Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

[LouisRiel 1,369]

2 hours ago, Natasha1 said:

ah maybe you need time to settle with that dose or go down 25 for a while? not a doc but i would def push for waiting o that increase to 200

It doesn't really stabilize under about 200 though so I am desperate 

[Natasha1 11,792]

:( well hopefully you will adapt soon.

[Citalo13 54]

I've been prescribed Lamotrigine, it's supposed to be used for epilepsy but apparently it's a mood stabilizer as well?

 

Just wondering if anyone else has taken it for this reason

[In2deep4me 1,945]

Read the tail end of this thread. It's about the newest on people here who are or have taken it.

https://www.depressionforums.org/forums/topic/131848-lamotrigine-lamictal/?page=64

The med itself is very old school and has been around for 15-20 years. There are a number of anti-depressants and nerve pain meds that are all used for multiple reasons. Epilepsy, seizures, nerve damage, anti-depressant, etc... Since they all are believed to work with the same area in the brain. It's just a matter of if the drug is being used for it's primary design or "off label".

For me it was a mood stabilizer and mainly had the least side affects.

[sober4life 31,143]

Yeah I used it at one point as a mood stabilizer for my bipolar disorder.

[standup 1,272]

I used it a few years ago as a mood stabilizer. In fact, there are several anticonvulsants that are used as mood stabilizers.

[Natasha1 11,792]

i take it for mood stabilization. i am on the maximum dose as it did nothing for me until then. 

[Natasha1 11,792]

Hi @Citalo13

I have moved your post into the Lamotrigine thread.

Thanks, Natasha

[Citalo13 54]

Thank you

[LouisRiel 1,369]

On Tuesday, March 07, 2017 at 10:19 AM, Citalo13 said:

I've been prescribed Lamotrigine, it's supposed to be used for epilepsy but apparently it's a mood stabilizer as well?

 

Just wondering if anyone else has taken it for this reason

Yes they have found a lot of them can help for mood stabilization. I am paranoid and keep thinking I was only given ths particular one because of its low toxicity because they don't trust me.

[Citalo13 54]

On ‎11‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 1:31 AM, LouisRiel said:

Yes they have found a lot of them can help for mood stabilization. I am paranoid and keep thinking I was only given ths particular one because of its low toxicity because they don't trust me.

I feel like we should be friends just because of our photos

[LouisRiel 1,369]

On Monday, March 13, 2017 at 3:40 AM, Citalo13 said:

I feel like we should be friends just because of our photos

I was really excited when I seen yours ?

[Citalo13 54]

1 hour ago, LouisRiel said:

I was really excited when I seen yours ?

Same... I adore this film, I found it just after I was diagnosed with BPD and was something I could really relate to when I was surrounded by people who didn't understand.

[LouisRiel 1,369]

11 hours ago, Citalo13 said:

Same... I adore this film, I found it just after I was diagnosed with BPD and was something I could really relate to when I was surrounded by people who didn't understand.

This makes me feel ancient, but I found it 10 years ago when I was 15. Have you read the memoir? as much as I enjoy the movie version of Lisa I liked that she had more depth in the memoir.

[Citalo13 54]

@LouisRiel We aren't that far apart, it was 7 years for me when I was 16. Yeah I have, I miss that they didn't put "the other Lisa" in the film.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Citalo13

[jstar40 1]

Hi Folks,

John here, first time poster and first day on Lamotrigine.  I'll try and be concise :)

The short story is a history of 20 years of Depression (sometimes extreme), treated with many of the typical antidepressants over the years.

Today at the Doc's office (after emerging yesterday from a 3-week depression), we discovered that some of my symptoms line up with BP2.   It was honestly a relief as it presents opportunity for a more accurate diagnosis and a more effective treatment regimen (I hope).

I've been on 60mg Cymbalta, and took my first dose of 25mg Lamotrigine at 1030am.  Starting around 6pm I began feeling a pronounced sense of stimulation and very mild pressure in my forehead.  

I'm not used to feeling the effects of a med so quickly, just wanted to check if others had a similar initial experience.

Thanks!

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by jstar40

[Natasha1 11,792]

Hi @jstar40 welcome to df!

Yes i had these effects...each time i increased my dose. I didnt have it so late though as i take it in the morning (early).

