I know someone who abruptly stopped taking her Lamictal two weeks ago. She hasn't had any side affects (she says) but I was very concerned because I believe Lamictal to be a pretty potent drug. I also take Lamictal and thought that getting off this drug should be supervised by a doctor. What's the worst that could happen if someone just stops taking Lamictal? Side effects, dangers, illness, etc.? I think I'm just looking for a way of "sending it home" to her. I don't want her to hurt herself as the result of failing to understand the medication she's taking.
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Q: What can happen if you abruptly stop taking Lamictal (emotionally & physically)?
Answers (5)
7/21/09 2:50pm
I stopped my Lamictal abruptly and had no side affects .... for 3 weeks, and THEN after all the residual medication was out of my system the rapid cycling came back with a vengance as did the thoughts of suicide. So that was the affect for me stopping the Lamictal suddenly. I had to start back again at the lowest doeage and build back up. I stopped it because I was feeling balanced (not too happy / not too sad). I didn't think I needed it any more. I was WRONG!
2/16/10 9:03am
OMG honey, are you OK now? I KNOW what happens when you stop the meds. I'm 20 years old and I have to tell myself everyday, "I take meds to control the rapid cycling and suicidal thoughts and I control the rapid cycling and suicidal thoughts by taking my meds." I know it's corny but it's what I have to do. I struggled every day - some days are better than others but I never truly feel balanced - it there is such a thing. I screwed up my finances in a big way too. Before the medications (Lamictal and Lithium), I was a huge impulse buyer .... I bought two dogs, and I couldn't even afford to feed myself, let alone feed them. For a long time I only focused on the here and now and that included what I wanted ... here & now. Talk therapy has helped me a lot. Now if I want something BIG, I follow the 3x3x3 Rule: Ask myself 3 times if I need it / ask 3 people what they thing / wait 3 days. Also, I too cannot afford my medicine as I have no health benefits at this time. I reached out to Select Care Benefits Network (www.scbn.org). They are a Patient Advocate group that will help you obtain the medication you need (direct from the pharmaceutical company) at a cost of $20 a month. There is a one-time charge of $50 to process you application and then you are assigned a rep. who works with you and does everything for you to get the medication mail ordered to you. The only thing you really need to do is to get the Rx from you doctor. Good luck to you. PLEASE write to me if you need to talk, vent or just let me know how you're doing. I'm out here in cyberspace cheering for you!!
Rosebud
8/12/10 8:04am
In April or May 2008 I abruptly stopped taking Lamictal. I missed my dose of like 2 days and then took it for a few days then I lost my pills so the first time when I missed my doses I thought I felt fine. So I stopped taking them abruptly. I didn't think I needed it anymore either. But as you were, I was wrong also. I had no side effects as well for a few weeks. The biggest side effect I had was delusions. When I stopped taking the pills my mom was really worried and talked to my pshycatrist and my pshycatrist just tried putting me on another medication along with Lamictal. I said to myself I didn't need any medications. In August 2008 I had a really dangerous delusion. I was listening to a live cd that my dad let me borrow and I thought the cd was a concert going on for me and that the government was there as well as my friends and family. Then a song came on where the woman said in the beginning something about one of her best friends then said "She was supposed to be on Pele, and she told me to 'F off'. Then she was suppose to be on Choirgirl, and she said 'you know.. no' and then she decided she wanted to be played live... so I play her alot. This is sort of my goodbye to you" I thought the concert was for me so that last part made me think that if I would lay down to go to sleep I was going to die. (I use to be an insomniac, still kind of am, but I was up for many hours so me needing sleep probably just made the delusion worse.) Then I remember going into my moms room and looking at her sleeping and the way she was laying looked weird so I of course thought the worst and thought she was dead. So I was like freaking out. I went back and she changed positions so then I knew she wasn't dead. She woke up shortly after that or I woke her up, one of the 2. I told her I had enough and I told her about the feeling that if I would have went to bed that "I would have died." So I went to the hospital psychward and was then diagnosed with something different. My first diagnosis was bi-polar. The 2nd was schizoaffective disorder. Which is pretty much schizophrenia and bi-polar together. However, at first I agreed to what my doctor said I had, but now I think I only have bi-polar with anxiety, cause I don't ever remember hearing voices. I told my friend about it earlier and she said I should find a specialist cause the doctors in my local area are mostly phony. May I ask you, what was your diagnosis, and do you remember any side effects you had?
4/28/12 3:22pm
You just told my story. Same thing, except I stopped and didn't feel anything bad for about 2 months, then BAM. i'm slowly weaning up back up, it's hard, i was on 150mg a day, and I'm on 25mg a day now and trying to slowly wean up, one week at a time because of the rash precautions...what's the quickest you've gone up?
