Epilepsy is one of the most common diseases of the nervous system. Its main manifestation is short-term rarely occurring seizures. Epilepsy is diagnosed today in every hundredth person on the planet. And of course, pharmacological companies produce many kinds of medicines designed to treat this disease. One such drug is Lamotrigine. Analogues of this medication may cost more or less, have the same active substance or something else.
Release form and composition of the drug
The drug Lamotrigine (Lamictal) in tablets is supplied to pharmacies. One package may contain 10 or 30 pieces. Sometimes on sale you can find this drug in powder form. The main active ingredient in this medication is lamotrigine.
Also, the composition of the medicine includes such components as:
- anhydrous silica;
- magnesium stearate;
- povidone;
- lactose monohydrate;
- MCC;
- sodium carboxymethyl starch.
Lamotrigine: cheaper analogues
This medicine costs about 600-700 rubles in pharmacies per pack of 30 tablets. It is, of course, quite expensive. Therefore, many patients instead use the means of its cheaper substitutes.
For example, can be used instead of the drug "Lamotrigine" analogues:
- Topiramat.
- Seisar.
- Levetiracetam.
The medicine "Topiramat"
This drug is also marketed usually in tablet form. 30 tablets of this product, depending on the supplier, can cost about 200-400 rubles. In some pharmacies, this drug is sold for 150-160 rubles. The main active ingredient in this medicine is topiramate. His testimony is the same as that of Lamotrigine.
The drug "Seizar"
This medicine costs in pharmacies from 250 to 500 rubles. But in some cities, Seisar is sold even at a higher price than Lamotrigine. Patients who want to buy the drug cheaper should ask about its cost in several pharmacies.
The main active ingredient of this medicine is lamotrigine. That is, in fact, this tool refers to the synonyms of "Lamotrigine."
The drug "Levetiracetam"
This tool is usually sold at a price of 300-500 rubles for 30 tablets. Its main active ingredient is levetiracetam. Like all the analogues discussed above, this medication belongs to the antiepileptic group.
How does the medicine affect the patient's body
So, what are the analogues of the drug "Lamotrigine", we found out. Next, we consider in more detail what, in fact, is this medicine itself and how it should be taken.
To begin with, let’s get acquainted with the mechanism of action of the Lamotrigine medicine. Once in the patient’s body, the active substance of this medication stabilizes neuronal membranes and suppresses the pathological release of glutamic acid (due to the excess of which, in fact, epileptic seizures occur).
The features of this drug, among other things, include the following points:
- the speed of its action slows down with a full stomach, while the effectiveness of the meal does not have any negative effect;
- the medicine is absorbed quickly and completely directly from the digestive tract;
- the active substance of the drug circulates through the vessels in a protein-bound form.
The drug "Lamotrigine" is metabolized in the liver. It is excreted in this case mainly by the kidneys. That is why patients with problems with these organs, the medicine should be prescribed carefully.
Indications for use
Why is Lamotrigine prescribed? Doctors prescribe this drug usually with:
- partial and generalized seizures;
- monotherapy of typical absences.
Also, Lamotrigine tablets can in some cases be used as a prophylactic against mood disorders. These include, for example, depression, bipolar or anxiety disorder, etc. That is, in fact, this medicine can also be attributed to the psychotropic group. And this means that it should be taken carefully.
What contraindications exist
Unfortunately, it is far from possible for all patients to prescribe this quite effective medicine. Contraindications the drug "Lamotrigine" has the following:
- sensitivity to any components of the drug;
- pregnancy and lactation.
You can not prescribe this tool to children under the age of 2 years. This drug is not prescribed to pregnant and lactating women primarily because its effect on the body of such patients has not been fully studied.
"Lamotrigine": instructions for use of the drug
The dose of this drug is selected for the patient by the doctor individually. Adults are usually prescribed between 25 and 200 mg of this medicine. At the same time, doctors recommend that patients take pills twice a day. The maximum daily dose of Lamotrigine is 700 mg. They usually start taking the drug with the minimum dose. In the future, the amount of the drug used is gradually increased.
