Lamictal does take some time to work, partly because it has to be titrated (adjusted upward) so carefully over several weeks to avoid the rare but severe side effects. Be patient with it; average therapeutic doses range between 100-200 mg, and some of us are on higher doses than that (250-400 mg is not unusual).

When I started on it---and usually when the dose was titrated---I'd get a mild nagging headache and some drowsiness for the first couple of days, and then my body would adjust. I didn't really notice any appreciable effects until I got to 75 mg, and then again at 150. It was activating for me when I got to 200, so if you find yourself getting a little hypomanic, don't be shocked, but do contact your doctor if it goes on for more than a couple of days.

I have lost a great deal of hair during treatment, although whether it's from Lamictal or Geodon, I'm not sure. (It was really thick and I still have plenty of it, so I'm not really worried.) Both can contribute to hair loss. I also get dry mouth due to the anticholinergic effects, although I'm also on a couple of 'water pills' that also make me thirsty all the time.

Other subtle things to watch for include changes in memory and proprioception (which is basically knowing where you are in space---I can't park straight anymore to save my soul), weight (I actually GAINED 20 pounds after starting Lamictal, even though it's supposed to be weight-neutral), and dry, itchy skin.

It's a good drug for many of us, though, and it's certainly the basic starter med for bipolar now that lithium isn't being used as much. It has fewer side effects and helps with the depressive side (although I've learned that it doesn't do much to suppress mania). Good luck with it.