Does Lamictal Help With Anxiety

What Is Lamictal And How Does It Help Manage Bipolar Disorder

As you may already know, Lamictal changed and saves my life. Its the only drug Ive been able to take since I was diagnosed in 1995. I am always singing the praises about the drug.

It comes with side effects for sure- the main one being a rash that can be serious. But its very, very rare. Many health care professionals are wary of Lamictal because of the rash, but I always remind people that a potential side effect is just that. If monitored correctly, the potential is small. Also, the rash is normally benign. Make sure your prescriber knows all of the history before saying no to prescribing Lamictal or Lamotrigine. A rash doesnt mean you cant take the drug. It often means you just need to start with a lower dose and increase is slowly.

What is Lamotrigine?

The generic form of Lamicatal is called Lamotrigine. Lamictal is the brand name and is still prescribed. If you search under the word generic you can read my stories of woe regarding the generic form. It didnt work for me at all and I went back to brand name Lamictal. If Lamotrigine works for you, that is fantastic as its very cheap. If you try it first and it doesnt work, defintely ask about the brand name Lamictal. Insurance companies will usually allow the brand change if your prescriber explains why.

For most, the generic is just fine. My mother takes Lamotrigine with very few side effects and great results.

Benefits of Lamictal

I just got this comment from Lin:

It can change a life!

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Dosage For Epilepsy When Taken Alone

Lamictal is prescribed alone for epilepsy in adults, as well as children ages 16 and older who have partial-onset seizures.

For this purpose, the Lamictal dosage youll likely take when first starting the treatment depends on the epilepsy drug you previously took. Your medical professional can give you more information.

The recommended dosage of Lamictal for this use is 250 mg twice per day.

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Can I Take Lamictal During Pregnancy Or While Nursing

If youre pregnant or plan to become pregnant, please talk to your provider before making any medication changes.

Lamictal has been associated with an increased risk of oral cleft birth defects in infants. Animal research studies have shown when mothers are given this medicine, it can harm the fetus. It also passes into your breast milk. If you are taking Lamictal while breastfeeding, watch your baby closely for signs of stopped breathing, extreme sleepiness, and reduced sucking ability.

Your Brightside provider will discuss all the benefits and risks of taking Lamictal and all your treatment options. Together, youll decide whats best for you.

Potentially Serious Side Effects

Like any other drug, Lamictal also has some side effects but not everyone develops the symptoms.

Some of the symptoms include:

• Skin rashes or redness
• Ulcers in the mouth, throat, nose or genitals
• Sore mouth or swollen eyes
• Fever
• Swelling around your face, or swollen glands in your neck, armpit or groin.
• Unexpected bleeding or bruising, or the fingers turning blue
• Sore throat, or more infections than usual.
• Increased levels of liver enzymes seen in blood tests
• An increase in a type of white blood cell
• Enlarged lymph nodes Involvement of the organs of the body including liver and kidneys
• A group of symptoms together including fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, stiff neck and extreme sensitivity to bright light.
• Lower immunity because of lower levels of antibodies called immunoglobulins in the blood which help protect against infection

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The Acceptance Based Model

The Acceptance based model is based on Hayes model of experiential avoidance and Borkovecs avoidance model, both of which deal with a problematic relationship with internal experiences and experiential avoidance and behavioral restriction. In this model, worry is defined as behavioral and cognitive avoidance of internal experiences. Whereas avoidance reduces short-term distress, it reinforces long-term behavioral restriction. The treatment methods that were developed based on the acceptance model comprises psycho-education about worry, avoidance, the reduction in valued action, how emotions function and how to promote valued actions mindfulness and acceptance exercises along with present moment awareness with the ultimate goal of behavioral change and valued actions. The results of a study demonstrate that 75% show response to treatment, whereas 62.5% of individuals meet end-state high functioning post-treatment.

Does Lamictal Help With Anxiety

Ryan, Thank you for your answer. With the symptoms I have given, if Lamictal is not the best solution, can you give a few medications you might advise that have worked in patients you have treated? We have three children, and medication is the only treatment that has worked in our other two children. Counseling nothing when they were in the state that our daughter Alyssa is presently in.