For children from 2 to 12 years old, doctors can prescribe this medication at 2-15 mg / kg per day. Young patients with epilepsy should also take this medicine twice a day. The maximum daily dose for such patients is 400 mg.
special instructions
Here is such an instruction for use for the Lamotrigine medicine. However, when prescribing it to patients, doctors must take into account special instructions.
Unlike some of its analogues, the drug "Lamotrigine" can be prescribed to patients, as already mentioned, with liver failure. However, in this case, the doctor must carefully monitor the patient. Doses of the drug itself should be reduced by about 50-75%, depending on the severity of liver damage.
It is impossible to cancel this drug sharply to patients of any age groups. This can trigger seizures up to status epilepticus. This drug is canceled smoothly, reducing the dose for two weeks.
Lamotrigine and alcohol are incompatible things. You can not drink alcohol during the course of treatment with this drug. Alcohol can significantly enhance the effect of this medication, which in some cases can be dangerous. The patient may easily show signs of overdose.
What side effects can a medicine cause
Of course, taking the drug "Lamotrigine" should only be prescribed by a doctor. The fact is that this medicine can cause many side effects, sometimes even quite dangerous for the health and life of the patient. For example, after taking Lamotrigine, the following problems may occur in patients:
- fatigue and headache;
- aggressiveness or anxiety;
- rash;
- confusion of consciousness;
- blurred visual perception;
- disruption of the vestibular apparatus;
- nausea, vomiting.
Allergic reactions to this medicine may also occur in patients with epilepsy.
Patient Rash
It is this side effect that causes the Lamotrigine drug most often in patients with epilepsy. A skin rash appears in patients usually in the first 8 weeks of taking the medicine. At the same time, the simultaneous use of Valproat (or drugs with the same active substance) can increase the risk of such a side effect.
If skin rashes on the patient’s body are not too strong, Lamotrigine medication should not be stopped. In most cases, urticaria disappears spontaneously after a few weeks of treatment. However, with severe rashes, the drug "Lamotrigine" doctors usually cancel. In this case, another medicine is selected for the treatment of epilepsy .
Drug overdose
Take this medicine only in full accordance with the recommendations of your doctor. In no case should the dosage be exceeded during treatment with Lamotrigine. Otherwise, the patient may manifest such unpleasant symptoms as:
- dizziness;
- drowsiness and vomiting;
- coma.
At the first signs of an overdose of the patient, it is advisable to hospitalize. A patient who has taken too much Lamotrigine is washed his stomach and is most often prescribed activated carbon to remove toxins from the body.
Reviews about the drug
The opinion about this medicine in patients with epilepsy has developed quite well. The undoubted advantages of this tool, patients attribute primarily its effectiveness. These pills stop epilepsy attacks, according to many patients, quite effectively.
It is considered an advantage of Lamotrigine that it quite rarely has negative side effects on the patient’s body. Good deserved drug "Lamotrigine" reviews from people with epilepsy, and for its convenient form of release. In water, these tablets dissolve very quickly and without residue. In addition, this drug smells pretty nice (currant). The taste of this medicine is not too good. But it is still relatively easy to drink.
The main disadvantage of this medication, many patients consider its rather high cost. Also, the disadvantages of the medicine include the fact that it can not be taken by patients who do not tolerate lactose. Unfortunately, this remedy is completely unsuitable for some patients. In certain cases, it may not even help, but rather cause seizures. That is why, before you start taking the medicine "Lamotrigine", you should definitely consult with your doctor.
How to store
The shelf life of Lamotrigine is 3 years from the date of issue. Store this medicine relies exclusively in a dark place. At home, you can put it, for example, just in a medicine cabinet. The storage temperature of the drug should not exceed 25 ° C. Therefore, in the summer, in hot weather, the drug should be transferred to the lower shelf in the refrigerator.