ahalo Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 how do you know when to worry about rashes and lamictal? i have a rash on the back of my neck and shoulders that obviously i can't see but it itches and there are a bunch of little bumps. i have a couple of cold sores on my tongue too and just notice a few white itchy bumps near my wrist. i accidentally took 400 mg of lamictal for over a week instead of the prescribed 300 mg (due to confusion on my part as I had three bottles of lamictal of different dosages. Could this be related? Don't want to underreact or overreact. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Honestly, if you are on Lamictal and you get a new rash that you have never had before, especially around the time of a dose change, a doctor should look at it. I don't think it would be overreacting at all to call your doctor and arrange for someone with an MD to look at the rash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I got a rash and went to the doctor when I started Lamictal. I second that you should definitely have it looked at. Mine turned out to be benign. I'm hoping the same for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirMarshall Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 The rash is not just a single sign but a cluster of symptoms when fully developed. Most doctors exercise an abundance of caution in order to prevent Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) from developing Typical: Fever Cough Aches Rash esp, around and in mouth, mucous membranes, face, hands, feet becoming raw and angry red extreme: sloughing of skin, etc.... If you are concerned call your doctor. If you find the symptoms above rapidly developing (like over a day or two) call your doctor and if unavailable go to ER, take your Lamictal bottle. Pdocs will typically have you stop Lamictal immediately, and normally will not allow you to take it again, out of caution, per manufacturer's recommendation. Some adventurous Pdocs have allowed several weeks or months to pass, the re-start at very low dosage of Lamictal and titrate at very low steps with ample time between increases in attempt to not provoke any allergic response. According to the FDA the chances of an SJS rash developing are about 1 in 1000. SJS is deadly serious which is why pdoc's are so extremely careful and why very few people have any serious problem. SJS is not well understood but is believed to be a reaction to medicines, vaccines, or other foreign substances in the body. Treatment typically consists of massive steroids and supportive measures for skin loss, breathing difficulty and any organ related problems. a.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I would definitely see your DR, and don't wait any longer. It could be a serious side effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 Yes, call your doctor. But don't panic. Anti-convulsants in general, and Lamictal in particular, often cause benign rashes as a non-serious side effect. I get patchy rashes on my legs and forearms that I can feel, but aren't noticeable to someone if they don't have their nose right next to my leg. My husband has a very itchy rash on his shins, that we have a hard time keeping him from scratching. So look at AM's list, call your pdoc, and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfred Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 You are not over reacting. I have had 2 rashes while on Lamictal. The procedure is to inform my Neurologist and book an appointment with my Dermatologist. The first rash I had turned out to not be a rash but Poikiloderma, I forget what the doc called the second one. It was kinda scary as it covered my whole body except my neck and head. It looked bizarre. Had nothing to do with Lamictal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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