Lamictal

Lamotrigine, also known as an anticonvulsant, is an anti-epileptic drug. It functions by reducing the brain's abnormal electrical activity.Lamotrigine is used either alone or in combination with other drugs to treat seizures in epileptic patients. Users of Welzo can use this article for informational purposes to better understand lamotrigine.
Overview
Uses
Side Effects
Medication
Ingredients
Supplements
Pharmacokinetics

What is Lamictal?

Lamotrigine helps adults with bipolar disorder (manic depression) delay mood episodes. The mechanism by which lamotrigine delays mood swings is unknown.

There may be several brands and/or formulations of this medication available. It's possible that a particular brand name of this medication doesn't come in all the dosage forms or have FDA approval for all the conditions mentioned here. Additionally, not all of the conditions listed here may be treated with all formulations of this medication.
It's possible that your doctor prescribed this medicine for a condition not covered in the articles on this medication. Speak to your doctor if you haven't already or if you're unsure of why you're taking this medication. Without first consulting your doctor, do not stop taking this medication.

Even if someone else has the same symptoms as you do and needs this medication, do not give it to them. If a patient does not have a prescription for this medication, it may be harmful to them.

Pharmacokinetics

Lamotrigine is rapidly and almost entirely absorbed after oral administration. Tablets containing lamotrigine have a 98% bioavailability rate. In people, lamotrigine barely undergoes any metabolism. Less than 5% of a dose is excreted in the urine as metabolites. Age and gender have no bearing on lamotrigine's mean elimination half-life, which is approximately 32 hours after a single dose (range: 17 to 80 hours).

Lamotrigine steady-state trough plasma concentrations are typically reached two weeks after starting the drug or increasing the dose. Lamotrigine with an immediate release, administered once daily, was effective at doses between 100 mg and 400 mg/day in controlled clinical trials. Within this dose range, there was no conclusive proof of a dose-response relationship.

Side Effects

The most typical negative effects of lamotrigine include:

dizziness and headache
blurry vision, diplopia, and double vision
vomiting and nauseous
In the clinical trials, patients taking lamotrigine reported fatigue and somnolence more frequently than those taking a placebo. With increasing lamotrigine doses, these events occurred more frequently. At high doses, however, more patients receiving the placebo than those receiving lamotrigine reported feeling tired and sleepy.

Lamotrigine side effects have additionally been linked to the following:

(Loss of Appetite) Anorexia
(Lack of muscle coordination) Ataxia
constipation
diarrhea
Dysarthria (articulation impairment)
Intestinal distress
Nystagmus is an uncontrollable eye movement.
uncontrollable tremor of the muscles
Gain or loss of weight
Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal skin reaction, is the most severe side effect connected to lamotrigine. There have also been reports of toxic epidermal necrolysis and erythema multiforme, two other severe skin reactions. Fever, rash, and/or mucosal lesions are frequently present during these reactions.

Dosage and Administration

For patients taking valproate, a starting dose of 25 mg/day (with a range of 12.5 to 50 mg) of lamotrigine is advised. The target dose should be reached within two weeks and was reached by the following titration over two weeks: Day 1: 25 mg; Day 2: 50 mg; Week 2: Day 3: 75 mg; Day 4: 100 mg; Day 5: Increase by 100 mg/day for the following five days, increasing by 100 mg/day each week until the desired dose is reached.

The starting dose of lamotrigine for patients not taking valproate is 50 mg/day (range, 25 to 100 mg). The target dose should be reached within two weeks and was reached by the following titration over two weeks: Week 1: On Days 1 and 2, take 50 mg; After day 3, increase by 100 mg/day for the following seven days, up until the desired dose is reached.

Lamotrigine's recommended maintenance dose ranges from 100 to 400 mg per day, or 200 to 500 mg per day.

Patients who are older may be more sensitive to lamotrigine's side effects. As a result, these patients should receive lower initial and target doses.

You can take lamotrigine with or without food. Take the missed lamotrigine dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose and resume your regular dosing schedule if your next dose is almost due. Never combine two doses at once.

Overdose

Lamotrigine overdose symptoms include:

vomiting and nauseousness double vision

fuzzy vision
diplopia
dizziness
(Lack of muscle coordination) Ataxia
uncontrollable tremor of the muscles
Call an emergency room or a poison control center right away if you think you may have overdosed. A poison control center can be contacted.

Storage

Keep lamotrigine between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (20 and 25 degrees Celsius) at room temperature. Keep out of the sun, moisture, and heat. Keep out of the bathroom. Keep lamotrigine out of pets' reach and out of children's reach.