[zeegoman]

I have rapid cycling type 2 bipolar and I take 300mg Lamotrigine in split doses (150mg AM & PM). I am prescribed 325mg but have had to reduce it because of constipation. Overall it has been reasonably successful in ironing mood swings however, it has not been the silver bullet I had hoped for.

However, I have tried to decrease the dose further by 25mgs at a time to low of 250mg (to reduce side effects) but find my mood seems to respond adversely, quite rapidly (within 48hrs). I then increase it back with similar effects in the positive direction with similar short term effect.

Is this a placebo or a real effect & any advice?

[Odee]

I'm on 250mg of lamictal and I too have find that it has helped me immensely and yet has not been the magic silver bullet I was promised.

My psychiatrist has been insisting that I start an antidepressant to take with it. This seems like a common solution for a lot of people with bipolar 2 who still struggle after a mood stabilizer is put into place.

[jmv1962]

I am also on Lamotrigine 250 mg's. I take it all at night and take 137-175 mg of Effexor in the am. My T and I have been changing my dosages and times for about a year now, and I think we've hit on pretty much the right combo. This has helped my rapid cycling a lot. Adding propranolol (I might have murdered the spelling of that) for anxiety seems to be doing well too.

If constipation was a reason to drop down in dosage, I had the same issue, but taking a capsule of Flax Seed Oil in the morning cured that. You can buy a big container of it (maybe 2+ months supply) in the RX or a big box store for about $6. It supposedly has other health benefits too, but I can't remember what they are right now.

[Odee]

Flax Seed is also a good source of Omega 3's, which are great for neurological health.

Lamotrigine (or Lamictal) is an excellent medication if you can take it. It is one of the relatively newer mood stabilizers. I don't think any medication is the ultimate
"silver bullet" we're all looking for, frankly .

The closest I believe we come to a truly content feeling tone lies in taking the lowest dosage of medication possible to maintain chemical stability and then adjusting our diets to reduce any acidic ash in the tissues and organs from use of medications. (All of them leave an acidic residue.)

Nutrition plays a far more vital role in bipolar maintenance than is generally known. And medications take their full share of nutrition stores in metabolism. I encourage everyone who wants to feel at his/her best to take a pharmaceutical grade multiple vitamin and mineral, remembering that vitamins and minerals are of no value unless they are taken with food, and then we should adjust the diet so that we lean to a more alkaline food intake than acidic for better health. (See http://www.AlkalineFoods.com or http://www.Acidfoods.com )

Take care.

[Cocosurviving]

I tried Lamictal however it didn't work for me. Ur pdoc should be able to give a solution. i hope the best for you.

[BipolaRNurse]

I'm on 250 mg. of Lamictal and sometimes don't think it's doing me a lot of good because I have to take a benzo, an AD, and an AP to stay within a decent range of stability. Then I look back at my journal over the past year since I was diagnosed BP, and I realize how far I've really come......and I think the Lamictal is what brings everything together and makes an effective 'cocktail'.

[zeegoman]

I am very reluctant to take antidepressants nowadays. After 2 decades of being in a glass box (taking various ADs because of failure to diagnose BP2) watching the world go by & a dreadful experience 18 months ago where my mood flipped into a hypomanic nightmare.

I agree with some of the comments made by others. Nutritionally speaking I am on steady ground. I take fish oil and eat a lot of fish as there is some evidence that there may be a positive effect from this.

Vis-a-vie constipation; 300mgs of Lamotrigine, Lactulose & a high fibre diet are my strategies with reasonable effect.

My point about mood swings on Lamotrigine is that I get depressed from time to time. I haven't got a clue where this is going in terms of severity (not an atypical problem with bipolar) and I increase the dose by 25mgs. This has a quick positive effect but I get constipated again and have to drop the dose. The main issue here is that I am concerned that I am chemically inducing cycling.