Friend diagnosed w bipolar started taking lamictal a couple weeks ago. any insight into medication/side effects?

Popular choice: Lamotrigine (lamictal) is an anticonvulsant. Several anticonvulsants also are good-to-excellent "mood stabilizers" for treating bd. Lamictal has been in use for about a decade and is typically well tolerated. However, it requires patience, because building to an adequate dose takes time. It's most worrisome se, quite rare in adults, is stephens-johnson syndrome. Overall, a good drug.

Usually not many: The most severe reaction, by far, for someone taking the drug Lamictal is a rash. The rash can be severe and can occur over the entire body. If the person continues to take Lamictal while the rash is becoming worse, this may lead to even more severe complications called stevens johnson syndrome. That is the main side-effect i watch out for with my patients.

Lamictal: Rash incidence has been reported at 1 in every 1, 000 cases. Is more prevalent if patient is taking Depakote (valproic acid) due to increase level of both. Other side-effects reported are aseptic meningitis, fever, double vision, dizziness, insomnia, nightmares or vivid dreams, dry mouth/nausea/cramps, anxiety, emory problems. Incidence of these varies between patients.

Lamictal : Typically better for the lows than the highs. Long titration used in order to avoid the risk of rash that dr. Ali points out. As a result can take 1-2 months to see effect. Agree with dr. Ali as to other possible effects, however typically very well tolerated and many of my patients note no adverse events, including weight gain.

Rash: Main one is a bad rash that can be avoided by starting on a low dose and increasing slow according to directions if you miss a day you have to start over--most pts like it no sedation or wt gain.