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Memory Loss & Lamictal
Fri, 08/12/2011 - 23:08Topic: Medication Issues
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 barney on Thu, 2013-05-23 - 08:40
Dear Happyp:
Very nice post. I am relatively new to this forum and swung through this site and finally saw other posts. I found out that some side effects of the meds are shared by other folks. At first, I thought the mood swings were from my stressful living situation, but then I saw some posts and said: "Holy smoke - of course!" I have been on phenobarbitol (space cadet!) , dilantin (the worst downer!), neurontin (not too bad), Keppra(mood swings from rage to somnolence), trileptal (low sodium levels, and because I run alot - lead to a sz!), and am now on neurontin and lamictal. So all of these postings are of great interest. I have complex partial, very occasional grand mal since surgery in 2001.
Every treatment has had a large impact on my life, but I agree - there are ways to manage all the effects you notice and attitude about your condition makes a huge difference. The big thing is to pay attention and then act to counteract (sp?) the effects. I use my notes in my phone for lists for everything from construction materials to food to my current meds. Then when someone asks, I just call up my list of meds, ghive them my phone and they can see at a glance what's what. I have never been good on calendar dates, so I don't know if that's a side effect of meds or the surgery, or epilepsy. I had my first noticeable sz when I was 27, beginning a new job, was pregnant (well, we were) and wowee, what a shocker! This healthy young buck, just starting a new career and BLAM. So we moved on to dealing with injuries and side effects as best as we could. Right now, I just switched to Lamictal, and am waiting to what the side effects are and to return to driving eventually.
Best of luck to you, and to everyone who reads these posts,
Peter
Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal
Submitted by barney on Thu, 2013-05-23 - 08:40
Dear Happyp:
Very nice post. I am relatively new to this forum and swung through this site and finally saw other posts. I found out that some side effects of the meds are shared by other folks. At first, I thought the mood swings were from my stressful living situation, but then I saw some posts and said: "Holy smoke - of course!" I have been on phenobarbitol (space cadet!) , dilantin (the worst downer!), neurontin (not too bad), Keppra(mood swings from rage to somnolence), trileptal (low sodium levels, and because I run alot - lead to a sz!), and am now on neurontin and lamictal. So all of these postings are of great interest. I have complex partial, very occasional grand mal since surgery in 2001.
Every treatment has had a large impact on my life, but I agree - there are ways to manage all the effects you notice and attitude about your condition makes a huge difference. The big thing is to pay attention and then act to counteract (sp?) the effects. I use my notes in my phone for lists for everything from construction materials to food to my current meds. Then when someone asks, I just call up my list of meds, ghive them my phone and they can see at a glance what's what. I have never been good on calendar dates, so I don't know if that's a side effect of meds or the surgery, or epilepsy. I had my first noticeable sz when I was 27, beginning a new job, was pregnant (well, we were) and wowee, what a shocker! This healthy young buck, just starting a new career and BLAM. So we moved on to dealing with injuries and side effects as best as we could. Right now, I just switched to Lamictal, and am waiting to what the side effects are and to return to driving eventually.
Best of luck to you, and to everyone who reads these posts,
Peter
Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal
Submitted by lodewykl on Wed, 2013-03-13 - 10:04
my doctor put me on Epitec (generic lamactine). I'm on 250mg twice a day since 2008. Since then I've had one fit in 2009. In the past two years I've blackout thrice and all happened at work. I was rushed to the hospital. I have experienced the same as the above reader. I lose my balance and I must hold so to something or someone till i come right. when i try to walk it feels like i'm wearing someone else's glasses so not sure how far the ground is. i've noticed that it happends when my stress levels go up be it from work or personal life. about 2 weeks ago i lost my balance as i was getting into the train. thank goodness the train was full so i fell against someone and not hit the floor hard with my face. I've never being afraid of using the public transport but since this incident I don't travel to and from work alone. This feeling of being dependent on someone annoys me because i'm control freak and like to be control.
I have to travel alot due to the nature of my work and now being alone on a plane scares. like the above read i have reminders all over my house....on my cellphone, fridge, bedroom cupboards even on my laptop. Sometimes I wonder what did I do that I have to have epilepsy but my 10yr old nephew who also has epilepsy says we didn't do anything wrong we just different and what makes us special is that we have a month reserved just for us. Kids you can't help my love the way their minds think.
At the moment I'm finishing up my Masters which has being on hold for the past couple of years. I put it off because I had to my research in a small community where no one knew me and I was scared that I would get sick and no one there would be able to help. Now I have someone who is going with me to help with the research. So now being alone won't be an issue anymore.
my doctor put me on Epitec (generic lamactine). I'm on 250mg twice a day since 2008. Since then I've had one fit in 2009. In the past two years I've blackout thrice and all happened at work. I was rushed to the hospital. I have experienced the same as the above reader. I lose my balance and I must hold so to something or someone till i come right. when i try to walk it feels like i'm wearing someone else's glasses so not sure how far the ground is. i've noticed that it happends when my stress levels go up be it from work or personal life. about 2 weeks ago i lost my balance as i was getting into the train. thank goodness the train was full so i fell against someone and not hit the floor hard with my face. I've never being afraid of using the public transport but since this incident I don't travel to and from work alone. This feeling of being dependent on someone annoys me because i'm control freak and like to be control.
I have to travel alot due to the nature of my work and now being alone on a plane scares. like the above read i have reminders all over my house....on my cellphone, fridge, bedroom cupboards even on my laptop. Sometimes I wonder what did I do that I have to have epilepsy but my 10yr old nephew who also has epilepsy says we didn't do anything wrong we just different and what makes us special is that we have a month reserved just for us. Kids you can't help my love the way their minds think.
At the moment I'm finishing up my Masters which has being on hold for the past couple of years. I put it off because I had to my research in a small community where no one knew me and I was scared that I would get sick and no one there would be able to help. Now I have someone who is going with me to help with the research. So now being alone won't be an issue anymore.