*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature L: Laxatives.

Taking Lamotrigine With Other Medicines And Herbal Supplements

NHS medicines information on possible interactions with lamotrigine and other medicines, herbal remedies and supplements.

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines and lamotrigine can affect each other and increase the chances of side effects. Your doctor may need to change your dose of lamotrigine.

Check with your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking:

other medicines used to treat epilepsy, such as carbamazepine, felbamate, gabapentin, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, pregabalin, primidone, topiramate, sodium valproate, valproic acid or zonisamide
aripiprazole, lithium, olanzapine or risperidone (used for mental health problems)
bupropion, a stop smoking medicine
rifampicin, an antibiotic usually given to treat tuberculosis (TB)
medicines used to treat HIV
hormonal contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Lamotrigine and contraception

Lamotrigine might stop the combined pill working. Look out for bleeding or spotting between your periods (breakthrough bleeding), which might be a sign the pill is not working.

Talk to your doctor if this happens. They may recommend that you use a particular type of hormonal contraceptive, or another method of contraception, such as condoms, a cap or coil.

You can take the progestogen-only contraceptive pill, but lamotrigine might increase the amount of progesterone in your blood and cause you to have more side effects.

Mixing lamotrigine with herbal remedies and supplements

There might be a problem taking some herbal remedies and supplements alongside lamotrigine, especially ones that can cause rashes, sleepiness or shaking and tremors.

Ask your pharmacist for advice.

There's not enough information to say that other complementary medicines and herbal remedies are safe to take with lamotrigine. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature L: Laxatives. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
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