[sugahorse1]

Hi there,
I know there are quite a few of us on Lamictin, and naturally we all respond somewhat differently, but I was just wondering and thought I'dd put the question out there:

I've only just started, and am working my way up on the dose. Been at 25mg for a week and go up to 37.5mg from tonight (Small increments, and I'm aware the dosage is low).

But I'm really battling at work - i feel like a zombie. Busy learning a whole new job, and after 5 minutes of someone talking, I just hear their voices, but don't register a single word.
Naturally, while learning a new job, I now feel overly daunted, as I've only registered a FRACTION of what I've been "taught".

I've had some serious irritability issues - swore at 2 work colleagues after they pushed buttons once too often.
And on Sunday (after a weekend where I really was on the go, I lost it with my boyfriend as I JUST WANTED TO SLEEP!) But I can see that I over-reacted... and I don't like this part of me.

It never feels like there are enough hours in a day, especially with wanting to sleep for 10 hours or so

Arg, I'm frustrated and irritable. At least not depressed

[Fresia]

I was groggy and zombie-like when I first went on Lamictin. It went away on the higher levels but for me I did not find control of my BP symptoms, especially for the swings and irritability but for friends it has worked wonders! They too had grogginess and it passed as the dosage was increased. Keep an eye in your symptoms, as you're doing, to watch for signs of improvement; they tell me it was gradual though. Hang in there!

[Shakti]

Usually one goes from 25 for two weeks, 50 for two weeks, 100 for a week, and then 200 in another week. That is, if they are going all the way up to 200. But that's the standard . I didn't even know they made 37.5 mg tablets. That titration seems very slow. Too slow. I went up to 150 mg and have stayed there as my maintenance dose.

I was immediately noticeably better the first day I took it. I did not have any grogginess, etc. Lamictal is known for being rather activating, although of course with these drugs our bodies tend to react differently, so I can only relate what I know and my own experience.

I'm not a doc, of course, but I have never seen anyone go from 25 to 37.5. Not to say it doesn't happen and maybe it happens all the time. Dunno.

Originally Posted by sugahorse

...Naturally, while learning a new job, I now feel overly daunted, as I've only registered a FRACTION of what I've been "taught"...

Wouldn't worry too much there, sugahorse. You are really just starting the Lamictin/Lamictal. Most common to not feel any mood effect at that point (possibly some side effect stuff, but usually not so much on the mood part). We tend to be quite barraged with new information starting a new job, so remembering it all, or even most of it, would be highly unusual. They wouldn't be expecting you to, that's for sure! It sometimes feels that way though, especially because we are so eager to do a good job, you know? Give yourself time on both fronts. It's a lot of "new" all at once.

(On the titration, Shakti's right on the standard procedure. I was first prescribed it by a GP, and she wanted me to increase it at a positively ridiculously fast rate. I said no way. I was very cautious, increasing it at the rate you indicate-- after reading some sources that take that approach. At the next appt. though, my P-doc assured me that the standard rate was just fine, so I went with that from that point on. You're not missing anything, Shakti, they don't make a 37.5mg. It's a splitting thing, though for the life of me I can't figure out the math right now(!) I split (upon recommendation from p-doc) to divide the doses into am/pm. Apparently it's slightly cheaper that way. So she said.)

[BlackPup]

I think you are increasing at the same rate but adding an extra step between the 25 and 50, and presumably between the 50 and 100.
I started feeling an effect by the time I hit 100 and stayed there until my next depression when I went to 200, back now at 150 aiming to decrease to 100 and remove all other ADs. Innerzone, I also split tablets to make it cheaper

[shadow11]

i took lamictal for about six weeks. no grogginess. it worked great except i got a month long nose bleed. i didnt associate it with the drug and then i began to develop skin rashes. looked on the internet and discovered one of the very rare side effects is a potentially fatal rash. when i quit taking the drug the rash went away and the nose bleed stopped. i was bummed out by this because the lamictal made me feel better than any other drug i've tried. wish you the best of luck with it.

[sugahorse1]

Hi there,
Well, they don't make 37.5mg tabs, I have to take a 25mg and then cut another one in half.
I guess I'm going up at the same speed, but instead of 2 weeks at a dose, I add the other step after 1 week. It's a mission to cut the damn tablets in half all the time though.
When I get to 100mg, they have their own tablets that come in 100mg.

I feel VERY tired this morning - not sure how I'm going to get through the day. I've been told about the rash, and am being careful about it.
Had a small nose-bleed yesterday, but it may have been due to dry air. will monitor it though - thanks for the heads up!
I think the depression has been kept at bay more or less, which is an improvement. I just need more energy - busy drinking Vitamin Water at a rate of knots.

Were any of you advised that you needed to increase your water intake on these meds? I know I generally don't drink enough water.

Flip - I'm just so damn tired and over everything. Woke up with my heart racing (Like a mini-anxiety attack) this morning

[blueoctober]

Originally Posted by sugahorse

Were any of you advised that you needed to increase your water intake on these meds? I know I generally don't drink enough water.

The lamictal knocked me out when I first started taking it i.e. if I took it and didn't go to bed I would fall asleep on the couch. I did have some dizziness in the am when I got to my full dose and started to take it am/pm. Both of these side effects have gone away.

As far as drinking water, no I wasn't told to increase, but I normally drink a lot of water and had been on lithium before which I definitely needed to drink more. Dehydration can cause one to feel fatigued.

I can't remember if you went off your mood stabilizer prior to going on the lamictal, but that may be part of the issue. I had and my mood was all over the place until I got up to the full dose.

