Does anyone have any experience with or knowledge of how long Lamictal takes to kick in (on average) when it is being used as adjunctive therapy for unipolar depression? I'm also on WellbutrinSR 300mg (7 weeks) and Cymbalta 60mg (about 3 months.) I've been on 100mg of Lamictal for one week (after the ramping-up period).

I only seem to be able to find information about Lamictal for Epilepsy and Bipolar.
Thanks for any info anyone can give me. I'm feeling dreadful and have to wait out the time for the Lamictal.

It can take several weeks to work up to its potential for you. You should give it 6-8 weeks before giving up on it. It does take time--one week is not a sufficient amount of time to determine if this medication is right for you.

I'm on 300mg/day of Lamictal as a mood stabilizer (plus 2 AD's, another stabilizer and an anti-psychotic). Because of it's AD component, it's being used more frequently for other forms of depression. It can take up to 8 weeks before full effectiveness is reached. How were you feeling prior to starting Lamictal?
Sheepwoman

Thanks so much, OnlyZ and Sheepwoman, for your replies (even though they made my heart sink, I did ask the question, didn't I? I was hoping you'd say something like 2 weeks! lol)

Before Lamictal, my moods were up and down and all over the place, I'd feel well, then I'd cry, then I'd feel hopeless, then I was fine again. I'm still not quite certain this med is going to be for me, as I'm not bipolar (at least my previous psychiatrist said I wasn't), and as I think I said somewhere else, I feel like I need my moods UPlifted, not necessarily stabilised.

But I contacted the psychiatrist who prescribed it, who said it was too soon to tell, so I will continue it as prescribed until I see him again on 2 July. That might even still, be too soon to tell, but I have other questions I want to ask, so I'm counting the days till then.

Thanks!

I was hoping for sooner as well. I just started a few days ago...and I'm in this continued cycling of up and down, crying then giggling then crying.... I feel so frustrated going back and forth.....It seems to be getting worse since I started taking it...but I guess thats because I haven't taken it long enough for anything to happen....I just can't wait until something happens....I feel I am about to go insane

Hi I am new to this forum and new to Lamictal. I have only been taking it for 3 days. They have started me off on the lowest dose and I will be working my way up slowly. And I have to say it feels like forever. I am trying my best to imagine what it will feel like when it works, what I will feel like when it works. Being happy? It's such a surreal idea to me. Can anyone explain how it will feel when it happens? When will I know when it is working? I am back and forth as well. It amazes how quickly I can be brought not only to tears but to wanting to fade away into the background. This has been going on for over 20 years... more than half of my life. Please... tell me what it's going to feel like... I need something to look forward to.

I was prescribed Lamictal in May for my Borderline Personality Disorder. Right now I'm at 150mg but my NP says that's still a relatively low dose. It's helped my impulsiveness quite a bit but my moods are still pretty unstable. It's gotten better with my moods switching from hour to hour but it still happens. My case might be different though with the BPD because I'm suppose to go through dialectical behavior therapy in addition to the lamictal to help. This is just my experience though, everyone reacts differently to meds.

Does anyone know how the side effects are with drinking and taking lamictal? I haven't tried it but I was curious if anyone had any bad experiences with it

This post has been edited by azncollegegurl21: Aug 9 2008, 01:47 AM

Does anyone know how the side effects are with drinking and taking lamictal? I haven't tried it but I was curious if anyone had any bad experiences with it
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I haven't tried it, I have been warned against it by the doctors, etc. I have been tempted to try, but I have to get better this time, I can't go on living this way and it's just not worth the risk to me. Of course I would love to have a drink or four, but after that I am still in the same place I've always been, same problems if not more due to combining the two together. This is my chance for a real life... I am too scared of messing it up this time. I don't know your history, all that you've been through, but I do know that there isn't a drink on the face of this earth worth taking the place of my happiness right now... : ) I don't know if this helps at all... and I understand wanting to be social and have drinks... I really do...

Hi Optimistic and to DF!
Having just recently had a med begin working for me, and moving from despair to recovery, I have to say it's subtle and doesn't happen all at once. Nor do you wake up one day and just feel joyful - the meds don't make you happy, but they make you feel capable of doing things that will make you happy. I was very negative and thought it would never get better, and then looking back over a couple of days, I realised I hadn't cried for 3-4 days, then I noticed beautiful things that I hadn't really noticed before. I began to feel more able to get on with tasks, chores and things became more interesting. Then jokes and situations became funny and I laughed. I was laughing so hard at a joke one of my daughters made, that she commented, Mom, you are better - you haven't laughed like that in a long time!

Every day you do a little more, get a little more absorbed by what you are doing and every now and then get a slight feeling of enjoyment, which expands until you spend hours doing something you realise that you really enjoyed.

I've been on many meds, and in many depressive episodes, and this time was interesting in that I can almost tell you the day (or couple of days) that I felt the switch happen, from seeing the glass as half-empty to half-full. Nothing changed, but my perception was different, and everything seemed changed. It hasn't been that distinct before. But whether or not it's clear exactly when it changes, you'll notice, looking back, that things are better and you are more able to deal with what life throws your way. THEN you get into therapy and start building.

Thanks Optimistic... that does help me a little hearing you say that. I've actually never had a drink before but I have really been considering it lately because of my current situation but your comment pulls me a closer to the decision of not drinking.

I can't wait... there are so many things that I need to be doing. Lightbulbs have been burned out for months, my bedroom looks like a hurricane hit it, bills - well... thank God for auto payment... and I also have a relationship that I am trying to deal with that is falling apart. I think my biggest hope in addition to being happy, is being able to make the right decision about that. Being strong enough to let go. I hang on so tightly, and I am not sure why. Someone made the comment today about how incredibly "lonely" I look and that although I look young for my age that my eyes and spirit look very old and worn. That hit so hard. Anyway... I look forward to the subtleties, to the laughter, to seeing my children look at me and saying "wow mommy, you look so happy!"... and I look forward to a man looking at me for who I really am and not be scared off by my issues because there won't be any. I can't wait to feel strong again... I can't wait! Thank you for giving me hope... I really believe this time I am going to get better, that this time I am going to make it through, that this time I can stand up and face my fears without being so scared. Thank you...