 |
|
|
| HOME > Taking LAMICTAL > Follow Your Treatment Plan With LAMICTAL | |
 |
|
Follow Your Treatment Plan With LAMICTALBipolar disorder is a lifelong condition and needs to be treated, even in the times you feel well. Sometimes when you start feeling better, you may begin to think you no longer need medication. Don't stop! Medication can only work if you take it. Keep taking LAMICTAL as prescribed to help keep your mood stable. Contact your healthcare provider if you stop taking LAMICTAL or any of your other medications for any reason, and do not restart without consulting your healthcare provider. Do not increase your dose of LAMICTAL or take more frequent doses than those indicated by your healthcare provider. If you miss a dose of LAMICTAL, do not double your next dose. Keeping track Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions carefully when taking LAMICTAL. This will help to ensure that your treatment works as safely and effectively as possible. The dose of LAMICTAL must be increased slowly. It may take several weeks or months before your healthcare provider determines the best maintenance dose for you. It can be helpful to track symptoms and side effects you are experiencing and describe them to your healthcare provider at your next visit. If you are experiencing problems, call your healthcare provider right away. A mood chart can be a convenient way to track your moods, side effects, and sleep. It can also help you remember what happens to you between office visits. Click here to download a mood chart. Bring your mood chart with you so your healthcare provider can see any mood patterns and stressors that you may experience. |
|
|||||||||||||
|
Important Safety Information about LAMICTAL Prescription LAMICTAL Tablets are not for everyone. Most people who take LAMICTAL tolerate it well. Common side effects with LAMICTAL include dizziness, headache, blurred or double vision, lack of coordination, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, tremor, and rash. LAMICTAL may cause other side effects not listed here. If you develop any side effects or symptoms you are concerned about, or if you need more information, call your doctor. Although most patients who develop a rash while receiving LAMICTAL have mild to moderate symptoms, some individuals may develop a serious skin reaction that requires hospitalization. It is not possible to predict whether a mild rash will develop into a more serious one. Rarely, deaths have been reported. These serious skin reactions are most likely to happen within the first 8 weeks of treatment with LAMICTAL. Serious skin reactions occur more often in children than in adults. Rashes may be more likely to occur if you: take LAMICTAL in combination with valproate (brand names are Depakene® (valproic acid)* and Depakote® (divalproex sodium)*), take a higher starting dose of LAMICTAL than your doctor prescribed, or increase your dose of LAMICTAL faster than prescribed. If you experience any of the following with or without a skin rash, tell your doctor immediately: hives, fever, swollen lymph glands, painful sores in the mouth or around the eyes, or swelling of lips or tongue. These symptoms may be the first signs of a serious reaction. A doctor should evaluate your condition and determine if you should continue taking LAMICTAL. Serious blood problems or liver problems have been reported with LAMICTAL, so tell your doctor if you develop symptoms such as unusual bruising or bleeding, severe muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, yellowing of the eyes or skin, and/or frequent infections. You should not take LAMICTAL if you had an allergic reaction to it in the past. LAMICTAL is indicated for the maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder to delay the time to occurrence of mood episodes (depression, mania, hypomania, mixed episodes) in adults treated for acute mood episodes with standard therapy. The effectiveness of LAMICTAL in the acute treatment of mood episodes has not been established. |
|
|
This site is intended for US residents only. © 1997-2008 GlaxoSmithKline. All Rights Reserved. |