Prospecto: Information for the User
Lamotrigine Normon 25 mg Dispersible/Chewable Tablets EFG
Read this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, because it contains important information for you.
Lamotrigina Normon belongs to a group of medications calledantiepileptic drugs. It can be used to treat two diseases: epilepsyand bipolar disorder.
Lamotrigina Normon is used to treat epilepsy becauseit blocks signals in the brain that trigger epileptic seizures (attacks).
Lamotrigina Normon is also used to treat bipolar disorder.
People with bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic-depressive disorder) experience radical mood swings, with periods of mania (excitement or euphoria) alternating with periods of depression (deep sadness or desperation). In adults 18 years of age and older, Lamotrigina Normon can be used to prevent periods of depression that occur in bipolar disorder, either alone or in combination with other medications. The exact mechanism of action of lamotrigine in the brain is not known.
Do not take Lamotrigina Normon:
If this is the case:
Inform your doctor, and do not take Lamotrigina Normon.
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take Lamotrigina Normon:
If this is the case:
Inform your doctor, who will decide to reduce the dose or determine that Lamotrigina Normon is not suitable for you.
Important information about potentially life-threatening reactions
A small number of people taking lamotrigine have had allergic reactions or skin reactions that can be life-threatening, which can lead to more serious problems if not treated. These reactions can include Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SSJ), toxic epidermal necrolysis (NET), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). You need to know the symptoms of these reactions and be aware of them while taking Lamotrigina Normon. This risk may be associated with a genetic variant in people of Asian origin (mainly Chinese Han and Thai). If you are of this origin and have been detected with this genetic variant (HLA-B* 1502), talk to your doctor before taking Lamotrigina Normon.
See section 4 of this leaflet for more information on these symptoms.
Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Antiepileptic drugs are used to treat different conditions, including epilepsy and bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder may have had thoughts of self-harm or suicide at some point. If you have bipolar disorder, you may be more likely to have these thoughts in the following situations:
If you have thoughts or experiences that worry you or if you notice that you feel worse or develop new symptoms while taking Lamotrigina Normon:
See your doctor as soon as possible or go to the nearest hospital.
It may be helpful for you to explain to a family member, carer, or close friend that you may become depressed or have significant mood changes, and ask them to read this leaflet. You can ask them to tell you if they are worried about your depression or other changes in your behavior.
A small number of people who have been treated with antiepileptic drugs like lamotrigine have also had thoughts of self-harm or suicide. If you ever have these thoughts, contact your doctor immediately.
If you are taking Lamotrigina Normon for epilepsy:
Seizures in some types of epilepsy may occasionally get worse or happen more often while you are taking Lamotrigina Normon. Some patients may experience severe seizures, which can cause serious health problems. If seizures happen more often or if you experience severe seizures while taking Lamotrigina Normon:
See a doctor immediately.
Lamotrigina Normon should not be given to children under 18 years old for the treatment of bipolar disorder.Medicines used to treat depression and other mental health problems increase the risk of thoughts and behaviors of self-harm or suicide in children and adolescents under 18 years old.
Taking Lamotrigina Normon with other medicines
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medicine,including herbal medicines or other medicines bought without a prescription.
Your doctor needs to know if you are taking other medicines for epilepsy or mental health problems. This is to ensure that you take the correct dose of Lamotrigina Normon. These medicines include:
Inform your doctorif you are using any of these medicines.
Some medicines interact with Lamotrigina Normon or make it more likely for people to have side effects. These include:
Inform your doctorif you are using any of these medicines, or if you start or stop using any of these medicines.
Hormonal contraceptives (such as the pill) may affect how Lamotrigina Normon works.
Your doctor may recommend a specific hormonal contraceptive or suggest an alternative method of contraception, such as condoms, diaphragm, or IUD. If you are taking a hormonal contraceptive like the pill, your doctor may do a blood test to check your lamotrigine levels. If you are using a hormonal contraceptive or plan to start using one:
See your doctor, who will advise you on the most suitable methods of contraception for you.
Lamotrigina may also affect how hormonal contraceptives work, although it is unlikely to reduce their effectiveness. If you are taking a hormonal contraceptive and notice changes in your menstrual cycle, such as intermenstrual bleeding or spotting between periods:
Inform your doctor. These may be signs that lamotrigine is affecting the way your hormonal contraceptive works.
Brugada syndrome
Brugada syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes abnormal heart electrical activity. Lamotrigina may cause abnormalities in the electrocardiogram (ECG) that can lead to arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm). See your doctor if you have this condition.
Lymphohistiocytosis hemophagocytic (LHH)
Cases of a rare but severe immune system reaction have been reported in patients taking lamotrigine. Contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms while taking lamotrigine: fever, rash, neurological symptoms (e.g., spasms or tremors, confusion, changes in brain function).
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant,see your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.
If you are breastfeeding or plan to start breastfeeding, see your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.Lamotrigine passes into breast milk and may affect your baby. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of breastfeeding while taking Lamotrigina Normon and will perform regular checks on your baby if you decide to start breastfeeding,as your baby may experience drowsiness, rash, or poor weight gain. Inform your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms in your baby.
Driving and using machines
Lamotrigina Normon may cause dizziness and double vision.
Do not drive or use machines unless you are sure you do not feel these effects.
If you have epilepsy, see your doctor about the possibility of driving or using machines.
Lamotrigina Normon contains glucose, benzyl alcohol, and sodium
This medicine contains glucose. If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to certain sugars, consult with them before taking this medicine. It may harm your teeth.
This medicine contains0.00026mg of benzyl alcohol in each tablet.
Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions.
See your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can accumulate in your body and cause side effects (metabolic acidosis).
See your doctor or pharmacist if you have liver or kidney disease. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can accumulate in your body and cause side effects (metabolic acidosis).
