Anyone here on lamictal? I'm been
prescribed lamictal for epilepsy and just
started again on aed's. I've been off
aed's for about 2 years as per my doctors
suggestion and after a relapse of seizures
i've been put back on. This time on
lamictal - I don't recall what I was on
before, but it was no good. Anyway this
time round I can say with confidence that
the physical complications are less of a
problem, although the first couple days I
felt severely depressed, drowsy/tired,
loss of hunger, and emotionally involved;
that is to say that as I dude I
experienced feelings that I didn't know
existed - for a couple days I could
understand how some chicks cry at kleenex
commercials. Anyhoo all that has passed
(thankfully), although i've, in the last
week or so, experienced an increase in
incredibly vivid and generally violent
dreams. Previous to taking the medicine I
noted that I didn't really experience that
many dreams - strangely enough I had quite
an in depth conversation on the matter,
which has only helped to contrast the
change.
Anyone know about violent dreams as a side
effect? Vivid is one thing, but last
night I dreamed about a nuclear holocaust
complete with burning victims, an incident
involving a gang and their onslaught with
samurai swords (???) to which someone lost
an arm, and to top it all off I woke up
confused: I wasn't sure if I had murdered
(in cold blood) the girl sleeping beside
me, and three others, or if it was a
dream. That is not cool at all, and my
doctor has prescribed me to increase my
dosage 8 times what it's at now. Hell no!
Now i'm curious to know if the lack of
dreams I had experienced before now
contributed to my new bought with
epilepsy? Thoughts? More so I think
experiencing 3 vivid dreams nightly in
comparison to none will eventually be
detrimental to my health when someone is
dying in each of them, especially when
some of them are loved ones. How do I
explain to my g/f that I broke her neck
and buried her in a shallow grave
somewhere in the desert? I'm not a
violent or angry person - dreams are one
thing, but they are as real as waking
life?
|
Kathyalison
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 64
Dosage Posted: 04-30-04 08:50am
Crazy! I've been on lamictal for 7 years
and never experienced anything like that
with my dreams. So I can't tell you how
to talk to your girlfriend about it. I
was curious though about your dosage.
You said it's being increased by 8 times??
The absolute max. Dose is 600mg (which
is what i'm on) and that's pushing it.
My doctor is switching me to keppra now
because i've maxed out the lamictal.
Once your dosage is increased, how much
will you be on?
|
JesseJames
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 3
Posted: 04-30-04 09:29am
It's not 600mg. That's sounds out of
hand. What, if any, were the side effects
you experienced? Right now i'm at 50mg
daily. I'm supposed to increase weekly
doubling my dosage to abput 400mg. I
havn't had a lot of eperience with aed's
but the first med's I was on was bad news
bears. Made me feel real ill in my head.
I'm a part time musician and full time
programmer so I found they were hurting
both side of the brain, if you know what I
mean.
The lamictal is good aside from the clamy
hands and estrogen-esque mood swings. I'm
waiting for the hot flashes, however the
burning corpses in my dreams are a little
bothsome - they've got to go.
I'll talk to my doctor, but i'm curous to
know if doctors readily add additional
medications to combat the side effects? I
don't wanna have to go on some crazy
downer, however the cool thing that I can
see about lamictal is the lack of serious
side effects such as no abnormal hair
growth. It's important to me not to wake
up looking like cousin it.
|
sami_1982
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Dec 2003 Posts: 200 Location: Australia
Hello Jesse Posted: 04-30-04 16:01pm
Very interesting, your dreams.
I am not taking lamictal but I am on
epilim ec 1000mg 2x and tegretol cr 200mg
2x and my meds have only been changed to
these in the past few weeks. I also have
noticed an increase in my dreams, and I
have also been having nightmares. Its
quite scarey I know how you feel. You
really think that you have murdered your
entire loving family or the people around
you. Some days I just feel like I am
going insane. I have to see the doc next
week, and they have been talking to me
about going on the same med you are on
because my med combination here isnt
working well at all.
So mate you aint alone.
|
raf
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Torrance, Ca.
Lamictal Posted: 06-10-04 16:35pm
I started having seizures in 1984, I am
now 49 years old. My Dr. Started me out
on dilantin which I had control problems
with. I was eventually taking 600mg.
Dilantin and 10mg. Phenobarbatol. I
still had a seizure! I finally found a
new neurologest which prescribed lamictal.
I am now taking 200mg. Twice daily and
have not had a seizure since I started
taking this. Now, about the dreams. I
have very vivid dreams, mostly
non-violent. I do however have numerous
dreams every night. Most of my dreams are
about things that I like (i always dream
that I can fly) , but once in a while i'll
have a violent dream. I have always had
vivid dreams but more (i believe) since
taking lamictal.
|
mommy2
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 16
Posted: 06-24-04 13:43pm
I'm hearing ya! I terrrible side effects
with lamictal. The worst was mind
racing, which is listed with the side
effects. It is exactly what it sounds
like and it was terrrible! It was
almost like I dropped into a transe and
couldn't stop thinking (racing). This
finally went away, along with the hand
shaking, yet the acne never went away.
|
kfl325
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 2 Location: wv
Hello Fellow Lamictal People Posted: 07-01-04 20:11pm
I have recently started taking lamictal
myself. I've pretty much had different
types of epilepsy for most of my life.
Been on tegretol, depakote, a couple
others that I cant remember the names of.
Oh well - not important now! Anyway, I
pretty much dream every night and can tell
you about them everyday. Some are so
crazy but then I have the same dream of
things as I did as a child - who knows!
Anyway, just thought I would join in this
conversation! Thanks!
|
danceman
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 22 Location: Australia
Problems With Lamactil Posted: 07-18-04 01:01am
I have been on just about every available
anti epileptic medication that is
available ,and suitable to my epilepsy,and
lamictil was one of them, a
shocker...Terrible sleepless nights my
nuerologist kept increasing the dose and
yes my sleepless nights were worse , and I
cant take a pill to help me sleep as they
aggravate my epilepsy ,double edged sword.
I eventually got off lamicatal ,i'll
give any new medication a go and yes
everyone is different and every case of
epilepsy is different but anyone
considering
lamictal.,,topamax,,...Epilem,....Keppra
to name a few , I would strongly reccomend
you discuss the side effects of these
tablets with your nueroligist before
commencing taking them. Generally , my
nuerologist says something like ,"there
are some side effects with this tablet but
few and far between", you may be lucky
and get no side effects but you want to
know what you may be in for.
|
Froggy
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 5
Posted: 07-20-04 08:20am
I have been on lamictal for about 6 months
now. I am at 500mg. One thing I have
noticed is that I do remember dreames and
such. But I think that may be because I
am off dilantin and don't sleep like the
dead anymore. I still have appetite
problems but I think that is associated
with the zonegran I am on.
Froggy
|
bo181
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 2
Lamictal And Prostate Posted: 07-27-04 09:18am
Hello. I am a new user and epilepsy
patient. I take lamictal and I have a
very sensitive urinary tract. For some
reason inexplicable to my neuro and
urologist this drug causes problems with
urination. All the typical prostate
problems, slow stream, dribbling, leaking,
urgency. And chronic pain in my urethra.
Does anyone has any experience with
these side effects?
