Select Text Size: A A A

About LAMICTAL
A seizure control medicine

Benefits and Side Effects

How To Take LAMICTAL

Talking With Your Doctor

Free Sample Kits

About Seizure
Disorders

Family
and Friends

Resources
and Tools

For Healthcare Professionals

Home> About LAMICTAL > Benefits and Side Effects

Benefits and Side Effects

LAMICTAL has been used worldwide in more than 5 million people since it was first approved more than 15 years ago. Like many antiseizure medicines, LAMICTAL helps regulate the electrical activity in the brain that's thought to be responsible for seizures.

LAMICTAL is a prescription medicine that can be used either alone or in combination with other medicines to treat seizures in people 2 years of age or older.

FDA-approved uses for LAMICTAL:

Partial seizures
- Added on to other antiseizure medicines in people 2 years of age or older.
- As the only treatment in people 16 years of age and older after switching from the most commonly used antiseizure medicines.
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
- One of the few antiseizure medicines approved to treat this severe form of epilepsy when added to other antiseizure medicines in both children as young as 2 years of age and adults.

FDA-Approved Uses of LAMICTAL	American Academy of Neurology/American Epilepsy Society support the use of LAMICTAL for*
"Add-on" (adjunctive) therapy for children age 2 and older with partial seizures
"Add-on" (adjunctive) therapy for the generalized seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (atonic, tonic, major myoclonic, and tonic-clonic)
"Add-on" (adjunctive) therapy for adults with partial seizures
Switching to monotherapy for adults with partial seizures taking carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone, or valproate as the single AED (antiepilepsy drug)

*These recommendations are based on expert review of well-controlled published trials. The Guidelines were published in 2004.

Complete Prescribing Information for LAMICTAL^® (lamotrigine)

Patient Information leaflet

Home | Tell a Friend | Site Map | Glossary
About LAMICTAL | About Seizure Disorders
Family and Friends | Resources and Tools

Important Safety Information About LAMICTAL

Most people who take LAMICTAL tolerate it well. The most common side effects with LAMICTAL include dizziness, headache, blurred or double vision, lack of coordination, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, 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 rash while receiving LAMICTAL have mild to moderate symptoms, some individuals may develop a serious skin reaction that requires hospitalization. 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: 1) take LAMICTAL in combination with valproate (brand names are Depakene^®* and Depakote^®*), 2) take a higher starting dose of LAMICTAL than your doctor prescribed, or 3) increase your dose of LAMICTAL faster than prescribed.

It is not possible to predict whether a mild rash will develop into a more serious one. Therefore, if you experience a skin rash, hives, fever, swollen lymph glands, painful sores in the mouth or around the eyes, or swelling of lips or tongue, tell a doctor immediately, since these symptoms may be the first signs of a serious reaction. A doctor should evaluate your condition and decide if you should continue taking LAMICTAL.

*Depakene (valproic acid) and Depakote (divalproex sodium) are registered trademarks of Abbott Laboratories.

This site is intended for US residents only.
© 1997-2008 GlaxoSmithKline. All Rights Reserved.
Legal Notices | Privacy Statement | Medicine Savings | Contact Us