A popular drug used to treat bipolar disorder and seizures may have a serious side effect. Patients who take Lamictal for these disorders may end up suffering from Lamictal rash side effects.

What is Lamictal?

Lamictal, generically known as lamotrigine, is a drug that has been approved by the FDA since the 1990s. It is approved to treat epileptic episodes including focal seizures and tonic-clonic seizures. For bipolar disorder, it can help treat depression, rapid cycling in bipolar II and recurrence in bipolar I. However, some patients have reported Lamictal rash side effects that have led to much more dangerous conditions.

Doctors aren’t sure exactly how it works, but Lamictal reduces the amount of abnormal activity in the brain and can help stabilize mood. However, Lamictal has been associated with several severe side effects. Some of these side effects, including Lamictal rash side effects, can be life-threatening and in some cases, deadly.

Reported Lamictal side effects include:

• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)
• Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS)
• Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS)
• Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)

Lamictal Rash Side Effects

Most alarming might be the risks of Lamictal rash side effects. Both Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are rash side effects and can be caused by Lamictal or other medications.

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, one of the possible Lamictal rash side effects, is a serious condition. It begins with symptoms similar to the flu and then develops into a rash. That rash can quickly become dangerous.

The SJS rash can create large blisters over a great deal of a person’s body. The skin can then peel off in layers, exposing the patient to infection and other complication. Essentially, the patient suffers from cell death and this condition can take weeks or even months from which to recover. Even so, those who experience SJS can die from the condition.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis is a condition in which Stevens-Johnson Syndrome progresses to cover larger parts of a patient’s body. This is a highly dangerous situation and many patients die, even if treated in a hospital.

Other Possible Lamictal Side Effects

There are other possible severe side effects with Lamictal besides Lamictal rash side effects. In April 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out a safety warning about hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), an immune system reaction.

HLH can include symptoms of skin rash, fever, an enlarged liver, swollen lymph nodes, yellow skin or eyes, unusual bleeding and nervous system disturbances that include seizures, vision problems and trouble with walking.

Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms, or DRESS, can also occur in relationship with Lamictal use.

However, HLH and DRESS can be similar in nature. HLH patients will have at least five of the following symptoms

• High levels of blood ferritin
• Enlarged spleen
• Cytopenias
• Elevated blood levels of CD25 showing prolonged immune cell activation
• Elevated levels of triglycerides
• Hemophagocytosis identified through bone marrow, spleen, or lymph node biopsy
• Decreased or absent Natural Killer (NK) Cell activity
• Fever and rash

If you or someone you love has taken Lamictal for epilepsy or bipolar disorder and have suffered from Lamictal rash side effects or other severe side effects like HLH or DRESS, you may be eligible to take legal action. While financial compensation cannot take away the pain and suffering of Lamictal rash side effects, it can help alleviate the burden of lost wages and hospital bills.