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.
Lamictal side effects/weight changes? Or Tegretol?
Mon, 08/13/2007 - 13:19Topic: Medication Issues
Hi everyone,
For anyone who is or has been on lamictal, what has been your experience as far as weight changes or any other side effects with lamictal? I tend to gain weight very very easily and am looking for another med to try. I'm currently on Topamax and while it has been great as far as the weight loss, I just can't stand the side effects anymore. I'm constantly sick and cannot eat not anything. I'm also looking for a med that I can safely be on if I happen to become pregnant and this looks to be like one of them...
Or how about Tegretol? Do any of you have favorable results with Tegretol as far as fewer side effects?
Thanks :-)
Elizabeth
Comments
Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamictal side effects/weight changes? Or Tegret
Submitted by elizleigh on Tue, 2007-08-14 - 12:45
You were right! Elizabeth is my name, elizleigh is just a screen name :-). I've only just begun to read about lamictal so don't let anything I say scare you. I have a doctor's appoinment today and I really hope he tells me that I can take Lamictal by itself. So I'm happy to hear that you are on it alone. All this info on the internet is so confusing and it's just really hard to make sense of. I have both grand mals and partials, so I just don't know if it would be ok for me to take by itself so that is what worries me about it, but we'll see. The doctor's know way more so just go with what they tell you unless your body is telling you otherwise. Keep notes of all the side effects you experience as well. My doc told me there were barely any side effects with topamax also and boy was that a load of crap. Never in my life have I experienced so many aweful side effects. Everyone is different and everyone reacts differently to meds so you just have to find one that works with your body.
I hope Lamictal is one that works fo you and I hope for me too because it seems like it may be the safest as far as pregnancy goes - I really just want to be on it just in case I get pregnant because I've also read that by the time you find out you are pregnant on other less tolerable meds, the damage to the fetus has already been done.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamictal side effects/weight changes? Or Te
Submitted by AnneGwish on Tue, 2007-08-14 - 13:02
Yea, I am going kinda crazy with all the info I have been reading. I want to be well informed but I am also getting very worried. Anyway, good luck with your appointment today and please remember to let us know how it went!
Re: Re: Re: Lamictal side effects/weight changes? Or Tegretol?
Submitted by AnneGwish on Tue, 2007-08-14 - 12:07
Elizleigh (called you the wrong name before..lol), Thanks!...I am so scared about the weight issues b/c I weigh 115 lbs and I am very happy at that weight. I don't want to gain an ounce and I don't want to lose an ounce! Lamictal is the only medicine I am taking. I had my first and only seizure (so far) about a month ago. My EEG results did not come out normal. It shows sharp waves on my right temporal lobe and so the doctor said I need to take medicine. He said that I have what he would call partial seizure with secondary generalization. So do you know why exactly it might not be safe?...ARGGHHHH!!!! I am so upset about my doctor he totally sucks. He did not mention that to me at all! He pretty much made light of the whole situation and told me there are practically no side effects with this medicine. The only thing he mentioned to me in terms of pregnancy dangers was that you have a higher chance for having a child with cleft lip. He said that taking folic acid would counteract that risk. We didn't go into any further discussion on that b/c I told him I will not be getting pregnant during the 2-year period it was prescribed for.