Posted by Emme on May 4, 2003, at 8:51:32
In reply to lamictal concerns, posted by lalaland on May 3, 2003, at 19:50:15
Don't freak. The odds I read are that 1 in 10 people get *some* kind of rash while on it, but mostly harmless. The risk of Stevens Johnson is increased if you're a child, if you're also taking valproic acid, or if you increase the dosage too rapidly.
I got mild rashes on 3 occasions while titrating up on lamictal. The rashes disappeared within 24 hours. My pdoc had me see a dermatologist to be on the safe side and be sure they were benign. We then kept the titration slower than most people do (7.5 mg/week).
Odds are you'll be fine if you creep it up slowly. If you do get a rash, see a doctor about it. If you get a mild rash, it's not an absolute given that you'll hve to discontinue the drug. You may be able to drop the dosage and increase more slowly. Don't be terrified of trying Lamictal - it is a good drug. Good luck.
Emme
poster:Emme
thread:224129
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030429/msgs/224205.html