Anyone else taking this?

Hi everyone!

So I posted here a couple days ago saying I was newly diagnosed with bi-polar disorder (and just got told I also have OCD tendencies). Anyway, I have my GP appointment yesterday, and I was a bit uncertain as a lot of people here talked about how I should be seeing a psychiatrist for meds. So my GP said he had gotten in touch with a psychiatrist and he recommended to put me on this bipolar treatment drug called 'lamotrigine'.
I was wondering if anyone else is taking this drug and if it's helping at all? My doctor but me on 25g and working my way up every week until we get to the right dosage.

Joanne it is better to be evaluated my the psychiatrist first and let him pick the drug although GPs see alot of people with psych problems it is not their specialty. You can certainly ask about it but there are alot of meds for BP and a pdoc will know better which one is for you and what doseage to use and when to change it if it doesnt work. good luck joanne hope you feel better soon.

Yes, Joanne3, I've taken Lamotrigine or "Lamictal" as it's often called. It's one of the
relatively newer mood stabilizers and is excellent if you are able to take it. Your
psychiatrist might add a sleep aid if you're having trouble sleeping.

It sounds to me as though you're on a road to remission of your illness. You're doing
the right thing and the smart thing. You should be fine in several weeks.

Take care of yourself.

It's one of the newer mood stabilizers (also an anti-convulsant) approved for BP treatment (dozen or so yr ago?) and shown to be more effective with hypomania (doesn't have the classic BP highs) and manic-depressives who lean more towards depression. It has to be increased slowly (50 mg every two weeks) until therapeutic dose is reached (250-300 mg?).

I've been on all sorts of doses since 2003. Hasn't done a thing for me and hasn't given me any side effects but I don't think I'm hypomanic but mixed manic (agitated depression).

I guess your Doc told you about dangerous side effects (rash). Susceptibility is highest for the rash during first 6 mths.

I loved lamictal. Loved it. But sadly, I broke out in a rash and had to be taken off. I hope you do well on it. Saved my life.

Lamictal is a good med. I've been on it for 2.5 years. I'm working my way up to 400 mg again. I think my doc will increase it next week. I'm currently on 350 mg.

I'm on lamictal and it works great with no side effects for me.

I have been on lamotrigine for years and it seems to work well. As is typical, I still have breakthrough episodes of depression and mania but they aren't as bad as they were before lamotrigine. Right now I can only take 200mg due to having ECT but I have taken as high as 400mg.

Standard dose is 100 mg, I was told by my psychiatrist. Many take much more, though,
I believe.

Could that be the reason it's not working for you? I tried Lamictal but I'm not sure if I noticed much. So far the only pills that I know have given me beneficial effects are antipsychotics, but Lamictal is the only mood stabilizer I've tried.

I looked it up in my iTouch PDR. It says 100mg is when you can start feeling something but 200 - 400 is appropriate to actually work. That is what my doctor said too. So, don't be shy about asking for an increase if 100mg isn't enough for you.

i love it, i think I am at 300, only med I have been on that hasnt been changed in yrs

Didn't work fully for me until 200mg. Don't be afraid to up that dose!