Lamictal Withdrawals
Posted By atorturedsoul on September 30, 2009
Side effects of medication
Day 2 of no medication. Let the Lamictal (lamotrigine) withdrawals commence! Oh wait, they already have.
Withdrawals are always fun but I did manage to do some research and I am finding that some of the things I didn’t even think were withdrawal symptoms really are.
Bear with me. I may not make much sense or I may talk in circles. It’s been a long day—and it only started an hour ago. (Yes, I woke up ten minutes before the kids had to get on the bus. Always fun.)
Yesterday, my stepdad went to the doctor because he fell on Monday. They said caffeine was to blame and cleared him to go back to work. He’s excited. I’m excited for him. That was the high spot of my day. Honestly, the rest of the day is somewhat of a blur. I had times where I just curled up in the recliner and would be lost for a while. Then I would have to get up and walk around in circles because I felt like I was shedding my skin like a snake and was symbolically moving around to try to speed up the process.
I just got lost again—I’m getting back on track.
I take 200 milligrams of Lamictal a day and have for I don’t even remember how long now. Almost a year? I’ll tell you when my brain clears. I’m not trying to stop taking it. I simply ran out and am too afraid to go to the pharmacy to pick up my refill. My husband is working late and he can’t pick it up. Agoraphobia bites, I tell you. (After this, I am seriously going to weigh the benefits of taking this med and decide if it is worth all of this trouble in the end. I’m thinking it’s not, but then again I know I’m not thinking too clearly.)
So, how am I doing? I started with waves of nausea yesterday. It wasn’t very bad and it came and went. I had times where I could focus and times where I couldn’t, but it came and went so it wasn’t too bad. I had moments where I felt like I was on the edge of my seat (anxious) and then I had moments where I was just overwhelmed and felt tired even thinking of moving. All of this was manageable, until my skin started crawling.
I had periods with racing thoughts and ideas and then times when I was shaking inside and was trying hard not to cry. There were times when I couldn’t stop talking and times when there were too many voices talking to me. (“It” is back…and I believe with friends.)
There were other things….
“I ran out of Lamictal for 3 days. By the time I got into the psych last week, I had the most horrific back pain and what I can describe as spasm/charley horse type of pain all over my back. Once back on the Lamictal that stopped.”
Posted at Furious Seasons
I have back problems occasionally but it is only bothersome when I do something to aggravate it. Yesterday, I had several shooting pains that felt similar to electricity running down my back and hip. I was trying to figure out what I did to my back but now I am thinking it wasn’t anything I did.
“Once, some time this year, I was without my medication for two days. My prescription had run out and I couldn’t get in touch with my doctor. He was away at a seminar. I felt like I was “losing it”. I knew it was an effect of not having any medication, but there was nothing I could do at the time. My Mom knew the pharmacist, and though it was highly irregular to dispense medication without a prescription, I got some “medication”. The effects were immediate. I felt “normal” again.”
Posted at Furious Seasons
Wait a minute…so I will feel well as soon as I take the Lamictal again? Well, anything would be an improvement today so I believe that. I will try to remember to let you know how that worked out.
The odd thing is that I can remember thinking there really weren’t any side effects to mention when I started taking Lamictal. Compared to any of the other drugs I have taken over the years, there really weren’t enough to mention. I was convinced that this drug would be no problem to quit. I was wrong.
I have seen where a few people have posted that this is the worst drug withdrawals they have experienced. I wouldn’t say that. I wouldn’t say that it is any worse than any of the other times I have been through withdrawals from psychiatric medications. I have been through this several times before and it is honestly about the same as the Effexor and Wellbutrin withdrawals. The problem is that I was not prepared for this. I didn’t expect to have withdrawals at all with this particular medication.
So what will I do? My husband is trying to talk me into going to pick up my prescription. I don’t think it would be safe for me to drive at this point because…hey look, a squirrel! Get my drift?
Oh well. The joys of bipolar disorder are only intensified by our drug interactions, reactions and withdrawals. *Insert sarcasm here*
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About the author
After 4 years on 300 mg day of lamictal I decided enough was enough, It took me 2 months to tapper off , lots of emotions i was angry at times, bursts of anger if you know what i mean now I can focus better much better outlook, what i experience now is a whole array of neurological symptoms, twitching,formication etc….back pain etc. I want to prove that I might not be bipolar! I was abusing coke for many years ! I went to rehab and the told me I was …yea right any way here I m 7 years off drugs and now 4 months of lami….. i am winning this battle! by the way I am a avid bicycle rider planijg to complete my first triathlon early 2011
That’s great! Congratulations and good luck with the triathlon!
Doing good, but the formication is getting bad is all in my face muscles…..I had a bells palsy recently not sure if this is related. My back is also killing me!!!! but i can manage! no tylenol no nothing. My Dr.Already knows and he is ok with me off ther lamictal. Maybe this thing did permanent nerve damage! who kniows!
I truly hope it’s not permanent.
About the palsy, I think it may be common with drugs used to treat seizures. I know someone who has epilepsy and takes meds to treat it. He had Bell’s palsy a few years ago.
I am happy to inform that it has been almost 5 months of the 300mg of lamictal that I used to take every day. No depression no Mania! seems to me like I can manage but is to early, I need to give my self a full year to assess the results accurately.
I’m a 40 year old woman who has lived all my life with Bi-Polar only to FINALLY be diagnosed 4 years ago. I tried other meds, but Lamictal is the only one which worked without side effects. I take 500mg per day (high dose) but I ran out 2 days ago and my dr. was off today (friday) so I’ve been in agony all day. My side effects are dizziness, nausea, ears ringing and muffled. blurry vision, back pain and complete inability to concentrate on anything. Basically I feel like I’m about to have a stroke. Thankfully I called my pharmacy and they a 4 day advance until I can get ahold of my dr. next week. It’s been 4 hours since I took it and I’m slowly snapping out of it. I plan on taking it as long as it helps me control the Bi-Polar. Good luck with anyone on Lamictal and I don’t suggest ever getting off it cold turkey.
Lamictal withdrawals are horrible. I also intend to take it as long as it helps.