Will lamotrigine cause weight gain

Lamotrigine is a medication commonly prescribed to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. As with any medication, there are often concerns about potential side effects. One question that frequently arises is whether lamotrigine will lamotrigine cause weight gain cause weight gain. In this article, we will explore the relationship between lamotrigine and weight, debunk any myths surrounding this topic, and provide tips for managing weight while taking lamotrigine.

Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. If you're concerned that taking the medication Lamictal lamotrigine may cause you to gain weight, there's good news. It probably won't affect your weight much at all. If anything, you're more likely to lose weight because of Lamictal than to gain weight, but either way, the changes will probably be pretty small. The effect of Lamictal on weight has been studied quite a bit and various clinical trials have found a minimal impact gain. In fact, some researchers even have looked at the drug as a possible treatment for obesity and as a treatment for binge-eating disorder. This should be reassuring to people with bipolar disorder since so many medications used to treat the condition can cause weight gain.

Will lamotrigine cause weight gain

Most mood stabilizers used to help treat bipolar disorder are known to cause weight gain. However, Lamictal is less likely to cause weight gain. Lamictal is a brand name for the drug lamotrigine. As an anticonvulsant, it helps treat seizures. As a mood stabilizer, it helps lengthen the time between extreme mood episodes in bipolar disorder. Most mood stabilizers used to treat bipolar disorder are known to cause weight gain. The way a mood stabilizer affects your weight depends on many things, such as how severe your disorder is and what other conditions you have. Unlike most mood stabilizers, though, Lamictal is less likely to cause weight gain. In clinical trials, less than 5 percent of those taking Lamictal gained weight. If you take Lamictal and have gained weight, the weight gain may be an effect of the disorder itself.

If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. These effects can greatly reduce how well Lamictal works to treat your symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Most studies investigating bipolar disorder medications and weight loss have found evidence they cause weight gain instead. People with bipolar disorder BD experience periods of high and low moods. These are sometimes referred to as mania and depression, respectively. The impact of BD on daily life can vary from person to person. However, treatments and support are available, including medication. Medication treatments for BD include mood stabilizers such as lithium, anticonvulsant medications, and antipsychotic medications. A common side effect of BD medication is weight gain rather than weight loss.

Most mood stabilizers used to help treat bipolar disorder are known to cause weight gain. However, Lamictal is less likely to cause weight gain. Lamictal is a brand name for the drug lamotrigine. As an anticonvulsant, it helps treat seizures. As a mood stabilizer, it helps lengthen the time between extreme mood episodes in bipolar disorder. Most mood stabilizers used to treat bipolar disorder are known to cause weight gain. The way a mood stabilizer affects your weight depends on many things, such as how severe your disorder is and what other conditions you have. Unlike most mood stabilizers, though, Lamictal is less likely to cause weight gain.

Will lamotrigine cause weight gain

Research suggests that Lamictal modifies neurochemistry by: inhibiting voltage-gated sodium channels, blocking various calcium channels L-type; N-type; P-type , antagonizing sigma and 5-HT3 receptors, upregulating GABA signaling, and suppressing the release of glutamate and aspartate. Through the aforementioned mechanisms of action, Lamictal effectively prevents seizures and stabilizes mood. Based upon available medical research, Lamictal is likely to have no clinically significant effect on body weight.

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Front Pharmacol. However, patients without concomitant antipsychotics experienced greater improvement in quality-of-life scores than those with concomitant antipsychotics The study was originally designed to assess the rate of rash among patients instructed to use specific dermatologic precautions compared with those receiving usual care. Stay hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day. Some of these medications can increase your appetite or cause changes in metabolism leading to weight gain. Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. If you have vision problems during Lamictal treatment, talk with your doctor. Another 3 common pesticides are now linked to Parkinson's disease risk. Drugs to Treat Bipolar Disorder. Medical Professionals. Patients did not gain additional weight after beginning lamotrigine treatment, regardless of whether they were taking concomitant valproate, lithium, antipsychotics, or antidepressants.

While this phase IV clinical study alone cannot establish cause-effect relationship, Weight increased is found in people who have side effects when taking Lamotrigine.

Br J Psychiatry. You may need to take several doses of the drug before you know whether vision problems may occur. Patient satisfaction with medication may affect adherence to the treatment regimen, which is critical for preventing relapse in patients with bipolar disorder. Most studies investigating bipolar disorder medications and weight loss have found evidence they cause weight gain instead. Bipolar medications and weight gain. People may be able to manage weight gain while on BD medication through lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise. Psychiatry Res. A variety of medications can help manage bipolar disorder, including mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. Scientists investigating the side effects of lithium found it does not cause weight loss. Lamotrigine in the treatment of binge-eating disorder with obesity: a randomized, placebo-controlled monotherapy trial. New page sections. Subjects were encouraged to contact the investigator more frequently if needed, and the investigator was able to contact the patient as clinically necessary. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Patients were eligible to participate if they were 13 years or older and had been given a diagnosis, based on an unstructured clinical interview and review of available medical records, of bipolar I disorder according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Fourth Edition. Furthermore, no statistically significant weight change occurred in nonobese patients taking lamotrigine as monotherapy or adjunctive therapy, or taking lamotrigine with or without concomitant valproate, lithium, antipsychotics, or antidepressants.