Lamictal Withdrawal Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder

Lamictal Withdrawal Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder Treatment Medications Print Lamictal Withdrawal Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial policy Marcia Purse Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on May 06, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on December 12, 2019 Bipolar Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children Your Rights Tara Moore/Getty Images Official clinical information about Lamictal  (lamotrigine) contains few details regarding potential symptoms that may occur if you stop taking the drug. However, reports from people who have taken it and then stop indicate that some individuals may experience difficult symptoms when discontinuing Lamictal. Withdrawal Symptoms Arent Common Obviously, all medications have the potential to cause both uncommon side effects and uncommon withdrawal symptoms. The clinical trials that looked at Lamictal for bipolar disorder didnt note any significant withdrawal symptoms. However, a quick internet search on the subject turns up a wide variety of anecdotal reports, calling withdrawal from Lamictal a nightmare and hell. So even if these experiences arent particularly common, they do seem to occur. How to Take Lamictal If You Have Bipolar Disorder Symptoms Clinical trials show that sudden Lamictal  discontinuation may increase the frequency of seizures in patients with epilepsy. The patient information that comes with Lamictal doesnt mention any potential withdrawal symptoms beyond seizures. That said, Lamictal users report other symptoms, even if they taper off from the drug as opposed to stopping it suddenly. Specifically, when withdrawing from Lamictal treatment, people have reported that they have experienced these symptoms: MoodinessHostilityLoss of focusLethargyHeadachesBody tingling and other such sensory effectsSuicidal tendencies None of these effects were reported when the drug was first being tested, and theyre not mentioned on the drugs label now, though it does caution patients not to stop taking Lamictal without first talking to their healthcare provider since to do so can cause serious problems. As with any medication, withdrawal symptoms will depend on you and your circumstances, such as how long youve been on Lamictal, your dosage, whether you stopped suddenly or tapered off, and other individual factors. Tapering Is Best Before Stopping Lamictal Be sure to talk to your doctor before stopping or re-starting Lamictal. According to the Lamictal medication guide, suddenly stopping Lamictal can cause new or worse problems regarding your mental health.?? As with most medications, it is recommended that people who are discontinuing the drug taper it off, rather than stopping it suddenly. The prescribing information recommends that a taper period should last at least two weeks, with about a 50 percent reduction in a dose per week.?? Your doctor may recommend a different method of tapering, depending on your circumstances and the dosage youre taking. Report any odd or disturbing symptoms to your doctor as youre tapering off your dose. If youre taking other medications along with Lamictal, the situation may be even more complicated. This is because Lamictal interacts with other drugs such as certain other anti-epileptics and oral contraceptives.?? Your doctor will help you sort out the significance of these interactions. In a few cases, youll need to stop Lamictal suddenly. This is because the drug can cause a potentially life-threatening rash and other dangerous reactions, and if one of these rare side effects occurs, youll need to discontinue taking the drug immediately.?? If this happens to you, be sure to let your doctor know if you experience any withdrawal symptoms.