There are constantly new drugs going on the market, and they all try to fix problems that humans have been dealing with forever. There is medication out there to manage allergies, infections, headaches, disorders, and more. One of these newer compounds is an anticonvulsant with the brand name Lamictal. Being an anticonvulsant means that it prevents abnormal electricity in the brain from happening, thus controlling seizures and the mood swings associated with bipolar disorder (WebMD). It’s mainly used for patients who are 16 and older, because it may be risky for children (Mayo Clinic). Lamictal isn’t quite like other mood stabilizers though, and it’s important that patients be aware of what risk there is with taking this drug. Lamictal isn’t
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It was made with the purpose of preventing abnormal electrical activity from happening in the brain. The activity is considered abnormal when more or less electricity is going through the brain than what is supposed to (Live Strong). The way Lamictal prevents this from happening is by blocking sodium channels in the brain neurons. Neurons are the nerves of the brain. Since sodium is positively charged, it reacts with the negatively charged surface when it travels through the sodium channels (NCBI). This electrical reaction then sends a signal to other parts of the brain and sometimes affects the behavior of the patient. With these channels being blocked, the sodium is unable to react so the neurons aren’t stimulated and an excess amount of electricity isn’t allowed to travel. This doesn’t completely stop the electricity, nor does it prevent the patient from feeling any kind of emotion. No drug being used to regulate mood should take away baseline emotions, and if this happens then it’s important to tell your doctor. The medication is meant to act as a guard, and only let in an appropriate amount of …show more content…
It comes in 25mg, 50mg, 100mg, and 200mg tablets. The dosage is raised carefully to build up a tolerance and prevent dangerous reactions such as a rash. For the first week, patients may only take 25mg a day, then move on to 50mg a day for two weeks. Raising the dosage from there depends on the patient and how they are reacting to it (WebMD). It takes around two months for lamictal to start working, but many times side effects will be present before then. When taking a new medication, it’s important for the patient and people around them to notice if anything different begins happening. The patient on lamictal may experience anxiety, short-term mood swings, or changes in alertness. If you find that you’re having a bad reaction with Lamictal, it’s important to tell your doctor as soon as you can. If you stop taking Lamictal, it takes around 14 days to get out of your system completely, and most of the time side effects will clear up. There have been rare cases Lamictal has left permanent
It was made with the purpose of preventing abnormal electrical activity from happening in the brain. The activity is considered abnormal when more or less electricity is going through the brain than what is supposed to (Live Strong). The way Lamictal prevents this from happening is by blocking sodium channels in the brain neurons. Neurons are the nerves of the brain. Since sodium is positively charged, it reacts with the negatively charged surface when it travels through the sodium channels (NCBI). This electrical reaction then sends a signal to other parts of the brain and sometimes affects the behavior of the patient. With these channels being blocked, the sodium is unable to react so the neurons aren’t stimulated and an excess amount of electricity isn’t allowed to travel. This doesn’t completely stop the electricity, nor does it prevent the patient from feeling any kind of emotion. No drug being used to regulate mood should take away baseline emotions, and if this happens then it’s important to tell your doctor. The medication is meant to act as a guard, and only let in an appropriate amount of …show more content…
It comes in 25mg, 50mg, 100mg, and 200mg tablets. The dosage is raised carefully to build up a tolerance and prevent dangerous reactions such as a rash. For the first week, patients may only take 25mg a day, then move on to 50mg a day for two weeks. Raising the dosage from there depends on the patient and how they are reacting to it (WebMD). It takes around two months for lamictal to start working, but many times side effects will be present before then. When taking a new medication, it’s important for the patient and people around them to notice if anything different begins happening. The patient on lamictal may experience anxiety, short-term mood swings, or changes in alertness. If you find that you’re having a bad reaction with Lamictal, it’s important to tell your doctor as soon as you can. If you stop taking Lamictal, it takes around 14 days to get out of your system completely, and most of the time side effects will clear up. There have been rare cases Lamictal has left permanent