How does lamictal work on the brain?
The FDA black box warnings are at the end of the fact sheet.Before taking this medication, please review it.
Lamotrigine works in the brain.It is approved for the treatment of manic depression and certain types of seizure disorders.There are episodes of depression and mania.
Lamotrigine can be helpful when prescribed off-label for depression.It has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this condition.If your mental health provider recommends an off-label treatment, he or she should justify his or her thinking.They should be clear about the limits of the research and if there are other options.
There is long-term treatment for the disorder.Even if you feel better, don't stop taking lamotrigine.Your health care provider will use your input to determine how long you will need to take the medicine.If you don't have enough lamotrigine, you're more likely to have a relapse in your mood symptoms.
Do not stop taking lamotrigine without talking to your health care provider.
lamotrigine should be taken every day by your health care provider.
Inform your health care provider if you are planning to become pregnant.There are important decisions to be made by people living with a mental illness who wish to become pregnant.Discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor and caregivers.
There is an increased risk of cleft birth defects with lamotrigine.There are precautions that can be taken to decrease the risk of this effect.Don't stop taking lamotrigine without talking to your health care provider.A significant increase in symptom relapse has been associated with the discontinuation of similar medications during pregnancy.
Patients begin with a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over time.
Your health care provider can determine the correct dose for you.
The tablets must be in their original packaging.Before each dose, open the package with dry hands.If you take the tablets, do not put them in a pillbox.Lamotrigine tablets can be swallowed with or without liquid.
Use a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to remind you to take your medication.You can ask a family member to remind you or check in with you to make sure you are taking your medication.
If you miss a dose of lamotrigine, you should take it as soon as possible.Discuss this with your doctor.Do not take more than the prescribed amount.If you miss more than 3 days of medication, your prescriber may need to adjust your dose.
Do not drink or use illegal drugs while you are taking lamotrigine.They can increase the adverse effects of the medication and decrease the benefits.
Call your doctor if you overdose.It is possible that you need urgent medical care.The poison control center can be reached at 1-800-222-1222.
A serious, life-threatening skin rash may occur with the use of lamotrigine.If you have any of the following, contact your health care provider immediately.Children and teenagers receiving lamotrigine need extra caution.The risk of developing this life-threatening rash may be increased by these patients.
People who take lamotrigine have suicidal thoughts up to twice as often as people who don't, according to studies.One in 500 patients taking the antiepileptic class of medications had thoughts or behaviors.You should contact your doctor if you have any thoughts of hurting yourself.
A very rare but serious side effect of lamotrigine is a serious inflammation of the protective membranes that covers the brain and spine.If you experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, rash, or unusual sensitivity to light while taking lamotrigine, contact your health care provider immediately.
A rare but life-threatening immune system reaction which can cause serious blood or liver problems has been reported with lamotrigine use.If you have any of the following symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately.Within the first few weeks after starting therapy, onset occurs.discontinuation and conversion to alternate therapy may be required for patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
A rare but serious multiorgan hypersensitivity reactions, also known as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, which may damage organs, including the heart, have been reported with the use of lamotrigine.If you experience any of the symptoms, contact your health care provider.Discontinuation and conversion to alternate therapy may be required.
There are no known problems associated with long term use of lamotrigine.When used as directed, it is a safe and effective medication.
If you continue taking the medication, you may experience some of the side effects listed above, such as rash and suicidal thoughts.If you notice a skin rash or change in mood, you should immediately contact your doctor.
During the first few weeks after you start taking lamotrigine, it is important to tell your doctor how you are feeling.It will probably take several weeks to determine if lamotrigine is the right medication for you.
For people with bipolar disorder, mood stabilizer treatment is needed for the rest of their lives.The duration of treatment depends on your symptoms and illness.
lamotrigine use has been reported with serious and sometimes fatal skin reactions.It is important to talk to your doctor at the first sign of a rash if you are taking lamotrigine.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a part of the College of Psychiatric and Neuroscience Pharmacists.The document can be found under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.January 2016 is the last updated.
The College of Psychiatric and Neurological Pharmacists is providing this information to the community.The information is only for educational and informational purposes.A summary of important points is what this information contains.Seek the advice of a physician or other qualified medical professional if you have questions about medications or medical conditions.Do not delay seeking professional medical advice or ignore medical professional advice as a result of any information provided.Any and all liability alleged as a result of the information provided by the College of Psychiatric and Neurological Pharmacists is null and void.