, and ended up in the ER with a rash on the third morning. This drug was not for me."

• Squ...
• October 28, 2020

For Anxiety "I was on citalopram for depression for 10 years, and I felt that I am going through anxiety followed by depression again and again. Fed up with this disease, sometimes feeling like it is all too much. Again, I worried, can SSRI be restarted? Will I respond again? At times, clonazepam helps to relieve anxiety, not depression. Then, after going through literature, I started lamotrigine 100 mg twice daily. I had an intense rash on the 3rd day, but my mood was fully stabilized. I had vivid dreams too. I was thinking about how to get rid of the skin rash that covered my abdomen only. I have taken cetirizine, after which it subsided. Lamotrigine is a good mood stabilizer, and the doctor does not permit me to stop lamotrigine, but the skin rash is a problem, but it settled with antihistamines that I am on. Continuous lamotrigine 100 mg twice, cetirizine 8 mg a day. Days are going smoothly, but I am scared about how long this will work. I pray that some more good drugs should come without side effects."

• Pra...
• August 19, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I want to share my experience on this drug. I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 in 2015. At first, doctors thought it was depression and/or post-traumatic syndrome because I went bankrupt right before I got sick. The doctor tried all anti-depressants you can ever imagine in a matter of 3 weeks. It was a true nightmare. Then they realized that my bad reactions to antidepressants were the main reason to diagnose me as bipolar 2. Thank God I didn't have any rash, otherwise, I don't know what would have happened. Understanding how Lamictal works is vital. However, each person is different. The metabolism is what you have to keep an eye on. I have a very fast metabolism. That helped me go up on this medication very fast from 25 mg up to 200 mg."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 10, 2022

For Anxiety "I took it for anxiety, depression, panic, DPDR, and seizure precaution after I had a single seizure related to another medication. For me, this medication was horrible! It made my anxiety and DPDR worse, I had panic attacks, insomnia, and I got the rash. My mom, however, takes this med for depression and seizures, and it works amazingly with little to no side effects. I know this is a good drug for some because I’ve seen it, but not for me."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 21, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Lamotrigine worked great on leveling my moods out from bipolar, and I felt normal for the first time in a long time. Was only on it a month, though, as I came out in an all-over body rash (side effect) and had to stop it, which was disappointing, as it worked so well."

• Sly...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Sadly, this drug did not work for me. I was on the side effects end of the spectrum, near it killing me. After a few days, I developed a slightly raised rash on my thigh, and it turned into a bruise (caused internal bleeding like a bruise). I stopped taking it as soon as I was sure it wasn't just rosy skin. It seemed to come and go the second and third day. Well, the damaged tissue and bruise took a long time to go away. It was scary. I'm now labeled as having an allergy to it. It was an extremely strong reaction, my doctor said."

• roo...
• December 10, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I started this medication very slowly to avoid the rash if at all possible. 25 mg in the morning and at night for two weeks. Increased dose to .50 in the morning and .50 at night for another two weeks. I am now at .75 in the morning and .75 at night. I find by dividing the medication in the day, I am more stable overall."

• the...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 17, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I love this medication. I was out of control when I was taken to a psychiatrist and diagnosed with bipolar 1. This was the first medication I was prescribed, and it worked like a charm. I'm now mostly stable, with a down day about once every two weeks and minuscule manic symptoms. I do have to take a rash medication, though. I take it with Latuda. They both work amazingly."

• Kap...
• January 21, 2018

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I've been on this for a few months. I was slowly titrated up to 200 mg taken nightly. It has done nothing but given me a rash, nausea, and just a general icky feeling. I cut my dose back to 100 mg. Still not helping. I'm now supposed to slowly go off in the next month. I don't have a month to deal with horrible withdrawal migraines and nausea. I'm considering going off cold turkey after a couple more days of 50 mg."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 3, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "I used to be this sweet, shy kid. In middle school, I developed severe depression and anxiety, started cursing and getting in fights. I was so uncontrollably angry and didn't know why. I saw countless therapists over the years, went through a laundry list of SSRIs, SNRIs, and other drugs until I finally figured out that I was bipolar. Lamictal was the first drug to make me feel like 'me' again. It gave me my life back. I feel so much more stable, so much less irritable. I haven't had a major depressive episode in about a year now. And even better, I've had essentially no side effects from it. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is rare if you slowly titrate up - about 1 in 3000, and it's typically only serious if you don't tell your doctor about the rash."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 3, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "I used to be this sweet, shy kid. In middle school, I developed severe depression and anxiety, started cursing and getting in fights. I was so uncontrollably angry and didn't know why. I saw countless therapists over the years, went through a laundry list of SSRIs, SNRIs, and other drugs until I finally figured out that I was bipolar. Lamictal was the first drug to make me feel like 'me' again. It gave me my life back. I feel so much more stable, so much less irritable. I haven't had a major depressive episode in about a year now. And even better, I've had essentially no side effects from it. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is rare if you slowly titrate up - about 1 in 3000, and it's typically only serious if you don't tell your doctor about the rash."

• See...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 23, 2019

For Epilepsy "I've been taking this medication for over a decade now. Had a seizure in the beginning because of CNS adjustment, and it's been great. I believe I was a guinea pig for my neurologist at the time because it hadn't been fully studied for epilepsy yet, not sure, but something like that. I'm very lucky that this medication has been the only one I've taken, and I've only needed a dose increase once. I'm hoping it lasts me until I die or I stop having epilepsy, whichever is first. I didn't get the rash, thankfully, but I do get very fatigued during the day. It's a mental fatigue, so you can still function, but you're just exhausted. I highly recommend talking about if this is a good choice for you."

• Mad...
• November 20, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I have bipolar disorder type 2 and I am on my second month of Lamotrigine (Lamictal), and I am already seeing results! I am on a small dosage, 50 mg, and life is already so much easier. I have severe anxiety alongside my bipolar disorder, and as soon as my anxious urges begin to emerge (way too many times throughout the day), they are immediately suppressed. Although my mania is not completely under control due to my just starting it, it is under control compared to myself two months ago. My bipolar disorder was to the point where I would wake up one day extremely depressed, and the very next day I could be horribly manic, rather than the highs and lows being spread over a prolonged period of time. I do have the rash, not severe though!"

• Anonymous
• October 25, 2017

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder "I was just prescribed this but am freaking out about the chance of getting Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Has anyone experienced this and did it go away after you stopped taking it? Will I have to worry about this the entire time I’m on the medication?"

• Sar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 17, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "My experience with this drug is rather odd. I got good relief from 25 mg, felt even better at 50, 75 also good. Then BAM, when I increased to 100 mg, I began feeling super depressed and very, very anxious. Went back down to 75 mg. It's too bad, really - because I know it's working - I just can't reach a therapeutic dosage. Also, I've had lots of side effects - most of which have all disappeared: no appetite but always hungry (lost 4 kg), itching, a small rash which went away, hypomania right after an increase, uncontrolled eye rolling, numbness in my face, constant throat clearing, and constant blinking of my eyes, acid reflux. When I switched from the generic to the brand name Lamictal, a lot of these side effects went away."