[pink&grey]

I'm in a phase over here and wondering what it is and how to deal with it. At 50 mgs of Lamictal, I feel better than I have in well over a decade. BUT...I'm freaking exhausted. I sleep 8 hours a night, I've given up all my vices and I'm exercising, but I'm still just dragging ***. I'm not depressed. I'm kicking butt and am a better employee, better Mom, better cook, better housekeeper....etc. I'm just so.freaking.tired.every.day. Tired like I have mono or bronchitis or something. Is it the meds? Am I sick (for the last 5 weeks)? Am I hypo and wearing myself out? Or am I depressed and don't know it (wouldn't be the first time). Anyone else experience this? How did you deal with it? Does it last?

[pink&grey]

haha PC abreviated my 3 letter curse word to 5 letters. i'm not THAT vulgar

[herhusband]

Not a house wife or homemaker my self. I am her's husband. But I commend you for that job as well. That is a tough one. It could be from wearing your body down from fatigue. Maybe a diet issue as well. Try playing around with what and how you are eating. More protein, high grain oats and such. That helped me A LOT!

[Lab_Rat]

I'm tied a lot too. I do ok most days but I am just so tired at the end of the day. I think it's because I expend so much energy just getting through the day.

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[Trippin2.0]

Have you spoken to a GP? There are a host of reasons you could be lethargic. If meds are sedating, you usually know straight away when you start taking it or directly after an ncrease, but I'm no expert, never even touched Lamictal so don't quote me.

I very rarely know I'm physically ill until I'm really sick (which means I've been full of germs for a while already) but have noticed that fatigue is a huge red flag, for me as I always get really pooped out when my body is fighting an infection.

If your meds haven't posed a problem with fatigue before, and you haven't had a tweak that may have caused this, and you're sure you're not just worn out... I suggest speaking to your gp, it may be as simple as needing a vitiman boost.

[~Christina]

Lamictal had never made me tired. Have you had routine blood work done recently? thyroid especially .. I know that can cause fatigue.

Good luck I hope you find a solution.

[pink&grey]

First, and foremost, Herhusband, I am not a housewife. Or maybe I am...to myself. I always say I am my own significant other. LOL. I am a solo mom of 2. That means I'm a single mom, but I'm also the solo parent. There's no one else parenting these guys and i have my kids 100% of the time. I also work full time and I actually work from home. So many times I'm working and parenting at the same time...the ultimate multi-task scenario.

Lab_Rat, that's exactly how i feel. I expend SO much energy to get through the day mentally with work. Every day this week but today I had to nap for 30 minutes in the evening just so I could make it through dinner prep, dinner, dinner clean up, incessant children gabbing, garden, dogs, bath time and bed time. I nearly die. Thank God there's no homework or soccer right now.

Thyroid and the GP. I think this could be the key. I have been in the hospital 3 times this month and they've checked my Thyroid each time...normal. However, my neck is swollen all the time. Some days I feel it, but mostly I don't notice. But my Mom and my Cardiologist have both told me that my neck looks really large. I guess I'll go see the GP and see what she says. ...Ugh, been down this path and it leads no where.

Thanks all. I think that this tells me that it's prob not the meds and prob not BP so I need to figure out if there's something else.

[pink&grey]

I should explain that all three of my hospital visits were for either heart arrhythmia or mood complications. ...So much fun all the time

I'm full of energy in the morning, but come around 1 pm I crash, and can't stay awake. Until it's time to go to sleep. Then I can't sleep. I'll never understand it.

[bluemountains]

You are very busy, P&G! Maybe because you are feeling better, you are expending more energy each day, causing some of your exhaustion. I take 200 mg of lamictal and it doesn't cause me to be sleepy, but abilify did when I took it. I am glad that your depression has lifted. It is a great feeling when the drug starts working!
Bluemountains

[A Red Panda]

Originally Posted by jeffro1972

I'm full of energy in the morning, but come around 1 pm I crash, and can't stay awake. Until it's time to go to sleep. Then I can't sleep. I'll never understand it.

Same! I definitely go through times where I'm like that. Wake up early and wiiiide awake and energetic... and then mid-afternoon rolls around and I am EXHAUSTED... by the time I get home from work I've started to wake back up and then am not tired at all when it's bedtime. I think I need to live somewhere where they have siestas...

[bluewave7]

Pink...I'm on Lamictal also and in the beginning it did make me tired. But on top of that you have a lot on your plate right now. Also how long have you been on Lamictal? My Pdoc said it took at least 6 weeks for full benefits. Its slow to work. I am on 300mg and I believe the therapeutic dosage is 200mg. But if 50mg works...more power to you!

I have an enormous amount of energy in the mornings until around 2:30- 3:00pm when I crash for the day. It is difficult because my evening plans are often cancelled due to being so tired I can't get out of bed. is this rapid cycling? I don't know. I forgot to ask Pdoc.

Have you heard of a bipolar term called a ' mixed state'? Its when a person is depressed and hypomanic or manic at the same time. Do you think you may be in a mixed state? Perhaps talk to your therapist or Pdoc for sure.

[pink&grey]

It could be a mixed state. It definitely gets me to a point where I completely crash. I've been in bed all day today after not sleeping last night. I haven't been on lamictal but a month I think. Maybe I just need more time and a higher dosage. See pdoc soon, so will find out more from him.