lamictal withdrawal???? - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

fusionqueen · 03-12-2007, 02:15 PM

I was taking a very small amount of Lamictal...for about 6 days....I noticed my mood was soooooooooo much happier within days...........BUT the severe blurry vision and dizziness made me decide to stop it...........4 days ago............I am STILL blurred vision, headache and dizzy......is this normal when stopping this med?? If would stay on it will those nasty side effects go away...My mood is not as "happy" as it was on it...Seems like I am the only one with side effects from this med!!

tsohl · 03-12-2007, 04:40 PM

It does seem to be pretty well tolerated by most people. I don't know what to say...have you called your pdoc to report this?

Llama · 03-12-2007, 05:06 PM

tshol is right call the pdoc. Even small doses should probably be tapered down slowly. Am I wrong? I don't know for sure; but that is what they usually say for all meds. I've never had a single side effect from lamictal. It's a good med (not so much for mania, but other aspects it really helps!) and it's too bad that it did that to you!

goody2shuz · 03-12-2007, 05:19 PM

Yes, Llama is right...Lamictal is a med that has to be increased slowly and if you are to come off of it you should come off of it slowly too. How much Lamictal were you on before you took yourself off of it???

I know that you had reasons that you felt you should stop this med but perhaps a few more days at a little lower dose could have allowed you to adjust to it and then increase it more slowly. It's a great med with minimal side effects and the pdoc would have advised you what to do so that you could give the med a fighting chance.

I don't mean to make you feel bad....it's just that there are so few opportunities to find the right meds and they all have side effects in the beginning that our bodies have to get use to. My daughter started blacking out on Seroquel and the pdoc told us to give her something salty and a glass of water and promised that she would feel better the next day....I had my doubts but she was right!!!

Hope that you are feeling better soon and that you find a med that brings you stability.

(((HUGS))) ~ Goody

fusionqueen · 03-12-2007, 05:34 PM

Thanks so much!! I totally agree and maybe I should have/should give it more of a chance..........BUT I was on 2.5 mg YES you read it right..........can't get much lower unless I sniff it!! I was really sick on 5mg....... so I cut it back to the 2.5 after a few days said heck with it.........then I was even sicker and I am assuming this is from stopping the med....was thinking of trying it again starting tonight BUT if it is on it's way out of my system I do not want to prolong that.......can it be taken every other day to taper off? I truly felt wonderful and calm mood wise YES on that small dosage and may have worn off and needed an increase but every AD or like med I have taken have been in the 1-3 mg dosages..........Usually liquids.........very frusterating for me!!

I would appreciate you suggestions!