Bipolar Disorder & Lamictal Side Effects

Bipolar disorder is a serious medical condition, and the drug Lamictal has been known to help those who suffer from it. However, like all drugs, Lamictal can produce side effects. Side effects are not common and most are mild, but Lamictal has caused serious problems in some patients.

What is Bipolar?

• Bi-polar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental disorder that causes extreme mood swings. Depression is generally characterized by a lack of energy and motivation, and mania consists of periods of high energy, unusual thought patterns, and sometimes psychosis. Those afflicted with bipolar tend to have episodes where these two feelings can both appear in their most extreme form. These episodes can last days, weeks or even months.

Lamictal

• Lamictal, also known as lamotrigine, is a medication intended for long-term treatment of epilepsy and bipolar I disorder. In the case of bipolar it can help the overall mental health of patients by stabilizing the electrical activity and controlling the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain. Glutamate is a chemical that is stored in nerve cells and used to excite nerve cells. It is released when electrical signals build up in nerve cells and thus excites more nerve cells. Too much or too little of this chemical is believed to cause the intense mood swings associated with bipolar disorder.

Mild Side Effects

• Lamictal can have many side effects, most of which are mild. The most common side effects include headache, dizziness, drowsiness, insomnia, pain in the joints and back pain. Lamictal may also cause disturbances of the gut such like diarrhea, constipation, nausea or abdominal pain.

Rash

• In some patients Lamictal may cause a serious skin rash that, if left untreated, could lead to hospitalization and in rare cases death. The rash is most likely to appear within the first two to eight weeks of using the drug, and it is more common in children and the elderly. The risk for getting the rash is higher if you take valproate, depakene or depakote. Also, if the patient takes higher doses of Lamictal or increases her dosage faster than prescribed, the risk of getting the rash is higher. Stop taking the drug immediately and contact a healthcare provider if you experience any of these symptoms: a skin rash, hives, fever, painful sores in the mouth or around the eyes, swelling of the lips or tongue, yellowing of the skin, unusual bruising or bleeding.

Suicidal Thoughts

• Like other drugs that treat epilepsy, Lamictal can cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a small number of patients. Contact a healthcare provider if you have any of the following while taking Lamictal, especially if they are new symptoms, they've gotten worse, or they are worrisome. The list of dangerous signs that lamictal may not be right for you includes thoughts about suicide or dying, an attempt to commit suicide, new or worse depression, new or worse anxiety, feeling agitated or restless, new or worse panic attacks, being aggressive angry or violent, an extreme increase in activity or talking, or other unusual changes in behavior or mood.