[MommaR]

P doc decided to try me on Lamictal. Of course I have been researching it on my own since I left her office, but I'd really like to hear from those of you who are taking it or have taken it in the past.
Thanks much!

[faerie_moon_x]

I was on lamictle for two weeks. After the first bump up in dosage I got a rash. It is dangerous side effect to get a rash so I was taken off of it immediately. So, my only advice is that if you get a rash tell your doctor ASAP.

[Eliza Jane]

My experience has been pretty positive. In fact, something really upsetting and awful happened in my life and I was able to get through it being sad, but not falling into a depression. That is a huge win in my book.

If I had one complaint, it would be that it doesn't seem do much for anxiety, but I can live with that.

Best,
EJ

I took it for a year. Low dosage, 15 mg. because higher than that would induce hypomania. After a year, I developed acne on the right side of my face and underwent dermatological treatment--which was not effective--finally wound up using Himalayan sea salt to wash my face (melted, of course, in hot water). That did more than anything to clear it.

I stopped taking Lamictal because of the skin condition. Regretted having the acne because I thought Lamictal was one of the best medications I had ever taken.

I also took Depakote which I liked very much. The problem with that one is that it makes hair fall out in some people! (I was one, but it grew back)

Lamictal is unquestionably one of the better medications if you can take it. Just be careful to keep the dosage as low as possible for effective management of your emotions.

Take care.

Genetic

[layla11]

I take it and have had positive results.

[interested2012]

Originally Posted by MommaR

P doc decided to try me on Lamictal. Of course I have been researching it on my own since I left her office, but I'd really like to hear from those of you who are taking it or have taken it in the past.
Thanks much!

Worked well for me but made me stupid so I had to cut back to a dose that isn't really working. Besides feeling stupid I had no side effects.

[~Christina]

I have been on it over a year .. Not a single problem . As explained by my Pdoc it takes a while to build up in your system because you have to slowly increase your dosage .. I feel it most certainly has helped my depression . Not a single side effect to report. I cant take any type of conventional AD'd as they all flip me right into Mania .

Good luck

[Clinte89]

I take it and can say it pulled me out of one hell of a depression. I went inpatient so we could up the dose fast because I was not thinking of killing myself I was going so and it pulled me out of it so I have nothing but good to say. No side effects that I can notice not a problem one from it.

Originally Posted by MommaR

P doc decided to try me on Lamictal. Of course I have been researching it on my own since I left her office, but I'd really like to hear from those of you who are taking it or have taken it in the past.
Thanks much!

Unfortunately, I don't have much good to say about it. I didn't have any physical side effects but it sent me into a hypomanic episode.

[Travelinglady]

I took a high dose for years. Then I started having symptoms such as difficulty moving, etc. My primary care doc said I evidently had built up a toxic level in my body and took me off of it. The symptoms went away and haven't returned. One pdoc wanted to try me again on it, but I refused, to his great anger. I am now scared of it. As someone said, try not to take too much. It tends to seem like a mild drug, but some bad long-term side effects can evidently develop. One pdoc I heard about no longer precribes it, but it is used very frequently as a mood stabilizer by many pdocs.

[Livebythesea]

My pdoc also wants me to take this and I started on Saturday. I also started a new AD. The only thing I notice so far is palpitations. Let me know how you do. PM me if you like. Thank you for putting the topic out there.

[Mollie May]

I've been on Lamictal for over a year. My dose was increased gradually and is now at 500 mg a day. I have to take it at night only because it makes me sleepy. It has also, I think, decreased my sex drive. But it has, without a doubt stabilized my mood.

[BNLsMOM]

I tried it twice and both times I developed swollen lymph nodes and flu-like symptoms. My pdoc decided it was an allergic reaction even though I didn't get the rash. It is on my list of drugs that I can't take.

[MommaR]

Originally Posted by TheHighPriestess

Unfortunately, I don't have much good to say about it. I didn't have any physical side effects but it sent me into a hypomanic episode.

Would you mind to explain the episode- with as little details a you feel you want to share, of course- as I know "hypomania" has become a buzz word and may not mean the same thing to u as the image that first comes to my mind. Ty

[MommaR]

Originally Posted by Mollie May

I've been on Lamictal for over a year. My dose was increased gradually and is now at 500 mg a day. I have to take it at night only because it makes me sleepy. It has also, I think, decreased my sex drive. But it has, without a doubt stabilized my mood.

I soooo hope I dont find that I have that side effect! My over active sex drive is why I get by w/ so much crap and am spoiled rotten!!!! LOL!!