Benzyl alcohol has been linked to a risk of severe side effects, including respiratory problems ("breathing difficulty") in children.
Do not give this medicine to your newborn (up to 4 weeks old) unless your doctor has recommended it.
This medicine should not be used for more than a week in children under 3 years old unless your doctor or pharmacist has advised you.
This medicine contains less than 23 mg of sodium (1 mmol) per tablet; it is essentially "sodium-free".
Follow exactly the administration instructions of this medication as indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.
What dose of Lamotrigine Normon to take
It may take some time for your doctor to find the appropriate dose of Lamotrigine Normon for you. The dose you should take will depend on:
Your doctor will prescribe a low dose at the beginning of treatment and gradually increase the dose over several weeks to reach the most appropriate dose for you (called the effective dose).Do not take more Lamotrigine Normon than your doctor has indicated.
Normally, the effective dose of Lamotrigine Normon for adults and children 13 years of age and older is between 100 mg and 400 mg per day.
For children between 2 and 12 years of age, the effective dose depends on their body weight, usually between 1 mg and 15 mg per kilogram of the child's weight, up to a maximum maintenance dose of 200 mg per day.
Lamotrigine Normon is not recommended for children under 2 years of age.
How to take the dose of Lamotrigine Normon
Take your dose of Lamotrigine Normon once or twice a day, as advised by your doctor. They can be taken with or without food.
Your doctor may advise you to start or stop taking other medications, depending on the condition being treated and how you respond to treatment.
Lamotrigine Normon dispersible/masticable tablets can be swallowed whole with a little water, chewed, or water added to dissolve them.
Masticate the tablet:
You may need to drink a little water to help the tablet dissolve in your mouth. After swallowing, drink a little more water to make sure you have taken all the medication.
To dissolve the medication:
If you take more Lamotrigine Normon than you should
In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, contact your doctor, pharmacist, or call the Toxicological Information Service, phone: 91 562 04 20 indicating the medication and the amount ingested.
If you take moreLamotrigine Normon than you should, you may be more prone to severe side effects that can be fatal.
Someone who has taken too much Lamotrigine Normon may experience some of the following symptoms:
If you forget to take Lamotrigine Normon
Do not take a double doseto compensate for the missed doses. Take the next dose at the usual time.
In case of forgetting to take multiple doses of Lamotrigine Normon:
Ask your doctor for advice on how to start treatment again.
Do not stop taking Lamotrigine Normon without consulting your doctor
You must take Lamotrigine Normon for as long as your doctor recommends. Do not stop taking it unless your doctor advises you to.
If you are taking Lamotrigine Normon for epilepsy treatment
To stop taking Lamotrigine Normon, it is essential to gradually reduce the dose over approximately 2 weeks. If you stop taking Lamotrigine Normon suddenly, you may experience a relapse of epilepsy symptoms or the condition may worsen.
If you are taking Lamotrigine Normon for bipolar disorder
Lamotrigine Normon may take time to act, so it is unlikely that you will feel better immediately. If you stop taking Lamotrigine Normon, you do not need to gradually reduce the dose. However, before interrupting treatment with Lamotrigine Normon, you should consult with your doctor.
Reactions that may potentially threaten life: consult your doctor immediately.
A small number of people taking lamotrigine have had allergic reactions or skin reactions that may potentially threaten their life, which can lead to more serious problems if not treated.
It is more likely that these symptoms will appear during the first months of treatment with Lamotrigine Normon, especially if the initial dose is very high or if the dose increase is very rapid, or if you are taking Lamotrigine Normon with another medicine called valproate.Some of these symptoms are more common in children, so parents should pay special attention.
The symptoms of these reactions include:
In many cases, these symptoms can be signs of less severe side effects.However, you should be aware that they may potentially threaten life and can lead to more serious problems, such as organ failure, if not treated. If you notice any of these symptoms:
Contact your doctor immediately.Your doctor will decide if you need to undergo tests to evaluate the function of the liver, kidneys, or blood and may instruct you to stop taking Lamotrigine Normon. If you have developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis, your doctor will instruct you never to take lamotrigine again.
Very common side effects
These affect more than 1 in 10 people:
Common side effects
These affect up to 1 in 10 people:
Uncommon side effects
These may affect up to 1 in 100 people:
Rare side effects
These may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people:
This may be caused by inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). These symptoms usually disappear when treatment is stopped. However, if symptoms persist or worsen, contact your doctor.
Very rare side effects
These may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people:
Other side effects
Other side effects have appeared in a small number of people, but their exact frequency is unknown:
Reporting side effects
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish System for Pharmacovigilance of Medicines for Human Use: https://www.notificaRAM.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the packaging, after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Store below 30°C. Store in the original packaging to protect it from light and moisture.
Medications should not be disposed of through drains or in the trash. Dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need at the SIGRE collection point of the pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need. By doing so, you will help protect the environment.
Composition of Lamotrigina Normon chewable tablets
The active ingredient is lamotrigine. Each chewable tablet contains 25 mg of lamotrigine.
The other components are: Crospovidone, sodium saccharin (E-954), orange essence (contains glucose and benzyl alcohol), magnesium stearate, and colloidal silica.
Appearance of the product and content of the packaging
Lamotrigina Normon 25 mg chewable tablets are round white or almost white tablets.
Each package contains blisters of 21, 42, or 56 tablets.
Holder of the marketing authorization and responsible manufacturer
LABORATORIOS NORMON, S.A.
Ronda de Valdecarrizo, 6 – 28760 Tres Cantos – Madrid (SPAIN)
Date of the last review of this leaflet:October 2023
“Detailed and updated information on this medication is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es
Have questions about this medication or your symptoms? Connect with a licensed doctor for guidance and personalized care.