VickieKelley, this is also why some companies have stopped suggesting this medicine entirely. When they saw what the patients were physically experiencing, they stopped recommending it. I spoke to a young man four years ago who was helping his company suggest medicines, and that was one of the medicines. When I showed him what it could do, he took pictures and went back to his boss! The following year, he was excited to tell me that his company no longer offered this medicine as a suggestion! Think of how many patients' lives may have changed!!

Vickie Kelley- like most medicines, when you get the side effects, you are taken off them. The pros and cons were weighed when you were put on them. The main goal is to be seizure-free at all costs otherwise. This is why our teeth and many other parts of the body suffer. When the seizures are controlled, the amounts can then be lessened or removed. When I went in for surgery, I was on six medicines and the VNS, and I was still having seizures every month at sporadic times and intensities. Today is my anniversary of that surgery I am now ten years seizure-free!!

Prescribing Lamotrigine has its difficulties. It is the generic version of Lamictal, but the generic version is made by a number of manufacturers. The bioavailability varies by substantial amounts between manufacturers. If your Lamotrigine comes consistently from the same manufacturer there is not a problem, but your doctor or pharmacist should ensure this is done. You can check it yourself because the name of the supplier will be on the box. Generics are usually supplied as they cost less than e.g. Lamictal. That is the only certain way of knowing the bioavailability remains constant. I found out the hard way after 3 months of generic Lamotrigine which varied in shape and colour. There is guidance in NICE about bioavailability particularly for Epilepsy, but this happened to me about 15 years ago and I can’t quote chapter and verse. I think the bioavailability in the generic version can differ by as much as 45%. In general if you are on any generic drugs make sure your supply each month is identical. Scrutinise the packaging. Not all pharmacists or doctors make this check. I only looked at the boxes that said clearly they were Lamotrigine, but looked no further. If using this drug, insist on Lamictal.

Has anybody sought legal advice on possible medical negligence and/malpractice. This often brings out the harmful side effects are known well in advance of putting products on the market with a cynical financial calculation that profit will finance the cost of any claim made

VickieKelley, mine started in my two big toenails and then got my thumbs to my right pointer finger till the regular doctor found the side effect. By then, the medicine was all in the system. I was scheduled for my brain surgery that fall. I was on that medicine for another half a year till it was removed in the summer. That has been ten years, and I still only have parts of the fingernails left. When they leave, there is no nail at all, and let me tell you, IT HURTS!!!!!!!!!! You hit it and want to scream and cry and everything!! This is not fun...Today is my ten year anniversary of the surgery!