What you should know about

What you should know about

Lamictal* Dispersible

Please read this carefully before this medicine is taken. This leaflet contains important information about the treatment. If you have any doubts or questions, or you are not sure about anything, ask a doctor or pharmacist.

What's in the medicine

The name of this medicine is Lamictal Dispersible. The active ingredient is lamotrigine. It belongs to a group of medicines called anticonvulsants which are used to treat various types of epilepsy. All tablets are white and blackcurrant flavoured. The 5 mg tablet is elongated and contains 5 mg lamotrigine. The 25 mg and 100 mg tablets are square with rounded corners and contain 25 mg and 100 mg of lamotrigine.

5 mg: 28 Tablet Pack 25 mg: 56 Tablet Pack 100 mg: 56 Tablet Pack

Lamictal Dispersible also contains the following as inactive ingredients: calcium carbonate; hydroxypropylcellulose; aluminium magnesium silicate; sodium starch glycollate; povidone; saccharin sodium; magnesium stearate, blackcurrant flavouring.

Product licence holder/manufacturer:

The Wellcome Foundation Ltd, London NW1 2BP

The Product Authorisation holder in the Republic of Ireland is

Wellcome Ireland Ltd., Dublin

What is Lamictal Dispersible for?

This medicine is used to treat various types of epilepsy.

Before taking the medicine

Anyone about to take Lamictal should be asked these questions:

Are they pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breast-feeding?
Have they previously experienced an allergic or bad reaction to Lamictal or lamotrigine?
Are they already taking any other medicines?
Are they taking oral contraceptive pills?
Do they suffer from liver or kidney disease?

If the answer is YES to any of these questions, (or if you are unsure if they apply}, and if these points have not already been discussed with a doctor, tell the doctor or pharmacist before this medicine is taken.

Taking the medicine

It is important that the medicine is taken as directed by a doctor. The label should tell you how much should be taken and how often. If it doesn't or if you are not sure, ask a doctor or pharmacist.

The usual dosage is one or two tablets twice a day, but the starting dose may be much lower for the first 2 to 4 weeks.
A tablet can either be chewed or can be dissolved to make a liquid medicine.
If the tablet is chewed, the patient may need to drink a little water at the same time. This is because the tablet needs water when dissolving in the mouth. A little more water should then be sipped to make sure all of the medicine is swallowed.

Please read the back of this leaflet

continued

• To make a liquid medicine, add the tablet to a little water, in a glass. Use enough water to cover the whole tablet. Leave for about a minute, until the tablet has fully dissolved, and then give all of the liquid. Add a little more water to the glass and give this to make sure all of the medicine has been taken.

If you forget to give a dose do it as soon as you remember. Then continue as before.

• In the event of an overdose, contact a doctor immediately.

• Do not stop taking your medicine suddenly. Ask your doctor first.

After taking the medicine

This medicine is normally well tolerated, but the following side-effects can occasionally occur:

A slight headache, dizziness or a mild sick feeling can be ignored, unless it becomes troublesome or does not go away.

If any of the following occur, a doctor should be informed immediately:

An unexpected skin reaction, eg a rash and/or a sore mouth or eyes.
If a high temperature, 'flu-like' symptoms, or drowsiness, develop, or if the epilepsy gets worse, particularly during the first month's treatment with Lamictal.
If the patient begins to feel unwell, and there appears to be no other reason for them feeling unwell.

Storing the medicine

Keep this medicine in a safe place where children cannot see or reach it. Medicines could harm them. Keep this medicine in a dark, dry place below 30°C.

REMEMBER

This medicine has been prescribed for THIS patient ONLY. Never give it to anyone else. It may harm them even if their symptoms are the same.

Check the carton for the "use by" date and return tablets which have passed their "use by" date or any unused tablets, to a pharmacist for disposal.

If the doctor decides to stop treatment, return any left over tablets to a pharmacist for disposal. Only keep them if the doctor tells you to.

Note (UK only): If you have any other questions about epilepsy, contact a doctor or pharmacist. Alternatively, the British Epilepsy Association will be happy to try and answer them for you. You can telephone their National Information Centre for the cost of a local call from anywhere in the country on 0345 089599 or write to them at Anstey House, 40 Hanover Square, Leeds, LS3 1BE

Note (Ireland only): If you have any other questions about epilepsy, consult your pharmacist or doctor. Alternatively, Brainwave, The Irish Epilepsy Association would be happy to try and answer some of these issues for you. You can telephone the Epilepsy Association on 01 557500 or write to them at 249 Crumlin Road, Dublin 12.

Date last revised: April 1994

The information in this leaflet applies only to Lamictal Dispersible.

Lamictal is a trademark of The Wellcome Foundation Ltd

0/5707 94.05