I don't know where else to ask this. I've google and googled and googled, but I couldn't find anything at all about any of this except that this was a very serious side effect that should send you off to the doc asap. I've had four appointments this month so far. At two of them my heart rate was 120. At another is was 95. I don't know what it was yesterday (I should have asked but I figured they'd tell me if it was all out of whack...right?). I have another with my GP tomorrow and I'm going to mention this heart rate problem.

I'm not as athletic as I used to be--my resting heart rate was 50-55 then. Now it usually sits at around 65-70.

When I went to the these appointments I assumed it was anxiety. These appointments (that I won't go into) were the kind that would cause high anxiety. At the first one they had me take 2 mg of my Klonopin and took it again. Still 120. They gave me water to try to help bring it down and waited a while and had me take ANOTHER 2 mg klonopin. Still 120. I chalked it up to anxiety and they had to refer me to a major medical center because they could not treat me with that heart rate.

So we go to the major medical center TWO WEEKS LATER and again: 120. After a while it went down to 90 (after they eventually got SIX mg of Klonopin in me, which was scary in and of itself and seemed not to feel like anything at all), but they had to get permission to treat me. And they did.

I chalked it all up to anxiety.

Fast forward to today. I've been on the brand name Lamictal (150 mg) but my insurance won't cover it. So, I am once again on the generic. Since the generic appears to be much weaker and since my doctor wanted me up at 200 mg (which I did not agree to), I took 200 mg of it this morning (thinking how much crappier and weaker the generic is) by breaking one in half. I know it says not to but I did. I remember starting Lamictal and the side effects were drowsiness, dizziness, etc....but today my heart rate has been 120 again all day. I'm terrified. I've googled and can find nothing about this. I wasn't anxious at all today, but I noticed my heart pounding and first checked my pulse (about an hour after I took my meds). I was just sitting around on the internet. I've been checking every 20 mins for two hours and it won't budge from 120. I'm terrified. Anything over 100 resting heart rate can be serious trouble. But the only reason I could find for not crushing or breaking was due to a horrible bitter taste that most people can't stand.

I'm seeing my GP tomorrow and will address this with her. But this afternoon I have another appt I have to go to. I'm scared of what my pulse will be there. I'm scared of having a heart attack. I took a Klonopin, hoping that would bring my heart rate down, but that was just a few minutes ago. And of course now I am anxious and upset and in tears.

So my question is, has anyone here ever experienced a high heart rate on psych med? On Lamictal? I'm so scared. What I was chalking up to anxiety seems to be just a norm for me. If anyone has any input, please tell me. I'm so scared. I know I could go to the ER, but I literally CANNOT miss this appt I have today. I could go after, but they are starting to know me there on a first name basis. And I do have an appt with my GP tomorrow.

I've never in my life had a resting heart rate like this. This is crazy. And really scary.

These are my meds:

Lamictal (150 mg 1x daily)
Wellbutrin (150 mg 2x daily)
Metformin for diabetes (500 mg 2x daily)
Levothyroxine for a low thyroid (125 mcg 1x daily)
Klonopin (as needed and I don't take this often at all 2mg)

I've been on all of these for a while. I'd really prefer not to have a heart attack (I'm only 33). Anyway, I'm just curious if anyone else has had a similar problem while on psych meds.

The idea that I might just have a heart problem is really really scary.