Lamictal and drug tests

Common Questions and Answers about Lamictal and drug tests

lamictal

I've been on Lamictal and ONLY Lamictal for 7 years now. It was a miracle drug for me for many years, but for the last 3 years I have indeed suffered severe memory loss and ability to concentrate. My overall cognitive function has been severely impaired. My job performance has suffered and I've even lost my job and I'm desperately looking for another MS that will work better as far as this problem is concerned.

I am on Lamotrigine/lamictal and it has worked wonders for my mood. Very few side effects too. Side effects of drugs scare me too. I do a LOT of research as well. I've decided I like me on meds better than I like me off meds. I take an antipyschotic too (Geodone). That is scary crap. Took me a long time to start taking that pill. I was pretty desperate though. It helped a lot. I like me when I take these two meds. I am scared of what I become (an ultra rapid cycling mess) without them.

There is a question of pregnancy, however, I took two tests today and both were negative. I know that Lamictal has a side effect of Amenorrhea, but if the drug has been out of my system for over a week, how would I still be experiencing this side effect? Any thoughts?

hello ive been taking 150mg 2x per day for partial seizures, upon a blood test my level was 4.0 wich is only half the therapeutic level from what ive been told so I was raised to 400mg a day but a week and a half later had a petit mal seizure,how long does this med take to build up and does weight play a role in the level? will this med control petit partial seizures at the proper levels? and how high of a dose can I be on? up to 500mg or 600mg to reach a level to control my condition?

Yes Cipralex gave me mixed episodes too, I had to stop taking it. I doubt that the Lamictal has caused that to happen with you. I've never had a blood test with Tegretol since I started it 2 years ago...but my doc is sending me for my first one next week as I keep developing bruises on my skin!! It seems to me that the USA are so far ahead of the rest of the world with Psychiatry. Good luck with the Lamictal, and like ILAD says be patient and give it time.

I have been on Lamictal and Cymbalta for some time. I was taking 100mg of the Lamictal, but was recently increased to 200mg. I asked to be taken off the Cymbalta because I thought I was having a bad side effect from it....profuse sweating! But it hasn't stopped. I am active and go to the gym on a regular basis and it's just plain embarrassing having sweat pouring off my head & body. It also smells like ammonia. I am ruining a lot of my clothes and it's maddening.

hi guys i have not been well lately as am reducing lamictal and was on 75 til yesterday,then after i saw my pdoc he made me go on 100 till i stabilize again as he would not let me become pregnant while am depressed he is trying to convince me that lamictal is absolutely safe during pregnancy and i will not be able to be medfree as i cannot take it any thoughts or experience till i search it further thx

Granted my case is classified as rare etc. by the drug company, I am only answering your question about the lamictal part. buyer beware. I never would have thought in a million years it would happen to me, not even crossed my mind. I went from high functioning to meds to the sliding hill heading toward a freight train. If this keeps up I will die from a bipolar drug an old lady in a rocking chair.

(Before Lamictal though, tried many depression meds and all I needed was mood stablizer once I found Lamictal and got off of 5 other meds, had been normal - don't cry uncontrobially and am dealing with life situations but before Lamictal, I tried suicide twice 1st self inflicted gunshot just from impulse) Solution (NOT) - was told to go to ER by doc and do a lamictal blood level test. After waiting 6 misreable hours, they say they cannot run that kind of test but my liver was OK.

with Lamictal, it is not sopose to make the test result any different. it is sopose to make it to where you are "normal" i had many for a long time, and every time i had something done, my tests came out normal. I have to ask, do you know how many milligrams the doc put you on when you started your medication. from personal experience, and from what i have read, it is best to wean you onto the drug, rather than to just make you jump right into it because of the side effects.

I could not sleep due to this drug. I noticed problems with this drug that I did not have with any other medication. I stopped the Lyrica and went back to my doctor and reported these symptoms. Of course, she was dismayed and did not know what to offer except morphine. At any rate, I went to a new pain management doctor. My results are posted on the pain management couch website. For me, that is what worked.

Hey, folks, has anyone ever heard of a problem of Lamictal causing liver problems? I was on it a month, on a very small dosage, about 50 mg at most, and my blood workup showed seriously elevated AST/ALT levels, which, as I understand it, is rare for Lamictal, since it's touted as the antidepressant/ anti-BP medication that doesn't need blood tests. Anyone have any ideas?