Cannot remember how long it took to stop but it did.

[jstar40 1]

Thanks for the welcome and the response Natasha.  Interesting med.  This morning my short-term memory is way off, and i feel, for lack of a better term, like I have "the stupids" going on, a bit groggy, but I'm anxiety and depression free.  It's ok, I'm in a stable state, don't have to drive, happy to wait this out and see how things look down the road (as long as the SE's are tolerable).

Edited April 20, 2017 by jstar40

[LouisRiel 1,369]

On Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 11:37 PM, jstar40 said:

Hi Folks,

John here, first time poster and first day on Lamotrigine.  I'll try and be concise :)

The short story is a history of 20 years of Depression (sometimes extreme), treated with many of the typical antidepressants over the years.

Today at the Doc's office (after emerging yesterday from a 3-week depression), we discovered that some of my symptoms line up with BP2.   It was honestly a relief as it presents opportunity for a more accurate diagnosis and a more effective treatment regimen (I hope).

I've been on 60mg Cymbalta, and took my first dose of 25mg Lamotrigine at 1030am.  Starting around 6pm I began feeling a pronounced sense of stimulation and very mild pressure in my forehead.  

I'm not used to feeling the effects of a med so quickly, just wanted to check if others had a similar initial experience.

Thanks!

 

When you combine drugs you augment the other drugs so it could be the Cymbalta too. Cymbalta was my worst med I have ever adjusted to because it was so stimulating in the beginning before it improved my mood. Then it knocked me nearly on my ass and often sobbing when I missed a dose once I added an augmenter which can increase side effects.

[scooterboy 10]

Doctor started me on this med again after a series of ssri failures. Figures I'm either bipolar 2 or resistant to other meds. 

In any event, 25mg now for 10 days Really want a faster tiration, but he's persistent about every 2 weeks an increase. I know it's working, but the lag time is driving me nuts. Especially that other meds which were recently tapered off of or cold turkeyed are playing on my sensitive mind. Plan is to tiration up to 150mg.

Doctor is also tiration gabapentin, which I think is helping my anxiety symptoms. But that won't be up to 900mg per day for another few days now. 

Also on 1mg X 3 of lorazepam. But it really seems to have no effect. But Clonazepam and valium makes me lazy, and Xanax is too short lived. Feel the need to take them just to avoid the coming down process. 

Edited May 5, 2017 by scooterboy

[Sanjeev Suayu 0]

Lamotrigine, originally marketed as Lamictal and available under many brands worldwide, is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used off-label as an adjunct in treating clinical depression.

Before taking this medicine

You should not take Lamictal if you are allergic to lamotrigine.

Lamictal may cause a severe or life-threatening skin rash, especially in children and in people who take too high a dose at the start of treatment. Serious skin rash may also be more likely to occur if you are taking lamotrigine together with valproic acid (Depakene) or divalproex (Depakote).

To make sure Lamictal is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• kidney or liver disease;

• a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or actions; or

• if you are allergic to other seizure medications.

Some people have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits while you are using Lamictal. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.

Do not start or stop taking Lamictal during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both mother and baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of Lamictal on the baby.

Birth control pills can make Lamictal less effective, resulting in increased seizures. Tell your doctor if you start or stop using birth control pills while you are taking this medicine. Your lamotrigine dose may need to be changed.

Lamotrigine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

[dante1231 8]

I started seeing a new pdoc about a year and a half ago because my company was bought out and the place I was going doesn't accept my current insurance. I had to also switch therapists. 

 

My new doctor flu I was on too much and started adjusting my meds one by one. He also started me on Lamictal. 

 

This is what I currently take that he prescribes

Lamictal 250mg (200 am, 50pm)

Wellbutrin XL 150mg

Viibryd 40mg

Xanax 0.5mg

Latuda 60mg

Ambien 10mg

Vyvanse 70mg

I was originally diagnosed with major depressive disorder but since then I was rediagnosed as bipolar with add and I also have atypical symptoms (no separate diagnosis on that but that is why I take the Latuda) 

I am 43 years old and I have had depression for almost all of my life. It went pretty much untreated until about 15 years ago when I decided to do something about it. 