Thank you ever so much Ryan! We do have an excellent doctor who Alyssa meets with and has done so for the last 2 years. The doctor has diagnosed her with bipolar disorder and has her on Zoloft. He is willing to try other medication since we are only getting very minimal results. He has hoped with time she will get better, but that is not happening yet. The reason I went online this morning was to try to get my daughter more help. I want desperately for her to get her life back. I was hoping for advice that might be a better solution for her condition. Our doctor as well as my husband and I are willing to try anything to help her. Maybe your advice for counseling might be what God is wanting us to try. I believe that God is sovereign, I love Him with all my heart, and I know He wants to help us. I just want to do my part to find the solution. I have been praying the whole time you have been reviewing my question that God would give you wisdom in helping us! Our situation needs some guidance at this point in time. Thank you for listening 🙂

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Consideration Of Psychological Constructs

Regarding psychological constructs of comorbid GAD and MDD, Fresco et al have compared the scores of Penn State Worry Questionnaire , Response Style Questionnaire and Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire in college students and developed a four-factor solution comprised of two worry factors and two rumination factors which have a significant positive correlation to anxiety and depression. According to that study, excessive and/or pathological worry is not exclusive to anxiety disorders. The GAD group experienced higher levels of worry, including co-morbid GAD/MDD, than MDD alone group. However, the MDD group alone had higher PSWQ scores than a group comprised of non-GAD anxiety disorders. In contrast, rumination is a cognitive, verbal activity associated with MDD. Thus, both worry and rumination factors are separate and distinct cognitive processes but both have significant relationships to depression and anxiety.

Clark et al propose their own model which is a modified cognitive neurophysiological model of anxiety and depression in which maladaptive schemas of the self, the surrounding environment and the future are activated through life experiences that lead to biases in information processing and negative, pessimistic or threat-related thoughts, images or interpretations.

Suicidal Thoughts Or Behaviors

Taking Lamictal may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors. In studies of anti-epileptic drugs such as Lamictal, patients who took one type of drug had about twice the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to people who took a placebo. These symptoms may start as early as one week after starting treatment.

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How It Works And How Long Does Lamictal Take To Work For Anxiety

Lamictal is a brand name for a medication called Lamotrigine. It is the second medication to gain the approval of FDA for use as a mood stabilizer. Lamictal for anxiety works by decreasing the abnormal activity of brain.

Numerous nerve cells make up our brain. These cells transmit electrical signals to communicate with each other. However, these signals require careful monitoring for optimal functioning. In case of overstimulation of the signals the brain performance can malfunction causing fits and seizures.

The medicine Lamotrigine reduces the chances of epileptic fits by normalizing the electrical activity of the brain. It does this by blocking the way of sodium from entering the nerve cells. It also prevents the release of neurotransmitter called glutamate that is responsible for increasing the excitement agent in the brain. Health experts claim that glutamate plays a key role in causing epileptic seizures and reducing its release is the best way to stabilize activity in brain.

When To Go To The Hospital

If you have taken more lamotrigine than the dosage recommended by the doctor who prescribed it to you, you must get medical help immediately even if you do not feel any different. Go to A& E, and take your medicine with you to show the doctors. Tell them how much you have taken. Get a friend to go with you, if you can, just in case you feel ill on the way.

You might get any of the following symptoms:

• quick, uncontrollable body movements
• clumsiness and lack of co-ordination, causing problems with your balance
• heart rhythm changes
• loss of consciousness, convulsions/seizures or coma

While taking lamotrigine some people may think about hurting themselves or have thoughts of taking their own lives. This can happen to anyone, including people who are under 25. These thoughts may happen or get worse in the first few weeks of taking the medicine. You must go straight to hospital with your medicine if you have any of these thoughts and tell the doctor that you are taking lamotrigine. There are other medications you can take instead.

You should also go to a doctor or hospital straight away if you get any of the following symptoms:

If these reactions occur, they tend to be during the first eight weeks of taking lamotrigine.

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Dosage For Bipolar Disorder

The following table details Lamictal dosages for bipolar I disorder in adults.

Your medical professional will start you with a low dosage, then increase it over time. This is to lower your risk of a serious skin rash* from Lamictal.

Your dosage also depends on other drugs youre taking for bipolar disorder.

• Dosage A: If you take Lamictal with valproate* .
• Dosage B: If you take Lamictal but not carbamazepine , phenytoin , phenobarbital, primidone , or valproate.
• Dosage C: If you take Lamictal with carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, or primidone, but not valproate.

• seizures caused by Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

Dosage for adults, as well as children ages 12 and older

For this purpose, the table below details Lamictal dosages for adults, as well as children ages 12 years and older.

Your medical professional will start you on a low dosage, then increase it over time. This is to lower your risk of a serious skin rash* from Lamictal.

Your dosage also depends on other drugs youre taking for bipolar disorder.

• Dosage A: If you take Lamictal with valproate* .
• Dosage B: If you take Lamictal but not carbamazepine , phenytoin , phenobarbital, primidone , or valproate.
• Dosage C: If you take Lamictal with carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, or primidone, but not valproate.

