LAMICTAL is an anti-epileptic medication used either alone or in combination with other medications to treat epileptic seizures in adults and children. LAMICTAL is also used to delay mood episodes in adults with bipolar disorder (manic depression).

LAMICTAL is taken orally. Tablets should be taken whole; do not crush, chew, or break it. Do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing. Place the tablet on your tongue and move it around in your mouth. Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet.

To make sure you are taking the right dose of LAMICTAL, your blood may need to be tested often. Visit your doctor regularly. Do not stop taking LAMICTAL without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel fine. You may have increased seizures if you stop using LAMICTAL suddenly. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

Patients who take LAMICTAL may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medication. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several months of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits.

This medication must not be used during pregnancy because it may cause harm to an unborn baby. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Breast-feeding while using this medication is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

LAMICTAL can cause severe or life-threatening skin rash, especially in children and in people who are allergic to other seizure medications. Serious skin rash may also be more likely to occur if you are taking lamotrigine together with valproic acid (Depakene) or divalproex (Depakote). Seek emergency medical attention if you have a fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash. If you have to stop taking LAMICTAL because of a serious skin rash, you may not be able to take it again in the future.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms including mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Immediately contact your doctor if you experience any serious side effects including:

• sign of any skin rash
• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash
• chest pain
• pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding
• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms
• muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness with fever or flu symptoms and dark colored urine
• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

• dizziness or drowsiness
• blurred vision
• mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach
• headache
• lack of coordination
• weight loss
• sleep problems (insomnia), unusual dreams
• runny or stuffy nose