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Suggest Treatment For An Allergic Reaction To Lamictal

Posted on Sat, 10 Dec 2016

Question: I took lamictal 25 mg for 2 weeks ( as a mood stabilizer) This past Tuesday I increased to 50 mg. I was unusually steady getting up to pee one evening. the next evening I fell, and was ok, but I when I wanted to eat something, I kept dozing off and dropping my food. I chose to stop the lamictal. I am 70 yrs old. Then I got a rash, and a dermatologist said it was not the serious rash from lamictal. today I had light pressure on my chest for an hour and went to an er. it is not my heart, the doctor told me the pain was caused by reflux, but it was not on the papers as a diagnosis when I left. I was told to take the Prilosec in the morning 1/2 hour before eating as usual; but to add Pepcid in the evening. Tonight the rash is spreading and itching very slightly on my back. I went to a walk in clinic and they gave me gabentin 100mg. Do you think I was given the gabapentin 100 mg tonight, because they expect the next symptom might be a seizure, from the lamictal withdrawal? to me, there is no point in calling my internist. I take 150mg Zoloft and 150 mg Effexor (increased over a period of 3 weeks) to get out of a deep depression. Then I am on a high (I guess when all the antidepressants kick in. Then the slightest upset, because I know my doctor is not really treating me properly for a long time, puts me back into a deep depression. I used to have a good period following the high for months, but it has gotten so bad, I felt I had to try the lamictal.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Gabapentin is most likely for the pain!

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I have reviewed your information fully.

1. This rash is suggestive of a possible reaction to lamicital and this is well established. I would have loved to review an image of this rash and if that is possible, kindly send one to me. To upload an image, simply click on the link to upload a file and follow the instructions. If this proves difficult, please send the image by mail to YYYY@YYYY and request that the image should be uploaded to your query.

2. Gabapentin is used for nerve related pain. This is the simple reason why the drug was prescribed and less likely to be related to the pain related to the rash. Gabapentin is the ideal drug for neuropathy and that's the justification here. This could not have been in anticipation of withdrawal seizures. A big no to that.

3. What is it that your doctor hasn't been doing? I might be able to help you address the worry. Also, if the doctor seems not to fight for you, changing doctors is not impossible and could be the last option if nothing else works.

I wish you well. I hope to hear back from you at your earliest convenience. Feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.

Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar