Lamictal Side Effects

Most of us might have heard of bipolar disorder, which is characterized by a person's mood swings that ranges from being totally on the depressed side to one of feeling highly euphoric. And some of us might also be aware of epilepsy. This is a disorder of the central nervous system that is marked by the occurrence and recurrence of seizures. Now the reason I told you about these two medical conditions is that, they are related to what we are discussing here in this article - Lamictal. In other words, Lamictal is a drug that is prescribed for the treatment of these medical conditions mentioned above. Other names for this drug include Lamictal XR, and Lamictal CD. This drug may be used alone or in conjunction with other medications, for the treatment of epilepsy or bipolar disorder. As long as this medicine is taken, the symptoms may be controlled, and there is no way with which it can cure the problem. Therefore, it can be said that, Lamictal is meant for symptomatic relief for these two conditions. The following describes the various Lamination side effects, and then it will be followed by some more facts on the same.

Side Effects of Lamictal

It is common for most medications to give rise to a number of unwanted effects, along with the ones that it is required to produce to treat a medical condition such as an epilepsy or bipolar disorder. The following presents a list of side effects that have been commonly observed in people using Lamictal. It also lists out some that are less common in occurrence, and some rare ones.

Common
Not all the side effects presented below occur in people. But experts say, that when they do, the affected person requires medical attention to avoid complications. The side effects may include:

Dizziness

Blurred vision

Headaches

Nausea/vomiting

Clumsiness

Hard to maintain coordination

Double vision

Skin rash

Less Common
Besides the above mentioned Lamictal side effects, they might occur some more but in less common incidences. They may include:

Pain in the chest

Confusion

Depression; may be accompanied by anxiety

Worsened seizures

Infection

Increased irritability

Insomnia

Abdominal pain

Fatigue

Fever

Weight loss

Rare
In very few cases, the following side effects may show up:

Pain in the chest

Chills

Symptoms that mimic those of influenza

Itching

Memory loss

Cramps in muscles

Reddened eyes

Sore throat

Swelling of lymph nodes

Speech problems

Neck pain

Breathing problems

Yellow discoloration of skin and eyes

Abnormal weakness

Allergic reaction such as face, mouth, hands, or feet

Sores on lips or in the mouth

Nervousness

Increased sex drive

Dry skin

Perspiration

Migraines

Weight gain

How Does it Work?

The working of the drug for managing the symptoms of epilepsy and bipolar disorder, is something that has not been determined by doctors as yet. However, despite this, the safety and effectiveness of the medication have undergone a proper clinical evaluation taken up by experts.

Precaution
It is necessary that before using any kind of medication, one must determine the benefit of the medication vs the risks of taking it. And the same goes with this medication we are discussing here.

• Patients must inform their doctors if they have any type of allergy to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals.
• The doctor must also be informed in case the patients have liver problems, disease of the kidneys or of the heart, or blood disorder.
• Although the effects of the medication on expecting and nursing mothers have not been fully understood, it is better to err on the safer side. So they must also discuss with their caregivers about using Lamictal.
• Some common drugs with which this medicine may interact include Carbamazepine, Divalproex, oral contraceptives and Phenytoin.

And to conclude, Lamictal side effects that may occur in case of overdose, include drowsiness, headache, increased pulse, dizzy spells, unsteadiness, and slurred speech. These side effects are way more serious that what have been mentioned above. Besides these, an overdose can also cause the person to go into a state of coma.