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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

Sorry I forgot(see - told you

Submitted by cyclewithpride on Thu, 2018-04-05 - 17:59
Sorry I forgot(see - told you) to ask if there's anyone out there who can suggest anything. I'd be ssssoooo grateful. ☺ Kier.

This made me cry... I was put

Submitted by Mitch K on Tue, 2018-05-22 - 15:05
This made me cry... I was put on Lamictal to supplement my Prozac which I've been on for years as a result of Bi-Polar 2.  I'm in a hurry as always, so being brief, I had a insanely sharp memory.  But as of late my concentration and memory are so horrible that it's become nearly debilitating.  I actually feel like I've been watching me lose my mind... I've feared early onset dementia.  But this is almost my story verbatim.  I will be back.  Thank You...Mitchell K

Wow so glad I came accross

Submitted by Queen_Helene on Wed, 2018-06-27 - 00:03
Wow so glad I came accross your article. My name is Helene I'm 27 i don't struggle from epilepsy but I am on lamotrigine 200mg for bipolar disorder my psychiatrist is convinced I have it but I know in my heart I don't so it's frustrating for me to even agree to take it. I do solely because I've been hospitalized one too many times for trying to fix things on my own with my meds long story short I've been having the same problem it's like scatter brained to the extreme I was telling myself it must be mom brain cause I'm a new mom too a 1 year old but I know it's not. My psyc. Keeps telling me my loss of concentration is due to my anxiety meds but I never had that problem with my anxiety meds in the past just reading your article on how you started out at 25 mg I think it was you said?? She started me at 200mg... Everyone's case is different but I want to say thank you I think I'm starting to understand what's going on now.It's the lamotrigine.

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