I have been on various medications and combinations of medications since then with various successes but eventually it seems like I would have to max out the dosages to get any long term relief. I was on Cymbalta for a long time but then when insurances quit paying for it I went to effexor for a few months until they changed their mind. Then it eventually went generic and I had bad side effects so I decided to quit taking it. I could have appealed and probably got the brand name covered but I didn't have the money, time or energy to fight them. I switched to brintellix which meant I had to stop taking the Wellbutrin. That was a waste of time and money. So then I went to Viibryd and back on the Wellbutrin. I was also taking 2mg of Xanax and 2mg of Risperdal. As well as the Vyvanse. 

My old doctor would let me choose to change medications with her input and at one point bumped everything up just to get me some relief.

 

And my doctor before that put me on the Risperdal when I first started seeing him because of my symptoms like anger, irritation, and irrational thoughts. He tried abilify at one point but I went crazy so he went back to the Risperdal. Then I started having panic attacks at work and I did outpatient for a week (waste of time) and there they put me on Buspar which didn't really help. I had to basically beg my doctor to put me on Xanax. 

 

So, fast forward to now. My current doctor felt I was taking way too much medication so he wanted to switch some, decrease some and get me off some. He doesn't like long term usage of Xanax and Risperdal. He slowly cut the Xanax from 2mg to 0.5mg, cut the Wellbutrin from 450mg to 150mg, started me on the Lamictal (100 to 200 to 250). Also decreased the Risperdal from 2 to 0.5 but then my symptoms returned so he put it at 1. After talking about it he switched it to the Latuda. (20 to 40 to 60).

I would like to to get off the Wellbutrin completely and maybe the Viibryd too. 

 

But I noticed when the Wellbutrin went from 300 to 150 that I started to have depression again. 

 

I see him on Tuesday and I am going to ask him to increase the Lamictal to 300. I am hoping that will make up for the Wellbutrin decrease. 

 

I think I have at least some form of treatment resistant depression. 

 

How high did you have to go on Lamictal before you felt a significant lasting relief of symptoms? 

 

I felt immediate relief when I started taking it but it has been increased over the last 18 months from I think 50 to 250.

 

I also got a nice bump when I went on Latuda but that seems to have plateaued as well. But he only changes one thing at a time so he can monitor any changes in mood or side effects. Thankfully I didn't really experience anything negative when starting the Lamictal and Latuda.

Though I do need to get off the Wellbutrin because there is an increased risk of stroke when you take it and Latuda. Though my risk is fairly small because of the dosages I take and that I don't take any other counterindicated medications. 

 

Anyway help or sharing of experiences would be greatly appreciated. I will try to check back to see if there are any replies but I completely understand if there are none and if nobody can offer advice or relate to my situation. I do know that I typed way too much. 

Thanks. 

[uncertain1 442]

I want to come off Lamictal. I've been on 300 mg for 10 years, as well as 2-3 mg of Klonopin. I've been reading about issues with the potential for seizures being the most troubling. I've searched this thread - many people are on med cocktails, so it's hard to assess the potential effects. I would do slowly under the direction of my psychiatrist. I can function, though my mood tends to run on the low side. But I'd like to see if I can get rid of the brain fog and fatigue that's worsened over the last year. I'll still have the Klonopin for anxiety.   

Does anyone have any experience?  

[Missyx 16]

Can anyone help me?

Third day taking Lamotrigine for Bipolar II.  25mgs.
Today I feel weird! Wired, shakey, energetic but not in a get stuff done way. Hard to explain.
Is this normal or happen to anyone else? Message me please! Not seeing my Doctor til Tuesday.

 

Thank you. Love and healing to you all.

[uncertain1 442]

10 hours ago, Missyx said:

Can anyone help me?

Third day taking Lamotrigine for Bipolar II.  25mgs.
Today I feel weird! Wired, shakey, energetic but not in a get stuff done way. Hard to explain.
Is this normal or happen to anyone else? Message me please! Not seeing my Doctor til Tuesday.

 

Thank you. Love and healing to you all.

Sorry this is happening. Such a small dose, this does not seem like something that should be happening. If you can't contact your doctor, maybe a visit to a pharmacist could help. Be sure to tell him everything you take, including vitamins, allergy meds, well, everything. Sometimes meds will interact with each other. Another option might be an urgent care clinic. Some are open 24 hours/day.if you feel comfortable doing so, please let us know what happens.