LAMICTAL - LAMICTAL ODT - For Family and Friends

For Family and Friends

For families and friends, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder can be difficult to accept, but it can also be a relief. Finally, a reason for the extreme mood swings has been identified and treatment can begin. While it is important for a person with bipolar disorder to be active in his or her own care, your support can be valuable in helping him or her find stability and cope with the condition.

Learn about bipolar disorder, its causes, and its treatment. Talk with a healthcare provider, if possible.
Learn to recognize the warning signs of mania (extreme highs) and depression (extreme lows). You may notice the symptoms before the patient does. If you notice symptoms, talk to the patient in a caring manner and suggest a visit to a healthcare provider.
Encourage the patient to stay with treatment. If treatment doesn´t seem to be helping, or if side effects are severe, encourage the patient to talk to his or her healthcare provider. If things still don´t get better, consider suggesting that the patient get a second opinion.
Work with the patient to help him or her keep healthcare provider appointments. Help make a list of the patient´s medications (include the name of the medication, how much to take, when to take it, how to take it, and what it treats), healthcare providers, and phone numbers.
Help monitor medication use — it can be dangerous to stop or restart a medication without a healthcare provider´s advice.
Use of alcohol and street drugs can make symptoms worse. Help the patient understand the potential consequences.
If the patient has a mood episode and feels your concern is interference, remember that this is not necessarily a rejection of you, but could be part of the illness.
Do things with, rather than for, a person recovering from an episode.
Consider using periods of stability to agree to certain safeguards. This can include hospitalization or withholding credit cards, car keys, or banking privileges. Be aware that during an episode, the patient may not comply with the agreement.
Bipolar disorder is a chronic, lifelong condition, but with appropriate treatment there is hope. Your support can make a difference.

A Mood Chart, which provides a place to track important information concerning moods, side effects, sleep, and more. It can help the patient and his or her healthcare provider figure out what therapies may be working and what more can be done to help manage bipolar disorder.
A Guide to Maintenance Therapy, which includes 4 steps to managing bipolar disorder, and My Plan for Action to note lifestyle information and other helpful facts.

How much help is too much?

Am I being protective — or overprotective? Should I pay off credit card debts from a hypomanic spending spree? Which of my actions will help and which will hurt?

These are hard questions, and the answers may be very different from person to person and family to family. Family members or caregivers should stay informed about bipolar disorder. Some people benefit from counseling or support groups. The stress on you can be very great. Find out how others are dealing with similar questions, and what might work for you.

Important Safety Information About LAMICTAL^® (lamotrigine) Tablets and LAMICTAL^® ODT™ (lamotrigine) Orally Disintegrating Tablets

LAMICTAL may cause a serious skin rash that may cause you to be hospitalized or to stop LAMICTAL; it may rarely cause death. There is no way to tell if a mild rash will develop into a more serious reaction. These serious skin reactions are more likely to happen when you begin taking LAMICTAL, within the first 2-8 weeks of treatment. But it can happen in people who have taken LAMICTAL for any period of time. Children between 2 to 16 years of age have a higher chance of getting this serious skin reaction while taking LAMICTAL.

The risk of getting a rash is higher if taking LAMICTAL while taking valproate [Depakene* (valproic acid) or Depakote* (divalproex sodium)], taking a higher starting dose of LAMICTAL than a healthcare provider prescribed or increasing the dose of LAMICTAL faster than prescribed.

LAMICTAL can also cause other types of allergic reactions or serious problems which may affect organs and other parts of your body like the liver or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following: a skin rash, hives, fever, swollen lymph glands, painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes, swelling of your lips or tongue, yellowing of your skin or eyes, unusual bruising or bleeding, severe fatigue or weakness, severe muscle pain or frequent infections. These symptoms may be the first signs of a serious reaction. A healthcare provider should examine you to decide if you should continue taking LAMICTAL.

You should not take LAMICTAL if you have had an allergic reaction to lamotrigine or to any of the inactive ingredients.

LAMICTAL may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call a healthcare provider right away if you have worsening depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or thoughts or actions about suicide or self-harm, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you (see Medication Guide).

Always check that you receive LAMICTAL or LAMICTAL ODT

Patients prescribed LAMICTAL have sometimes been given the wrong medicine because many medicines have names similar to LAMICTAL, so always check that you receive LAMICTAL. Taking the wrong medication can cause serious health problems. When your healthcare provider gives you a prescription for LAMICTAL or LAMICTAL ODT, make sure you can read it clearly. Talk to your pharmacist to check that you are given the correct medicine. Each time you fill your prescription, check the tablets you receive against the pictures of the tablets in the Medication Guide that comes with your prescription.

Common side effects include dizziness, headache, blurred or double vision, lack of coordination, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, tremor, rash, fever, abdominal pain, back pain, tiredness, and dry mouth. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. Also, tell your healthcare provider if you have any changes in your menstrual pattern, such as breakthrough bleeding, while taking LAMICTAL and birth control pills. These are not all the possible side effects of LAMICTAL.

*Depakene and Depakote are registered trademarks of Abbott Laboratories

For Family and Friends

Important Safety Information About LAMICTAL® (lamotrigine) Tablets and LAMICTAL® ODT™ (lamotrigine) Orally Disintegrating Tablets

Important Safety Information About LAMICTAL^® (lamotrigine) Tablets and LAMICTAL^® ODT™ (lamotrigine) Orally Disintegrating Tablets