Originally Posted by MommaR

Would you mind to explain the episode- with as little details a you feel you want to share, of course- as I know "hypomania" has become a buzz word and may not mean the same thing to u as the image that first comes to my mind. Ty

Sure, I'll give ya the rundown...
It was prescribed to me as I was slipping into a depression. They have to start you off low and gradually increase it over time to the therapeutic level because of certain side effects of that particular medication. Over the next several weeks as I was building up to that therapeutic level, I kept slipping farther and farther into the depression as well as experiencing high anxiety and panic attacks. I was suicidal. Finally I reached that therapeutic level and after a couple weeks of that, I snapped, literally in one moment, and abruptly began spiraling into a hypomanic episode. This episode consisted of me leaving my husband and children, drinking, abusing drugs, cheating on my husband, not sleeping, spending all my money foolishly, extreme impulsivity if you couldn't tell already, I was on top of the world and I was the best at everything. I had no care in the world and I KNEW I was doing the right thing. I had multiple projects and big plans. I stopped believing that I had bipolar and discontinued my medications abruptly so that could have made my episode worse than what it would have been if I kept taking them. I damn near ruined my whole life and everything in it. It was as hypo as you can get. I was also only on Lamictal at the time and was prescribed seroquel as needed but I hardly ever took that.

[PiperLeigh]

I've been on it for several months. I was only able to reach 100 mg on the lamictal because I developed debilitating headaches. However even at 100mg, my constant racing thoughts were slowed down, so there was a benefit. We added in 100 mg topamax, which has completely eliminated the debilitating headaches. (These weren't wussy headaches. They were close to the worst pain in my life kind of headaches.) So the racing thoughts debilitating headaches are dealt with at this point. But I am still dealing with some pretty horrible cycles of depression/suicidal thinking, so I'm not exactly stable I don't think. But I'm not exactly at a therapeutic dose either. Which is a bummer. I'm working on getting to the point where I'm willing to be honest with my p-doc about the depressive cycles. I tend to pretend everything is okay when I am really pretty close to needing a major intervention. I'm just not to the point where I can open up that much with the p-doc yet.

Oh, I can tell you I take my lamictal at night. It does make me sleepy. Which is great. I mostly am getting a really good night's sleep, which I NEVER did before. I've heard different people say different things in this regard, but that has been my experience with it.

[canacrip]

I've been on it for over a decade and it has worked well as a mood stabilizer. I still have "episodes" every few years, but for the most part I am sane and rational. Without it anger and depression get out of hand real fast. I like who I am better when I am on it.

[ellipsisdream]

I have been on it for years with no appreciable side effects. It worked really well for me for quite some time on its own, and it seems my illness got worse and I needed more. It is doing something still... I have come off of it twice and became markedly worse both times. As a result, we keep it as the foundation of my "med cocktail"- it is obviously still doing something. I definitely would give it positive reviews; it saved my life.

[AuntieD]

I've also been on it for years - my max dosage at one point was 200mg. The only side effect I experienced was a lower sex-drive, which for some is the end of the world. (my husband certainly wasn't happy, and we had to figure out what to do from that point forward). I've been tapering off it since January, and am now at 50 mg. I think EVERY stabilizer out there is worth a try, every single person is going to be affected differently, and if you notice a bad reaction, and are honest with your pdoc, it will be easy to find a new drug.

[Victoria'smom]

Lamictal for me has no side effects. I can't 'find' words sometimes. I'm only on 100 mg though my pdoc office doesn't go over 200 mg ever. It has made my cycles longer and less severe but the consequences seem to kick my *** more. I also have to take an ad with it or I get really depressed.

[zen1]

I've been on Lamictal for almost 4 years and it has worked far better than Lithium (which blew out my thyroid and liver function). I never had any side effects, including sexual dysfunction and it has kept me balanced WHEN TAKEN WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS. My AD was recently changed from Celexa to EMSAM patch, but while on Celexa, the Lamictal was pretty much what kept me afloat and has done well during the transition period. I read scary things about Lamictal and some people giving negative feedback, but honestly, at 400 mg, it has been a very effective mood stabilizer for me and I would choose nothing else at this point.

[cocoabeans]

I was on it for 3 years? Maybe less maybe more. During that period I quit it once, changed dosages several times (was between 200mg -400 mg, settled on 200) and had various add on medications.

Currently no medication. Why? Eventually started to feel dulled out, still had mood swings but, I couldn't really experience them. I'd be only somewhat anything and when "meh" is all I feel, I could even go for some depression. I did find since quitting medication my ability to concentrate is not as good but, I was super human when it came to concentration and multitasking before so, now I'm just human!

If I want something to take the edge off, medications are fine but, long term? Not worth it for me.

Other than feeling like my soul was anesthetized, no effects worth noting.

[BlueInanna]

i don't remember my dosage, but was on it for about 3 months. i gave it a good go but it made me kind of lethargic and bleh, and zero sex drive. well actually within the first week taking it, i was hypo, and slept with someone i shouldn't. but that hypo wore off quick and i was down like that walking dead, not a happy camper. i quit all meds for about a year after that.

[MommaR]

Originally Posted by BlueInanna

i don't remember my dosage, but was on it for about 3 months. i gave it a good go but it made me kind of lethargic and bleh, and zero sex drive. well actually within the first week taking it, i was hypo, and slept with someone i shouldn't. but that hypo wore off quick and i was down like that walking dead, not a happy camper. i quit all meds for about a year after that.

My pdoc said if there was anything about it I didnt like she would be glad to work w me to find something else and I can PROMISE you if my sex drive bottoms out my ole man'll be callin her 24 hr emergency number LOL!