Lamictal
Lamictal is a medicine used to treat two conditions: epilepsy, which causes seizures, and bipolar disorder, which causes extreme mood swings.
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will start you on a low dose and slowly increase it over a few weeks until it works best for you. For adults and children 13 and older, the usual dose is between 100 mg and 400 mg daily. For children aged 2-12, the dose depends on their weight, typically 1 mg to 15 mg per kilogram of body weight, up to a maximum of 200 mg daily.
Method
Take your dose once or twice a day, as your doctor tells you. You can take it with or without food. You can swallow the tablets whole with water, chew them, or dissolve them in a small amount of water.
Never take more Lamictal than your doctor has told you. The usual effective daily dose for adults and children over 13 is between 100 mg and 400 mg. For children aged 2-12, the maximum daily maintenance dose is 200 mg.
Possible Side Effects
- •Headache
- •Skin rash
- •Feeling angry or irritated
- •Feeling tired or sleepy
- •Dizziness
- •Shaking or tremors
- •Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- •Feeling agitated
- •Diarrhea
- •Dry mouth
- •Nausea or vomiting
- •Back, joint, or other pain
- •Clumsiness or problems with coordination
- •Double vision or blurry vision
- •Unusual hair loss
- •Rash or sunburn after being in the sun or artificial light (photosensitivity)
- •Skin reaction with red spots or patches that look like a target (erythema multiforme)
- •Life-threatening skin reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, DRESS syndrome). This includes severe widespread rash, blisters, peeling skin, especially around the mouth, nose, eyes, and genitals, or a widespread rash affecting the liver, blood, and other organs.
- •A group of symptoms including fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, stiff neck, and extreme sensitivity to bright light, possibly due to inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes (meningitis).
- •Fast, uncontrollable eye movements (nystagmus)
- •Itchy, watery eyes and crusty eyelids (conjunctivitis)
- •Swelling around the face (edema) or swollen glands in the neck, armpit, or groin (lymphadenopathy)
- •Changes in liver function seen in blood tests, or liver failure
- •Serious blood clotting disorder with unexpected bleeding or bruising (disseminated intravascular coagulation)
- •Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare but very serious immune system reaction.
- •Changes in blood tests: low red blood cells (anemia), low white blood cells (leukopenia, neutropenia, agranulocytosis), low platelets (thrombocytopenia), low all blood cell types (pancytopenia), or a bone marrow disorder (aplastic anemia).
- •Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not real)
- •Confusion
- •Feeling unsteady or wobbly when moving
- •Uncontrolled repeated body movements or sounds (tics), muscle spasms affecting eyes, head, and body, or other unusual movements like jerks, shaking, or stiffness.
- •More frequent seizures in people who already have epilepsy
- •Worsening symptoms in people who already have Parkinson's disease
- •'Lupus-like' reactions (symptoms can include back or joint pain, sometimes with fever and a general feeling of being unwell)
- •Bone changes like weakening of bones (osteopenia, osteoporosis) and fractures
- •Kidney inflammation, which can occur with eye inflammation (uveitis)
- •Nightmares
- •Weakened immune system due to lower levels of infection-fighting antibodies
- •Red lumps or patches on the skin (pseudolymphoma)
Important Warnings
- Do not take Lamictal if you are allergic to lamotrigine or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- If you get a rash or skin redness while taking Lamictal, especially if it gets severe or causes blisters, contact a doctor right away as this could be life-threatening.
- Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, as your dose might need to change.
- If you experience fever, rash, confusion, or shaking while taking Lamictal, contact a doctor right away as these could be signs of a serious immune reaction.
- If you have thoughts about hurting yourself or suicide, or if your mood gets worse, contact a doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital for help.
Show 7 more warnings
- If you are taking Lamictal for epilepsy and your seizures become worse or happen more often, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
- Lamictal is not for bipolar disorder treatment in children and teenagers under 18 years old.
- Hormone birth control (like the pill) can affect how Lamictal works. Talk to your doctor about this.
- If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, or are planning a baby, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine. Do not stop treatment without talking to your doctor, especially if you have epilepsy.
- Lamictal can make you dizzy or cause double vision. Do not drive or use machines until you are sure how this medicine affects you.
- If you take too much Lamictal, contact your doctor, hospital, or poison control center right away for advice. Overdosing can lead to serious, life-threatening side effects.
- Do not stop taking Lamictal without your doctor's advice. Stopping suddenly, especially for epilepsy, can make your condition worse.
Use in Elderly Patients
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Numerous potential adverse effects.. Consider common and sometimes serious adverse skin reactions. Reduce the dose in severe renal impairment. (updated 6.10.2025)