Lamotrigine
About Lamotrigine
Lamotrigine belongs to a group of anticonvulsants or anti-epileptics used to treat epilepsy/seizures/fits. Additionally, Lamotrigine also treats bipolar disorder. Epilepsy is a sudden rush of electricity in the brain. In epilepsy, the brain's electrical rhythms become imbalanced, resulting in recurrent seizures, sometimes leading to an unconscious state. Bipolar disorder is a severe brain disorder in which a person experiences extreme mood swings (variance in thinking) and frequent mood and behavioural changes.
Lamotrigine contains Lamotrigine, which works by blocking sodium channels and reducing the release of glutamate, a brain chemical that can trigger seizures or mood changes. This calms excessive nerve activity, helping control seizures in epilepsy and reducing the risk of mood episodes in bipolar disorder.
You are advised to take Lamotrigine for as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you, depending on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience certain common side effects such as skin rash, headache, nausea, vomiting, dryness in the mouth, insomnia (difficulty in sleeping), sleepiness, dizziness, back pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, blurred vision, double vision, impaired coordination, nasal congestion (stuffy nose), and infection. Most of these side effects do not require medical attention and will resolve gradually over time. However, you are advised to talk to your doctor if you experience these side effects persistently.
To treat your condition effectually, do not stop taking Lamotrigine without consulting your doctor to avoid worsening of seizures. Do not take Lamotrigine if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy unless prescribed by the doctor, as it could lead to serious congenital disabilities. If you are of childbearing age, use effective contraception while taking Lamotrigine. Consult your doctor before taking Lamotrigine if you are breastfeeding. Contact your doctor if your child gets her first period whilst on treatment with Lamotrigine. Do not drive or operate machinery as Lamotrigine causes drowsiness and dizziness. Avoid consuming alcohol along with Lamotrigine as it could lead to increased dizziness and sleepiness. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience suicidal tendencies.
Uses of Lamotrigine
Medicinal Benefits
- Lamotrigine contains Lamotrigine, which helps control seizures by stabilizing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
- It reduces the release of glutamate, a chemical messenger that can trigger seizures, preventing excessive nerve overactivity.
- It decreases the frequency and severity of seizures in conditions such as partial-onset seizures, primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome.
- It helps delay the occurrence of mood episodes (depressive, manic, or mixed) in individuals with Bipolar I Disorder, maintaining long-term emotional balance.
- It has a well-established safety profile in pediatric epilepsy and is not associated with physical or psychological dependence or abuse potential.
Directions for Use
- Take Lamotrigine with food or as directed by your doctor.
- Always follow your doctor’s advice regarding the prescribed dosage and duration of treatment.
- Swallow Lamotrigine whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, chew, or break the tablet.
Storage
Side Effects of Lamotrigine
- Skin rash
- Headache
- Nausea, vomiting
- Aggression or irritability
- Dryness in mouth
- Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping)
- Sleepiness
- Shaking or tremors
- Dizziness
- Back pain
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Impaired coordination
- Nasal congestion (stuffy nose)
- Infection
- Pain in your back or joints or elsewhere
Drug Warnings
- Do not take Lamotrigine if you are allergic to Lamotrigine or its ingredients. Seek immediate medical help if you develop sudden swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing, or severe skin reactions such as rash, blistering, peeling, or sores in the mouth or around the eyes. These reactions may be life-threatening, especially in children, at high starting doses, or when combined with valproic acid.
- Inform your doctor about all your existing medical conditions, particularly liver, kidney, or pancreas problems, urea cycle disorders, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord lining, porphyria (a blood pigment disorder), or low platelet levels.
- Tell your doctor about all medicines, supplements, or herbal products you are taking, as certain drugs may interact with Lamotrigine and increase the risk of side effects.
- Do not stop taking Lamotrigine suddenly without your doctor’s advice, as abrupt withdrawal can cause serious, life-threatening seizures.
