[nivaniva]

Hello. I am a 27 year old male who had really bad sleeping issues about a year and a half ago or so. I wasn’t sleeping for about a month straight which didn’t bother me at first but after a while, I started to feel as if my body was crapping out. So I went for a sleep study, from there, my work made me see a psychologist. After speaking to the psychologist for a while, she helped me see a psychiatrist. I never asked for a diagnosis but im sure they think im depressed. The psychologist has said that I have bad depression but really high ups and really low lows.

The psychiatrist put me on an anti depressant called viibryd. I instantly felt great on it although she said it would take a couple of months to really take effect. I wasn’t feeling depressed and sleeping all of the time, I was doing stuff around the house and my wife was really pleased(and so am i). after 2 weeks of being on viibryd, she put on me lamotrigine(lamictal).. to my understanding, this is a mood stabilizer given to people with bipolar, correct? I have looked online and seen people get it for depression but also read that this isn’t a med proven to help with depression..

Anyways, since being on it, I don’t feel any different. I still feel like im going pretty fast in my head and I want to do everything but I also feel like I cant even focus at work. I look at my computer screen and I just cant focus even though im no longer depressed. This mood stabilizer isn’t working I don’t think to make me mellow out, can someone tell me why? Why am I even prescribed this if im not bipolar? If I am bipolar, why hasn’t this made me calm down? Is the viibryd making me feel so anxious, hyper and irritated or is it the lamotrigine now( I felt irritated, anxious and hyper while on viibryd but don’t know if it has gotten worse since on the lamotrigine). I constantly feel like I have all this energy that wants to explode out of me, I don’t know how to explain it.

If lamictal is to calm down moods I just don’t understand why this hasn’t made me mellow out. I feel good and all, anything is better then being depressed but I also feel like I need to kind of calm down at the same time. Know what I mean?

Sorry for the poor grammar and everything, I typed this really fast since im at work.

[~Christina]

Lamictal is a slow medication to work since it has to be titrated up slowly. start out usaually 25mg and then increased 50 mg every 2 weeks. ( so its not a quick fix) I am on 150mg , it works for me , I know many people are on 300-400 mg , it just varies. If you are full of energy viibryd is likely the one doing so. Racing mind is never a fun thing it will exhaust you further.

Psych medications are also used as cross over meds, meaning many times People are put on atypical meds. Most Pdoc aren't quick to toss out the label of Bipolar , which is a good thing.

Lack of sleep regardless of the reason is a huge factor in feeling well.

Keep in touch with your Pdoc and make sure he/she is aware of your insomnia issues.

Welcome to PC

[Victoria'smom]

I'm on both but but my limictal was already in place when I started the viibryd. you may me too lower the vibrant until you have the mood stablizer in your system.

[Tamster]

Viibryd has been a god send for a AD but i am on Depakote as a choice for a mood stabilizer. The older ones just give me the willies. I am schizoaffective not bipolar but the meds are often the same. good luck with the lamictal

[ultramar]

First, Welcome!

I'm sorry the Lamictal isn't working out.

It's not only prescribed for bipolar, so the prescription really isn't necessarily an indication of diagnosis.

We really can't diagnose you here. Having a lot of energy, trouble focusing, the insomnia, the depression you felt before, it's complicated and it even often takes psychiatrists some time to accurately diagnose.

I'd really encourage you to ask your psychiatrist what your diagnosis is (if they feel comfortable enough at this point to make one) and of course share your concerns about your symptoms/experiences.

It might help to, before your next appointment with your pdoc, to keep track of your moods, your sleep, anything in your life/environment that might be triggering these things. Also maybe note down your history of moods, insomnia, etc. Pdoc appointments can be pretty short, so especially in the beginning it can help to come with some important things written down to help you share everything you need to. Also maybe a list of questions.

I wish you the best of luck!

[GreyWolf1]

Just some thoughts.
All medications, working or not, need to be "monitored".
For us, what this means is that we have to have open communication with our prescriber so that they know what effects the medication(s) are creating.
Additionally, things in life change, so does your body chemistry (more often than people know), and as a result, the medications prescribed can be modified by those changes.
What to do?
Talk to your prescriber about the changes in the effect(s) that you are experiencing.

Example:
One of the medications we take for anxiety is Ativan which is a benzodiazapine (sp?). It was originally prescribed as take 1 tablet as needed for anxiety (with only 10 dispensed per month to lessen the likelihood of dependence).
SOMETIMES 1 tablet is too much and only 1/2 a tablet is necessary to quell the edginess. This was agreed to by our prescriber over the phone.

My point:
After discussing it with your prescriber, the two of you may decide on a method that will ease the depression and yet not have you "over-stimulated"

Just our two cents.

Be Well and stay safe,
Tenanya