Psuedolymphoma from Lamictal

[zenbean]

OK, long story short...

I had this little bump on my neck for about 6-7 weeks. The dermatologist did a core biopsy three weeks ago and until today, all the info I've been getting back is "they're doing a few more stains" and "the studies haven't quite developed yet."

This morning she calls to say there's a lot of inflammation and t-cell infiltration, which can (but probably doesn't) indicate lymphoma. But she also said that Lamictal can cause "pseudlymphoma."

I tried to research this Lamictal/pseudolympoma thing on the web but could only find one very medical-jargony article that I think was from a British medical journal.

Anyone familiar with this at all? Thanks - zen

[mrsloony]

I'm so sorry you are going through this- it sounds scary. It wasn't nearly as bad, but the reason I went off lamictal was that I got painful lymph glands. My doc couldn't find any reason ( only test was for strep), they weren't really swollen- just painful. so with the mystery of it all I was kind of creeped out, so I stopped after about two weeks on it. I haven't really heard of anyone else having this though like you I found a little about there being some connection- but not much.

I hope its nothing- please let us know how you are doing.

mrs l

[zenbean]

Thanks so much Mrs. L. I'll let you know as I find out more.

[r.mcmurphy]

Z,

That core biopsy couldn't have been a walk in the park. They gotta get in gear and figure out what's been going on. Will be watching and do hope that you do not have to drop the L.

I was one of the mopes that got trashed by L after a short, sweet run. A member over at crazymeds dug out some obscure reference to others that have had the intolerable side effect that brought me down. It too was from some Brit Pdoc that sent a letter to an american head shrinker journal. I couldn't find anything on my own to add to your research and hadn't a clue how to go about digging anything out regarding my own battering without that leg up over there.

best,

r.

[Velvet Elvis]

When I did a search this post was one of the first returns. My hunch is that that means there isn't a whole lot out there.

[zenbean]

Thanks, guys. I definitely appreciate your efforts at research. If/when I find out more, I'll post it here in case anyone else runs into the same thing. I have another biopsy scheduled for the 30th, at which time they'll take off the rest of it and test it further, and also take a sample of some pink spots I have on my arm and chest. It might be related to the Lamictal or might not. I'll let you know.

[Guest med student]

Thanks, guys. I definitely appreciate your efforts at research. If/when I find out more, I'll post it here in case anyone else runs into the same thing. I have another biopsy scheduled for the 30th, at which time they'll take off the rest of it and test it further, and also take a sample of some pink spots I have on my arm and chest. It might be related to the Lamictal or might not. I'll let you know.

Pseudolymphoma is something that can happen with the "anti-epileptic" class drugs, like Phenytoin and Carbamazapine. Lamictal is a similar, but not identical drug. It has a much better profile, in terms of causing "hypersensitivity responses", which is medical speak for when your immune system gets all reved up for no real reason. It's possible that this is what's going on with you and the Lamictal. Lymph nodes are where the immune system does most of its replication and preparation, so they get big when the body's trying to fight an infection. Pseudolymphoma is lymph nodes getting big and ready to fight an infection that doesn't really exist. It is not malignant (ie, not cancer). Lymphoma, in contrast, is malignant. That's when the immune system replicates like crazy, for no reason, but the cells it makes are nasty and weird (cancer). It's not a reaction or response to anything, not even a a response to an immaginary infection.

This is oversimplified, but it's the basic gist. Hope it helps.