- Consult your doctor before using Lamotrigine if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. This medicine may harm the unborn baby and could affect the child’s cognitive abilities (reasoning, intelligence, problem-solving) later in life.
- Use Lamotrigine with caution in children, as they may have a higher risk of severe skin reactions and other side effects.
- Avoid alcohol consumption while taking Lamotrigine, as it can increase dizziness, drowsiness, and the risk of side effects.
- Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Lamotrigine affects you, as it may cause dizziness, drowsiness, or reduced alertness.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Lamotrigine may have interaction with pain killers (aspirin), anti-epileptics (oxcarbazepine, felbamate, gabapentin, levetiracetam, pregabalin, topiramate, zonisamide, valproate, carbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone, phenobarbitone), blood thinner (warfarin), anti-HIV (zidovudine, lopinavir, ritonavir), anti-depressant (moclobemide, selegiline, linezolid, amitriptyline, sertraline, uetiapine, diazepam, olanzapine), anti-psychotic (quetiapine, olanzapine, risperidone), antibiotics (panipenem, imipenem, meropenem, rifampicin, erythromycin ), antimalarial (mefloquine, chloroquine) medicine used to treat cancer(temozolomide), calcium channel blocker (nimodipine), anaesthetic (propofol), hormone (oestrogen, levonorgestrel), antacid (cimetidine), bile-acid sequestrant (cholestyramine).
Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid alcohol consumption while taking Lamotrigine as it might cause increased dizziness and sleepiness.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Lamotrigine may have interactions with disease conditions such as depression, liver disease, Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) (immune disorder), Brugada syndrome (heart problem), suicidal tendency, HIV disease, thrombocytopenia (low levels of platelets).
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeIt is advised to avoid alcohol consumption while taking Lamotrigine. Alcohol intake, along with Lamotrigine, may cause increased dizziness and drowsiness. Please consult your doctor for more information.
Pregnancy
cautionLamotrigine is a pregnancy category C drug. Animal studies showed that Lamotrigine affects the fetus in pregnancy, but there is limited data in humans. Using antipsychotic drugs during the third trimester of pregnancy can cause muscle problems in newborns. Please consult your doctor before taking Lamotrigine if you are pregnant or planning to conceive.
Breast Feeding
cautionIt is not known if Lamotrigine is excreted into the breast milk. Please consult your doctor before taking Lamotrigine if you are a breastfeeding mother.
Driving
unsafeLamotrigine may make you feel dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive if you are not mentally alert or experience any symptoms that affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
Liver
cautionDose adjustment may be needed in patients with liver impairment. Please consult your doctor if you have a liver impairment or any concerns regarding this.
Kidney
cautionDose adjustment may be needed in patients with kidney impairment. Please consult your doctor if you have kidney impairment or any concerns regarding this.
Children
cautionLamotrigine can be given to children if prescribed by the doctor. The doctor will adjust the dose.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- A ketogenic diet (low in carbohydrates and high in fats) is recommended for children with epilepsy. This diet helps the body utilise fat instead of glucose for energy generation.
- The Atkins diet (high fat and controlled carbohydrates) is recommended for adolescents and adults.
- Rest well, and get plenty of sleep.
- Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption.
- Exercise, meditation, and yoga can help lower stress, decrease pain sensitivity, and improve coping skills.
- Prepare your living area; small changes may reduce the risk of physical injury during a seizure.
- Install an alarm or emergency device to get assistance during a seizure attack.
Special Advise
- Contact your doctor if your child gets her first period whilst on treatment with Lamotrigine.
- If you are of childbearing age, use effective contraception without interruptions during your entire treatment with Lamotrigine.
- Consult your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking Lamotrigine.