4/28/12 3:22pm
You just told my story. Same thing, except I stopped and didn't feel anything bad for about 2 months, then BAM. i'm slowly weaning up back up, it's hard, i was on 150mg a day, and I'm on 25mg a day now and trying to slowly wean up, one week at a time because of the rash precautions...what's the quickest you've gone up?
4/21/10 8:50pm
I take Lamictal, and i go on and off all the time just to see what happens. I , personally, don't see a difference.
But i was wondering what would happen if someone who wasn't bipolar/depressed took it.
7/21/10 4:39pm
It's never a good idea to take anything that isn't personally prescribed by a licensed physican/psychiatrist for YOU. I don't even know why you would want to know what would happen; however, it could be something very serious like getting the adverse side reaction of the "rash" and they could die (worst case scenario). Doesn't sound like something to try, now does it? Plus, it is primarily used in prescribing to people who have epilepsy/seizure control. Secondary useage is for controlling the cyclical action of people who suffer from bi-polar condition(S).
8/12/10 8:20am
I thought this was a weird coincidence when I saw your username and what you wrote. My name is Alisha, I'm guessing that is your name cause its your username. How is your name pronounced? Is it pronounced Alicia, Alyssa, or Alisha? I use to be on Lamictal, if you look above it has the whole thing about that on there. Do you have bi-polar or depression? I short of skip doses on accident and notice differences. How long were you on Lamictal for?
8/12/10 8:29am
You are VERY lucky that you did not have side effects from abruptly stopping the Lamictal. I learned the hard way to respect my disorder and the medication used to control it. I would never advise anyone to stop taking medication nor would I encourage anyone to experiment with perscription medication that was not perscribed for them just to see what would happen. That's idiotic. Find something else to amuse yourself .....
11/16/11 12:09pm
I take lamictal for back pain actually. The neurologist said he didn't know why some people respond to it, but it did help. I get headaches, dizziness, numbness, tingling feelings when I miss a dose. I want to get off it, but hate the side effects of going off. I'm also starting menopause and think the affect of it is changing with my changing hormones.
11/ 1/10 11:11am
I just stopped taking my lamictal....I'm on 200mg......i didnt stop perposely i just for got the last few days...now i'm wondering if I'll be ok to keep off it or if I need to just take the damn pill again....or should i take all of what I missed....i havent really been too happy about taking it .... i was seeing a psych bc of severe depression and he put me on this....he didnt take insurance and was too expensive to keep seeing so I had to start getting it prescribed by my family dr.....my fam dr basically told me I would be on this for the rest of my life.....not what I was wanting to hear......not sure what I'm gonna do
2/23/11 3:40am
HI all, i have been on 200mg lamictal for going on 2 years. I want to stop with it as i feel that i have lost my ambition, and feel almost "care free" go with the flow atitude. I also often ask myself if i even had to be put on the meds, maybe i just had a nervouse break down? lol,
3/ 8/12 12:42am
hi I have been on lamictal for 6 months and I wonder the same thing. i think I just had a nervous breakdown and I think it is crazy to here it is a life long medication since i hate any medications. if you want to talk email me laurencbush@gmail.com
12/ 6/11 11:52pm
NO NO YOU CAN GET OFF LAMICTAL JUST HAVE YOU DOCTOR WING YOU OFF OF IT THE SAFE WAY DONT DOUBLE DOSE YOURSELF IF YOU MISS ONE JUST TAKE THE NEXT ONE NOW IF YOU MISSED A WEEK OR SOMETHING CALL YOUR DOCTOR ASK WHAT TO DO YOU MAY NEED TO START OUT ON A LOWER DOSE AGAIN AND GET YOU BACK UP TO YOUR REGULAR DOSE IF YOUR OFF OF IT TO LONG AND TRY TO TAKE THE HIGH DOSE OFF THE BAT YOU'LL BE IN THE BED FOR DAYS WITH A KILL YA HEADACHE
12/ 6/11 11:45pm
HI EVERYONE WELL I HAVE TOOK LAMICTAL OFF AND ON FOR SIX YEARS 400MG I HAVE BIPOLAR 1 MAJOR RAPID CYCLING DEPRESSION MOOD SWINGS YOU NAME IT IM A MESS WITHOUT IT I CANT CONTROL ANY EMOTIONS WHEN THAT LITTLE DEVIL COMES CREEPIN OUT I HAVE STOPPED THE MEDS COLD TURKEY A FEW TIMES NEVER HAD SIDE EFFECTS PHYSICALY BUT I ALWAYS WINDED UP 50 STEPS BACK WITHIN A FEW WEEKS MENTAL WISE BUT THE LAST TIME I STOP ABOUT A MONTH OR SO LATER I STARTED HURTING SO BAD IN MY BODY TO THE POINT I COULDNT HARDLY GET OUT OF BED COME TO FIND OUT THE DOCTORS BELEIVE IT WAS CAUSED FROM STOPPING MY MEDS AND NOT WINGING MYSELF OFF OF THEM I HAVE WINDED UP WITH NERVE PROBLEMS IN MY HIPS LEGS ARMS AND SO ON I HAVE SINCE BEEN ON MY MEDS AND TURNED AWAY FROM THAT "I FEEL BETTER I DONT NEED MEDS ATTITUDE" WHICH ANYONE WITH BIPOLAR 1 KNOWS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW "THE IM CURED FEELING" SO I ADVISE AND SINCERLY PRAY ANYONE WITH ANY MENTAL DISORDER TO STAY ON YOUR MEDS IT REALLY IS A DOWNER TO KNOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE MEDS BUT IT IS SO NOT WORTH THE UPS AND DOWNS IF YOU DONT I HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING OKAY I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WHAT I HAVE WENT THROUGH I STILL LIKE THE MEDICATION IT WORKS WELL AS LONG AS YOU TAKE IT RIGHT
