What happens if you stop lamotrigine suddenly?

Lamotrigine (Lamictal) is a mood stabilizer and a seizure medicine at the same time, and that second job is what shapes how it is stopped. Stopping it abruptly can trigger a seizure, and the guide notes this can happen even in someone who takes it only for mood and has never had a seizure.

This episode walks through the taper the FDA label describes: at least two weeks, reducing by roughly half each week, so 200 mg steps to 100 mg, then 50 mg, then off. It also covers why many providers go slower than that for mood, sometimes over one to a few months, and the rule that catches people out after a gap in doses — once enough time has passed, the old dose is not the restart dose, and the slow build-up starts over. Rash gets its own warning, and the guide is specific about when to call.

Read the full guide: How to Safely Come Off Lamotrigine (Lamictal). To find a provider trained in deprescribing, visit mydeprescriber.com/find-a-provider.

The hosts of this episode are AI-generated from the written guide.

Educational only, not medical advice. Never stop a medication without your provider. If you are in crisis in the US, call or text 988.