Lamotrigine
Lamotrigine may cause rashes, including serious rashes that may need to be treated in a hospital or cause permanent disability or death. Tell your doctor if you are taking valproic acid (Depakene) or divalproex (Depakote) because taking these medications with lamotrigine may increase your risk of developing a serious rash. Also tell your doctor if you have ever developed a rash after taking lamotrigine or any other medication for epilepsy or if you are allergic to any medications for epilepsy.
Your doctor will start you on low dose of lamotrigine and gradually increase your dose, not more than once every 1 to 2 weeks. You may be more likely to develop a serious rash if you take a higher starting dose or increase your dose faster than your doctor tells you that you should. Your first doses of medication may be packaged in a starter kit that will clearly show you the right amount of medication to take each day during the first 5 weeks of your treatment. This will help you to follow your doctor’s instructions as your dose is slowly increased. Be sure to take lamotrigine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Serious rashes usually develop during the first 2 to 8 weeks of treatment with lamotrigine, but can develop at any time during treatment. If you develop any of the following symptoms while you are taking lamotrigine, call your doctor immediately: rash; blistering or peeling of the skin; hives; itching; or painful sores in your mouth or around your eyes.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking lamotrigine or of giving lamotrigine to your child. Children 2-17 years of age who take lamotrigine are more likely to develop serious rashes than adults who take the medication.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with lamotrigine and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.
🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?
Lamotrigine extended-release (long-acting) tablets are used with other medications to treat certain types of seizures in patients who have epilepsy. All types of lamotrigine tablets (tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, and chewable tablets) other than the extended-release tablets are used alone or with other medications to treat seizures in people who have epilepsy or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (a disorder that causes seizures and often causes developmental delays). All types of lamotrigine tablets other than the extended-release tablets are also used to increase the time between episodes of depression, mania (frenzied or abnormally excited mood), and other abnormal moods in patients with bipolar I disorder (manic-depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Lamotrigine has not been shown to be effective when people experience the actual episodes of depression or mania, so other medications must be used to help people recover from these episodes. Lamotrigine is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Interestingly, Americans show more favor toward Medicare for All healthcare initiatives than they do toward these efforts when they are labeled as “single payer,” most likely due to the popularity of the Medicare program, STAT
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Lamotrigine comes as a tablet, an extended-release tablet, an orally disintegrating tablet (dissolves in the mouth and can be swallowed without water), and a chewable dispersible (can be chewed or dissolved in liquid) tablet to take by mouth with or without food. The extended-release tablets are taken once a day. The tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, and chewable dispersible tablets are usually taken once or twice a day, but may be taken once every other day at the beginning of treatment. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
There are other medications that have names similar to the brand name for lamotrigine. You should be sure that you receive lamotrigine and not one of the similar medications each time you fill your prescription. Be sure that the prescription your doctor gives you is clear and easy to read. Talk to your pharmacist to be sure that you are given lamotrigine. After you receive your medication, compare the tablets to the pictures in the manufacturer’s patient information sheet. If you think you were given the wrong medication, talk to your pharmacist. Do not take any medication unless you are certain it is the medication that your doctor prescribed.
Swallow the tablets and extended-release tablets whole; do not split, chew, or crush them.
If you are taking the chewable dispersible tablets, you may swallow them whole, chew them, or dissolve them in liquid. If you chew the tablets, drink a small amount of water or diluted fruit juice afterward to wash down the medication. To dissolve the tablets in liquid, place 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of water or diluted fruit juice in a glass. Place the tablet in the liquid and wait 1 minute to allow it to dissolve. Then swirl the liquid and drink all of it immediately. Do not try to divide a single tablet to be used for more than one dose.
To take an orally disintegrating tablet, place it on your tongue and move it around in your mouth. Wait a short time for the tablet to dissolve, and then swallow it with or without water.
If your medication comes in a blisterpack, check the blisterpack before you take your first dose. Do not use any of the medication from the pack if any of the blisters are torn, broken, or do not contain tablets.
If you were taking another medication to treat seizures and are switching to lamotrigine, your doctor will gradually decrease your dose of the other medication and gradually increase your dose of lamotrigine. Follow these directions carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about how much of each medication you should take.
Lamotrigine may control your condition, but it will not cure it. It may take several weeks for you to feel the full benefit of lamotrigine. Continue to take lamotrigine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking lamotrigine without talking to your doctor, even if you experience side effects such as unusual changes in behavior or mood. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually. If you suddenly stop taking lamotrigine, you may experience seizures. If you do stop taking lamotrigine for any reason, do not start taking it again without talking to your doctor.