[sugahorse1]

Yeah, i stopped my mood stabiliser (Sodium Valporate) cold turkey about 5 days before starting the Lamictin

[sneschalmers]

Well perhaps I can clear some things up. The reason for the slow titration is that you can get a lethal rash if you increase your dose too quickly. Second of all, a 37.5mg dose can be achieved by combining a regular 25mg tablet and HALF of a 25mg tablet. Like the rest of you I do not see the need for that dose anyway. And my doctor is doing it 2 weeks 25mg, 2 weeks 50mg, 2 weeks 100mg and I don't know what dose we're going to from there.

[sneschalmers]

Also, with Lamictal, lower doses are used to treat depression and higher doses are for mania.

[sneschalmers]

I guess also since you were only on 25mg for a week maybe your doctor wanted to keep steadily increasing instead of making the jump every two weeks.

[sneschalmers]

I can't remember if you went off your mood stabilizer prior to going on the lamictal, but that may be part of the issue. I had and my mood was all over the place until I got up to the full dose.

Lamictal is a mood stabilizer of the anticonvulsant class.

[sugahorse1]

Thanks sneschalmers - yes, I am taking 1.5 x 25mg tabs at the moment - for a week.
I am aware it is a mood stabiliser.
I have never had full mania, so we are going to use it for the depression episodes.

[Shakti]

Oh also, I was BP II when "officially" diagnosed and put on Lamictal the first time, but am now BP I. It seemed to help both times. I just can't do higher doses of it.

I'm also generally irritable even when "stable" and I wasn't that way before the Lamictal and I've been wondering if that could have anything to do with it...it's not in my not-ill nature to be anything but pretty laid back. Now, even though (relatively?) stable, I'm irritable as hell off and on throughout the day or over a few days' time. I wonder...

[maryjain lockhart]

Originally Posted by Shakti

Usually one goes from 25 for two weeks, 50 for two weeks, 100 for a week, and then 200 in another week. That is, if they are going all the way up to 200. But that's the standard . I didn't even know they made 37.5 mg tablets. That titration seems very slow. Too slow. I went up to 150 mg and have stayed there as my maintenance dose.

I was immediately noticeably better the first day I took it. I did not have any grogginess, etc. Lamictal is known for being rather activating, although of course with these drugs our bodies tend to react differently, so I can only relate what I know and my own experience.

I'm not a doc, of course, but I have never seen anyone go from 25 to 37.5. Not to say it doesn't happen and maybe it happens all the time. Dunno.

I've been on Lamictal for over a month&I started gettin really depressed. I'm@100mg in the am instead of at night. They added Seroquel XR@nite&I noticed an immediate reach. I'm starting to feel "normal". Just that
tiny adjustment&I'm back to being peppy&"the way everyone is used to". It takes a while to get adjusted&o the right combo of meds.

[Shakti]

Well, like I said somewhere earlier, all bodies/brains seem to react differently to meds. Trial and error. My best friend is bipolar and we seem to have exactly opposite reactions in terms of meds. So there's no way to account for the variable that is individual body chemistry.

I have to get off Lamictal because it's affecting my eyesight...which stinks because for the first time ever I'm on a combo that "works."

[BlackPup]

I just remembered.... I stayed at 50 for a bit longer and then at 100 coz I was a bit dopey, it went away really fast...

[sugahorse1]

Still really tired and this morning have a headache.
But like I mentioned, at least the depression seems to be at bay.
I take my Lamictin in the evenings, as per pdoc, but wonder that if it's supposed to be a bit energising, I should prob discuss taking it in the morning?
The anti-dep I was on, Edronax, really seemed to help with the energy levels.

Hoping that as the dosage increases I'll have more energy...?

[BlackPup]

You having trouble sleeping? otherwise if you are feeling exhausted from the med then maybe stay at night time...

[sugahorse1]

I get into bed to give myself 8.5 hours sleep or more if possible.
I fall asleep quickly cos I'm so exhausted, but notice I'm waking up for a few seconds quite often during the night, and also dreaming quite a lot

[Shakti]

I did that too. The dreaming a LOT. Very vivid, like actually being in another world while I was asleep. When they were good dreams they were fantastic, but when stress or anxiety came out in them they were just vividly bad. But yeah--I'd forgotten about that. Very vivid dreams.

[sugahorse1]

Arg... not quite what I wanted to hear!
Was asleep at 8:45 and awake at 6:30 (Alarm woke me), so I guess I got more than enough hours under the belt

[bridgie]

I have been on lamictal for almost a year now. I can't take antidepressants for depressive side(every one I've ever tried has made me more depressed go figure except now I am on a low dose of trazodone for sleep) I also was 25 50 100 and am currently at 200mg in the am and 200mg in the pm. I haven't noticed an issue with either sleep or energy levels. I have noticed the swings don't go so low or so high. They still swing a little too much and still a level I feel isn't "normal" right now I am on the down side it hasn't been like they used to be(debilitating) but it still impacts my life pretty severly. So my pdoc and I have decided to up the lamictal by 25 mg each am/pm may or may not work. I do have to take antianxiety and but so far that combo works for me. I was fortunate not to have the rash I do notice some dizziness at times and I get nausea pretty bad from it so much that I have to take antinausea meds. Like you've all said everyone is different. I was told pretty much if you don't get the death rash and you can tolerate the other symptoms to stay on it. I hope you find you can stay on it if lamical works for you. Don't be afraid to tell your doc what you want to do with the meds too. You are in charge of your own healthcare. You've hired them to assist you.