Posted by Bob on December 13, 2000, at 9:34:01
In reply to Re: lamictal, posted by SLS on December 13, 2000, at 6:56:17
> > I recently began adding Lamictal to my regimen of Celexa (20mg daily), and T3/T4 (12.5mcg each daily) I am in the middle of my second week of taking 50mg daily according to the "plan" which requires a slow buildup. My understanding is that this is required due to the risk of a possibly life threatening rash. In the days immediately following beginning this medecine I began experiencing itchiness on various areas of my body, such as my arms, hands, legs, and waist. Upon examination, I couldn't really see any rashes, and my psych said that "if you have to guess, then it's not a problem". Well, this week, the itchiness has become slightly less, but it seems that in the region of my back upper arms (triceps) there is a very slight (barely discernible) rash. Nothing I would be concerned about if circumstances were anything other than what they are. My question is: does anyone have experience with developing
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> > I recently began adding Lamictal to my regimen of Celexa (20mg daily), and T3/T4 (12.5mcg each daily) I am in the middle of my second week of taking 50mg daily according to the "plan" which requires a slow buildup. My understanding is that this is required due to the risk of a possibly life threatening rash. In the days immediately following beginning this medecine I began experiencing itchiness on various areas of my body, such as my arms, hands, legs, and waist.
> Upon examination, I couldn't really see any rashes, and my psych said that "if you have to guess, then it's not a problem". Well, this week, the itchiness has become slightly less, but it seems that in the region of my back upper arms (triceps) there is a very slight (barely discernible) rash. Nothing I would be concerned about if circumstances were anything other than what they are. My question is: does anyone have experience with developing itchiness in the beginning of Lamictal treatment, only to have it subside later, or am I heading down an undesirable path?
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> It is hard to know for sure what is going on, but I think caution is indicated. If it were me, I would want to maintain the dosage until this rash either disappears, or is determined to be unrelated. If you have never experienced anything like this before, you are forced to consider it as probably drug-related. To the degree you describe it, I would anticipate that it will subside quickly. Then you can continue titrating upwards, perhaps at the rate JohnL has recommended.
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> Were you on 25mg for two weeks before moving up to 50mg? I think you are supposed to when Lamictal is not being added to the enzyme-inducing anticonvulsant drugs that tend to speed-up its metabolism. That's how I did it anyway.
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> 25mg - > 2 weeks
> 50mg - > 2 weeks
> 100mg - > 1 week
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> 50mg-300mg: Range for depression
> 200mg: Average for bipolar depression
> 300mg-600mg: Range for epilepsy
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> - ScottThere is little doubt to me that the symptoms are drug related.I received a manufacturer's "kit" designed to keep track of the dose increases. It tells you to start right off with 2 X 25mg per day! It sounds like even this is too much to begin with. It seems like the symptoms might be fading, so I guess I'll just hold at this dose for awhile, and then increase in 12.5mg increments. BTW, thank you for the therapeutic drug level info.
Did Lamictal end up helping you? Did you ever experience itching or a rash?
poster:Bob
thread:50461
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001130/msgs/50489.html