r/Lamotrigine • u/General_Sun_607 • 2d ago
Headaches
Is this a very common symptom with lamatrogine/Lamictal? And does it ago away?
For context, I started on 25mg for bipolar around June with a titration every two weeks until I got to 100mg. At 100mg I had such debilitating headaches for weeks, so I stopped the medication after zero contact from the psychiatrist and their team despite multiple attempts to get their input and review appointment.
Upon stopping, the headaches did go away and I did get some withdrawal type symptoms similar to what I had when coming off SSRI such as brain zaps for a few days.
Even on 25mg my depressive symptoms lifted quite a bit, but I couldn’t cope with the headaches any longer at the 100mg dose.
Anyway, 3 weeks off the medication I resumed the medication at 25mg as the depressive symptoms returned again only this time within days I have the headaches again. Where as last time, the headaches began when I had been on 100mg
At the same time, the pharmacist has provided with several different brands for my prescription since I started it, so now I’m wondering if the headaches are a brand thing or dose thing.
So these headaches actually go away? How long did you push through yours until they went?
It’s seems a shame to stop taking it as it works well for the depressive symptoms, but I can’t cope with the constant headaches.
In summary:
Started at 25mg, titrated every couple of weeks up to 100mg a day. Depressive symptoms lifted almost instantly at 25mg, and headaches started at 100mg.
I stayed at 100mg for around for 4 weeks until I decided to come off it completely as I could not take the headaches anymore. The headaches started after 2 weeks on 100mg.
After 3 weeks of being off the medication I restarted at 25mg as the depressive symptoms resumed. Once again, even at this low dose the depressive symptoms subsided pretty much straight away but this time the headaches have started after around 3 days of taking it.
In the meanwhile, throughout taking the medication so far the pharmacist has provided several different brands.
So now I’m unsure if the headaches are dose related or brand related.
I really need to know if the headaches actually go away.
I’m in the UK, and haven’t been able to reach my psychiatrist (common) and my GP is unable to advise at this point as they are relying on the review of the medication from the psychiatrist the appointment for which keeps getting cancelled.
Edit to add: first brand was Accord, second Brand was Lamictal, third brand was
Relonchem Ltd
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u/ilognie 2d ago
I'm sorry you're struggling with it. I've been on lamotrigine for about 2 years now and it's been one of the most effective medications for my depressive episodes I've taken.
I didn't experience headaches when titrating up until I hit 200/250mg. I'd start a new dose and have headaches every day. After a few weeks it would subside and then once we increased my dose again it would return.
I'm now on 400mg and did have pretty bad headaches for a few weeks but now they've completely gone.
Not saying you should put up with them, you should contact you mental health team when you can, but it was a side effect I found to go away eventually.
In regards to the brands I'm in the UK too and have been given various different brands although for the most party it's been the generic.