u/Correct_Brilliant172

Hey, guys! I see a lot of posts in here with people concerned about SJS and I wanted to offer us a guide of sorts to go by. Welcome to my mini educational journey!

*Disclaimer* I am NOT a medical professional, just a person who is also on this medication and wants to arm us with knowledge to protect ourselves and our health while also helping us find the peace of mind we’re looking for by taking these meds.

So, let’s start with the itching. The irony of Lamotrigine is that one of the side effects can be some itching while the body adjusts to the medication. I can’t speak for everyone’s tolerance to itching in general, but I decided to look up what Steven Johnson Syndrome specifically looks and feels like to offer us some peace of mind. Unless you can handle medical phenomena, I don’t recommend looking up the pics. They’re pretty bad. 😩😭 Anywho, the difference with a Steven Johnson Syndrome rash from the regular itching you’ll experience as a side effect is hard to miss from what I’ve read. It’s a painful, blistering rash and can even cause your skin to shed. It’s also worth noting that it is a rare condition, so while it is good to keep an eye on whatever itching you’re experiencing, know that what you’re looking for goes beyond some itchy discomfort. It will actually hurt and look super red, like a blister or like something hot burning your skin.

I hope this was helpful and of course, always do your research and talk to your psychiatrist about what to expect and look out for. Knowledge is power! If your rash is painful and/or exuberantly red, stop taking the medication, go to the emergency room, talk to your psychiatrist about it, and discuss a shift in strategy.

First day down the hatch, let’s go 💪🏼😤 I chose to split my starting dose (25 mg) in half, one in the morning and the other at night. I’m quite sensitive to pharmaceuticals for some reason and my recent two experiences with SSRIs were awful, so I chose not to be particularly ambitious this time around. 😅 I’m really hoping this works out for me. I’m deeply exhausted by my mood swings, having to constantly fight my intrusive thoughts and my constant shifts in energy levels. I’m trusting God to see me through this process. 🙏🏼 I’m praying for everyone else dealing with mental health challenges. It’s not easy, but we’re still standing. Also praying for those who don’t have access or that have access, but haven’t thought to try or built up the courage to try. It took me years to get here. I’m grateful I survived.

I’m about to start Lamotrigine tomorrow and I was looking forward to it until I remembered that I foolishly forgot to ask my psychiatrist whether I should take it in the morning or at night. I know you guys can’t give me medical advice and everyone is different, but can I at least ask what y’alls experience has been? I have horrible anxiety and my experience with attempting SSRIs was horrendous and I lost multiple days recovering from the side effects of just taking one day of the dosages I tried. I don’t have that in me anymore and I really can’t afford it (financially, I can’t keep calling out of work just because my meds are wrecking my body). I’m a nervous mess right now (I’m sure you can see why I need some form of mood stabilizer now lol), but I’m scared. I’m off tomorrow, but I work the day after.