- After taking Lamotrigine, if you have thoughts of harming or killing yourself (suicidal behaviour), stop taking Lamotrigine and immediately contact your doctor.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Epilepsy: It is a brain-related problem in which there is a sudden rush of electricity in the brain. This sudden, uncontrolled disturbance in nerve cell's electrical activity in the brain results in recurrent seizures (fits), sometimes leading to an unconscious state. In patients with seizures, the typical brain electrical pattern is disrupted by sudden bursts of electrical impulses that affect an individual's consciousness, movements, or sensations. Seizures are of two types: generalised and partial seizures. Generalised seizures affect the entire brain, whereas partial seizures affect only a part of the brain. Seizures can cause uncontrollable muscle twitches and spasms. Stronger seizures may cause people to become confused or unconscious. Possible causes include high fever, trauma, genetic disorder, brain injury, or stroke.
Bipolar disorder: Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression or bipolar disease, is a mental health disorder associated with episodes of mood swings ranging from manic highs to depressive lows.
FAQs
Lamotrigine is used in the treatment of Epilepsy (fits) and Bipolar disorder. It contains Lamotrigine, which reduces the electrical impulses and subsequent firing of the nerve impulses that cause fits. Lamotrigine decreases the brain's excessive and abnormal nerve activity, thereby helping control seizures.
Do not discontinue Lamotrigine without consulting your doctor. To treat your condition effectively, continue taking Lamotrigine for as long as prescribed. Do not be reluctant to speak with your doctor if you feel any difficulty while taking Lamotrigine. Your doctor will reduce the dose gradually to avoid worsening seizures.
Lamotrigine may cause weight gain due to an increase in appetite. Maintain a healthy weight by following a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Dry mouth could be a side-effect of Lamotrigine. Limiting caffeine intake, avoiding smoking and mouthwashes containing alcohol, drinking water regularly, and chewing sugar-free gum/candy might stimulate saliva and prevent drying of the mouth.
Lamotrigine helps to treat manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder by increasing the amount of a chemical substance called GABA, this helps in blocking the nerve transmission across the brain and provides a calming effect.
Lamotrigine contains Lamotrigine, which works by blocking sodium channels and reducing the release of glutamate, a brain chemical that can trigger seizures or mood changes. This calms excessive nerve activity, helping control seizures in epilepsy and reducing the risk of mood episodes in bipolar disorder.
The side effects of Lamotrigine include sleepiness, dizziness, tremor, back pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, blurred or double vision, tiredness, fever, dry mouth, sore throat, stuffy nose, stomach pain and infections, including seasonal flu. However, if these side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
Epilepsy also called as seizure disorder is a brain-related disorder affecting people of all ages characterized by repeated seizures that are brief episodes of involuntary movement that may involve a part of the body or full body. It is caused due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain and sometimes followed by loss of consciousness and control of bladder or bowel function.
Bipolar disorder also called as manic depression is a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, concentration, and activity levels. It is marked by episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.
There have been cases where patients were hospitalized after experiencing severe rashes within 8 weeks of starting Lamotrigine. Sometimes these rashes progress into severe skin infections and may risk the patient’s life. Therefore, if a patient develops rashes after starting Lamotrigine, it is recommended that Lamotrigine should be stopped and should not be restarted. The use of Lamotrigine is stopped even if the rashes are mild and not serious. This is the reason your doctor changed the medicine.
Though it is different from person to person, it may take about 6-8 weeks for your symptoms to improve.
You may experience uncontrollable and quick eye movements, lack of coordination and clumsiness. High doses of Lamotrigine may cause changes in heartbeat rhythm, balance problems, loss of consciousness, fits (convulsions) or coma. If you suspect you have taken more than the recommended dose of Lamotrigine, seek medical help immediately, even if there are no signs of discomfort.
You are recommended to consult your doctor before taking Lamotrigine with other antiepileptic medicines to avoid drug interactions.
Take Lamotrigine as advised by the doctor. It can be taken with or without food. Swallow it as whole with a glass of water. Do not break, crush or chew it.
Yes, you can take Lamotrigine if you have symptoms of depression. In fact, Lamotrigine is used to prevent depression. However, do not self-medicate. Use Lamotrigine only if prescribed by a doctor.
