lamictal hypothyroid

I was put on Lamictal around 2006, but I didn't take it on a regular basis until a year or so later. I started out weighing 135lbs. By January 2010, I was at 196lbs. I kept telling my doctor that I wasn't feeling right. I was putting on weight for no reason, my hair was falling out, I was always tired, etc. He never checked my thyroid. In January 2010, I went to urgent care because I had gotten a bronchial infection. They drew my blood and call me that afternoon to ask if I was taking thyroid medication. When I told them that I wasn't, they made me come back so that they could draw more blood. They handed me a paper and told me to take it to my family doctor so that he could put me on thyroid medication. They said that my thyroid shouldn't be over 4 and mine was 44.

I was prescribed Lamotrigine/Lamictal about 18 years ago when I developed epilepsy at the age of 32!
About 8 years ago I showed the typical signs of hypothyroid, the blood test confirmed it and I was put on Levothyroxine.
I was surprised like so many others, so when I asked my GP why I all of a sudden had developed hypothyroid, he just said that's part of taking Lamotrigine/Lamictal!!!!
So if doctors know about this, why on earth do they prescribe a drug which causes more health problems...permanent health problems???
I've been looking into other "medication" like ERFA or ARMOUR, but the NHS does not prescribe them.
I am still, after all these years, so very angry that the GP described a drug for epilepsy which he knew would cause my thyroid to stop working.
Thanks NHS!!!!

I've heard that Lamictal affects your absorption of Vitamin D. Low Vitamin D can contribute to thyroid problems. So I would think that would be why taking Lamictal could affect the thyroid. Maybe taking Vitamin D supplements could help.

Hi THERE

I just read your post and alarm bells went off. I was searching. Because I came off Lamictal about 6monthts ago and I've spent the last theee month rapidly putting on a LOT of weight. I haven't changed my diet much and I'm still excercozing a few times a week. I've gained at least 15lbs and I'm not a large woman so that's a lot for me. Any advice on how to proceed with checking the thyroid ?

Thanks

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one out here! After being switched from Zonegran to Lamictal, I turned into a chilled version of Eeyore! Always cold, tired and negative. It actually was a huge help to have the Hashi's diagnosis, so I could DO something! First thing I did was go s.l.o.w.l.y off Lamictal! It's been about 6 months now, and I feel like my old self some days. Keep looking for answers...they're out there, just might be a little different for each person. Dr. Kharazzian and Izabella Wentz's work and Stop the Thyroid Madness were a huge help for me.

although a through answer of what lemictal is used for you did not answer the question. It is also used as a mood stabilizer.

I too have developed this issue.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid disease when i was 11. It was unsual for this age. I took meds to help level it out for the last 23 yrs but the changes of depression and weight gain and tired ness never got better although blood would said we got my levels to be correct.. . I was finnally seen by a dr who specializes in bipolar type 2 only 6 months ago. And was shooked that i was never put on lamitacal with my thyroid. Which in turn whould have given me a better life growing up. As this combination of meds and the synthroid for my hypothyroid and lamictal was what i should have been on for all pf those years. Im lossing weight easily and that never happened before and im not so depressed either. That drs review on my life and took time to listen and im thankful for this great change in my life all because she was the only one that new how to fix me

I think for most. Everything starts from thyroid disease and braches off to other issues. But docters tend to check that last as they assume if your in your 40s or above. That your thyroids fine.

I started on Lamotrigine in the Phase B trials in the mid 80s. Around 2000 I got Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and that was linked to underactive Thyroid. Around 8 years later, the UK Medicines & Healthcare Regulatory Authority put out an official warning about Lamotrigine being linked to Hypothyroidism. No doctor has told me of the link. I found out when trying to link my symptoms to medication. Mysoline for example is linked to the low Calcium.

My Neurologist prescribed me a Bone Density Scan/Blood test which found low density issues and low Vitamin D. I've taken supplements since and the D is back to expected levels.
I started on 50 and now have 100micrograms of Levothyroxine.

Just looking into things like why I had begun to get an outbreaks of boils which GPs simply prescribed antibiotics every few months after I'd had an outbreak. Under arms, in the ear and on the face. I fathomed out that it was an invasion by Candida Albicans so removed Bread, jacket potatoes and
many carbohydrates from my diet. They invade when your immune system is depleted and I'd been through my spouse's suicide so it was a perfect opportunity.

The fatigue causes me issues at work especially meetings. I am now taking supplements like Ashwagandha, Co-enzyme Q10 to try and surmount it. I also bought myself Thyrosense which really helps.

I am beginning to link Adrenal Fatigue with some of my symptoms probably caused by my level of anxiety. That could be linked to a mild depression

In the last couple of years I have become sensitive to cold which is symptomatic of Hashimotos.
Has anyone tried any dietary things? I wonder if I may have Leaky Gut Syndrome so take Probiotics amongst numerous supplements.

Maybe all this alternative medicine approach is doing little good. But, if I forget certain supplements I feel grotty and very, very tired at work.

Has anyone else experienced this sort of sequence of symptoms and managed to resolve them?

This thread is kinda old, but in case it helps ... I can say I've been hypothyroid since childhood, and of all the seizure meds I've taken over the years, lamictal had the least effect on my thyroid. Tegretol, Dilantin, oxcarbezapine, Vimpat ... a few I've forgotten ... All had a huge impact on my thyroid health, but not lamictal.
Hypothyroidism is also very common, especially as you get older. It is also common in depressed patients, as all the hormones interact with each other.

Can you let us know if it went back to normal?

I’m dealing with overactive thyroid. Nasty smelling sweat. Lost 30 pounds in 4 months. Never hungry. It’s very possible I have lupus but now wondering if the lamictal helped make thing worse