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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 russo on Fri, 2013-07-05 - 18:03
I've been on Lamictal (450 mg/day) for years (previously combined with Topamax [200 mg/2x daily], recently switched to Keppra [400mg/2x daily]), and I had been thinking that my memory problems were due to the seizures or the family history of attention deficit, but I'm beginning to wonder. People will say something to me, and not a minute later I'll forget. I recently lost a job because people will have to repeat directions three times before they actually register. My sense of time feels skewed- a week ago seems like a year ago. I haven't experienced the trouble with finding words that many people have, but my memory is affecting my ability to hold a job, both reading and listening comprehension (I'm in college), among other things.
It's encouraging to know other people are having the same issues. I'd talk to a neurologist asap.
Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal
Submitted by comment on Sat, 2013-07-06 - 13:43
Hello Russo! Lamictal has had a terrible effect on my memory and ability to concentrate and retain instructions, when the medication hits a peak during the day it's damaging to my career and relationship with friends. I avoid scheduling professional meetings during those hours as much as possible, unfortunately a meeting will always align with the Peak effects and my performance deteriorates significantly.
I have been on 400mg of lamictal over 10 years and I have decided to change medications August 2013. There must be a better medication that will improve my quality of life. What I'm trying to assess is what medication should I try from the great assortment. Also, should I take a leave from work during the transition, I've never taken any leave in 20 years, what can I expect during the transition.
You switched to Keppra. Have you experienced any side effects and how did your neurologist work the transition period?
Best of luck to you!
Davo
Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal
Submitted by ChrisArc on Thu, 2013-05-23 - 11:41
I am currently on Lamictal 400mg twice a day and 400mg of Dilantin 100am 300pm. When I started taking the Lamictal I noticed a big change in my memory and it has gotten worse. Some days I have look at the leftovers in the refrigerator to remember what we had for supper the night before.
My neurologist tried to take me off of the Dilantin and I ended up in the hospital because it was helping to control the Lamictal level. Without it my Lamictal level shot up and became toxic. Another doctor that works with him looked up the interactions and told me that the Dilantin was controlling the Lamictal level. They started me back on the Dilantin and the level came back down. The next time I saw my neurologist after getting out of the hospital, I told him that they said by taking me off the Dilantin it made my Lamictal level shoot up and he said I should “consider that I have epilepsy and stop blaming the medicine.”
I am not going back to the neurologist and instead I went to the epilepsy center in Indianapolis. In July, they have me scheduled for a sleep deprived EEG, PET scan, and a 5 day VEEG. For the VEEG they plan on taking me off all of my seizure medicines so they can try to catch at least 5 seizures to see where they are starting from. If there are all starting from the same spot in my brain they will be able to do surgery and remove that small spot. It could drastically reduce or even stop the seizure completely but there is no telling how it will affect me otherwise.
I am currently on Lamictal 400mg twice a day and 400mg of Dilantin 100am 300pm. When I started taking the Lamictal I noticed a big change in my memory and it has gotten worse. Some days I have look at the leftovers in the refrigerator to remember what we had for supper the night before.
My neurologist tried to take me off of the Dilantin and I ended up in the hospital because it was helping to control the Lamictal level. Without it my Lamictal level shot up and became toxic. Another doctor that works with him looked up the interactions and told me that the Dilantin was controlling the Lamictal level. They started me back on the Dilantin and the level came back down. The next time I saw my neurologist after getting out of the hospital, I told him that they said by taking me off the Dilantin it made my Lamictal level shoot up and he said I should “consider that I have epilepsy and stop blaming the medicine.”
I am not going back to the neurologist and instead I went to the epilepsy center in Indianapolis. In July, they have me scheduled for a sleep deprived EEG, PET scan, and a 5 day VEEG. For the VEEG they plan on taking me off all of my seizure medicines so they can try to catch at least 5 seizures to see where they are starting from. If there are all starting from the same spot in my brain they will be able to do surgery and remove that small spot. It could drastically reduce or even stop the seizure completely but there is no telling how it will affect me otherwise.