Dosage for children ages 2 to 12

Rated For Migraine Report

I suffer from constant headaches, caused by a convulsive disorder, which in itself is yet to be diagnosed. I’ve had these headaches from morning until nighttime for four years already. The moment I was prescribed a 50 mg dose of Lamotrigine , within fifteen minutes, my headaches were alleviated for the very first time. My dosage is currently 100 mg daily, in order to further alleviate the intensity of the headaches they remain, though at a negligible level. Occasionally they intensify, but the migraines aren’t constant anymore. The pills have exacerbated the convulsions on my legs, however. I had merely one convulsion in my four years of being ill before taking Lamictal. Now I may have one every month.

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Can I Take Lamotrigine With Other Medications

Lamotrigine does not mix well with some other medicines and drugs and may affect the way in which they work. Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications including over-the-counter medicines for common illnesses and things you put on your skin.

Special information about contraceptive pills containing oestrogen

• When lamotrigine is taken with any type of the Pill containing oestrogen, it lowers the level of lamotrigine that you have in your body.
• If you have a pill-free week, the levels of lamotrigine will then rise, which may give you side effects.
• If you take the Pill without a break, it will make your lamotrigine levels stable. You will not be harmed by not having the break.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking lamotrigine if you also take the Pill.
• The morning-after pill does not affect the level of lamotrigine in your body as it does not contain oestrogen.

If you have any further questions about this, you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Lamictal Use While Pregnant Or Breastfeeding

Heres some information about Lamictal, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

Lamictal may harm the fetus if taken during pregnancy, according to animal studies. But animal studies dont always predict how a drug will affect people. If you plan to become pregnant or do become pregnant while taking Lamictal, its recommended that you talk with your medical professional. They can review your treatment plan.

You can also consider joining the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry. This registry collects information about the safety of epilepsy drugs during pregnancy. To learn more, we suggest that you visit the registry site or call 888-233-2334.

Lamictal passes into breast milk and can cause side effects in breastfed children. These side effects can include a rash and drowsiness. If youre breastfeeding or plan to, its important to talk with your medical professional. They can review your treatment plan and advise you on healthy ways to feed your child.

If you have bipolar disorder, epilepsy, or seizures, your medical professional may recommend a prescription drug called Lamictal.

Lamictal is used to treat the following in certain situations:

• bipolar I disorder in adults
• some kinds of epilepsy in adults, as well as children ages 2 and older
• partial-onset seizures in adults, as well as children ages 16 years and older who are switching to Lamictal alone from a different treatment

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Lamictal For Epilepsy Treatment

According to the Patients leaflet, there are some instructions on the epilepsy treatment as indicated below:

• Usually, for adults and children aged 13 years and over, lamotrigine can be used alone or in combination with other anti-epileptic drugs. Additionally, it can also be used with other medicines to treat the seizures caused by a condition called Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.
• Children aged 2 to 12 years, lamotrigine can be used also with other medicine to treat those conditions.

It is important to be aware that the seizures can become worse or happen more often for some types of epilepsy.

You may experience severe seizures, which can result in serious health problems.

If the frequency of your seizures has increased or they become more severe see your doctor as soon as possible.

Can I Drive While Taking Lamotrigine

Do not drive a car or ride a bike just after you start taking lamotrigine.

Taking lamotrigine may make you feel dizzy and may affect your eyesight when you start taking it .

This could affect you if you drive a car, ride a bike, or do anything else that needs a lot of focus. It might be best to stop doing these things for the first few days, until you know how it affects you.

Do not worry – most people do these things as normal while taking lamotrigine.

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Tips For Good Reviews

• Only rate drugs or treatments you’ve tried.
• In your description, mention the brand, dose, and period of time that you used the drug or treatment.
• Please share your positive and negative experiences with the drug, and compare it with other treatments you have used.
• Do not include any personal information or links in your review.

Tips For Taking Lamictal

Lamictal is available in the following forms:

• Immediate-release tablets. These are tablets that you swallow whole. Your medical professional may be able to recommend a different form of Lamictal if you have trouble swallowing the tablets.
• Disintegrating tablets. You place these tablets on your tongue and move them around your mouth. Theyll dissolve and release the medication. You shouldnt chew or split this form of Lamictal.
• Tablets for making a suspension.* You can swallow these tablets whole or chew them. You can also mix them with water or fruit juice plus water. The tablets will dissolve after about 1 minute. Then its advised that you mix the liquid and drink it immediately.

* A suspension is a liquid with particles in it.

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