Lamictal 25 mg

Strengths available

• 25 mg
• 100 mg
• 150 mg

Brand name

Lamictal (pronounced as Lah-mick-tal)

Generic name

Lamotrigine (pronounced as Lah-mot-tre-jeen)

Manufacturer Information

GlaxoSmitheKline (GSK) Canada

About Lamictal 25 mg

What is Lamictal?

Lamictal is an anti-epileptic drug (AED) whose chemical structure is different than other existing AEDs. The active ingredient of Lamictal is lamotrigine.

What is Lamictal used to treat?

Lamictal is licensed to treat epilepsy. Specifically Lamictal is licensed as an adjunctive for adults over 18 years of age, whose epilepsy is not sufficiently managed by the use of other anti-epileptic medication and conventional treatments. It is also used as a monotherapy for epilepsy following the withdrawal of other epileptic medications. Lamictal is also used as adjunctive in the management of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

There are several off-label uses for Lamictal. These indications have not been approved by the FDA or Health Canada for licensed indications of Lamictal. Examples of these off-licensed uses include but are not limited to: Neuropathic pain such as trigeminal neuralgia, migraines, borderline personality disorder (BPD), bipolar disorder where depression is prominent.

How does Lamictal work?

Lamictal's active ingredient is lamotrigine, a drug in the phenyltriazine class. Lamictal's mechanism of action is thought to involve the action at the voltage sensitive sodium gate in the brain. They act to bring about stabilization of the neuronal membrane and the inhibition of the release of excitatory neurotransmitters such as glutamate and aspartate. These amino acid neurotransmitters are thought to play a role in the onset and spread of epileptic attacks, convulsions and seizures. Lamictal is rapidly absorbed when taken orally.

What is the dosage of Lamictal?

The dosage of Lamictal is determined by a number of parameters. These parameters include the indication (the condition being treated), the patient (their age, weight etc.), the other medication the patient is currently using, tolerance (if the patient has developed tolerance to lower doses sometimes the dosage needs to be adjusted) and adverse effects. With Lamictal, like many other medication, it is important to adjust the dose to keep the effects within a safe and effective therapeutic window. Below shows the monographs recommended dosage for licensed indications.

Lamictal has some specific dosing considerations. The initiation of Lamictal is extremely important. Guidelines should be followed when starting Lamictal to prevent adverse reactions such as serious skin reactions, as discussed below. As Lamictal is often an adjunctive to a patient's treatment, careful consideration is given to the medication the patient is currently taken (see below under drug - drug interactions).

Doses are initiated, dependent on other medication and other parameters, usually at a dose of 25 - 50 mg once daily and increase slowly, dependent on the factors mentioned above, to doses of between 50 - 250 mg twice daily. The wide variation in doses shows the large effect that other medications have on the dosage considerations of Lamictal.

Drug - drug interactions of Lamictal

Lamictal interactions with other medications is extremely important to consider when initiating and adjusting Lamictal dose within a safe, effective therapeutic window. Other anti-epileptics medications may act as either inhibitors or inducers of what is known as lamotrigine glucuronidation. Glucuronidation of lamotrigine will result in less of the lamotrigine available in the free plasma for use in the body. Therefore, inhibition of glucuronidation by drugs such as valproic acid will require a decrease in the necessary amount of lamotrigine. Inversely when a patient is taking drugs such as carbamazepine, phenobarbital and phenytoin that induce glucuronidation of lamotrigine, the dose of lamotrigine needed may be higher. There are flexible dosage regimens for Lamictal based on whether the patient takes another drug that induces or inhibits glucuronidation or does neither.

Serious Warnings and Precautions - Lamictal Skin Rash

Report any skin rash to your Doctor when using Lamictal, especially within the first 8 weeks of treatment commencement. Serious skin rashes requiring hospitalization were reported in 1% of children using Lamictal in clinical trials and 0.3% of adults. Rashes presenting as Stevens-Johnson syndrome reported as 0.5% of cases for children and 0.1% of adults in clinical trials. A higher incidence of serious skin conditions have been associated with rapid titration of Lamictal. It is vital that you never increase your rate of titration of your Lamictal medication, outside of your Doctors advise and monitoring. Please see photos of Lamictal rash picture.

Common side effects of Lamictal

Generally side-effects reported with lamotrigine were mild and resolved upon discontinuation within about 2 weeks. The most common side effects included dizziness, headache, diplopia, somnolence, ataxia, asthenia and nausea.

Should Lamictal be taken with or without food?

Lamictal may be taken with or without food. Lamictal should be swallowed whole and not crushed or chewed.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose of your Lamictal take your dosage as soon as you remember. If it is less than 4 hours from your next dose, skip the missed dose and continuing taking your medication as usual. Do not double on a dose if you miss a dose.

Ordering name brand Lamictal from Canada

Many patients who have been prescribed Lamictal cannot tolerate the generic version, lamotrigine. There are many different possible reasons that someone cannot tolerate the generic and require name-brand Lamictal for example the patient is sensitive or have an allergy to an inactive ingredient in the generic that is not present in the brand. When a patient needs to buy Lamictal, brand name only, their Doctor should write the prescription as 'do not substitute' as to direct the pharmacy to only dispense the brand name Lamictal. Unfortunately the price of Lamictal is much more expensive that the cost of the generic equivalent leaving many patient with difficult financial choices.

One viable option that many Americans have taken advantage of is to order Lamictal online from Canada. The problem of course if to find a safe source in Canada for your medication. With so many rogue sites Americans should be cautious of who they trust to fill their prescription medication. Canada Cloud Pharmacy are a licensed, brick and mortar pharmacy that provide only Health Canada approved Lamictal at discount Canadian prices. When there is no Lamictal coupon available or you cannot avail of a patient assistance programs choosing Canada Cloud Pharmacy is your safest and best option for ordering online from Canada.

FAQs

Buy Lamictal 25 mg from Canada 

Information contained here on this page is for informational purpose only. Always speak with your Doctor about the usage of your medication.