I eventually had to go back on Lamictal and I think it is a wonderful drug but the hair loss started again. I too have seen suggestions of selenium, zinc, and biotin and am going to give them a try. I have seen some comments on another community that hairloss is not a side effect of Lamictal and you may hear that regarding other psychiatric drugs.

He is in a group home and recently he started to have severe behavorial problems such as grabbing and tearing a caregivers shirt and punching. His meds are lamictal,400 mg. phenytek 200 mg. tegretol xr 800 mg, clonazepam 7 mg. Also just started citalopram from his GP for mood swings. Need input so when I talk to the neurologist today with some questions!

Hi pensa....I am also on Lamictal only 150mg..but did start on double that amount..I am on it for B/P...but only a mild B/P possibly referred to as cycothemia (sp...sorry). and it does stabilize my moods effectively. I guess with time you will see how this is working or not working for you and monitor with your doctor. good luck to you.

Hi. I was wondering if you could help me. I have been taking Lamictal (25 mg, I think) for about 2 years for Bipolar Disorder. This medication seems to work well for me. However, about 6 months ago, I noticed I have a strong vaginal odor and slight yellowish discharge. I have been to my PA and to an OBGYN, who both told me it was nothing to worry about.

I will never again medicate my son and am furious at our doctor and the medical community as well as drug companies who deal these dangerous drugs like candy to innocent victims! We work with Dr. Judith Bowman at Mensah Medical - she is briliant, kind and has helped us a great deal. You can do testing where ever you live, they also have outreaches. I wish you the best!

It happened two days after starting Omnicef and about 3 weeks into taking Lamictal. I still don't understand how a reaction to a drug could still be occuring over a week after taking the drug.

I don't know about weight neutral meds, but there are other mood stabilizers out there like depakote, lamictal and others that you can look up on WebMd or other bipolar sites.

Curious if anyone knows how long our drugs stay in your system once you stop taking them? days, months? If I'm looking to take a blood test amd not have these show up, I'm wondering how far in advance I'd have to stop taking them.

Some elements work, they have been used in other drugs and modern drugs, but they are not treatments on their own. Some enlightened treatment existed pre 1800 - mainly in monasteries and mainly on treating behaviours and caring for the sick rather than treating the illness - when you consider life expectancy was much lower in the middle ages its not hard to understand mental health in those centuries.

I have been told that to adequately control the pain one must make use of these highly addictive drugs in the short-term. And that's the key, the drugs are used short-term and carefully monitored and managed. Vigilant medical oversight is essential! As soon as the addict patient is able, they should be transitioned off the Narcotic pain-killers to non-narcotic medications.

, I remember losing myself in a drugged haze to get through the isolation. While I'm now 26 days clean, I feel more of a pull when I'm sitting around with nothing to do. Do others feel the same? And how do you handle it. I know we all have our own "triggers", but for me the downtime of weekends is difficult.

This document, leaked by a disillusioned company employee, lists more than 250 over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs that can cause false positives.

So he DC'd the Lamictal and I haven't taken one in over 2 weeks and I like you have read that when you stop the drug that the DIL is SUPPOSED to subsided within weeks or even days depending on the drug. I just had to write to you to let you know that I am in the same boat. I don't get to retake my ANA until Nov 17th tho. So I have a long time to wait to see if I really have Lupus or DIL. Here's hoping it was just DIL and that med is out of your system and all the Lupus is gone. All my best!!!

Has anyone had there license suspended due to drug use in the workplace. I took a couple of percocets from a patient and lost my job, got slapped with a felony and now just down and out. I have been sober 8 months which is great but the pain of what I caused is too much to handle. I have an 8 year old who depends on me and I let him down too. Any words of encouragement. I am beginning the process of getting my limited license which takes 3 months but in the meantime what the hell do I do?

Nine weeks later I got an HIV test and it came back negative. The test was a rapid HIV test using blood from a finger prick at the Planned Parenthood in Memphis, TN. I also wanted to note that during the time I was getting this HIV test I was on a z-pack for strep throat. I was just wondering if you think I need further HIV testing? I am not sure if the medication I was on would effect the results or if I tested too soon. Thank you so much for your time.

Antipsychotics are used as mood stabilizers too but if a person does not have any form of psychosis the standard mood stabilizers such as Lithium, Lamictal or Depakoate can be tried and two of those are likely to cause weight gain but Lamictal is not. But if you discuss it with him and he states specifically why you need an antipsychotic then a reccomendation to a nutritionist might be a good idea.

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