Dilatin + Lamictal = Hands/joint pain??

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Jip - 22 Jul 2004 13:42 GMT

I have been on Dilatin for almost a year but I have been transitioning over
to Lamictal the past 6 weeks. My question is if anyone has had side
effects from either medication or both together that have resulted in pain
in the hands? Any response is appreciated.

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turbinado - 22 Jul 2004 23:58 GMT

That's interesting, because even though I am on Tegretol, I have been
getting pain in my hands over the last few months and no-one can say whether
or not it's a side effect.

> I have been on Dilatin for almost a year but I have been transitioning over
> to Lamictal the past 6 weeks. My question is if anyone has had side
> effects from either medication or both together that have resulted in pain
> in the hands? Any response is appreciated.

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Bob - 23 Jul 2004 00:25 GMT

I had hesitated responding because I don't take either of those drugs, but I do
have pain in my hands.

It all happens while I sleep, but the muscles in my arms & legs must tighten up
to the point where damage is done. My arms & legs have a lot of pain if I move
them in certain ways or put a load on them. My right hand is puffy & swollen
in the morning and I can't fully open either hand with the fingers all the way
back.

My meds are Neurontin & Phenobarbital and my doc just told me that he thought
the problem was the Phenobarbital. He's given me the option of switching over
to Dilantin and I'm trying to make an informed decision as to whether I should
or not..

Bob

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Jip - 23 Jul 2004 03:45 GMT

I have been on Dilatin since Sept 2003 (after having a grand mal seizure,
my first ever and it came out of nowhere). I have remained on Dilatin but
I am about to begin getting off it while at the same time transitioning
over to Lamictal due to the cloudy state of mind I seem to have wih
Dilatin. Within a few days of starting the Lamictal, I began having pain
in both hands and this has continued with increasing pain as my Lamictal
dosage goes up.

Right now I am in significant pain - enough to jepardize my time on my
computer, which is all I do for 8 hours. I wonder if it is the combination
of the drugs or Lamictal by itself since I never had trouble with Dilatin
alone. This is killing my hands just to type this but I wanted to solicite
more feedback.

Thanks for the responses so far - take care of yourself.

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Bob - 23 Jul 2004 16:42 GMT

> I have been on Dilatin since Sept 2003 (after having a grand mal seizure,
> my first ever and it came out of nowhere). I have remained on Dilatin but
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> in both hands and this has continued with increasing pain as my Lamictal
> dosage goes up.

Unless something else also started going on at about the same time as you
started taking Lamictal, the evidence sure points to Lamictal as being the
problem. I just did a lookup on Lamictal at:
http://www.rxlist.com/
and clicked on the side effects. Some things there might be related:
Arthralgia - pain in a joint, usually due to arthritis or arthropathy.
Asthenia - Lack or loss of strength; debility; any weakness, but esp. one
originating in muscular or cerebellar disease. SYN: adynamia.

I hope you haven't also gotten a rash. The Lamictal rash is very serious and
can be fatal.

> Right now I am in significant pain - enough to jepardize my time on my
> computer, which is all I do for 8 hours. I wonder if it is the combination
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Thanks for the responses so far - take care of yourself.

It's best that you talk to your doctor right away. It sounds like you
shouldn't be taking Lamictal. I used it previously myself and it seemed to be
effective, but I got the rash and had to discontinue it.

Good luck!

Bob

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