Drug Interactions With Lamotrigine

When lamotrigine is taken with other medications, such as Rifadin or Depakote, potentially negative interactions can occur. These drug interactions with lamotrigine can lead to problems such as increased or decreased drug levels in the blood. As a result, this may increase your risk for side effects or reduce the drugs' effectiveness. If drug interactions with lamotrigine are a concern, your healthcare provider may adjust your dosages.

Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder

Drug Interactions With Lamotrigine: An Overview

Lamotrigine (Lamictal^®) can potentially interact with a few other medications. Some of the medicines that may lead to lamotrigine drug interactions include:

Carbamazepine (Carbatrol^®, Epitol^®, Equetro^®, Tegretol^®)
Divalproex (Depakote^®, Depakote ER^®) or valproic acid (Depakene^®)
Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Phenobarbital (Luminal^®)
Phenytoin (Dilantin^®, Phenytek^®)
Primidone (Mysoline^®)
Rifampin (Rifadin^®).

Lamotrigine Interactions Explained

The following sections explain in detail the potentially negative interactions that can occur when lamotrigine is combined with any of the drugs listed above.

Carbamazepine

Carbamazepine can decrease the level of lamotrigine in your blood, perhaps making it less effective. Your healthcare provider may recommend a higher lamotrigine dose if you are taking carbamazepine. In addition, using these medications together may increase your risk of certain lamotrigine side effects, such as dizziness, vision problems, or coordination problems.

(Drug Interactions With Lamotrigine Continued: Page 2)