# Lamictal and the 'Rashes'



## Homers_child (Apr 13, 2008)

A month ago my psychiatrist gave me a starter kit for Lamictal, for depression. I disagreed with his choice because I wanted to treat the DPD, no the secondary depression. I now see that Lamictal is a very common drug used to treat DPD! So now, I'd like to finally start it. But frankly, the 1 in 10 chance of a rash, and that rash could be life-threatening is stopping me.

How many people have tried Lamictal, and have any of you gotten this rash?


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## ValleyGirl (Nov 10, 2017)

I took lamictal and didn't get a rash. It appeared to be working in the first week I took it. BUT then I started having really bad neurological side effects. I ended up stopping it because it was a living hell being on it.


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## Homers_child (Apr 13, 2008)

What kind of neurological side effects? I mean, I don't want to scare myself too much, but I'd like to know if I should be concerned over something.


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2010)

Dear Homer's,

As usual, each person is different. Aside from Klonopin (which really saved my life), I am on Lamictal 200mg/day, I think since 1997? Forgot. My doctor told me when starting it, very slowly, "If you see what looks like a mosquito bite on your leg" go to the ER, then call me and stop the med. But nothing has ever happened. Also, I had to be on it at 200mg (more than that made me too tired) has made me "less fearful of the DP/DR" ... it is still here, but it helped "put it on the back burner." Also it did stabilize what I didn't realize I had my whole life -- a minor mood disorder on the spectrum of bipolar .... I am NOT bipolar (it also helps with that), but it made me more even keeled.

For me I have been fine on it for all these years.

Also, note that that rash (The Steven Johnson's syndrome sp?) can occur with MANY medications, including antibiotics. I'm not sure why they scare people to death over it, but if you have any doubt that you are getting a rash, you go off the med (ask your doctor, mine at the time said just stop it immediately), go directly to an ER. It is my understanding that if treated early you are fine as well. It is when people let something go ... even for a day ... that they can get into trouble. So you have to watch carefully. I initially thought any itch was trouble. But as we increased the doseage I was not worried. I felt a good deal of confidence that even if something happened that getting IMMEDIATE medical attention would make things AOK.

I am glad I am on the med. I also get liver checks, it can be harder on your liver ... or so I was told. I have had no liver problems either.

Take Care,
And if you can, "push the dose" and give it time. If one dose that is tolerable seems to be doing very little. Go up (per your doctor's instructions to the next dose and WAIT). It was the strangest thing. I don't remember exactly now, but I was at 200mg for at least 3 weeks when SLOWLY something very subtle changed. My husband even noticed it before I did or the doctor. And the DP/DR again became less intrusive.

Another option is Neurontin, which has given one friend basically a full remission of symptoms.... for many years now.


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## ValleyGirl (Nov 10, 2017)

Homers_child said:


> What kind of neurological side effects? I mean, I don't want to scare myself too much, but I'd like to know if I should be concerned over something.


I had an intense over awareness of myself, my thoughts, my movements. It felt like everything was magnified 1000 times. If I moved my hand it was overwhelming to me. I couldn't do anything but lay very still in bed in dim lighting.


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## insaticiable (Feb 23, 2010)

Homers_child said:


> A month ago my psychiatrist gave me a starter kit for Lamictal, for depression. I disagreed with his choice because I wanted to treat the DPD, no the secondary depression. I now see that Lamictal is a very common drug used to treat DPD! So now, I'd like to finally start it. But frankly, the 1 in 10 chance of a rash, and that rash could be life-threatening is stopping me.
> 
> How many people have tried Lamictal, and have any of you gotten this rash?


I have been on Lamictal for over a year, with no rash.

From personal experience and what I know in general, if you titrate the dose every 2 weeks, you should be fine.


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## Homers_child (Apr 13, 2008)

Thanks for the responses everyone. I took my first 25mg today. My mom is super worried since I had a bad reaction to Abilify before this. (but that was my fault, I increased another drug on my own at the same time)

I'm trying not to think of any bad reactions because thinking about it can cause side effects to happen. (placebo effect). I'm just going to concentrate on the positive that could happen.

Dreamer, thank you for the informative post. If I get a rash I think I will go the ER immediately because getting a hold of my psychiatrist is kind of difficult. I'm searching for a psychiatrist that is familiar with dissociation and actually is more involved with their patients. When I had the horrible reaction to Abilify, the doctor didn't even try to get into contact with me after my therapist told him. He just ignored it and said it was something else. It wasn't. Haha.

usetobetinyfairypeople, That does sound strange, but are you sure it wasn't the DP lifting? Of course, I have no idea what your DP is like. For me, I'm unaware of my body, so if that happened, I would presume it was lifting. But if it freaked you out, it was probably bad.


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## razer777 (Jun 28, 2010)

From what I've read of this drug it is very safe compared to pretty much everything else used to treat DP. The rash happens in 5-10% of people but only one in a thousand develop a serious rash (and if you catch it early it won't harm you.


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## voidvoid (Sep 5, 2008)

Homers_child said:


> If I get a rash I think I will go the ER immediately because getting a hold of my psychiatrist is kind of difficult. I'm searching for a psychiatrist that is familiar with dissociation and actually is more involved with their patients. When I had the horrible reaction to Abilify, the doctor didn't even try to get into contact with me after my therapist told him. He just ignored it and said it was something else. It wasn't. Haha.


Sounds like you are from Sweden


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