[pepperlynne]

Hello all, I have recently started taking Lamictal to reduce my Bipolar II symptoms. I am more than willing to try and hope it will work. However I am confused about Lamictal and birth control. My doctor did advise me that if I wish to get pregnant to notify him, and we will discuss different treatments. I am not wanting to get pregnant for a little while. But I read that birth control can possibly reduce the effects of Lamictal. Now I am confused. I read that Lamictal does not interfere with birth control though... I guess what I'm wondering is should I stay on birth control? I don't want to get pregnant, but I don't want to take a medicine daily that isn't going to work as well. Does anyone have any insight into this???

[Skittles56]

From your post, it looks like you have discussed getting pregnant, but have you specifically talked to your doctor about Lamictal and birth control? I don't think anyone here would want to give you any advice other than telling you to talk to your doctor.

Hope this helps.

[pepperlynne]

I guess I could try and call. He asked me if I was on birth control, and I said "yes" then he said "ok, you can't get pregnant while on Lamictal." Still confused, but thanks for responding.

You could talk to a pharmacist, they usually know a lot of information about medications and interactions and such.

[Nessa213]

I also take both.

Like others, I'd HIGHLY recommend talking to both your ob and your psych doc about this. But I just thought I'd give you my personal experience.

I was told that during the three weeks of the "normal" hormone pill, the Lamictal's effectiveness is reduced by as much as half. In my experience, I don't feel that Lamictal does very much to stabilize my moods and this is most likely why. It is also ironic that during my "off week" is the most likely time that my moods would be out of control just from the natural hormones. But I've noticed that this is the time of the month when I feel the absolute best.

My psych doc hinted that at the next visit, if I wasn't seeing an improvement overall I'd be switched to Lithium.

I continue to take birth control because the other psych med I'm on (Paxil) would have very bad consequences on an unborn child. Primarily for this reason, my doctor did not want me to discontinue my birth control. She also told me that while birth control affects Lamictal's effectiveness, it does not work the other way around. Your birth control does not lose any effectiveness from the Lamictal.

[Eliza Jane]

Originally Posted by pepperlynne

I guess I could try and call. He asked me if I was on birth control, and I said "yes" then he said "ok, you can't get pregnant while on Lamictal." Still confused, but thanks for responding.

Not to take this off topic, but I was surprised to read this. I was switched TO lamictal for pregnancy because of data supporting its safety! Odd.

EJ

[pepperlynne]

Nessa, thanks for the personal experience. That really helps. And I also read that Lamictal doesn't effect birth control, but the other way around. I agree with you and think it's responsible of you to stay on it, because the effects Paxil might have. Take care.

[pepperlynne]

Originally Posted by Eliza Jane

Not to take this off topic, but I was surprised to read this. I was switched TO lamictal for pregnancy because of data supporting its safety! Odd.

EJ

Well I'm no doctor, but that is what my psychiatrist told me. Then I did some reading online, and I read that it is recommended to not take it if trying to get pregnant, or while pregnant.

I wish you the best.

Just my experience - I took lamictal with birth control pills with no side effects or problems with either of them. I loved lamictal, it was a brilliant drug but got too expensive for me as at the time I was on it, it wasnt yet apporved for use in bipolar so very expensive here. I was under the impression it was one of the more safer and directly effective mood stabilisers.

[Moreta]

When I was trying to get pregnant, my pdoc and obgyn had me on lamictal and geodon. They said there was some risk taking them, but it's a bigger risk with me not being on meds. I recently started BC because I decided it wasn't a good time to try to get pregnant, b/c I'm going back to school next year. I haven't noticed any problems with the lamictal being affected by the BC, but I take 400 mg of lamictal, which is a pretty high dose.

[pepperlynne]

Originally Posted by Moreta

When I was trying to get pregnant, my pdoc and obgyn had me on lamictal and geodon. They said there was some risk taking them, but it's a bigger risk with me not being on meds. I recently started BC because I decided it wasn't a good time to try to get pregnant, b/c I'm going back to school next year. I haven't noticed any problems with the lamictal being affected by the BC, but I take 400 mg of lamictal, which is a pretty high dose.

Yes that is a pretty high dose. I'm just getting on Lamictal- so I guess it will be a little while before I really start noticing a difference. That's interesting though- maybe Lamictal is safer than I thought, with regards to pregnancy.. My pdoc said that when I was ready to start trying to get pregnant to let him know and he would put me on something else...

I know what you mean about it not being a good time to get pregnant. I too am in school, and I feel like my plate is so full juggling work and school now, that I can't add another responsibility to it all. So I think I'm going to wait a few years. I need to work on myself before I can be responsible for another human life (the ultimate responsibility). Though I really do want to have kids someday...

[pepperlynne]

Originally Posted by Supanova

Just my experience - I took lamictal with birth control pills with no side effects or problems with either of them. I loved lamictal, it was a brilliant drug but got too expensive for me as at the time I was on it, it wasnt yet apporved for use in bipolar so very expensive here. I was under the impression it was one of the more safer and directly effective mood stabilisers.

Thanks for response.... I am hoping Lamictal is the right one for me. I think there is a generic form though if it really worked for you, maybe you could try taking the generic form..

Originally Posted by pepperlynne

Thanks for response.... I am hoping Lamictal is the right one for me. I think there is a generic form though if it really worked for you, maybe you could try taking the generic form..

Thanks I am now on a cocktail of meds that works brilliantly for me. I know now that lamictal is on the PBS so I can get it cheap if I was to ever use it again.