Lamictal Short Attention Span, Loss of Appetite, Phenobarbital, Night Sweats, Shortness of Breath

I have been taking Lamictal for only three weeks, I was previously taking phenobarbital, however that medication is a category D and my husband and I were looking for a safer drug for my epilepsy and for bearing children. The medicine was fine while I was tapering off of phenobarbital. However during week 2 of Lamictal only (300 mg daily), I have been experiencing, anxiety, depression, tremors, insomnia, night sweats, weight loss (4 lbs in 5 days), shortness of breath, chest pain, short attention span and loss of appetite.

I am convinced that many of the side effects were caused specifically from the anxiety that was induced from withdrawal of phenobarbital and also the new medication. I was taking pheno for 10 years before this medication change.

Anxiety Side Effects: weight loss, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, chest pain, panic attacks

For this reason, we decided to go back on the phenobarbital, however the doctor is tapering me off the medication at too fast of a rate. Today he informed me that i will decrease the dose by 150 mg and begin the phenobarbital dose at 50 mg...

The taper from lamictal is too short... therefore i will be tapering off at a slower rate to avoid any adverse side effects. I have read that you should taper off at 20% every two weeks.

Also for the anxiety the doctor prescribed me klonopin.. I am not going to take that. It seems like there are too many side effects for that medication and besides I am tired of the meds.

The only side effects I had while taking the pheno were drowsiness and constipation.

Being unable to sleep due to fear that I will not wake up is an anxiety I prefer to avoid.