12/ 7/11 12:30pm
thanks...this helps a lot....... check out some of my music : ) from one lamictal taker to another ..hah www.knowledgeborn07.com
4/21/12 7:49pm
I agree with you. My doctor went about 5 days without rewriting my Lamictal prescription. Then I forgot to pick it up yesterday. By last night I was driving out to the.beach feeling depressed and so restless it was crazy! I thought I was really having a breakdown, then I remembered I needed my meds. Don't stop taking Lamictal by yourself. Get someone to have your back remembering. It's hell cold turkey!
4/21/12 7:51pm
I agree with you. My doctor went about 5 days without rewriting my Lamictal prescription. Then I forgot to pick it up yesterday. By last night I was driving out to the.beach feeling depressed and so restless it was crazy! I thought I was really having a breakdown, then I remembered I needed my meds. Don't stop taking Lamictal by yourself. Get someone to have your back remembering. It's hell cold turkey!
5/13/12 12:38am
Do you ever really wonder if you need to be on the drug to begin with? I mean it seems like doctors go from one drug the next to the next starting at low doses working their way up and back down, etc....Like in all honesty maybe my anger outbursts are a little less with medication, but even without medication, I was same way. In fact, I feel like medication has screwed me up more. Before Lamictal, I was on Zoloft which added 30lbs to my weight ! insanity! I have taken abilify too which didnt work and now Lamictal which seems ok weight wise so far, but can you honestly say it works? I am only at 100MG going o n 150 starting tomorrow? Isnt this all mental? Cant we control these episodes if we really wwanted to on our own? because i dont know about you but the drugs dont seem to do their part for me. I am afraid I am screwing myself up much more than when i began medication.
5/16/12 9:53am
If you just stepped up to 150mg, please wait at least 6-8mos before looking at how it affects your temper. I have been taking it for 2+ years now. I didn't start taking it until my early 30s and it would have changed my life and saved me from making a lot of poor choices, which in the moment looked like "fun!"and from a lot of really dark and scary places that stress and the mind can push you too. A lot of the reasons I did not take meds until so late were the same as others here; I don't need man made chemicals to help me control myself! I have to take this for the rest of my frickin' life?! I was stubborn and I made one mistake too many and had one too many trips to the dark side. I said to myself 'that's it, it doesn't matter if you have to take it every day - if it will help keep you out of Paranoiaville and help you not act like a fool, try it.'
Now, after having stabilized, I don't lose my temper to the degree I used to. I've had a couple of trips to the dark side and those have been hard but I've learned skills for handling those. So of course, you can learn to modify your behavior - we're all adults and we should be doing that as we grow wiser. Lamictal gives your brain the stability and the time to see yourself acting out and to make those changes. Without it, I was always reacting, always 'in-the-moment', so could not get enough distance analyze my own behavior in a meaningful way to make positive changes. And if I forget to take my meds for more than 12-15 hours, I can definitely tell the difference. My brain starts to slow down and it's harder to make decisions. I get emotional reactive, too.
My temper is much better now - heck, my whole LIFE is better, and that's not some goofy line (my work quality is better, my home life is better, I make more money now and I spend less of it frivolously and I'm WAY happier) - and I continue to make 'cognitive behavioral' changes. We should all be evolving ourselves toward something better. Best wishes with your evolution. :)
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By Elizabeth— Last Modified: 05/16/12, First Published: 06/09/09
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I was just looking around to see why in the world I pretty much freaked out in the last day or so.. well, I stopped taking my Lamictal 150mg I figured I did not really need it and it's sorta expensive... no side effects for the last few weeks, here I was thinking I was home free... WRONG!! Yesterday I spent most of the day planning my suicide, I screwed up or finances in a huge way... it's awful!! I guess I know what I need to do... so glad I saw this..