Epitec Side Effects

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I have been taking Epitec 25mg for almost 2 weeks now and am due to start the 50mg soon. I am reluctant to do so as I have not been sleeping well since I started using using them and also have a slight headache all the time, further more I feel quite aggressive. Please tell me whether this is normal or should I discontinue to use them? regards

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1

Epitec contains the active ingredient Lamotrigine, this is an anticonvulsant that is also used as a mood stabilizer.

The symptoms you listed are all normal side effects, you may also experience: nausea, nightmares and mouth ulcers.

Side effects, however, should start to taper off, as your body gets used to the medication, but this could take several weeks and they may become more pronounced for awhile, when you increase your dosage.

If they are really bothersome, you should speak to your doctor as this may not be the right medication for you to take.

Learn more:

https:/­/­www.medschat.com/­wiki/­Lamotrigine/­

Are there any questions or comments?

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2

I'm 46 years old. Starting from 100mg for Epilepsy, I've been using ever-increasing dosages of Epitec and Lamictin since 2002. The smaller dosages stopped the black-outs I was experiencing, but not the auras. Slowly but surely the dosages have increased to 400mg and I've been clear of auras (and black-outs) for 6 months now. However, I've been getting the jitters (or shakes) that sometimes stop me writing properly and even stop me drinking a cup of coffee without it spilling over the sides. I have to hold the cup with both hands to stop that. I'm not sure if this is a side effect of Epitec, or is it purely coincidental. Should I be looking at another cause?

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3

Shawn, have you consulted your doctor?

In this case, it is really hard to discern what's causing your problem, just from the limited information in an online post.

It is always possible that such a thing could be caused by the medication, even though this isn't a listed side effect, however, there are also many other reasons that it could happen and only your doctor is going to be able to help you determine what is causing the problem.

https:/­/­www.medschat.com/­wiki/­Lamotrigine/­

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4

Thanks a lot, Verwon. I've mentioned it to my Neurologist and he seemed skeptical about it when I mentioned it to him - he also says it isn't listed as a side-effect. However, when he increased my dosage to 400mg, he told me to keep and eye on it and we could look at other options.
However, I like to do my homework and find out if anyone else has also had the same experience.
Thanks for your reply.

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5

I have just started taking epitec 25mg and I am already on Lexamil 20mg for 2 yrs. I am really scared of the side effects as some people seem to have really bad effects. Is this normal for everyone?

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6

Shawn, I just did some additional reading, through the full physician prescribing information and these types of tremors and coordination problems were reported during testing, by around 4% of the people that were taking it.

You can easily find these details by doing a Google search using a phrase like "Lamotrigine full prescribing information". That may help, if you show it to your doctor.

Lee, side effects are always hit and miss. Some people experience all of them and very severely, but others may not experience any. The only way to find out how it affects you is to actually try the medication.

https:/­/­www.medschat.com/­wiki/­Lamotrigine/­

Is there anything else I can help with?

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7

I've been using epitec for 6 months.It really helped me at start,but I'm starting to feel depressed again and gained 6 kg.Anything to do with the dossage?(200 mg)?

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8

Hi there! I really hope you can help me get an answer. When they start to teach you how to write in Pre-Primary, I wrote my name from the right to the left, at a later age my eyes started to "flutter" when I got super excited and at the age of 15/16 I got "shakes" in my arms and hands which led to dropping stuff. I was diagnosed with Epilepsy in 2008 when I was 19 (this was when I had my first seizure). It just happened out of the blue. My Neurologist told me that all the above was signs of Epileptic seizures. They put me 1000mg of Epilum (once a day) to which I didn't respond good at all. They changed it to Epitec. In 3months I had put on 10kg and my whole body looks like it's swollen, it looks like my skin is about to burst. Anyhow, I had a seizure approx. once a year. For the past year and a half I have been clean and they put me on Epitec 250mg daily. BUT, from November 2011 I had 4. I got a second opinion (As I have read, this Neurologist in the best in South Africa, Dr. Butler) He increased my meds gradually to 200mg in the morning and 200mg in the evening and last Sunday I had a seizure again. I also get VERY painful pinches behind my right ear and sometimes I cannot sleep because of it. I don't have an appetite and I have mood swings, nausea and don't feel like doing anything. I used to be very active before the seizures began. I know I do not have the worst case of Epilepsy and I am grateful for that - if it really is Epilepsy. I also bite my tongue and cannot eat for a week because there is always a piece that is bitten off. I also had to quit my job because I am forbidden to drive for a minimum of 6months and my workplace if 22km from my home. I am really stuck in a rut now. I had gone for interviews but my application is unsucessfull because I cannot drive.
PLEASE, do you have any answers for me?

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9

My doctor recommended Epitec to me for Bipolar, I've used 10mg for 10 days and felt excellent for 3 days then I had a drop in mood and felt depressed. the doctor then recommended that jumped to 50 mg for the next 10 days and then 10 days after that I am suppose to use the 100mg, I have been feeling very bad ever since I've been taking the 50 mg. Do you think I should go and ask for the 25mg instead or just push through with the 50 mg?

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10

I was diagnosed with Bipolar. I started having blackouts, moodswings, my fingertips and toes turn red before my blackouts and my mom noted that my veins distend during this. After gaining conciousness I feel tired an emotional and can't remember anything. the doctors just keeps elevating my dosage up to 400 now and the symptoms get worse. I weigh 40 kg.

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11

Im on Epitec 250mg, ive been on it for about a year, i suddenly got acne, can epitec be the cause?
and can epitec cause weight gain?

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12

I've been taking 25mg Epitec as prescribed for 2 weeks, Its my 3rd week now and I've switched to 50mg day and night... I'm moody, irritated, uncomfortable in my own skin and constantly in the mood for nothing.

My Fiance is constantly asking me what's wrong and I'm constantly snapping at him.

Is this normal??*

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13

I am married to a wife who is or was the love of my life, she was a social drinker and sometimes had a bit too much, 5 months ago she visited a psychiatrist who after one visit decided that she was bipolar and depressed and prescribed epitec and serdep 50mg. Her character changed completely, and all the listed side effects were present, I contacted her psychiatrist, which had a very arrogant attitude and did not want to listen to me at all, only increasing dosages and she put het on lamotrigine 200 and epitec as well as sleeping pills.. Our once perfect marriage deteriorated very fast over 4 months and two weeks ago my wife tried to commit suicide for the first time in her life. No matter how hard I tried to resolve things my wife is agitated, aggressive, has severe moodswings and is irrational.

No matter what whoever says, this is what I have experienced and observed, my marriage went down the drain because of an incompetent Psychiatrist, and I think most of them are like that, only making money out of the unsuspecting. If you are on antipsychotics, get off it at all costs if you can, it will eventually destroy you..

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14

I dont think a medication with such severe side effects should be so easily distributed. I was severely ill on 3 days of 25mg Epitec and was told it cannot make me so ill. Different strokes 4 different folks. Sorry I do believe no one is perfect and wrong diagnosis can be made. Seek a second opinion. Epitec is not great 4 everybody. I did very well with Venlor 150mg. Which helped with depression but extra stress or anxiety still caused a meltdown.

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15

Hi am patricicia my two years half daughter has epilepsy and taking epilem and epitecis two months now taking it but no change and now she gets seizure every day

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16

I have been taking epitec for 2 months now (100mg in the morning and 100mg at night) and noticed that I have pimples all over my body. Is this a side effect?

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17

Asho I was also on elites 100 in morning & 100 at night within 5days I developed rash lover even inside my nose.I called the do or & he told me to rush to hospital because the rash is dangerous

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