Community Forum Archive

The Epilepsy Community Forums are closed, and the information is archived. The content in this section may not be current or apply to all situations. In addition, forum questions and responses include information and content that has been generated by epilepsy community members. This content is not moderated. The information on these pages should not be substituted for medical advice from a healthcare provider. Experiences with epilepsy can vary greatly on an individual basis. Please contact your doctor or medical team if you have any questions about your situation. For more information, learn about epilepsy or visit our resources section.

Memory Loss & Lamictal

Fri, 08/12/2011 - 23:08
Hi everyone. I'm Kat, I've been active on this board for a while but mostly in the Women With Epilepsy forum. I was going to post this in there but I feel like it should be more open to everyone since it's not focusing on women only issues. Since starting Lamictal almost two years ago, I have noticed some fluctuations with my mood as well as my ability to concentrate, that showed mostly as I got up in the dosage. I started at 25mg like most patients and eased my way up to my current 250mg BID (twice a day) dosage. I did the escalation slow as recommended & did not experience any obvious side effects. However, as I've gotten more into my medication routine with it, I have noticed that my moods seem to fluctuate (just a little bit, but still noticeable) and I know that Lamictal is also used to manage bipolar disorder. I am currently in the process of switching doctors so I've been waiting to talk to my new doctor about these issues. I don't have the best relationship with my current doctor & feel as if he doesn't listen so I don't see the point in even bringing it up. In fact, I believe I brought it up to him in the past but to no avail. His answer for everything is either "that's normal but not worrysome" or "lets increase the dose & call me in a week". To run through what I've noticed, the main thing is that I have a hard time handling a day regimen that requires me to multitask. This presents a lot of problems because I have a very busy life with working, managing my home due to my boyfriend being away a lot for his work, taking care of a new puppy practically by myself & being a college student, about to enter a very heavily crowded schedule. I have taken on two jobs in the fall after school starts & even though I have an optimistic look to it, I know from my past that my memory lapses cause a lot of problem. For example, I missed the deadlines for several things involving school that will make my semester hard such as missing the deadline for a grant that would be very helpful & missing the date to order the main campus parking permit & having to get one that's much more difficult to deal with. I've always been a little scatterbrained but it seems much worse lately. Sometimes someone can tell me something & in just fifteen minutes, I forget what they said. This causes a lot of frustration with everyone around me & makes me feel incompetent. I'm not entirely sure it's just the medication but in my heart, I feel like it has something to do with it. Does anyone else that's on Lamictal (I take the generic lamotragine) experience similar problems? If so, how much does it affect your life & how much is your current dosage? I appreciate any feedback. Thanks guys!

Comments

Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal

Submitted by Little Sparrow on Thu, 2012-09-13 - 13:15
I have also experienced memory loss most likely with Lamictal as this was my most recent medicine change. It seems to affect long term and short term memory equally. I was started out at 200 mg by my psychiatrist when Tegretol was playing kickball with my liver, so to speak. And when I recently developed epilepsy my neurologist upped it to 400 mg. In both cases, I did not have a gradual increase. And I thought it peculiar when my neurologist said to her nurse to up my Lamictal to 400 mg, she said to the nurse "It can't hurt." Since then I have gradually had a worsening of tension headaches because I can rub my neck and gain some relief. I now have monstrous headaches and no Ibuoprofen or neck rubbing do any good. Is this a symptom of Lamictal?

Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal

Submitted by tcameron on Thu, 2012-09-13 - 15:47
Is Lamictal your only AED?  Is it possible to be sure this is causing the memory loss?  I'm under the care of one of the top epileptologists in the U.S.  I take the max dose of 4 AEDs without feeling 'tipsy'.  I still cant completley control my seizures!  I'm experiencing memory loss as well.  It's frustrating and embarrassing.  How can anyone who takes a multitude of AEDs know if any are causing the memory loss or an AED interatction?  Could it be because of the 'electrical pathways' the brain makes with each seizure, making the body more prone to having even more seizures?  A combination of all?  I take 700 mg of Lamictal every day.

Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal

Submitted by tcameron on Thu, 2012-09-13 - 15:47
Is Lamictal your only AED?  Is it possible to be sure this is causing the memory loss?  I'm under the care of one of the top epileptologists in the U.S.  I take the max dose of 4 AEDs without feeling 'tipsy'.  I still cant completley control my seizures!  I'm experiencing memory loss as well.  It's frustrating and embarrassing.  How can anyone who takes a multitude of AEDs know if any are causing the memory loss or an AED interatction?  Could it be because of the 'electrical pathways' the brain makes with each seizure, making the body more prone to having even more seizures?  A combination of all?  I take 700 mg of Lamictal every day.

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.